Let’s make coconut shrimp, air fryer style! With the weather getting warmer, it feels like everyone is craving a tropical getaway.
Even without hopping on a plane, you can bring a taste of the tropics to your kitchen with this air fryer coconut shrimp recipe!
The shrimp is perfectly juicy, the exterior is sweet and crisp, and all of this can be achieved by using your air fryer.
How to make coconut shrimp
Making coconut shrimp is as easy as peeling the shrimp, coating them in the coconut batter, and cooking them!
Want to save a step? Choose shrimp that is already peeled and deveined.
We absolutely love the bright, plump, red argentinian shrimp from Omaha Steaks!
Yes, Omaha Steaks has seafood, and it’s excellent. Usually when we order a shipment of our favorite Tomahawk Steaks (learn how to cook a tomahawk steak in our past post) or New York Strips (we use them for our air fryer chicken fried steak recipe as well as for sous vide steak), we also order some shrimp and fish from their vast variety of offerings.
The Red Argentinian Shrimp is available both tail on and tail removed.
Whichever one you order, you’ll end up with shrimp that taste sweet like lobster!
To save yourself some time with this air fryer shrimp recipe, opt for the peeled shrimp.
Then all you need to do is thaw them and prepare the shrimp in the air fryer!
How to cook shrimp in air fryer
Cooking shrimp in air fryer is actually a really fast process!
The air fryer breaded shrimp get crispier than they would in the oven since the air is circulating all around the shrimp.
Compared to cooking the shrimp in a big old skillet of oil, fried shrimp in the airfryer also ensures that your coconut shrimp aren’t greasy or overly calorie laden.
The most important part of this recipe is to ensure you watch your shrimp in the airfryer, since cooking times can vary based on your air fryer appliance.
If you are using a smaller shrimp for air fryer popcorn shrimp, reduce the cooking time.
Coconut shrimp dipping sauce
Coconut shrimp sauce couldn’t be easier to make!
For our recipe we just mix together 2 parts orange marmalade with 1 part garlic chili sauce.
This two ingredient shrimp dipping sauce is the perfect mix of sweet with a little heat.
Air fryer coconut shrimp recipe
Our air fryer coconut shrimp batter uses the same methodology as our air fryer boneless wing recipe and our air fryer chicken fried steak recipe.
You’ll start by adding the shrimp to the dry ingredient drudge, then dip it in the wet batter. The additional step for the recipe is to coat the shrimp in the coconut panko coating as the final step.
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes
Makes 14 large shrimp
Ingredients:
- 14 Shrimp
- 1/2 cup flour
- Salt and pepper
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1 cup shredded, sweetened coconut
- Olive oil cooking spray
- Air fryer
- Preheat your air fryer to 350 degrees. This temperature ensures the outside batter doesn’t start to burn before the inside of the shrimp are fully cooked.
- Thaw your shrimp in a bowl of cool water. Peel and devein your shrimp is not already completed.
- Prepare three plates or shallow bowls with your batter ingredients Start by mixing your flour with sugar, salt and pepper.
- In a separate bowl, scramble two eggs.
- In the last shallow bowl, combine the sweetened coconut flakes with the panko breadcrumbs.
- One by one, coat the shrimp in the seasoned flour, shaking off the excess flour.
- Next, dip it in the egg mixture until well coated.
- Finally, coat the shrimp with the coconut panko breadcrumbs, using your fingers to push the coconut into the shrimp.
- Complete this for all shrimp, then spray both sides of the shrimp with the olive oil cooking spray.
- Place on the air fryer rack or basket and cook at 350 degrees for 9-10 minutes, flipping halfway through. Your air fryer may require more or less time, based on the type and brand of airfryer.
- Serve hot with the sweet chili dipping sauce.
Air Fryer Coconut Shrimp
Air fryer coconut shrimp is a flavorful taste of the tropics with less calories!
Ingredients
- 14 Shrimp
- 1/2 cup flour
- Salt and pepper
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1 cup shredded, sweetened coconut
- Olive oil cooking spray
- Air fryer
Instructions
- Preheat your air fryer to 350 degrees. This temperature ensures the outside batter doesn’t start to burn before the inside of the shrimp are fully cooked.
- Thaw your shrimp in a bowl of cool water. Peel and devein your shrimp is not already completed.
- Prepare three plates or shallow bowls with your batter ingredients Start by mixing your flour with sugar, salt and pepper.
- In a separate bowl, scramble two eggs.
- In the last shallow bowl, combine the sweetened coconut flakes with the panko breadcrumbs.
- One by one, coat the shrimp in the seasoned flour, shaking off the excess flour.
- Next, dip it in the egg mixture until well coated.
- Finally, coat the shrimp with the coconut panko breadcrumbs, using your fingers to push the coconut into the shrimp.
- Complete this for all shrimp, then spray both sides of the shrimp with the olive oil cooking spray.
- Place on the air fryer rack or basket and cook at 350 degrees for 9-10 minutes, flipping halfway through. Your air fryer may require more or less time, based on the type and brand of airfryer.
- Serve hot with the sweet chili dipping sauce.
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What goes well with coconut shrimp?
Now that you’ve made our coconut shrimp recipe, pair it with our mango salsa and coconut rice recipe!
You could also toss them in bang bang sauce for bang bang shrimp!
This recipe was sponsored by Omaha Steaks, thanks for supporting the brands we love.
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2 Comments
Karina Roberson
June 11, 2022 at 8:28 pmDo you use already cooked shrimp?
coupleinthekitchen
July 7, 2022 at 9:10 pmNo, this is raw shrimp. It is red Argentinian shrimp.