Coconut Shrimp with Dipping Sauce —An Outback Steakhouse copycat recipe! It’s fast, easy, and guaranteed to trump restaurant and take-out versions! Perfectly crispy on the outside, juicy on the inside, and full of coconut flavor without being heavy or greasy.
Easy Recipe for Coconut Shrimp
We recently were on a little road trip, and the nearest restaurant to our hotel was an Outback Steakhouse. My daughter fell in love with their coconut shrimp, and I could put the orange dipping sauce on everything in sight.
I made a copycat version of the Outback coconut shrimp and sauce, and the recipe is fast, easy, and trumps the restaurant shrimp, if I do say so. Perfectly crispy on the outside, juicy on the inside, and full of coconut flavor without being heavy or greasy.
The Thai chili sauce adds savoriness and heat to the sweet orange marmalade and the spicy-sweetness of the dipping sauce for the coconut shrimp is addictively good.
Even if you don’t love coconut, this easy shrimp recipe could make you change your mind! My family was fighting over the last shrimp.
Coconut Shrimp Ingredients
To make the coconut shrimp, you’ll need:
- Raw shrimp
- All-purpose flour
- Salt and pepper
- Eggs
- Sweetened shredded coconut
- Canola oil (for frying)
To make the coconut shrimp dipping sauce, you’ll need:
- Orange marmalade
- Sweet Thai chili sauce
- Cayenne pepper (optional)
How to Make Coconut Shrimp
The shrimp and the coconut shrimp sauce are both easy to make, but the process does involve deep frying. If you’ve never fried anything before, this is a great recipe to start with!
Here’s an overview of how the coconut shrimp and dipping sauce are made:
- Prep the shrimp: First, dip the shrimp into one bowl containing flour, then dunk into a bowl with beaten eggs, and then dredge in bowl containing a coconut and Panko breadcrumbs.
- Fry the shrimp: I fry in canola oil because it’s less expensive than coconut oil, but coconut oil will give you an extra pop of coconut flavor.
- Make the coconut shrimp sauce: Simply whisk together orange marmalade, sweet Thai chili sauce, salt, and cayenne pepper.
Tip: The dipping sauce for the coconut shrimp pairs well with pretty much everything — grilled chicken, pork chops, you name it!
What Temperature Should You Fry Shrimp At?
It’s very important that your oil is at the right temperature before frying the shrimp. The oil should be between 325 and 350 degrees F.
Use a thermometer to test the oil temperature, if possible.
Otherwise, you should stick the end of a wooden spoon into the hot oil. If small bubbles immediately form around the spoon, the oil is likely hot enough.
How to Reheat Coconut Shrimp
Avoid reheating shrimp in the microwave at all costs! Microwaved shrimp are often rubbery, and the coconut-Panko coating loses its crispness.
Instead, I recommend reheating the coconut shrimp in a 350 degree F oven. The shrimp will only need to be baked for a few minutes until they’re heated through.
Can I Air Fry the Coconut Shrimp?
I’m sure you could, but I don’t own an air fryer (yet!) so I can’t speak to precise cook times.
However, one reader commented that air frying the shrimp at 350F for 9 to 10 minutes worked well for her. She also turned them halfway through.
If you try this recipe for coconut shrimp in an air fryer, please leave me a comment below letting me know how it turned out!
Can I Bake the Coconut Shrimp?
In theory, yes. However, I’ve only made this recipe as written.
I’d like to experiment more with the baking vs. frying method, but I haven’t because, well, shrimp are expensive and I didn’t want to waste them if they didn’t turn out so well via baking!
But I’ve seen some blog posts with ‘fried’ shrimp that were actually baked and they didn’t look super crispy and so I was just resigned to frying.
Tips for the Best Coconut Shrimp
Breadcrumbs: Use Panko breadcrumbs for the best results. Panko breadcrumbs are Japanese breadcrumbs used for tempura because they get much crispier than traditional breadcrumbs. They’re usually found next to traditional breadcrumbs at your grocery store.
Frying the shrimp: You want to fry the shrimp in batches so the temperature of the oil stays consistent. If the oil becomes too cool, the coconut shrimp will begin soaking up the oil instead of frying in it.
Once you’ve fried the shrimp, place them on a paper towel-lined plate to soak up the excess oil while you finish frying the rest.
What to Serve with Coconut Shrimp
Obviously, the sweet-spicy coconut shrimp dipping sauce is a must! But besides that, you can serve a variety of dishes alongside the coconut shrimp.
It just depends if you’re making a meal out of the shrimp or are serving them alongside other appetizers.
Either way, here are some sides that pair well with coconut shrimp:
- Mandarin Orange Pasta Salad (omit the chicken from this recipe)
- Thai Peanut Salad (omit the chicken from this recipe)
- Twelve Superfoods Salad
- Asian Pasta Salad (omit the chicken from this recipe)
Pin This Recipe
Coconut Shrimp with Orange-Chili Dipping Sauce
This recipe is an Outback Steakhouse copycat, fast, easy, and guaranteed to trump restaurant and take-out versions. Perfectly crispy on the outside, juicy on the inside, and full of coconut flavor without being heavy or greasy.
Ingredients
Shrimp
- 1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined with tail on
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- salt and pepper, to taste
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- 1 cup sweetened shredded coconut
- 3/4 cup Panko breadcrumbs
- about 2 cups canola, vegetable, or coconut oil, for frying
Dipping Sauce
- 1/2 cup orange marmalade
- 1/3 cup sweet Thai chili sauce
- pinch salt, optional and to taste
- pinch cayenne pepper, optional and to taste
Instructions
Make the Shrimp
- Clean the shrimp; set aside.
- To a small bowl, add the flour, salt and pepper, stir to combine; set aside.
- To a separate small bowl, add the eggs and beat; set aside.
- To a separate medium bowl, add the coconut, Panko, stir to combine; set aside.
- To a Dutch oven or large skillet, add the oil and heat over medium-high heat. While oil heats up, begin the battering process.
- Dip 1 shrimp in flour, dunk in egg, and dredge very well in the coconut-Panko mixture pressing it on as needed to ensure shrimp is very well coated (I re-drege some of the more skimpy-coated shrimp if I have extra coating mixture after they’ve all been coated once); set aside on a platter while you repeat battering process with all remaining shrimp.
- After all shrimp have been battered, begin frying. I take the temperature of the oil and between 325F to 350F is recommended for best results; wait to fry until your oil is hot enough to ensure a crispy coating.
- Add the shrimp in small batches (4 to 6 at a time) to the hot oil, frying for about 2 to 4 minutes, flipping as necessary, and frying until as dark and crispy as desired. Frying time will vary based on pan size, size of shrimp, and personal preference. Frying in small batches helps the oil stay at a hotter temperature, which ensures a crispy crust.
- After frying, remove from oil, place on paper towels, and continue the frying process until all shrimp have been fried.
Make the Sauce
- To a small bowl, add the marmalade, Thai chili sauce, optional salt, optional cayenne pepper, stir to combine, taste, and adjust ratios if desired.
- Serve shrimp and sauce immediately. Shrimp are best warm and fresh.
Notes
Leftovers can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 2 months. Reheating in a 350F oven is better than microwaving to help coating stay as crispy as possible.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
12Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 192Total Fat: 5gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 111mgSodium: 590mgCarbohydrates: 25gFiber: 2gSugar: 13gProtein: 12g
Even More Shrimp Recipes:
Sheet Pan Shrimp Fajitas – EASY, ready in 30 minutes, tastes AUTHENTIC, and made on ONE sheet pan to keep things simple – especially on busy nights!! You don’t need to go out to a Mexican restaurant when you can make fajitas this GOOD and healthier at home!!
15-Minute Sheet Pan Hawaiian Shrimp – Juicy pineapple, tender shrimp, and rice with a touch of heat and tons of tropical FLAVOR!! Made on ONE sheet pan, ready so FAST, and perfect for busy weeknights!!
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Originally posted 2015, reposted May 8, 2019 and reposted March 18, 2022 with updated text.
The dipping sauce for the coconut shrimp was exactly how it is at the Outback!! And I used an air fryer it said ten minutes for shrimp 5 on each side turning them halfway. Well i tried 5 minutes each side and to me they were overdone. I cooked them in the air fryer for 3 minutes each side and they turned out wonderful!!
Thanks for the 5 star review and I’m glad that the dipping sauce was spot on for you! And that you figured out in your air fryer, 3 mins each side is all. That’s what I would guess because in general shrimp cook quickly.
Very good. I used 1.5c of OJ, 1 TBSP corn starch, 1/2 c sugar; cayenne and brought to boil, simmer for 5 and you have a excellent dipping sauce.
Thanks for the 5 star review and the dipping sauce you created sounds great!
I made this and it was delicious…its very close to Outback. When I worked there we used the Coco Lopez when breading and the sauce was orange marmalade and horse radish …I love your site and recipes !! Thank you so much for all of them and time creating them !!..Bill
Thanks for the 5 star review and considering you worked there and say it’s pretty close, I take that as a high compliment!
I made this in the air fryer you should add this option to your recipe!
Thanks for letting me know! I will experiment with it and after I do add it the post!
I LOVE your recipes, but will you please add a “Jump to Recipe” button when you post your recipes? I usually read all you’ve written the first time I view a recipe on your website, but having this option would make finding the recipe so much easier when I return to your site to actually make it. I think yours is the only site I use that doesn’t have this option.
Love your recipes and can’t wait to try this one. Off topic comment
– your food photos are gorgeous. Do you take them yourself? I’m putting together family recipes in the Paprika app so I can share them with my kids. I consider myself a fairly good iPhone photographer but my food photos always look flat. Great job!
Thanks and yes I do take my food photos myself. This particular post is actually from 2015 but I updated it and republished it. So it’s even better when someone thinks 7 year old photos still look good!
Nothing harder than trying to take a good food photo with a phone. You can get lucky but it’s challenging for sure!
What brand of sweet Thai chili sauce do you use? I’m curious because I know there’s a few different brands and I want it to taste perfect
I get mine at Trader Joe’s https://amzn.to/2DLzSGQ but use what you can find.
How long is the sauce good for in a storage container in the fridge. I saw the shrimp is good for 3 days. The sauce actually made too much for me and my wife.
The sauce will keep for a very long time in my opinion 2 weeks or so, provided you have been dipping into it with the shrimp. That what you are saving was virgin untouched sauce, otherwise if it’s already got shrimp bits in it, I would say 3 days as well.
Just made this a week ago, and just have to have it again tonight!
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad you’re making it again!
Hi there! Your recipe for coconut shrimp sounded so good. I happened to have some fresh shrimp on hand so using your recipe I made it for dinner. I hadn’t ever thought of putting coconut in the batter. I made the dipping sauce ahead of time and then cooked the shrimp in my dutch oven. The end result was DELICIOUS and a bit hit. I’ll be back again to try out some of your other recipes. THANK YOU!
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad this was a big hit!
Made it and it was absolutely delicious! I surprised myself at how much I enjoyed it. I don’t care for coconut so made a separate bowl of panko without, but my dinner guest (who loves coconut and the reason I searched for this dish) tried both and declared them equally good – then took – my – leftovers home! So I made more for lunch today, ha ha. Super simple to make but tastes like you spent lots more time.Great recipe!
Thanks for the five star review and I’m glad you loved this recipe so much she made it again a second day and were able to adapt some of it without coconut!
Just made this tonight. So easy to make and delicious
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad it was easy and delicious!
how many servings does this recipe make ?
Well it makes 1 pound of shrimp. It really depends on how big people’s appetites are to determine exactly how many it would serve but I would say 4 or so.
Loved your coconut shrimp,easy to make and it is so good . Thank u
Thanks for trying the recipe and glad you loved it!
I baked these and they turned out really good, obviously not as golden brown but my family loved this and the sauce too… thank you for the recipe!
Thanks for trying the recipe and I’m glad your family loved the dish!
Could you bake these?
Probably. I’ve only made as written so can’t offer advice on other methods.
Made this last night and it was excellent. The prawns turned out perfect and the dipping sauce was great too. It’s a keeper
I did these and used my air fryer(preheated for 350 and let them go for 9-10 minutes with spritz of olive oil to them and turned halfway) They were awesome. The sauce I will use again too!
Great use of the airfryer! Glad it worked like a charm!
I am so glad you tried that out. I was thinking the same thing when I saw this post. My mind went straight to the air fryer.
I tried your coconut shrimp and it was absolutely the most delicious recipe and the sauce was so gooooood thank you for the recipe
Thanks for trying the recipe and I’m glad it came out great for you! I looooove that sauce too!
This is my go to recipe when I have to please a crowd. Success every time, thank you for sharing!
Thanks for trying the recipe and I’m glad it’s your go to for pleasing a crowd!
I used to work at Outback, and the recipe was orange marmalade, horseradish and red pepper… but I yours better:)
Thanks for sharing what they used! The Thai sweet chili sauce has the heat from the red peppers/chili peppers but I will try with some horseradish as well next time!
Thank you for sharing this awesome recipe, Averie! I tried it out today for the first time and both my husband and I enjoyed it so much. I followed your instructions and wouldn’t change anything about them.
As we’re trying to loose weight and thus try to avoid frying, my husband suggested baking them instead. I had just fried the first 4 shrimp and decided to give my husband’s idea a try. It worked out perfectly!
I preheated our gas oven to 450 (for no particular reason other than hoping to get them crispy that way, however, less might work just as fine). I placed the shrimp on a large pyrex that I had brushed with a thin layer of coconut oil. The glass prevents them from getting burned and is naturally “non-stick”. After five minutes backing I flipped each shrimp with tongs and baked them five more minutes. They were light, tasty and crispy!
So I highly recommend baking the coconut shrimp in the oven. Surely we’ll have this dish again and again in the future.
Thanks for trying the recipe and I love that you were able to get a nice, crispy coating by baking in pyrex. That’s great to hear and thanks for sharing what you did!
I’d like to experiment more with the baking vs. frying method but haven’t because, well, shrimp are expensive and I didn’t want to waste them if they didn’t turn out so well via baking. I’ve seen some blog posts with ‘fried’ shrimp that were actually baked and they didn’t look super crispy and so I was just resigned to frying but sounds like I should play around :)
I don’t eat shrimp, but my husband LOVES it and I’m learning to cook it for him. He is going to gobble this up! Thanks for sharing!
I am dreaming this coconut shrimp recipe and I think my dream comes true. This Coconut Shrimp with Orange-Chili Dipping Sauce recipe looks great and amazing .The images looks very nutritious and delicious. I like the combinations of your ingredients with chilli dipping sauce, pretty cool perfect for healthy eating. I am excited to try this. Thanks for this brilliant ideas. Fantastic.
Not going to lie – I’m always secretly a bit happy when I’m traveling and the only choice for dinner is Outback. We stayed in a hotel on the same block as one in Singapore of all places and if not for all the other good eating to do there, it might have made the list. ;) This looks amazing – crispy and delicious!
I used to go to Outback on purpose just for the Wallaby Darned’s. I love those things, with the extra floater on top, of course :) Glad you are secretly happy about some Outback action, too!
Hm my comment was just blocked saying its spam :( oh well I hope this one works as I love this recipe so much and would like to tell you how I would have all of it to my own without sharing a bite. Shrimp is a staple in our house and the sweet and spicy sauce is great.
Comment came through just fine for me! Not sure what that message was about – sorry!
This looks so fantastic! I can make my children eat.
My dipping sauce for coconut battered shrimp or chicken bites is a combination of orange marmalade, horseradish & dijon mustard. I’ll give yours a try.
orange marmalade, horseradish & dijon mustard = that sounds amazing! I love horseradish and mustard. And well marmalade, too! The chili sauce I used gives a different kind of heat than horseradish/mustard do, but I want to try your way next!
These look great- and it just so happens I have all the things to make them for dinner!
If you do, LMK how it goes!
Yum! I want a plate full of this shrimp right now!
Oh my goodness, this is too much! I’m all over this crispy coconut coating and don’t even get me started on the dipping sauce! Delicious!
Goodness gracious these shrimp are GORGEOUS! And that dipping sauce….oh man! Sign me up! Pinned!
Thanks for pinning, Trish!
My husband would love this!
Paige
http://thehappyflammily.com
This looks so delicious! I want to make it for dinner tonight. That dipping sauce I just want to put on everything!! Delicious :)
Me too – I make extra for that reason :)
I LOVE coconut shrimp – I order it at nearly every seafood restaurant. I must make this easy recipe at home! And that dipping sauce? Just a bonus – sounds amazing, too!
I’m with you and of all the restaurant versions I’ve tried, homemade was the winner!
I love your savory recipes–they are all easy to do and so good! I still want to try your sweet and sour recipe from last week. A shrimp fest might be in order for the weekend because today’s recipe looks awesome too!
Thanks for the compliments and the two dishes are so vastly different in taste…so you can have a shrimp fest and not feeling like you’re ‘repeating’ a recipe or eating almost the same thing!
I love your shrimp recipes..and that dipping sauce would be so good on chicken too. Have to give this a try.
It’s such a great dipper on just about anything!
Looks delicious but I am fry-phobic (is that a word?). Can I bake ’em instead? Thanks.
This is the first fried recipe I’ve ever post on my blog in 6+ years because I hate frying as well…but in this case, there’s just no way around it. You can bake them but the coating likely won’t get crispy and that’s just so key. If you do bake, LMK how it goes!
Being so close to the Mexico border (I’m near Nogales right now), all I want is anything tropical and this sounds SO GOOD. I have a microwave only to cook in right now, so this will sadly have to wait until I get home, but seriously, I LOVE shrimp. I know it s probably all kinds of cooking faux pas to leave off the coconut, but…well, meh.
Welcome to my life, 9 miles from Mexico every day. And every day I want to have guac, margaritas, and these shrimp wouldn’t be too shabby on the regular :)
However…and you know I am all about, oh just substitute this or that, go with what you have and it’ll be fine. No, not here. You HAVE TO USE coconut. I know you don’t like it that much but it’s just THE clincher for this recipe. It’s a game-changer. It’s mandatory!! You will love it and if you don’t, send me your grocery bill :)
This looks so fantastic! The dipping sauce looks so addicting.
Oooh looks so crispy and delicious Averie! Yum!
YES! The sauce itself is amazing and couldn’t be easier to make! LOVE this!
I am loving your savory dishes Averie! Every single one is calling my name, especially this one. We love shrimp and if it’s fried Jordan will eat it. LOVE this recipe!
Glad you’re loving them and sounds like Jordan is a little shrimp fan! And I think this is quite possibly the first fried food recipe I have EVER posted on my site in 6+ years of blogging :)