Air Fryer Frozen Coconut Shrimp

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These crispy air fryer frozen coconut shrimp take only 10 minutes to make! Straight from the freezer into the air fryer. They come out with a crunchy, golden brown coating and a tender and juicy inside. Topped with a spritz of lime, chopped cilantro and served with your choice of dipping sauce.

These coconut shrimp are probably the fastest and easiest appetizer to make.

Making frozen coconut shrimp in an air fryer not only saves time, but makes these shrimp so crispy no one will know they were frozen.

For other finger food appetizers, try these goat cheese croquettes.

For other frozen food recipes that are made in the air fryer, try these air fryer frozen toaster strudels or these air fryer frozen onion rings.

Jump to:

• Recipe Highlights
• Ingredients
• Equipment
• Instructions
• Toppings & Garnishes
• Dipping Sauces
• What to Serve With Coconut Shrimp
• Storage & Reheating
• Expert Tips
• FAQ
• 📖 Recipe

Recipe Highlights

• It’s so easy! There’s no meal prep, minimal clean up, and they’re incredibly fast to make.
• It’s faster than in the oven or on the stove. Using an air fryer is the fastest way to cook frozen food, and these coconut shrimp are no exception.
• You don’t need to thaw them. Just throw them in the air fryer straight from the freezer.
• It’s healthier than frying. An air fryer doesn’t use any extra oil, so it is a much healthier way to prepare these shrimp than deep frying them.
• They taste crispier than in the oven. Preparing the shrimp in an oven might be healthier than deep frying them, but they are nowhere near as crispy compared to being made in an air fryer.
• It saves energy. An air fryer uses a lot less energy than heating up your oven.

Ingredients

• Frozen Shrimp: You should be able to find frozen breaded coconut shrimp in the freezer section of your local grocery store. There are a variety of brands available including Seapak, Margaritaville, Costco, Aqua Star and Whole Foods. Choose your favorite brand or whichever you have available near you.

Equipment

• A high quality air fryer that allows you to set the temperature.
• Tongs to flip the shrimp halfway through their cooking time.
• A food thermometer to test the internal temperature of the shrimp.

Instructions

Step One: Preheat the air fryer to 390F and set the timer for 10 minutes.

Step Two: Once preheated, add the frozen coconut shrimp to the air fryer basket in a single layer. Cook for 10 minutes, flipping the shrimp halfway through the cooking time.

Toppings & Garnishes

Your coconut shrimp will be delicious and ready to serve straight out of the air fryer, but here are some ideas if you want to add a bit of extra flavor:

• Lime Juice: Coconut and lime pair really well together. Add a little spritz of lime over the shrimp.
• Cilantro: Chop some fresh cilantro and sprinkle over the finished shrimp.
• Mint: Mint also pairs very well with coconut. Garnish with chopped fresh mint.
• Honey: For a sweeter flavor, lightly drizzle some honey over the shrimp.
• Red Pepper Flakes: For a spicier kick, sprinkle some red pepper flakes over the shrimp.

Dipping Sauces

Dipping sauces are essential for coconut shrimp! However, there are a bunch of different sauces that all go well with these shrimp. Choose your favorite one, or make several for some variety.

• Sweet Chili Sauce: You can make a homemade sweet chili sauce or a storebought one.
• Pina Colada Sauce: If you are looking for a Red Lobster copycat dipping sauce, this pina colada dipping sauce goes really well with these coconut shrimp.
• Spicy Mango Sauce: This spicy mango dipping sauce combines spicy flavor with a bit of mango and coconut sweetness.

What to Serve With Coconut Shrimp

While they make a great snack on their own, there are lots of options for how you can serve these air fryer frozen coconut shrimp:

• Appetizers: Serve these coconut shrimp tapas style with other finger food appetizers such as these goat cheese croquettes.
• Pasta: Pasta and shrimp go really well together. Serve your favorite type of pasta, or try this pan fried gnocchi or this goat cheese mac and cheese.
• Rice & Vegetables: Serve these shrimp with a side of rice and a serving of your choice or vegetables.
• Salad: For a lighter meal, pair these shrimp with a healthy salad such as this strawberry & goat cheese salad.
• Fries:  For a comfort food meal, make a side of your favorite fries or oven roasted potatoes.

Storage & Reheating

Air fried frozen coconut shrimp taste best eaten fresh. Try to only make as as many as you plan to eat. However if you are left with leftovers, here’s how to store them:

• Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
• Reheating: Reheat leftover shrimp in the air fryer at 320F for 4 minutes, until warmed throughout. Don’t heat them at a higher temperature or it will cook them, drying them out.

Expert Tips

• Don’t overcrowd the shrimp. Lay the shrimp in a single layer in the air fryer, making sure they don’t overlap to prevent them from sticking together.
• Use a thermometer. Use a cooking thermometer to measure the internal temperature of the shrimp to be sure they are thoroughly cooked. Shrimp should be cooked to an internal temperature of 120F.
• Adjust the cooking time based on the size of the shrimp. I use medium sized shrimp for this recipe. However, if you have jumbo coconut shrimp, cook the shrimp for an extra 2-4 minutes. If you are using very small shrimp, cook them for 2-3 fewer minutes.
• Add an extra minute for extra crispy shrimp. If you like extra crispy coconut shrimp, add an extra 1-2 minutes in the air fryer. 
• Watch the shrimp closely. Different air fryers can vary slightly in their temperature. Make sure to watch the shrimp closely in the last couple minutes of cooking time to make sure they don’t overcook or burn.

FAQ

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📖 Recipe