Crispy Air Fryer Coconut Shrimp
Crispy air fryer coconut shrimp is an easy take on the classic seafood dish. Sweet shredded coconut and juicy shrimp make the perfect appetizer or easy entree any time.
We love getting coconut shrimp whenever we head out to eat.
With 4 kids, that doesn’t happen too often.
But we can make this yummy dish right at home.
And thanks to the air fryer, they are a bit lighter but just as crispy and delicious as the restaurant version.
Better yet?
They take less than 10 minutes to cook.
Ingredients
To make these, you’ll need:
- Shredded coconut– The kind you can find right in the baking aisle.
- Breadcrumbs– I highly recommend panko for this.
- Coconut milk– The canned kind, not the kind you find in the refrigerated section.
- Shrimp– Make sure you use large shrimp and save yourself some time by buying the pre-deveined and peeled kind. Make sure the tail is on.
- Salt and pepper
How to Make
Add the coconut and bread crumbs to a food processor with the blade attachment.
Pulse it together a couple of times, then transfer the coating mixture to a waiting plate.
Then, lightly season the shrimp with salt and pepper and put them in small mixing bowl filled with the coconut milk.
Let them soak in the milk for 10 minutes.
After 10 minutes, work in batches and transfer a few of the shrimp from the milk to the breading mix.
Turn the shrimp over in the breading and press it in as needed to covered evenly on all sides.
Repeat until all the shrimp are coated.
Then, lightly spray your air fryer basket with nonstick cooking spray.
Transfer the coated shrimp to the air fryer basket in a single layer and lightly spray the tops of the shrimp with nonstick cooking spray.
Air fry the shrimp at 380° for 4 minutes.
After 4 minutes, open the basket, spritz the shrimp again with nonstick spray, and cook for another 3-4 minutes more.
Serve the coconut shrimp warm with dipping sauce of choice.
Dipping Sauce Ideas
Some dipping sauce ideas for coconut shrimp include:
- cocktail sauce
- orange ginger sauce
- thai sweet chili sauce
- mango puree
- apricot sauce
- bang bang sauce
- yum yum sauce
How To Make Yum Yum Sauce
If I had to pick one sauce to dip coconut shrimp in, it would be yum yum sauce- hands down. Thankfully, this copycat version is easy to whip up & tastes just like the classic hibachi restaurant version!
To a small mixing bowl add 1 cup mayo (I like Hellman’s, but Kewpie is traditional), 1 tablespoon ketchup, 1 1/2 teaspoon seasoned rice vinegar, 1 tablespoon mirin, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika, and 2 tablespoons cold water.
Whisk all of the ingredients together until smooth & creamy. Then serve immediately with the warm shrimp, or you can cover and refrigerate until chilled.
Storing Leftovers
You can save leftover coconut shrimp in an air tight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in the air fryer until warmed through.
Leftover yum yum sauce (provided you didn’t dip any shrimp into it) will keep, sealed in an air tight container, in the fridge for up to a week.
Tips and Tricks
- Make sure to add the shrimp to the air fryer in a single layer, leaving room between the shrimp. This will ensure the breading gets crispy. Overcrowded shrimp may be soggy even after cooking.
- Depending on the size of your air fryer you may need to work in batches.
- This recipe easily doubles to serve a crowd.
Other Air Fryer Appetizers
Crispy air fryer coconut shrimp is a yummy treat to make at home any time. Make it and enjoy!
Looking for other air fryer appetizers? Try these:
If you’ve tried this AIR FRYER COCONUT SHRIMP, or any other recipe on the site, let me know in the comment section how it turned out, we love hearing from our readers! You can also follow along with me on PINTEREST, FACEBOOK, and INSTAGRAM to see more amazing recipes and whatever else we’ve got going on!
Crispy Air Fryer Coconut Shrimp
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup shredde coconut
- 3/4 cup panko bread crumbs
- 1 cup canned coconut milk
- 1 lb large shrimp peeled & deveined, tails on (about 15 large shrimp)
- salt & pepper
Instructions
- To the bowl of a food processor fitted with the blade attachment, add the coconut & bread crumbs. Pulse a couple of times (2-3), then transfer the coating mixture to a waiting plate.
- Lightly season the shrimp with salt & pepper, and then add them to a small mixing bowl filled with the coconut milk. Let them soak in the milk for 10 minutes.
- Working in batches, trasnfer a few of the shimrp from the milk to the breading mix- turning the shrimp over and pressing in as needed to covered evenly on all sides. Repeat until all the shrimp are coated.
- Lightly spray your air fryer basket with nonstick cooking spray. Transfer the coated shrimp to the air fryer basket in a SINGLE layer. Lightly spray the tops of the shrimp with nonstick cooking spray.
- Air fry the shrimp at 380° for 4 minutes. Then open the basket, spritz the shrimp again with nonstick spray, and cook for another 3-4 minutes more.
- Cook in batches, if needed.
- Serve the coconut shrimp warm with dipping sauce of choice.
Notes
- Make sure to add the shrimp to the air fryer in a single layer, leaving room between the shrimp. This will ensure the breading gets crispy. Overcrowded shrimp may be soggy even after cooking.
- Depending on the size of your air fryer you may need to work in batches.
- This recipe easily doubles to serve a crowd.
Nutrition
