Keto Coconut Shrimp is on deck today – and it’s the most perfect combination of crispy coating and sweet, tender shrimp. Gluten free, super easy to make, and absolutely crave worthy – you’ll want to make these ASAP!
Living on a tropical island, coconut shrimp is present on almost every restaurant menu. Unfortunately for me, the coconut shrimp found here on Roatan without fail contain sugar-sweetened coconut and bread crumbs – making it not keto friendly at all.
Recently, I decided to experiment with a keto coconut shrimp recipe, and was determined to get that same crispy exterior, with an perfect mix of salty and sweet flavors. But would it work??? I’m happy to report, the answer is YES.
Baking is the easiest method to making these keto coconut shrimp, but unfortunately it just didn’t produce that super crispy exterior I was looking for. When I opted to fry them, it all came together and my keto coconut shrimp turned a beautiful golden brown! Frying for the win!
Don’t be intimidated by the frying step, it’s really not hard and the two most important things to remember when frying your keto coconut shrimp is to 1) make sure the oil is hot enough (about 375 degrees, but no hotter) and 2) that you don’t crowd the pan with too many shrimp at once.
If you do those two things, your keto coconut shrimp will come out perfectly!
I seasoned these low carb coconut shrimp with Creole seasoning, which keeps it simple since it’s already mixed, and it adds a subtle spice that we really loved.
Of course, no coconut shrimp is complete without a tasty dipping sauce to eat it with! I used a basic Sriracha mayonnaise for these, but they are also fantastic with my keto sweet chili sauce if you’ve got a few extra minutes to whip some up.
You won’t be sorry!
If you’re wondering what kind of coconut to use to make keto coconut shrimp, I recommend a finely shredded unsweetened coconut that is usually labelled “desiccated” coconut.
If you use regular shredded coconut, I find that it doesn’t adhere well to the shrimp and will just end up falling off in the oil.
Purchasing desiccated coconut is pretty easy – lots of grocery stores sell the Bob’s Red Mill brand, but there are other sources including Amazon, where you can buy it even cheaper.
I love desiccated coconut in my Keto Coconut Shortbread Cookies too – so if you do order some, it needn’t go to waste!
No matter the time of year, you can bring the tropical vibes with this delicious low carb coconut shrimp – and your friends will love you for it!
Keto Coconut Shrimp – Low Carb
- Total Time: 22 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
Description
Keto Coconut Shrimp are easy to make and just as good as the restaurant version – without the sugar and carbs! Low carb, gluten free, dairy free, and nut free too!
Ingredients
For the coconut shrimp:
- 3/4 cup desiccated unsweetened coconut
- 3/4 cup coconut flour
- 1 tablespoon Creole seasoning
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons powdered erythritol sweetener
- 2 eggs
- 2 pounds jumbo shrimp, peeled (about 36 shrimp)
- Oil for frying
For the dipping sauce:
- 1/2 cup real mayonnaise (I prefer Hellman’s or Dukes for store-bought)
- 2 tablespoons Sriracha hot sauce
- 2 teaspoons lime juice
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon granulated erythritol sweetener (I use Swerve)
Instructions
For the coconut shrimp:
- Combine the coconut, coconut flour, Creole seasoning, salt, garlic powder, and sweetener in a medium sized bowl.
- Break the eggs into a small bowl and beat well with a fork until fully combined.
- Dip the shrimp into the egg mixture and then into the coconut mixture, rolling carefully to coat. Don’t handle the shrimp too much or the coating will fall off.
- Fill a large pot with oil, about 3 inches deep. Alternatively you can use a deep fryer and set it to 375 degrees.
- Heat the pot on the stove, uncovered, over medium high heat until the oil is between 350 and 375 degrees. (If you don’t have a thermometer, you know the oil is ready when a small piece of bread turns golden brown within one minute of adding to the oil. Don’t eat the bread! ?)
- Once the oil is at the proper temperature, add about 1/3 of the shrimp to the pan.
- Cook for 2 – 3 minuets or until golden brown and firm. Remove with a strainer or slotted spoon and place on a paper towel-lined plate to drain.
- Repeat with the remaining 2/3 of the shrimp, 1/3 at a time.
- Serve hot.
For the dipping sauce:
- Combine all of the sauce ingredients in a small bowl.
- Stir well and serve with the hot shrimp.
Notes
Approximate net carbs per serving = 5g.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Category: Keto Seafood Recipes
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: Tropical
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6 jumbo shrimp + 2 T sauce
- Calories: 439
- Fat: 30g
- Carbohydrates: 10g
- Fiber: 5g
- Protein: 48g
Letitia says
Made this today. I didn’t have desiccated coconut, so I pulsed mine in my blender for a few minutes to make it more flour like. I also substituted tobacco for the sirracha and liked it. I used monk fruit with allulose for the sweetener. It turned out really good! As I gather and used the correct ingredients and figure out the frying time, it is a recipe I will make again and again! Thank you!!
LB says
This looks and tastes phenomenal! The shrimp is crispy and tender, sweet and salt… excellent and very easy to accomplish! Thank you!!
Melody says
Sorry….just read your comments on frying instead of baking. My bad!
Melody says
Hi Melissa,
Some years ago I had a recipe for coconut shrimp (not keto) and I baked them. I am not a fan of frying and I am wondering if these could be baked?
Thank you for all your wonderful recipes!
Ruth says
Most of your sweet recipes use erythritol which is an absolute no no for many or us. It reacts in my stomach violently. Can stevia, which is natural, be used on a 1:1 basis? Does anyone have the answer to this?
Argia McKercher says
Just made these for dinner tonight. I just knew they would be amazing, and this recipe didn’t disappoint. Everyone enjoyed it. Thanks for another winning recipe. I have missed Coconut Shrimp and now can look forward to adding this into the favorites mix. ( I wanted to add a picture, but can’t see how to)
Marsha says
Just made this! Tasted great! I only had The only Grapeseed Oil (high smoke point) and it worked perfectly.
Marsha says
That should’ve read: I only had Grapeseed Oil (high smoke point) and it worked perfectly. :-)
Tiffany says
LOVE all your recipes! This one was great flavor and texture wise. The only negative, which was my own fault, was not having desiccated coconut. I used regular shredded coconut, which did not stick well due to the larger size. So people…you DO need desiccated! Again they were still delicious, just without as much coating and coconut flavor as there could have been. Also I oil fried(vegetable oil) half and did half in the air fryer…definitely recommend regular oil frying. Yummy!
Mellissa Sevigny says
Thanks for letting us know your results in the air fryer Tiffany! I’ve been meaning to try that and wondered how they would turn out and if it would be worth it. Hope you can try this again with the dissipated coconut so you can enjoy them at their best! Thanks for taking the time to comment and rate the recipe. 😘
Karen says
Has anyone tried this without the sweetener?
Argia McKercher says
I made these tonight and didn’t realize until after dinner that the sweetener was still on the counter, unopened. Honestly, the shrimp were delicious that I probably won’t use the sweetener next time I make this recipe. And, there will definitely be a next time.
Nikki says
Tastes like restaurant food!!