Baked Coconut Shrimp
Is it possible to make healthy coconut shrimp? Yes it is with Baked Coconut Shrimp! It’s a crispy, golden, and delicious appetizer or dinner served with a spicy mango dipping sauce. Low fat and gluten free.
A long, long time ago I received 5 pounds of shrimp for a food contest. First I made my general tso’s shrimp.
With so much shrimp in my freezer, I brainstormed different ideas. What do I like to eat when I go out to restaurants?
Coconut shrimp is always a favorite. However, it’s often deep fried (and delicious). Not to mention how much it costs on the menu these days.
In these cases, I like to recreate my favorite restaurant-quality dishes at home. However, I hate deep frying so I usually opt to make air fryer coconut shrimp.
But what do you do when you don’t own an air fryer? You make Baked Coconut Shrimp instead!
They’re succulent, juicy shrimp bursting with flavor with their crunchy coconut coating.
Although they’re delicious on their own, healthy coconut shrimp is even better when paired with a spicy mango dipping sauce made with Greek yogurt.
I tried to make them as healthy as possible by using an egg white to cut back on fat. It’s also a great way to use up any leftover egg whites you may have.
And because I use cornstarch instead of flour, they’re gluten free as well.
Please don’t let my talk of eating healthy fool you! Coconut shrimp baked in the oven is still delicious with a touch of sweetness thanks to the flaked coconut.
Making baked coconut shrimp is a quick and easy way to enjoy a restaurant-quality meal right in the comfort of your home.
Ingredients For Baked Coconut Shrimp
Here are the ingredients needed for coconut shrimp with mango dipping sauce:
- Cornstarch: Helps create a crispy golden coating
- Salt: Seasons the shrimp
- Egg white: Allows the coconut to stick to the shrimp
- Coconut: I used flaked sweetened coconut as that’s what’s commonly available. You can use unsweetened but it won’t be as sweet (or stir in some sugar before coating)
- Shrimp: Make sure the shrimp are completely dry, especially if thawing.
- Mango: The riper, the better. Can also use frozen in a pinch
- Jalapeno: Adds spice to the dip
- Lime: Acid to balance the fat from the yogurt
- Honey: Sweetness to balance the yogurt and spice
- Greek yogurt: Use plain flavored
- Prepare dredging station by combining cornstarch and salt in one bowl, egg white in a second bowl, and coconut in a third bowl.
- Dredge shrimp in cornstarch mixture first then egg then coconut.
- Bake at 400F for 10-15 minutes or golden brown and fully cooked.
What To Do With Leftover Egg Yolks
Because you’re using an egg white instead of a whole egg, you’ll have a leftover egg yolk. Check out my recipes using egg yolks for ideas.
How To Bake Coconut Shrimp In Oven
Making your coconut shrimp in the oven is easy! Here’s how to do it:
Coconut shrimp is best eaten the day they’re made but can be refrigerated for up to 2 days. Reheat in oven or air fryer for 5 minutes or until hot and crispy again.
How To Make Sure Baked Coconut Shrimp Is Crispy
The trick to crispy healthy coconut shrimp is baking them on a rack so the heat circulates underneath, very similar to making my baked Buffalo chicken wings.
Ideally you want to use a roasting rack in a pan, but a cooling rack on a cookie tray works just as well.
The cooking time and amount of shrimp this recipe makes is dependent on the size of your shrimp. Some of small while others were almost as big as the palm of my hand!
Not only did the cooking time needed to be adjusted, that also meant they used up more of the coating.
I did weigh my shrimp rather than trying to give an exact count. You may need to use your cooking instincts to adjust for your shrimp size.
How To Make Mango Dipping Sauce
For the mango dipping sauce, I threw the mango, jalapeno, and lime juice into the blender then stirred in Greek yogurt by hand.
I find blending in the yogurt adds too much air, making the sauce thin.
Because the jalapeno is raw, you’ll really notice the spice. If you don’t like it super spicy, leave out the seeds and membrane (where most of the heat comes from).
Baked Coconut Shrimp FAQ
Use an equal amount of Panko breadcrumbs.
Yes. Fry in a deep fryer at 350F for 3-5 minutes or in an air fryer at 320F for 10 minutes.
Yes. Double the ingredients then use two baking trays.
More Shrimp Recipes
Enjoyed your coconut shrimp? Check out these other shrimp recipes for two:
Baked Coconut Shrimp
Is it possible to make healthy coconut shrimp? Yes it is with Baked Coconut Shrimp! It’s a crispy, golden, and delicious appetizer or dinner served with a spicy mango dipping sauce. Low fat and gluten free.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 large egg white, room temperature
- 1/2 cup flaked sweetened coconut
- 6 ounces medium raw shrimp, peeled, deveined, and patted dry (tails optional)
Mango Dipping Sauce
- 1 fresh mango, diced
- 1 small jalapeno, seeded and chopped
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 1 tablespoon honey
- One 5.3 ounce container plain Greek yogurt (roughly 3/4 cup)
Instructions
- Make the dipping sauce: Add the mango, jalapeno, lime juice, and honey into a blender and blend until smooth. The mango should be juicy enough to puree, but if not add a touch of water.
- Transfer mango mixture to a bowl and stir in the yogurt. Refrigerate while you make the shrimp.
- Preheat oven to 400F. Line a baking sheet or pan with foil for easy clean up then top with a wire rack. Lightly grease with cooking spray.
- In one shallow bowl, combine the cornstarch and salt. In a second bowl, add the egg white. In a third bowl, add the coconut.
- Working with one shrimp at a time, dredge in cornstarch mixture, then egg white, then coconut. Place on the wire rack.
- Bake 5 minutes then flip and bake another 5-10 minutes until coconut is toasted and shrimp are fully cooked (will depend on size of shrimp). Serve with dipping sauce.
Notes
- This recipe also works for chicken. Cut 1 large boneless skinless chicken breast or 2 chicken thighs into strips and dredge as instructed. Bake for 20 minutes or until internal temperature is 165F.
- Have an air fryer? Check out my Air Fryer Coconut Shrimp.
Recommended Products
As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.
This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchase.
Carla,
This shrimp looks so pretty! I want to just gaze at it, but I’m pretty sure if I could smell it–I’d face plant. All my favorite flavors–with the hope that someday the weather will be tropical enough like this dish is.
Thanks!
Lovely!! Gotta try that out!
I am so impressed on the size of the shrimp. How could you forget this recipe? I know. I know. So many recipes, so little time. Laughing. I am jazzed that these are baked shrimps, because I can remember the first time I ever tasted coconut shrimp. Let me tell you the world was flat, but those shrimps made a HUGE impression. Unfortunately at time that I could rarely afford ordering or even think of making such a dish.
LOVE coconut shrimp! I have a very similar recipe on my blog, it’s delicious!
Carla, I love these! No flour or breadcrumbs, not fried, so my belly will love them, and that dipping sauce is something my whole family will love!
Carla, do you think chicken will work with this recipe or do you happen to have a recipe for coconut chicken? Thank you & happy new year!
P.s. The vanilla bean fudge was delish!
I haven’t tried it, but I don’t see why not! I usually bake my chicken strips around 20 minutes as well, so just keep an eye on the bake time. If they are still pink, cook them another 5-10 minutes. And glad you enjoyed the fudge :)
Just following up with you – I made this recipe using turkey cut into strips instead of the shrimp, and it turned out delicious! Bake your chicken for 20 minutes then check on it. Bake it another 5 minutes if they aren’t done in the middle.
Oh, great!! Thank you! Have a great weekend.
Looks and sounds good will defently try
I made these tonight. I didn’t have cornstarch but I did have tapioca flour so I used that & seasoned it a tiny bit w/garlic powder, nutmeg & paprika in addition to the S&P. They turned out excellent. Only thing I’d do differently next time is to spray the cooling racks w/some cooking spray or wipe them w/a little light oil to keep the shrimp from sticking to the racks. List some of the good crunchy stuff!
Glad you enjoyed them and loved how you adjusted the recipe to your pantry. I do mention spraying the rack in the first step because yes they do stick.