Tender succulent shrimp are breaded with coconut, fried and served with a sweet and spicy dipping sauce. This classic shrimp recipe gets a Keto makeover!
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If you need a quick and delicious appetizer, or shrimp dinner in a hurry, this low carb recipe for coconut shrimp is right up your alley.
Beautiful golden fried shrimp with that traditional crunchy coating you expect from fried shrimp without all the carbs! These scrumptious shrimp with sweet and spicy apricot dipping sauce will have you on island time with the very first bite.
With just a few ingredients, these Keto coconut shrimp are incredibly easy to make and only take a few minutes from start to finish.
What's in Keto Coconut Shrimp
- Raw shrimp
- Coconut flour
- Unsweetened shredded coconut
- Egg
- Avocado oil
- Mayonnaise
- Sambal
- Sugar-free apricot jam
- Lime
- Salt
*Exact measurements are listed in the recipe card below.
How to Make Keto Coconut Shrimp
For the Coconut Shrimp Dipping Sauce
Add all the dipping sauce ingredients together in a small mixing bowl, and whisk until it's well combined.
Set aside and keep at room temperature, to allow the flavors to meld together while you fry the shrimp.
How to Make the Low Carb Coconut Shrimp
Add the coconut flour to bowl, the beaten egg to another and the shredded coconut to a third bowl to set up your breading station.
Take each piece of shrimp by the tail, lightly coat in the coconut flour, shaking off any excess.
Then dip it into the egg, allowing excess egg to drip off.
And lastly, dip into the coconut, making sure the shrimp are well coated.
Heat a large nonstick skillet to medium heat and fry the shrimp for a couple of minutes on each side.
Shrimp cook super fast and the coconut will brown quickly, so be sure not to overcook them. You definitely want to stay close by and be ready to flip them quickly.
Work in small batches, so you don't overcrowd the pan, which will make them harder to flip. Allow to drain on paper towels while you fry up the rest.
Can I Air Fry Keto Coconut Shrimp?
You sure can! Air frying low carb coconut shrimp is a great alternative to pan frying. Just follow all the same steps with breading the shrimp but instead of cooking in oil, put it in your air fryer on 350F for about 15 minutes or until the coating crisps up and the shrimp are firm.
Tips for Cooking Shrimp:
- If you're cooking them the same day you buy them, select fresh, wild caught shrimp. Fresh shrimp have a short shelf life, so they'll need to be cooked fairly soon.
- If you have to buy frozen, look at the ingredients. It should just say, "shrimp and water."
- You want to avoid shrimp with a strong "shrimpy," or ammonia-like smell or those with a slimy or soft texture.
- To safely defrost shrimp, place in the fridge overnight or you can place frozen shrimp in the sink in cold water until thawed. Never thaw out shrimp by allowing to sit out on the counter.
- Don't throw out the shells. That's right, save them! Freeze them and make seafood stock with them at a later time. You won't believe how much flavor is in those shells!
- The biggest mistake made with shrimp, is overcooking them. Shrimp only take a few minutes to fully cook, so don't walk away once you put them on the heat.
Are Coconut Shrimp Keto?
Traditional coconut shrimp just won't fit in with Keto or low carbs diets because they are dredged in flour. Good news!
These Keto Coconut Shrimp replaces wheat flour with coconut flour making one serving have only 4 net carbs and that includes the sweet and spicy dipping sauce!
And as an added bonus, the coconut flour just adds even more coconut flavor to the shrimp!
How Many Carbs in Coconut?
Unsweetened shredded coconut are very high in fiber and low in carbs. For an one tablespoon serving size, there is only 1 net carb.
And, not only are they low in carbs, they are high in healthy fat plus, they are nutritious. They are a rich source of calcium, copper, magnesium, potassium and zinc.
Other Uses for Sugar-Free Apricot Jam
You'll notice that this recipe uses a sugar-free apricot jam from Good Good. If you're on the fence about giving it a try, let me encourage you to do so.
It's by far the best sugar free jam I've tasted. I like to use it as a Keto substitute for honey to thicken and add sweetness to homemade salad dressings.
And if you're wondering what you should do with the remaining jam in the jar, here are some awesome ideas that will put it to delicious use:
- Using apricot jam in a vinaigrette dressing, like in this recipe, is so tasty. If you like the sweet and tangy flavor, you may also enjoy this Sugar Free Apricot Vinaigrette recipe. It is especially good on this Grilled Shrimp Salad.
- The sweetness in the jam is fabulous with bacon. Yep, bacon! Give it a try with these Grilled Bacon Wrapped Asparagus bundles. They have a apricot glaze that sends them right over the top! Or use in this Easy Hot Bacon Dressing over a spinach salad or with Brussels Sprouts.
- I absolutely love a summertime berry medley. You can take some of this jam and thin it out with a little water and simple syrup made with Swerve or Allulose and drizzle over a bowl of berries. It makes a super easy dessert everyone will love.
- Last but not least, in its simplest form, Sugar Free Apricot Jam serve with homemade Keto Biscuits is so good, you won't even miss traditional jam.
What are Some Low Carb Sides to Serve with Coconut Shrimp?
- Easy Cole Slaw
- Parmesan Baked Artichoke Hearts
- Lime Cilantro Cauliflower Rice
- Cauliflower "Potato" Salad
- Lime Cilantro Broccoli Slaw
More Keto Shrimp Recipes
- Creamy Cajun Shrimp
- Buffalo Shrimp Lettuce Wraps
- Grilled Lime Cilantro Shrimp Skewers
- Creamy Shrimp Alfredo
- Keto Fried Shrimp with Cocktail Sauce
- Shrimp Scampi
- Shrimp alla Vodka
- Bang Bang Shrimp
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Keto Coconut Shrimp with Dipping Sauce
Ingredients
For the Shrimp
- 1 pound raw jumbo shrimp, peeled, deveined with tails on
- ¼ cup coconut flour
- 1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
- 1 whole egg, beaten
- Avocado Oil, or other mild flavored Keto friendly oil
For the Dipping Sauce
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- ¼ cup Sambal
- 2 tablespoons sugar-free apricot jam
- 2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
- Add all the dipping sauce ingredients together in a small mixing bowl, and whisk until it’s well combined. Set aside and keep at room temperature, to allow the flavors to meld together while you fry the shrimp.
- Add the coconut flour to bowl, the beaten egg to another and the shredded coconut to a third bowl to set up your breading station. Take each piece of shrimp by the tail, lightly coat in the coconut flour, shaking off any excess.
- Then dip it into the egg, allowing excess egg to drip off.
- And lastly, dip into the coconut, making sure the shrimp is well coated.
- Heat a large nonstick skillet to medium heat and fry the shrimp for a couple of minutes on each side.
- Shrimp cook super fast and the coconut will brown quickly, so be sure not to overcook them. You definitely want to stay close by and be ready to flip them quickly.
- Work in small batches, so you don’t overcrowd the pan, which will make them harder to flip. Allow to drain on paper towels while you fry up the rest.
- Serve immediately with the dipping sauce on the side.
Recipe Notes
*Nutritional data is provided as a courtesy and is accurate to the best of my knowledge. You can verify it using the nutrition calculator of your choice. All data is based on net carbs, without sugar alcohol: Swerve, Erythritol, Monk Fruit or Allulose.
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Carla
Julianne,
These are amazing! Huge hit with everyone! I made them for our New Year's Eve buffet table. Thank you for sharing!
Keto Cooking Christian
That's wonderful to hear, thanks for letting me know and happy new year!
Carla
Julianne,
These are amazing!! Hig6e hit with everyone! I made this for our New Year's eve buffet. Thank you for sharing, love them!
Keto Cooking Christian
They look fantastic!
Marilyn
What is sambal? Can I substitute something else for it?
Keto Cooking Christian
It's a chili sauce that has wonderful flavor. There is really nothing else that compares, so I wouldn't recommend subbing it with anything else. You can find it in just about any grocery store, including Walmart, if that helps.