I’ve always tried to live relatively frugally, so that means I usually cook pork or chicken, or cheaper cuts of beef and make them as tasty as possible. Buying seafood to cook at home has always seemed like a splurge for some reason. (Maybe it’s because getting seafood in Hawaii at restaurants was easier/tastier/just as cheap) Anyway, one dinner-for-one feast that’s I’ve loved whipping up was shrimp three ways. I would get a pound of shrimp and cook 1/3 of it in butter and garlic, 1/3 would be cajun shrimp, and the final third would be these easy baked coconut shrimp.
These shrimp are as easy as one two three. Dredge, dredge, dredge, bake. There are a few things that help a lot to make these stay together properly and taste the best! First, use unsweetened coconut. Coconut has a natural “sweet” flavor to it that really comes out when it is toasted. If you wanted more candy-like shrimp, you can use sweetened, but I promise, using unsweetened means it tastes both sweet and like coconut!
Second, used desiccated, or finely shredded coconut. The shredded coconut that is long thin strips (like citrus zest) is great, but doesn’t adhere to the shrimp as well and isn’t quite as foolproof to use. So use some finer shredded coconut, or through the bigger pieces in a blender or food processor for a few seconds to get a finer texture. The finely shredded coconut mixed with the panko makes a really nice crunch on these shrimp. It all sticks really well, and the coating toasts up beautifully and doesn’t fall off the shrimp when you take a bite!
Now, as for what to eat these with, in my hey-day of frugality, I would mix mustard with orange marmalade and use that as a dipping sauce. Now, I promise, it is a real recipe I found on the internet, and even though it sounds crazy, it actually completely worked. But lately, especially now that summer has come, I have favored a more fresh side to these easy baked coconut shrimp, such as this really yummy mango jalapeno salsa. Enjoy!
Easy Baked Coconut Shrimp
Ingredients
- 1 lb. Raw shrimp
- Salt and pepper
- 1/4 Cup all-purpose flour
- 1 egg
- 1/4 Cup Panko Crumbs
- 1/2 Cup Desiccated Coconut
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Peel and devein shrimp and season with salt and pepper.
- Prepare for the dredging with three bowls. Put flour in one, a beaten egg in the second, and the panko and coconut in the third.
- Coat the shrimp but dipping them first in the flour, shaking off excess, then in the egg, and lastly in the panko/coconut mixture. Place on prepared baking sheet. Repeat for all the shrimp.
- Place shrimp in oven and bake for 16 minutes, flipping once halfway through.
- Remove from oven and serve hot.
