Healthy Baked Coconut Shrimp

These baked coconut shrimp are crispy with the taste of coconut that'll make you feel like you're far away on a Caribbean island sipping on a fruity drink (I wish).

***This post was updated April 2020 with edited copy and new pictures. Same great recipe. Hope you enjoy!***

Here I am, bringing you another easy but delicious weeknight meal!  I've had coconut shrimp at a few different restaurants, and I don't want to brag but these are better than any coconut shrimp I've gotten…anywhere. 

These baked coconut shrimp are not fried and soggy.  They're baked and crispy.  And they have coconut oil in them, and, therefore, they must be healthy, right?!  JK -- but these shrimp are so freakin' delicious. They'll take you just about 30 minutes to make from start to finish.

Ingredients For Baked Coconut Shrimp

This recipe only requires a few, quick ingredients, most of which you probably have in your kitchen:

• shrimp
• eggs
• coconut oil
• all-purpose flour
• garlic powder
• salt
• breadcrumbs
• unsweetened shredded coconut

Tips for making the shrimp

• Pre-bake the breadcrumbs. This will ensure the shrimp stays nice and crispy.  You'll just line a sheet pan with the breadcrumbs for about 2 minutes, shake the pan, bake them for another 2 minutes.  It'll keep your shrimp from getting soggy.  They come out perfectly crispy and brown…ready for you to pop them like popcorn.
• Use fresh or frozen shrimp. Either one works here.
• Use one hand to dip in the egg mixture and the other to dip in the breadcrumb mixture. This helps keep your assembly line moving quickly.
• Press breadcrumbs and coconut into the shrimp until it's all coated. Don't be shy.

What should I eat with the shrimp?

We eat John eats the low carb version I assembled, which was just broccoli rice and finely diced bell peppers sautéed with just some salt, pepper, and olive oil.

As C says, "If I see butter, I eat butter."  That's how I feel about carbs, so I usually eat a hybrid of what the kids have (below) and the low-carb version with vegetables.  Sweet Thai chili sauce is great to dip them in, too and can be bought at any grocery store, but they definitely don't require any sauce.

I also packed these for my lunch the next day, thinking they'd be a little soggy and not amazing, but they held up remarkably well.  I love when I have an exciting lunch.  Does it make your day, too?!

xox

kathryn

As always, if you make anything from the blog, be sure to let me know! I love hearing from you in the comments on this post below or find Worn Slap Out on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest!

Healthy Baked Coconut Shrimp

You'll feel like you're in the Caribbean eating Coconut Shrimp with these weeknight healthy baked coconut shrimps!

4.50 from 2 votes

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Course: Dinner

Cuisine: American, Thai

Keyword: baked shrimp, coconut shrimp

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes

Servings: 6 people

1x2x3x

Ingredients

• 1 lb shrimp, peeled and deveined

Bowl #1

• 2 eggs beaten
• 1 tbsp coconut oil
• ¼ cup all-purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ tsp salt

Bowl #2:

• 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
• 1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 400F.
• Spread panko crumbs on a baking tray into an even layer. Spray the crumbs quickly with cooking spray. Bake for 2 minutes. Shake the tray and bake for another 1 to 2 minutes, until panko is a nice golden brown. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
• Prepare two bowls. Add all the “Bowl 1” ingredients into the first bowl and mix well.
• Add the “Bowl 2” ingredients into the second bowl and mix well.
• Line a baking tray with parchment paper.
• Hold the shrimp by the tail and dip it in the egg coating, then place the battered shrimp into the breadcrumb coating. Sprinkle the breadcrumb mixture on top and push crumbs gently onto shrimp to coat well. Place shrimp on baking tray, placing them about ½″ apart.
• Bake until the coconut turns golden and the shrimp are cooked through, 10 to 12 minutes (depending on the size of your shrimp).
• Serve hot with Thai sweet chili sauce, rice, and/or roasted vegetables.

Notes

These are best eaten right after they come out of the oven because the shrimp are at their maximum crispiness.  If you have leftovers, place them in an airtight container in the refrigerator.  They'll stay good (albeit not crispy) for 2 days. 

Reheating: Again, not recommended, but I do often eat leftovers the next day for lunch.  It's ideal to put shrimp in the oven at 300 for about 15 minutes until they get hot.  You can also put them in the microwave for 15 seconds, but they will get soggy.