This 10-minute air fryer coconut shrimp recipe is easy to make, packed with flavor, and has a ton of crunch! A classic finger food favorite, it’s a must-have appetizer for game day or fun dinners at home.
An air fryer is a handy tool for making my favorite crunchy foods, like air fryer chicken nuggets or air fryer sweet potato fries, without the trouble, mess, and excess oil of deep frying. This air fryer coconut shrimp recipe is completely oil-free but still gives you crunchy, succulent results.
Similar to air fryer shrimp, making coconut shrimp in the air fryer is not only fast, but it also gives this crowd-pleasing appetizer plenty of crunch. In this recipe, the shrimp is coated in panko-coconut breading for a subtle coconut flavor and crisp exterior while the inside stays are nice and succulent.
Table of Contents
Recipe highlights
- Always crowd-pleasing. Who can resist a piece of crispy coconut shrimp? This is an irresistible dish, especially when it’s served with dipping sauce.
- Crunchy and coconutty. There’s a big crunch in every bite, while the coconut flavor is light and subtle.
- Easy to make in the air fryer! Like air fryer chicken wings or air fryer French fries, the air fryer ensures that the shrimp is extra crunchy without needing oil, long cook times, or babysitting.
- Super fast. Like with all air fryer recipes, the cooking time is significantly reduced compared to most other cooking methods! This shrimp cooks in just 10 minutes.
Ingredients needed
- Shrimp. Use large peeled shrimp or jumbo shrimp. You can leave the tails on or off.
- Eggs. The shrimp are coated in whisked eggs to help the breadcrumbs stick to the outside.
- Unsweetened shredded coconut. This gives the shrimp a lovely coconut flavor. Remember to use unsweetened coconut to avoid sweet-tasting shrimp.
- Panko breadcrumbs. Regular breadcrumbs will work instead but aren’t as light and crunchy as panko.
- All purpose flour. Or you can use almond flour, coconut flour, or a 1:1 gluten free flour.
- Garlic powder. This gives the breading an irresistibly savory flavor.
- Smoked paprika. Or use regular paprika.
- Salt and pepper. For flavor and balance.
How to make coconut shrimp in the air fryer
I’ve included step-by-step photos below to make this recipe easy to follow at home. For the full printable recipe instructions and ingredient quantities, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Step 1 – Set up the dredging station. Beat the eggs, stir the coconut and breadcrumbs together, then stir the flour and seasonings in their respective bowls.
Step 2 – Dredge the shrimp. Dip shrimp in the seasoned flour, then whisked eggs, and finally, the coconut mixture. Repeat with the rest of the shrimp.
Step 3 – Air fry the coconut shrimp. Place shrimp in your greased air fryer basket, ensuring that they aren’t touching each other (air fry the shrimp in batches if you need to). Air fry until the shrimp are crisp and golden.
Step 4 – Repeat, then serve. Repeat the process with the rest of the shrimp, then serve with your favorite dipping sauce. Enjoy!
What to serve with this
You can make this crunchy snack even more irresistible by plating the shrimp with freshly chopped parsley and lime wedges on the side. Include a variety of dipping sauces for serving, too. Coconut shrimp is fantastic with sweet chili sauce, coconut shrimp sauce, spicy mayo, and hot honey sauce.
Recipe tips and variations
- You can use fresh or frozen shrimp. Just remember to fully thaw the frozen shrimp in the refrigerator before making this recipe.
- Dry the shrimp. Use paper towels to pat the shrimp dry before dredging them in the eggs, flour, and breadcrumbs.
- Work in batches. It’s a good idea to cook the shrimp in batches because crowding will cause them to steam rather than crisp. Always cook in a single layer.
- Change up the seasoning. Feel free to add some red chili flakes or cayenne pepper to the dry mix for some added heat, or Italian seasoning for some Italian flair.
How to store leftovers
To store: Keep the air fried coconut shrimp in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
To freeze: Once they’re cooked and cooled to room temperature, place them in an airtight container and freeze for up to 2 months.
Reheating: Place the chilled or frozen coconut shrimp in the air fryer and reheat until warmed through.
More crowd-pleasing air fryer appetizers
Prevent your screen from going dark
Preheat the air fryer to 180C/350F.
In a bowl, beat the eggs. In a separate bowl, combine the coconut flakes with the bread crumbs. In a third bowl, add the flour, smoked paprika, salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
Dip the shrimp in the flour, shake off excess, then the egg mixture, and then in the coconut and panko mixture, pressing firmly for it to stick. Repeat the process.
Grease the air fryer basket, then add the coconut shrimp to it, ensuring that they are not touching one another.
Air fry for 10 minutes, flipping halfway through.
Once the shrimp are golden brown, remove them from the air fryer basket and serve immediately.
Serving: 1servingCalories: 289kcalCarbohydrates: 12gProtein: 21gFat: 18gSodium: 1031mgPotassium: 306mgFiber: 4gVitamin A: 464IUVitamin C: 0.3mgCalcium: 97mgIron: 2mgNET CARBS: 8g
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