Air Fryer Coconut Shrimp

Yumna Jawad
Updated

4.98 from 629 votes

This Air Fryer Coconut Shrimp recipe is like your favorite restaurant style version but only healthier because I skip the heavy oil and deep frying method

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Air fryer shrimp are so quick and easy to make and they are just as good, if not better, than one of your favorite restaurant appetizers. Made in the air fryer, these healthier fried coconut shrimp are made with just a handful of ingredients and without the need for a lot of oil. It’s so quick and easy to cook shrimp in the air fryer and this recipe is my favorite!

Air fryer coconut shrimp served with a sweet chili sauce
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I can’t tell you how delicious this coconut shrimp recipe is! Wonderfully crispy and succulent, but so much better for you! Perfect as an appetizer, party snack or to add to your dinner salad.

Ingredients

  • Shrimp: Use large shrimp for this recipe. If using frozen, make sure they are fully thawed. Peel and devein them, but keep their tails on so that they are easy to pick up.
  • Flour: Use all purpose flour for the coating. Use a 1:1 GF flour or coconut flour if you have an intolerance to wheat.
  • Eggs: So that the coating sticks to the shrimp.
  • Coconut: Use unsweetened shredded coconut.
  • Breadcrumbs: I like to use panko breadcrumbs to get a really nice crispy crust.

How to make this air fryer shrimp recipe

Set up your dredging station with the flour mix (flour and spices) in one bowl, beaten eggs in a second, and the panko and shredded coconut in a third. Make sure to dry the shrimp well but keep the tails on to make it easier to dip them when they’re done cooking. Plus, they are just cuter that way haha.

Ingredients to make recipe: shrimp, eggs, flour, panko and shredded coconut

One by one, dredge each shrimp in the flour, then the eggs and then the panko mixture. Gently push the panko mixture onto the shrimp to make sure it adheres. Place on a baking tray until you have coated all of the shrimp.

Breaded shrimp on a tray before getting cooked

Now you’re ready to add them to the air fryer. For a pound of shrimp, I found it best to work in two batches to ensure that the coconut shrimp are not touching in the basket. Cook for 10 minutes and flip halfway through cooking for extra crispy edges.

Breaded shrimp in the air fryer after cooking

When they’re done, they will be golden brown on the outside with crispy edges from the panko and coconut. Shrimp doesn’t need a long time to cook but you can watch them closely in case you use shrimp that might be smaller in size. That’s the beauty of the air fryer…you can open the tray any time to check on the coconut shrimp.

Tips for making this recipe

  1. Use fresh or frozen shrimp based on availability. If you use frozen shrimp, make sure to fully defrost them before you coat and air fry them. Any extra ice on the shrimp will impact the final results.
  2. Pat the shrimp dry to remove any excess water before you coat it. This will help the shrimp to get really crispy, if there is excess moisture the air fryer shrimp can steam and become soggy.
  3. Don’t overload the air fryer basket. The shrimp should be in one layer with space in between them, so they’re not touching. This helps to make sure the air fryer shrimp is crispy.
  4. Make it gluten-free by swapping the all-purpose flour for coconut flour. That also adds an extra subtle coconut flavor so it’s a win/win.

Frequently asked questions

How long does this shrimp last?

Store any leftovers in an airtight container. They will last up to 3 days in the fridge. Reheat in the microwave, in a skillet with a little olive oil, or in an air fryer before serving. You can also freeze the cooked shrimp for up to 3 months.

Why air fry instead of deep fry?

My air fryer has become one of my most used kitchen appliances. It’s a great way to enjoy your favorite deep fried foods but without the need for all of that oil. The shrimp comes out perfectly crispy and light, and they stand up to any restaurant dish!

How long does it take for shrimp to cook in an air fryer?

Shrimp in the air fryer takes between 10 and 12 minutes to cook through depending on the size of your shrimp. Be sure to flip them halfway through cooking so that they are crispy all over. If you have an instant read thermometer, the shrimp is cooked when it reach 165ºF.

Dipping coconut shrimp in the sweet chili sauce

More shrimp recipes:

More air fryer recipes:

Hope you’re making use of your air fryer to recreate lots of deep-fried restaurant foods in a healthier way with less fat and less calories. Coconut shrimp is one of those recipes that packs in a lot of good fats from the shrimp, so it’s best to limit the saturated fats that come with deep frying by using the air fryer.

If you’ve tried this healthy Air Fryer Coconut Shrimp recipe or any other recipe on FeelGoodFoodie, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave me a comment below! I would love to hear about your experience making it. And if you snapped some shots of it, share it with me on Instagram so I can repost on my stories!

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Air fryer coconut shrimp served with a sweet chili sauce
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Air Fryer Coconut Shrimp

This Air Fryer Coconut Shrimp recipe is like your favorite restaurant style version but only healthier because I skip the heavy oil and deep frying method
5 from 629 votes
Author Yumna Jawad
Servings 4 servings
Course Appetizer
Calories 304
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 12 minutes
Total Time 22 minutes

Video

Ingredients
  

Instructions

  • Preheat the air fryer to 360°F. When heated, spray the basket with cooking spray.
  • Combine the flour, garlic powder, salt and pepper in one shallow bowl. Whisk the eggs in a second shallow bowl. Then combine the shredded coconut and panko breadcrumbs in a third shallow bowl.
  • Dip the shrimp into the flour mixture, shaking off any excess. Then dredge the shrimp into the eggs, and finally into the coconut panko mixture, gently pressing to adhere.
  • Place the coconut shrimp in the air fryer so they are not touching, and spray the top of the shrimp. Cook for 10-12 minutes, flipping halfway through.
  • Garnish with chopped parsley, and serve immediately with sweet chili sauce, if desired.

Equipment

Notes

Storage: Store any leftovers in an airtight container. They will last up to 3 days in the fridge. Reheat in the microwave, in a skillet with a little olive oil, or in an air fryer before serving.
Freezing Instructions: You can freeze the coconut shrimp for up to 3 months. Cool them completely then store them in an airtight bag after. To re-heat, thaw in the fridge overnight and bake in a 350°F oven until heated through.
Substitutes: For best results, follow the recipe as is. However here are some common substitutes that would work well in this recipe.
  • Instead of the eggs, you can use flax eggs. Replace each egg with 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed + 3 tablespoons water. Let the mixture sit for 10 minutes before dredging the shrimp in it. You can also use low-fat buttermilk.
  • Instead of all-purpose flour, you can use almond flour or coconut flour.
  • If you prefer not to use breadcrumbs, you can just use the shredded coconut, although they will not be as crispy on the outside.

Nutrition

Calories: 304kcal, Carbohydrates: 13g, Protein: 28g, Fat: 15g, Saturated Fat: 11g, Cholesterol: 368mg, Sodium: 1237mg, Potassium: 216mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 2g, Vitamin A: 119IU, Vitamin C: 5mg, Calcium: 188mg, Iron: 4mg

Nutrition information provided is an estimate. It will vary based on cooking method and specific ingredients used.

Cuisine American
Course: Appetizer

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Recipe Rating




Comments

  1. I made these in my Breville oven on the air fryer setting last night. They were absolutely delicious so crispy and just the right amount of sweet and salt. I made a mango dipping sauce that went with them beautifully will definitely be making these again.

    @findingcaroly

    Reply

  2. These turned out really nice! But was expecting sweet. Not sure why I was, because the recipe called for unsweetened coconut. Very yummy but would prefer a sweeter coconut shrimp.

    Reply

  3. I love coconut shrimp in my air fryer but my dipping sauce is sour cream, lime juice. I would sub yogurt for sour cream and mint maybe
    I love your recipes!

    Reply

  4. I made this recipe months ago and loved it. I marked it for X-mas day serving so have a few questions. What is the best way to serve this in mid afternoon to family gathering.
    I have many dishes to prepare so need some help here. I try to do as much possible to prep in advance. So for the best tasting Coconut shrimp.. should I :
    1. Cook the shrimp night before, put in refrigerator and then reheat in AF (temp and how long?) or in oven – (temp and time) and then keep warm in Chafing dish or
    2. Prep the shrimp, put in refrigerator night before and cook fresh in AF and then keep warm in Chafing dish? Thanks,

    Reply

    1. Hi Ellen, this is one recipe that I would not prepare beforehand. You don’t want to over cook the shrimp by reheating and you don’t want to put the crust on and then refrigerate because the breadcrumbs will take on moisture. To prep I would just clean the shrimp the day before. I hope that helps!

      Reply

    2. Thank you, I will make that coconut shrimp just before company comes, and keep it in the chafing dish. Thank you again.

      Reply

  5. Came out perfectly! I used spelt flour, egg white, shredded coconut (without Panko) and they were perfectly cooked and crispy in 10 minutes. Delicious!

    Reply

  7. I plan to make this tomorrow – I can’t wait, it sounds/looks delicious. Two questions: all I have is sweetened coconut. I’m sure it will still work, albeit it sweeter. Second question: how do you suggest keeping the shrimp warm while cooking in batches?

    Reply

    1. Right, it will be sweeter – You can heat your oven to 200 degrees just so it’s slightly warm. Hope you enjoy!

      Reply

  9. One word- A-M-A-Z-I-N-G. I was really craving coconut shrimp, but I was resigned to making healthy coconut shrimp, making myself believe it was as good as the deep fried real deal and end the evening in taste bud disappointment. I followed the recipe pretty much as it was written, except I dipped in the shrimp in egg before dredging it in the flour. The breading came out pretty thick, which I love. When I took the shrimp out of my air fryer and tasted one, I ended up closing my eyes to savor the deliciousness. I still can’t believe how good this is. I’m going to try this with chicken fingers.

    Reply

    1. Thank you so much, Veronica!! I am so happy it turned out better than you expected – great idea to use the egg to “beef” up the breading if you like a thick crust!

      Reply

  10. Question. Right now I make buffalo shrimp by dipping in egg (no flour) and then breadcrumbs. Even with the 10-15 count Atlantic white shrimp I got recently, I only cook for 8 minutes at 385 without pre-heating. Do these really require 10-12 minutes? Thanks

    Reply

    1. Hi Jim, great question! After rigorously testing this specific coconut shrimp recipe, I found that the shrimp was juicer and the coconut crust crispier with preheating and a temperature of 360°F for 10-12 minutes. That said, I am sure the shrimp would cook with the temperature and timing you mentioned above; I am just unsure how the coconut coating would turn out. You can always try it if you prefer. You’ll have to come back and let me know how they turned out!

      Reply

  11. Absolutely delicious! I seasoned my flour dredge and panko/coconut mixture with Lawry’s seasoning salt and it was perfect. Quick, easy, so much healthier than the frozen stuff, will be making again and again!

    Reply

  12. So good….loved it. Better than the ones in restaurants/from the grocery store, and very simple to make. I do what I can to decrease calories, so used oat flour instead and egg whites instead of whole eggs. Hubby, who is not typically a fan of coconut, loved these. I ate with no dipping sauce, he used a pear compote that we have and he said it was amazing!

    Reply

    1. Thank you so much! I am so glad you loved it! What a great idea to use oat flour and egg whites; the pear compote also sounds fantastic!

      Reply

  13. A-MAZ-ing!! This recipe makes restaurant-quality deelish Coconut Shrimp! While I was eating I was thinking about how much $$ I had spent at seafood restaurants on this and now I can make my own anytime! I did use regular, sweetened coconut instead of the unsweetened it calls for simply because I didn’t pay closer attention. It was perfect!! Thank you! A friend has already asked for your recipe too! ♡♡

    Reply

    1. Thank you so much! Homemade for the win! Glad you liked the recipe either way. I hope your friend continues to enjoy too!

      Reply

  14. Made these for Christmas Eve dinner, we loved them so much I just doubled the recipe and made them again for New Year’s Eve dinner, thank you! Happy New Year!

    Reply

  16. Very good recipe, just needed a little tweaking. Soak shrimp in coconut milk, dredge in seasoned coconut flour and use both sweetened and unsweetened coconut flakes with the panko. Came out so delicious, I will be making this recipe many times in the future.

    Reply

  17. The shrimp came out perfectly cooked and crispy, unfortunately the flavor was bland. Non-Air Fryer recipes with stellar ratings use sweetened coconut so I’ll try that next time.

    Reply

    1. Glad the shrimp turned out perfectly! You can definitely add more seasonings to fit your preferences. Let me know what you think if you try it with sweetened coconut!

      Reply

    1. Thank you for the feedback! I recommend adding in whatever seasonings you enjoy to make it more flavorful, but I will have to give this recipe another test and see how to improve it.

      Reply

  19. I made this in a toaster oven with convection bake on 350º, 7-8 minutes each side at half the recipe makes about 10 large shrimp. It was perfect. dipped in thai sweet chili sauce–soooo yummy.

    Reply

    1. Thank you! You can always keep them in the air fryer for 1-2 extra minutes to get them to be extra crispy. Also, don’t overload the air fryer basket. The shrimp should be in one layer with space in between them, so they’re not touching. This helps to make sure the air fryer shrimp is crispy!

      Reply

  21. I always make extra! they are great cold on a salad or chopped and make tacos with a little pineapple coleslaw. I use a gluten free flour blend for mine.

    Reply

  22. Thank you for this recipe! My husband LOVED your ! 🍤🍤🍤🍤 He came back for THIRDS! This recipe is SO GOOD, I’m adding this to my repertoire. Thanks again!

    Reply

  23. Made these tonight, used Jumbo frozen shrimps & switched up the coconut. Instead I used Toasted Coconut Cashews crushed, mixed in with Japanese Panko, air fryer 400* for about 6-8 mins, (made a couple of batches) and dipped them in Sweet Thai Chili Sauce.
    Family liked them & ate to fast to snap a picture-definitely a keeper! 🙂

    Con: the process to flour, egg wash & panko crust – dip each shrimp. :\

    Reply

  25. It took my fryer 6 mins a side and P
    perfect shrimp. Substituted coconut flower and panko pork rinds. To make it Keto friendly Also added some Jerk seasoning to the dry mix. Served with a Thai style red curry sauce

    Reply

  26. Followed recipe. Coconut did not stick to shrimp and pretty bland. Would not recommend. Stick to deep frying which is what the pictures appear to be.

    Reply

    1. I’m sorry to hear that. It’s likely the shrimp wasn’t pat dry enough, so the coconut didn’t stick to it even with the help of the egg. Feel free to use any seasoning of your choice moving forward!

      Reply

  27. Great recipe! I followed it as written, I made cocktail sauce to dip them in, they were delicious with or without dipping them. My air fryer is not the kind with the basket, it’s more like a large toaster oven, I can’t set it at the suggested temperature so I cooked them on the middle rack at 375° for 10 minutes, very pleased with how the turned out.

    Reply

      1. I honestly don’t know. I followed the recipe exactly. The shrimp were beautifully cooked, just really boring. Salt after the fact didn’t help. Maybe sweetened coconut would make a difference. This was the first time making coconut shrimp so I have no experience to base changes on.

        Reply

        1. You could definitely do that, or you could also add some seasonings to the flour mixture such as garlic powder, onion powder, and paprika.

          Reply

  30. Just made these.. so perfectly cooked. They taste wonderful..i had to add a little more panko and coconut.. but fantastic all over.. I’ll make these again!!boyfriend loved them too.. thanks for this awesome recipe!!!

    Reply

  31. This looks delicious and I’ll be trying it soon.

    I think you’d have to replace or omit the panko breadcrumbs as well, if you want the shrimp to be gluten free.

    Reply

    1. Thank you! I can’t wait to hear what you think! If you prefer not to use breadcrumbs, you can also just use the shredded coconut, although they will not be as crispy on the outside.

      Reply

  32. I only have already cooked frozen/thawed jumbo shrimp. Can I still use the air fryer method without them drying out?

    Reply

    1. I would still make sure to dry the shrimp well but keep the tails on to make it easier to dip them when they’re done cooking!

      Reply

  33. This worked great!! First time using our new air fryer and they turned out terrific. I had to use unsweetened coconut (as the market was almost sold out -probably for Christmas cookies.) But the recipe was simple, easy to follow and delicious. The kids already want to make more!

    Reply

  34. So good!!! I made these for our weekly app/snack on football Sunday and my husband and I both loved them. We could only find sweetened coconut at the store, we don’t use coconut often when cooking so we didn’t notice a difference, they turned out exactly as expected. Thanks for the recipe!

    Reply

  35. I just got a new air fryer for my brother and I can’t wait to make these today. All the reviews give me a lot of confidence! I’m wondering how far in advance you can prep the shrimp on a baking sheet. I’m going to do it right before putting it in the air fryer this time but I’m just wondering for next time how far in advance I can have them prepped. Thank you so much for posting this recipe! I will be looking for more of your air fryer recipes.

    Reply

    1. That’s so exciting! I would try to prepare this right before you’re going to cook them. However, you could store any leftovers in an airtight container and reheat in an air fryer before serving.

      Reply

  37. Just made these Coconut Shrimp in my air fryer for the first time
    and they were delish! Such an easy recipe. My prep time was 12 minutes and I cooked them for 20 minutes (I like them to be extra crispy). I am going to make them for a party that I am going to in two weeks.

    Reply

  38. This is my second time using this recipe, so good the first time just had to try it again I’m using 12/15 super colloidal shrimp had to increase cook time to about 10 min per side ,added a little lemon pepper to the flour,thanks for the recipe.

    Reply

  40. I’ve made this 3 times and we absolutely love it! In full disclosure, I used sweetened coconut (that’s what I had) and love it that way. It’s such an easy, delicious dinner. Thank you for sharing a fabulous recipe that’s now in our regular rotation.

    Reply

  41. I just got an air fryer for Christmas and this recipe was so easy to make and delicious! Will definitely be making again. Thank you, Yumna!

    Reply

  43. A perfect quick and easy weeknight (and weekend) recipe! I loved this lightened up version of traditional oil fried coconut shrimp, will be making again. Thank you for sharing Yumna!

    Reply

  44. This was amazing! It’s definitely a must repeat. Thanks a lot for this recipe so quick, delicious and low in calories.

    Reply

  45. Thanks for introducing the air fryer into my kitchen. Got crispy and delicious shrimps without having to use all the oil.

    Reply