Easy Coconut Shrimp with Pineapple Dipping Sauce

A healthier version of Red Lobster’s Coconut Shrimp Recipe that is made with unsweetened shredded coconut, Panko bread crumbs, and then lightly pan-fried in coconut oil.  Serve them with an easy pineapple and yogurt dipping sauce for dinner or in tacos for a quick lunch!

Want a few other easy shrimp recipes?  You might also enjoy these Blackened Shrimp Tacos, Teriyaki Shrimp Stir-Fry, or these Baked Shrimp Scampi Packets.

Coconut Shrimp from Red Lobster

Growing up, my family and I frequented chain restaurants on the reg.  One of our all-time favorite places to eat was Red Lobster.

We lived on the Gulf Coast, so to be honest… any and every restaurant in our area of Texas had ah-maaaazing seafood.  But Red Lobster had something special…

My go-to item on the menu was their fried coconut shrimp.

Every inch of shrimp was covered in the tastiest coconut breading.

And that sauce!!  In addition to the extremely delicious coconut coating, my favorite part about getting these coconut shrimp was actually the creamy pina colada dipping sauce that accompanied it.

Oftentimes I would ask for a second bowl of it half-way through my meal because it was just that good!

This recipe you’ll find below has been made slightly healthier and can easily be prepared gluten-free, too.

Ingredients

The ingredients needed for this coconut shrimp recipe are actually rather simple to find at your local grocery store.

If you are trying to make them gluten-free, however, you may need to purchase a few of the items from an online store or specialty grocery store.

• Shrimp – One pound of peeled and deveined shrimp are used.  (Read more below about the size and whether or not to leave the tails on.)
• Flour or Starch – A gluten-free 1-to-1 flour blend was used when creating this recipe.  Tapioca starch or regular all purpose flour may also be subtituted.
• Coconut – Unsweetened and shredded coconut is the best type to use.  Try to avoid sweetened coconut as it will have too much sugar.
• Bread Crumbs – Aleia’s gluten-free Panko bread crumbs are my favorite to use.  If you’re not avoiding gluten, a regular Panko bread crumb will work equally as well.
• Oil – The secret to getting lightly fried shrimp that are LOADED with coconut flavor is to use coconut oil when cooking.  Pay careful attention, however, since coconut oil has a pretty low smoke point of only 450 degrees..  Avocado or olive oil may also be used.
• Dipping Sauce – Read more below about to make a super quick and easy 4 ingredient dipping sauce for the shrimp.

Best Type of Shrimp

Feel free to get whatever size of shrimp you prefer.  A 20-24 count size was used when creating this recipe.  They are large enough so it does not require too much time to coat, but small enough for the shrimp:coating ratio to be just perfect.

If you do get shrimp at a size other than 20-24 count, make sure to adjust your time accordingly.

To save a little bit of time, you’ll also want to purchase shrimp that have been peeled and deveined.

And lastly, you can select shrimp with the tails on or the tails removed.

I have made them both ways and prefer shrimp with tails on when I’m serving them as a main dish and shrimp with the tails removed when adding them to tacos or sandwiches.

How to Make

Much like a chicken parmesan recipe or when making avocado fries, it’s best to use a 3-bowl technique to get the coconut crust to stick.

1. Place shrimp into a large bowl and add flour, paprika, salt, and pepper.  Toss until completely coated.
2. Whisk together egg and milk in a medium-sized shallow bowl.
3. Combine shredded coconut and Panko breadcrumbs in a second, medium-sized, shallow bowl.  Toss to combine.
4. Remove flour-coated shrimp from the bowl and dip in egg bowl.  Let excess egg run off and then coat completely in shredded coconut/Panko breadcrumbs.  Place on a baking sheet or plate and repeat with remaining shrimp.
5. Add 1-2 tablespoons of coconut oil to a large non-stick or stainless steel skillet over medium heat.
6. Cook 5-6 shrimp for two minutes on each side, or until shrimp are done cooking.  (You’ll know this when they start to curl up!)  Remove cooked shrimp and place on a paper towel to drain excess oil.  Repeat this step with remaining shrimp.

Dipping Sauce

The piña colada sauce only requires four simple ingredients.  It can be served as a dipping sauce for these coconut shrimp, as a topping on some Sweet Potato Black Bean Burgers, or with some Blackened Fish Tacos.

Combine plain yogurt, crushed pineapple, unsweetened shredded coconut, sugar, and salt in a medium-sized bowl.  Whisk unitl combined.  Serve immediately or store in the refrigerator for up to a week.

Greek yogurt can be used for a bit more tang, or a vegan yogurt can be substituted if you’re dairy-free.

Storing and Reheating

Place any leftover coconut shrimp in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Like other fried and lightly-fried recipes, I was sure these coconut shrimp would not fare well after storing and then reheating.

But boy was I wrong.

You can bring them back to life and give them even more crunch by adding them to a large skillet with a bit of coconut oil.  Cook over medium-low heat until heated through.

5 from 2 votes

Easy Coconut Shrimp (Red Lobster Recipe)

A healthier version of Red Lobster's Coconut Shrimp Recipe that is made with unsweetened shredded coconut, Panko bread crumbs, and then lightly pan-fried in coconut oil.  Serve them with an easy pineapple and yogurt dipping sauce for dinner or in tacos for a quick lunch!

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Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Keyword easy, fried, healthy, seafood, shrimp

Prep Time 30 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Total Time 45 minutes

Servings 6 servings

Calories 303 kcal

London Brazil

Ingredients

• 1 lb. shrimp peeled and deveined, tails on or off
• ⅓ cup flour gluten free 1-to-1 blend
• ½ tsp. paprika
• ¾ tsp. salt divided
• ¼ tsp. black pepper
• 1 large egg
• 1 Tbsp. milk almond or cashew
• ¾ cup unsweetened coconut finely shredded
• ½ cup Panko bread crumbs gluten-free
• ¼ - ½ cup coconut oil

Pineapple Dipping Sauce:

• ⅓ cup yogurt plain, Greek, or dairy-free
• ¼ cup crushed pineapple canned, drained
• 2 Tbsp. unsweetened coconut finely shredded
• 2 tsp. sugar or coconut sugar
• ⅛ - ¼ salt to taste
• See this recipe in Healthy Meal Plan #2

Instructions

1. Place shrimp into a large bowl and add flour, paprika, ½ tsp. salt, and pepper. Toss until coated.

2. Whisk together egg and milk in a medium-sized shallow bowl.

3. Place shredded coconut, Panko breadcrumbs, and ¼ teaspoon of salt in a second, medium-sized, shallow bowl. Toss to combine.

4. Remove flour-coated shrimp from the bowl and dip in egg bowl. Let excess egg run off and then coat completely in shredded coconut/panko breadcrumbs. Place on a baking sheet or plate and repeat with remaining shrimp.

5. Add 1-2 tablespoons of coconut oil to a large non-stick or stainless steel skillet over medium heat.

6. Cook 5-6 shrimp for two minutes on each side, or until shrimp are done cooking.  (You'll know this when they start to curl up!)  Remove cooked shrimp and place on a paper towel to drain excess oil.  Repeat this step with remaining shrimp.

Pineapple Dipping Sauce:

1. While shrimp are cooking, combine creamy pineapple dipping sauce ingredients in a medium-sized bowl. Stir until combined.

2. Serve shrimp immediately with creamy pineapple dipping sauce and enjoy!  See this recipe in Healthy Meal Plan #2.

Recipe Video

Recipe Notes

• Shrimp that are a 20-24 count size are recommended.   You can use large or smaller, but make sure to adjust cooking time accordingly.
• If you use smaller shrimp, you may run out of the coconut/breadcrumb mixture.  If this happens, simply add additional coconut and breadcrumbs in a 3:2 ratio with a pinch of salt and continue breading your shrimp.
• If oil looks brown after cooking a batch or two, drain coconut oil and add an additional 1-2 tablespoons of coconut oil.

Nutrition Facts

Easy Coconut Shrimp (Red Lobster Recipe)

Amount Per Serving

Calories 303 Calories from Fat 180

% Daily Value*

Fat 20g31%

Saturated Fat 16g100%

Cholesterol 223mg74%

Sodium 882mg38%

Potassium 195mg6%

Carbohydrates 12g4%

Fiber 3g13%

Sugar 4g4%

Protein 19g38%

Vitamin A 261IU5%

Vitamin C 4mg5%

Calcium 146mg15%

Iron 3mg17%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.