Baked Coconut Shrimp with Mango Sauce
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Baked Coconut Shrimp that are truely CRISPY and crazy delicious. They're a healthy coconut shrimp recipe that is easy to make ahead and freezer-friendly. We like to serve these with a creamy mango dipping sauce.
Put your hand up if you love tender shrimp wrapped in a crunchy blanket of coconut. I'm currently jumping around with both hands in the air yelling, “me, me, me!” You are too, right?
Why this is our favorite coconut shrimp
- CRISPY shrimp all covered in tasty coconut that crunches like it's been deep-fried.
- Baked in the oven (with a special trick) so you don't have to pull out your deep-fryer or visit your local pub to satisfy your crispy shrimp craving.
- Dunked in a mango dipping sauce that is creamy, a little sweet, and all things delicious.
- NO BREADCRUMBS ← totally worth yelling about. They're not at all necessary so we skip them and make this a healthy coconut shrimp recipe instead.
- Because we've ditched the breadcrumbs, this is a grain-free, gluten-free, and paleo coconut shrimp recipe.
- But even if none of that is important to you, this is still the recipe you want to make. It's the best one we've tried.
How to make coconut shrimp
- Start by setting out 3 bowls. I use our deep soup bowls for this job. Whisk eggs in one, add tapioca starch or cornstarch to another, and put coconut in the third.
Here's the important part: when dipping the shrimp, keep one hand for the ‘wet' tasks and one hand for the ‘dry' tasks. Picking up the unbreaded shrimp and taking them out of the egg are the ‘wet' tasks. Taking the shrimp out of the tapioca starch and coconut are the ‘dry' tasks. If you don't keep your hands separate they will become the biggest, gloopiest messes and you'll want to stop 48 times to wash them.
- Now dip each shrimp in the tapioca, then the egg, then the coconut. You can do a few at a time to speed things up.
Put the coconut breaded shrimp on a baking tray lined with oil. Drizzle some more oil on top then bake them for 20 minutes.
How to freeze coconut shrimp
Coconut shrimp freeze very well. Once you've breaded them, lay them in a single layer on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet and put them into your freezer. Once they're frozen, you can transfer them to a freezer bag.
Cook the shrimp from frozen, adding 5 minutes to the baking time.
What ingredients are in the coconut shrimp sauce
Mango dipping sauce is made with:
- Fresh mango
- Mayonnaise (can be light!)
- Honey
- Grated ginger
- Lime juice
Put everything into your blender and give it a whirl.
The trick for making the best baked coconut shrimp
Making the best baked coconut shrimp isn't rocket science, but there is one simple trick you need to know.
- Start by generously oiling your baking sheet. And if you don't have a non-stick pan (like me!) then use parchment paper.
The deep-fried like crispiness comes from the oil. You'll want to use at least 2 tablespoons on the baking sheet and another tablespoon to drizzle over the top. If you have spray oil, this is a great time to pull it out. For maximum crisiness, give the tops of each coconut shrimp a spray with oil.
Is this coconut shrimp recipe healthy
Yes! Shrimp are healthy, coconut is healthy, eggs are healthy, and avocado oil is healthy. The ingredients in this recipe are all good for you.
If you'd like to make your own mayonnaise, then the mango dipping sauce will be even better for you. Homemade mayonnaise uses quality oil and no sugar so there is no need to feel guilty about eating it.
And because there are no unhealthy breadcrumbs in here, it is a paleo and gluten-free coconut shrimp recipe!
Love easy, healthy appetizer recipes?
We love our appys! Whether friends are popping by, or there's a Super Bowl/ game day party, or it's Friday night and that's a good enough excuse, we are always down for appetizers. These are a few of our favorites:
- Tzatziki Avocado Salmon Rolls
- Roasted Caramelized Onion Dip
- Easy Guacamole
- Sesame Pineapple Sausage Bites
- Sticky Honey Garlic Chicken Wings
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Easy Shrimp Recipes
- Garlic Butter Baked Shrimp (party shrimp!)
- Sticky Sesame Honey Shrimp with Ginger Broccoli
- Spicy Cajun Shrimp Skillet with Green Peppers
- Cajun Shrimp Boil Skewers
- Bang Bang Shrimp
Baked Coconut Shrimp Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons avocado oil (divided)
- ¾ cup tapioca starch (can sub cornstarch)
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 2 ½ cups unsweetened desiccated coconut
- 2 large eggs
- 2 lb peeled and deveined shrimp (I like to leave the tails on 21-25 count)
- Cilantro (for garnish)
Mango Dipping Sauce
- ½ mango (diced (½ cup))
- ¼ cup mayonnaise (can be light mayo)
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 teaspoon finely grated ginger
- Juice from ½ lime
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 425 degrees. Line an 18×13 inch baking sheet with parchment paper. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons of the oil.
- In a medium-sized bowl, mix the tapioca starch and salt. Add the coconut to another bowl and whisk the eggs with a small splash of water in a third bowl.¾ cup tapioca starch, 1 teaspoon sea salt, 2 ½ cups unsweetened desiccated coconut, 2 large eggs
- Drop a few shrimp into the tapioca starch then move them to the bowl with the eggs. Put them into the coconut and coat them well. Transfer them to the baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining shrimp then drizzle the tops of the breaded shrimp with the remaining tablespoon of oil.2 lb peeled and deveined shrimp
- Bake for 20 mintues (no need to flip them) until they are golden brown. Put them on a serving plate and sprinkle a little minced cilantro over, to garnish.
Mango Dipping Sauce
- While the shrimp are baking, add the mango sauce ingredients to your blender and blend on medium speed until smooth.½ mango, ¼ cup mayonnaise, 1 tablespoon honey, 1 teaspoon finely grated ginger, Juice from ½ lime
Nutrition
We have thoroughly tested this recipe for accuracy. However, individual results may vary. See our full recipe disclosure here.
This recipe is part of our Healthy Super Bowl Recipes series.
