Bring a taste of the tropics to your shrimp.
What does baked coconut shrimp remind you of? Is it your last trip to the Caribbean, or Hawaii, where fresh shrimp and juicy coconut are always on the menu? You can recapture the tropical vibe of tender shrimp, baked until the outside is crispy, with the sweet flavor of coconut, in your own home with one of our favorite healthy shrimp recipes.
Shrimp is unique among varieties of seafood, because it contains a high amount of antioxidants. Selenium, copper, and astaxanthin are all present in shrimp, with a host of nutritional benefits. Astaxanthin is responsible for the red-orange color in the shrimp. While some kinds of foods, typically veggies, acquire that same shade of pigment from carotenoids, shrimp gets its color from animal’s consumption of smaller organisms containing carotenoids. The carotenoids are then transformed into astaxanthin, which is important in fighting colon cancer and diabetes.
Shrimp has a naturally mellow, sweet flavor, that we don’t want to mask. We’ve simply coated each shrimp in panko and coconut, and then we’ve baked them, instead of frying, for a lower calorie and fat content. Eat them as is or dip them in your favorite sauce. They’re a hit at parties and as a weeknight dinner as well!
Baked Coconut Shrimp
Ingredients
- 2 pounds shrimp shelled and deveined (leave the tails on)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 2 limes zest and juice
- 3/4 cup whole-wheat flour
- 1/2 cup coconut grated
- 2 eggs whisked
- 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs or whole-wheat bread crumbs
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
- In a bowl, mix the shrimp with the salt, pepper, 2 tablespoons lime juice and zest of 1 lime. Set aside.
- Prepare 3 bowls in your work area. One for the flour, one for the whisked eggs and one for the panko breadcrumbs and grated coconut mixed together.
- Dip each shrimp in the flour then shake off the excess, dip in the egg next then the bowl of panko and coconut. Place the shrimp on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Repeat until all the shrimp are finished.
- Drizzle the olive oil on the shrimp.
- Bake for about 17 minutes or until they turn golden brown.
- When they are cooked, drizzle the remaining lime juice on the shrimp and sprinkle with the remaining zest. Sprinkle more salt if needed.
- Best eaten as soon as they come out of the oven.
Nutrition Information
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More Delicious and Healthy Shrimp Recipes:
Roasted Shrimp Salad with Buttermilk-Cilantro Dressing
Shrimp Tacos with Sweet & Tangy Slaw
Lemongrass Shrimp on Toast Recipe
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