Baked Coconut Shrimp

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These Baked Coconut Shrimp are baked in the oven instead of fried, but they're just as crispy and delicious! The shrimp are coated with both breadcrumbs and shredded coconut, and you can serve them as an appetizer with bang bang sauce or for dinner with rice and a quick salad!

Crispy golden shrimp on a small wooden plate with a creamy dip in the middle and one shrimp dipped into it.

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Why You'll Love These Coconut Shrimp
Ingredients
Variations and Substitutions
Step-by-Step Instructions
Tips & Tricks!
Serving Suggestions
Storing and Reheating
FAQs
More Shrimp Recipes
📖 Recipe

Why You'll Love These Coconut Shrimp

Baked, not fried - If you're trying to avoid the air-fryer and all the extra oil while keeping all the crunch, this recipe is for you! The shrimp are lightly sprayed with avocado oil, and it's all they need. The coating is just as crispy, and you can eat more of them without feeling the heaviness of fried food afterwards.

Delicious flavor - The shrimp are coated with both shredded coconut and breadcrumbs for the best crunch and flavor. Breadcrumbs also cover the shrimp better in all the small spots that the coconut might not stick to. They're so good you'll want to eat them straight off the pan!

Simple and easy - Since there's no frying and the oven does most of the work, the process of making these is super simple. You'll just dip each shrimp in flour, egg, and shredded coconut with breadcrumbs, and bake! The whole process takes only 30 minutes!

Crispy golden baked shrimp on 3 small wooden plates with bang bang dips and one shrimp being dipped in the middle.

Ingredients

Shrimp - I always recommend buying frozen shrimp to make sure they're fresh. Look for raw peeled and deveined shrimp. I like 26-30 count per pound. They're the perfect size for this recipe - not too big, not too small.
Flour - I used Bob's Red Mill 1:1 gluten-free flour, but regular all-purpose flour or your favorite gluten-free blend will work too!
Spices - You'll need garlic powder, onion powder, sweet paprika, and sea salt. The spices will get whisked into the flour.
Eggs - Eggs are an important part of the coating, helping the coconut and breadcrumbs stick. You want to only use whole eggs; egg whites won't stick as well.
Breadcrumbs - I used classic breadcrumbs, but you can also use panko if you prefer the texture. The reason I chose regular breadcrumbs is that I find they stick to the shrimp better and more evenly because they're smaller. You can also use gluten-free breadcrumbs.
Shredded coconut - Make sure you use unsweetened shredded coconut. Coconut should be the only ingredient. Avoid coconut flakes; you want the finest version of shredded coconut, otherwise it won't stick to the shrimp and won't get crispy.
Cooking spray - I recommend using oil in a spray for the shrimp because it's the easiest way to cover them all in a little bit of oil without drenching them. I like avocado oil in a spray, but any cooking spray will do.

Variations and Substitutions

Gluten-free flour - Recipes like this work the best with a very fine flour that's as close to all-purpose flour as possible. This is why I like using Bob's Red Mill 1:1 gluten-free flour for everything, and it works every time! I don't recommend almond flour, coconut flour, or any coarse flour like that. It won't stick to the shrimp the same way.
Add more spices - If you want the shrimp to have more flavor (before any sauce), add more spices to the flour. You can add chili powder or chipotle for a spicy kick.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Preheat your oven to 425°F and prepare a large rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper, or if it's non-stick, just spray it with cooking oil instead (no paper will give you more browning).
Prepare three shallow bowls.
To the first one, add all-purpose flour, paprika powder, garlic powder, and fine sea salt, and whisk to combine.
To the second, add 2 eggs and whisk well.
To the third bowl, add shredded coconut flakes and breadcrumbs, and combine.
Pat your shrimp dry with a paper towel. The dryer they are, the better the coating will stick.

Four low bowls on the left, with breadcrumbs, whisked egg, flour, and shrimp, and one shrimp being dipped into the egg on the right.

Coat the shrimp in the flour first, shaking off any excess, then the egg, and lastly with the coconut breadcrumb mixture, pressing it on gently with your fingers to make sure it sticks. I do 3-4 at a time and use forks.
Repeat with the rest of the shrimp, placing them all on your prepared baking sheet as you go in a single layer.

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A shrimp being coated with flour on the left and with breadcrumbs and shredded coconut on the right.

Spray the shrimp evenly with cooking oil and bake in the preheated oven for 10 minutes.
Carefully flip each shrimp, and bake for another 5-8 minutes. They should be golden brown but not burnt.
Serve them on a serving platter with your favorite sauce as an appetizer, or over rice for dinner, and enjoy!

Shrimp coated with breadcrumbs and coconut on a large baking sheet with parchment paper before and after roasting.

Tips & Tricks!

Choose the right shrimp size - You want the shrimp to be the optimal size because if they're too small, coating them will take forever, and if they're too big, you may not have enough when you serve them as an appetiser. Not to mention the size also affects the cooking time. I recommend sticking to somewhere around 26-30 count per pound.
Use cooking spray - While you can achieve crispy shrimp without deep-frying them, they still need a little bit of oil for them to brown and crisp up properly. The best way to do this is with a cooking spray. It evenly covers them in just the right amount of oil without adding too much.
Give the shrimp enough space - My oven is small, so I always struggle with space, but if you can, the shrimp will crisp up better when they have more space around them. If your pan is too crowded, or the shrimp are overlapping a little bit, you're risking them steaming, rather than roasting. They won't be as crispy and not as browned. Cook them in batches if needed.
Use a baking sheet with a rack - This is totally optional, but if you have it, a baking sheet with a wire rack (that's oven safe) is perfect for getting the shrimp crispy on all sides. It helps the air to circulate under the shrimp to get them extra crispy.

Serving Suggestions

Appetizer with dips - My favorite way to serve these is as an appetizer on a tray with one or two dips. They make great finger food for parties that's easy to serve and doesn't make a mess. My go-to is my Bang Bang Sauce, but you can also serve it with this Boom Boom Sauce, Spicy Sriracha Mayo, cocktail sauce, tartar sauce, or even plain sweet chili sauce.
As a main - Add the shrimp to rice bowls, serve it with quinoa, grilled veggies, and a side salad to turn them into a dinner. Try them with this Coconut Lime Rice and a side of Cucumber Mango Salad!
In tacos, burritos, and wraps - For this, I recommend removing the tails before cooking the shrimp. You don't want to bite into a shrimp tail in a burrito! They're great in a variety of tacos or wraps. Some great add-ins for either would be this Cilantro Lime Slaw, 4-Ingredient Guacamole, Roasted Chili Corn Salsa, Mango Pico de Gallo, Quick Pickled Red Onions, and this Avocado Green Goddess Sauce on top!

Crispy golden shrimp and a creamy dip on a small wooden plate with a hand dipping one shrimp into the dip.

Storing and Reheating

Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 1-2 days. I don't recommend freezing the shrimp.

Reheat them on a small baking sheet in a preheated oven at 350°F for 5-10 minutes to crisp them up again.

FAQs

Can I make the shrimp in an air fryer?

Yes, definitely! You'll just have to do it in at least two batches because the air fryer is smaller. I recommend roasting them at 400°F instead of 425°F.

What do shrimp sizes mean?

Shrimp sizes are based on how many shrimp are in 1 pound. The smaller the number, the bigger the shrimp and vice versa. I use 26-30 count shrimp from Whole Foods for most of my recipes. They're the perfect size for finger food and a happy medium for tons of other dishes.

Crispy golden shrimp on a small wooden plate with one shrimp dipped into a dip that's in the middle of the plate.

More Shrimp Recipes

If you want to try other easy shrimp recipes, check out any of the four linked below! I highly recommend the shrimp salad sandwich; it's perfect for spring and summer! To see all the latest ones, head over to Fish and Seafood!

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