These baked coconut shrimp are easy to make, healthier than fried and with a delicious flavor that pairs perfectly with the mango dipping sauce. They're great for entertaining or just because.

Baked coconut shrimp with mango dipping sauce in bowl at back of plate

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I know coconut shrimp might seem pretty everyday to some, but it's not something I grew up with. In fact while we absolutely got shrimp (or prawns as we call them in the UK, apart from small sized) I don't really remember having them much other than as scampi, mixed in to pasta and then later in Thai green curry.

plate of baked coconut shrimp with mango dipping sauce with a shrimp in the sauce

My first taste of coconut shrimp was in New York. When I lived there, a colleague suggested a kind of tour that was almost like being in a play/murder mystery. It was fun and at the end we ended up having a couple drinks with the "cast" as it was their last tour of the season.

After a little while, snacks came out including some of the most delicious coconut shrimp. I knew one of these days I needed to get round to making them myself.

plate of coconut shrimp with glasses and bruschetta behind

Variations on coconut shrimp

With things like this, despite being relatively simple, you have a little bit of a choice in how you make them. Traditionally they are fried and that will inevitably be crispier, but I prefer not to fry if I don't really have to.

For things like cauliflower pakora, I think the crispiness is more important, but here I am happy to sacrifice a little for an easier and healthier cook.

Also, some recipes combine coconut with panko, presumably to give more crispy texture. But personally I would rather have more coconut flavor.

The other advantage of not using breadcrumbs is these are really easy to make gluten free by just swapping the flour to a gluten free blend (true, you could swap the breadcrumbs too, but GF flour is easier to find, from my experience).

How to serve baked coconut shrimp

You can serve these with a few different dipping sauces and a sweet chili sauce is pretty common. I opted for a mango dipping sauce as I love the freshness it adds and it keeps with the tropical flavor profile. The little bit of ginger, garlic and lime in the sauce really help it zing without being overpowering.

However you serve them, these are great to just nibble on any time or they'd be great for a party.

close up of baked coconut shrimp with mango dipping sauce behind

Tips for perfect baked coconut shrimp

These are really easy, but a couple of tips for making these:

Pat dry the shrimp before you start.
Make sure you shake off the excess flour after you dip them in the flour. If you have too much, it can impact the taste.
Similarly, don't get too much egg or coconut but these are less of an issue.
If you prefer, you can add the garlic and paprika to the flour (it can separate in the coconut).
You can make the dipping sauce ahead of time, but the shrimp are best served warm.

You can see how easy they are to make in this short video:

These coconut shrimp are so easy to make, and the mango dipping sauce works perfectly with the flavors. Fresh, light, and pretty healthy. There's every excuse to dip in and have some more!

holding bite of Baked coconut shrimp with mango dipping sauce on it

Looking for more finger-foods perfect for a party? Try these:

Prosciutto wrapped dates
Savory palmiers
Smoked salmon bruschetta
Plus get more appetizer recipes in the archives.

Baked coconut shrimp with mango dipping sauce behind

Print Recipe

5 from 5 votes

Baked coconut shrimp with mango dipping sauce

These baked coconut shrimp are healthier than their fried counterparts, and easy to make too. And the mango dipping sauce goes perfectly!

Prep Time10

Cook Time10

Total Time20

Course: Appetizer/Starter

Cuisine: American

Servings: (approx - will be around 9-12 shrimp)

Calories: 220kcal

Author: Caroline's Cooking

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Ingredients

For the coconut shrimp

½ lb uncooked shrimp prawns (peeled and deveined but with end of tail still on)
2 tablespoon flour
1 pinch salt & pepper
1 egg
⅓ cup shredded unsweetened coconut approx (also called desiccated coconut)
⅛ teaspoon paprika
⅛ teaspoon garlic granules

For mango dipping sauce

½ cup mango, in cubes
1 tablespoon orange juice (or a little less)
½ teaspoon lime juice
2 teaspoon honey
1 teaspoon coconut milk (optional)
¼ teaspoon grated ginger
¼ teaspoon grated garlic

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Preheat oven to 425F/210C and lightly oil a baking sheet/tray.
Put the flour in one small bowl, with a little salt and pepper, beat the egg in another, and put the coconut in a third. Add the paprika ad garlic to the coconut (or you can add to the flour) and mix through.
Pat the shrimp dry then, holding the shrimp by the tail, dip in to the flour to lightly coat all over. Shake off the excess flour. Quickly dip in the egg to coat and allow any excess to drip off before dredging in the coconut. Once coated on both sides, put on a baking sheet/tray. Repeat the flour then egg then coconut with the rest of the shrimp.
Bake the shrimp for around 10 minutes until the coconut is gently golden and just starting to brown and the shrimp become white and clearly cooked (the tails will also go pink).
While the shrimp are cooking, put all of the ingredients for the dipping sauce (mango, orange juice, lime, honey, coconut milk, ginger and garlic) in a small food processor and pulse until smooth. Put in a small dish and chill until needed.
Serve the shrimp warm with the dipping sauce on the side.

Video

Nutrition

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