Succulent prawns coated in crispy panko and coconut, fried until golden. This one’s a favourite — it was the recipe Chris made for our first New Year’s Eve together. Serve these coconut shrimp as an appetizer with sweet and sour or sweet chilli sauce for dipping, or alongside fried rice for a special meal.
Table of Contents
- 🍤 Are they coconut prawns or coconut shrimp?
- 📋 What do we need?
- 🔪 How to make Coconut shrimp
- 📺 Watch how to make them
- 👩🍳 PRO TIP
- 🍽️ What to serve it with
- ❓ Frequently Asked Questions
- Coconut Shrimp Recipe
🍤 Are they coconut prawns or coconut shrimp?
In the UK, “shrimp” often refers to the tiny brown variety, while larger crustaceans are called “prawns.” For this dish, many people refer to it as coconut shrimp. Either name is fine — both describe the same tasty, crunchy treat.
📋 What do we need?
These coconut shrimp use simple ingredients you can buy at most supermarkets. Key components are raw, peeled prawns (or pre-cooked if you prefer), coconut milk and desiccated coconut for flavour, and panko breadcrumbs for extra crunch.
Note on the prawns
Using raw, peeled and deveined prawns gives the best texture and flavour. You can use ready-cooked prawns if needed, but they’re slightly less tender.
For the coconut flavour
A mix of full‑fat coconut milk and unsweetened desiccated coconut gives a rich coconut taste. Panko breadcrumbs combine with the coconut to create a light, crispy coating.
🔪 How to make Coconut shrimp
Full ingredient quantities and detailed steps are in the recipe card below.
- Pat the prawns dry with kitchen paper so the coating adheres and the oil doesn’t splatter.
- Set out three wide bowls: one with seasoned flour, one with beaten egg mixed with coconut milk, and one with panko mixed with desiccated coconut.
- Coat the prawns in flour, dip into the egg and coconut milk, then press into the panko-coconut mixture.
- Shallow fry in hot oil until golden brown and crisp.
- Lift the prawns from the oil and drain on kitchen paper, then transfer to a serving plate.
📺 Watch how to make them
👩🍳 PRO TIP
Prawns cook very quickly — about 2–3 minutes in total. Remove them as soon as both sides are golden to avoid a rubbery texture.
🍽️ What to serve it with
These are great on their own or with dipping sauces. Popular choices:
- Sweet chilli sauce
- Spicy satay sauce
- BBQ sauce
- Bang bang sauce
- Buffalo ranch
- Sweet and sour sauce
These coconut shrimp are crispy, flavoursome and quick to make — perfect for entertaining or a tasty weeknight treat.
🍤 Love Prawns? Try one of these recipes
Appetizers
Sesame Prawn Toast Recipe
Skinny Recipes
Thai Prawns with Cauliflower Rice
Curries
Prawn Balti Curry
Asian
Pad Thai
Fish
Creamy Fish Pie with Cheesy Mash
Quick & Easy
Seafood Laksa
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. You can use fresh ready-cooked prawns or fully defrosted frozen cooked prawns, though raw prawns give a slightly better texture.
The photos show a homemade sweet and sour sauce, which pairs beautifully with the coconut coating.
They’re best freshly cooked. If you need to prepare ahead, cook raw prawns, cool quickly and freeze in a single layer before transferring to a bag. Reheat from frozen in a 200°C/400°F oven on a baking tray until piping hot (about 7–8 minutes). Avoid repeatedly reheating ready-cooked prawns for food safety and quality reasons.
Stay updated with new recipes!
Subscribe to the newsletter to get new posts. I also share videos and behind-the-scenes photos on my channels.
Coconut Shrimp Recipe
Ingredients
- Oil for shallow frying — enough to fill your pan with about 1cm of oil
- 250g (0.5 lb) peeled raw king prawns, deveined
- 3 tbsp plain (all-purpose) flour
- Pinch salt and pepper
- 1 egg
- 120ml (1/2 cup) coconut milk
- 5 tbsp panko breadcrumbs
- 4 tbsp unsweetened desiccated coconut
To Serve:
- 1 tsp chopped flat-leaf parsley
- Sweet and sour or sweet chilli sauce for dipping
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large frying pan until hot but not smoking.
- Prepare three wide bowls: flour seasoned with salt and pepper; beaten egg mixed with coconut milk; panko combined with desiccated coconut.
- Pat the prawns dry with kitchen paper.
- Coat each prawn in flour, dip into the egg and coconut milk, then press into the panko-coconut mix.
- When the oil is ready (a breadcrumb should sizzle and brown quickly), shallow fry the prawns. Cook one side about 1–1.5 minutes, then turn and cook another minute until golden.
- Remove with a slotted spoon or tongs and drain on kitchen paper.
- Transfer to a serving plate, sprinkle with chopped parsley, and serve with dipping sauce.
Video
Notes
Can I use cooked prawns?
Yes, but raw prawns give the best texture. Using pre-cooked prawns means they’re being cooked and reheated multiple times, which can affect safety and texture.
Can I make them ahead and reheat?
Cook raw prawns, cool quickly and freeze in an airtight container for best results. Reheat from frozen in a single layer at 200°C/400°F until piping hot (about 7–8 minutes). The coating may darken slightly but should remain crisp.
Nutritional information
Serves 4 (about 5–6 prawns each). Nutrition values are approximate and calculated automatically.
Nutrition
Carbohydrates: 15 g |
Protein: 17 g |
Fat: 26 g |
Saturated Fat: 10 g |
Trans Fat: 1 g |
Cholesterol: 198 mg |
Sodium: 599 mg |
Fiber: 2 g |
Sugar: 1 g
Nutrition information is an approximation.
This post was first published in Dec 2014 and updated with new photos, improvements and a video in later years.
Some links referenced in the original post may have been affiliate links. Nutritional information is approximate and can vary. For full terms and details, consult the site’s terms and conditions.