Ah, yes…another person complaining about the lack of travel since the pandemic started. Fa real, though… I haven’t taken this long of a “break” since I started travelling altogether, way back when. Period. But, that’s where these Baked Coconut Crusted Shrimp come in. They’re super easy to make, crispy AF, completely delicious and the best part? They basically just make me feel like I’m sittin’ on a beach somewhere waiting for my next Piña Colada. A girl can dream, right?!
Every single time I’m in the Caribbean without fail, I just neeeeed to have some variation of Coconut Shrimp. It’s like some sort of unwritten rule of mine so trust me, your gal’s had her fair share. Therefore, I know there are tons of Coconut Shrimp recipes out there and several different ways you could go about doing yours. However, here, since we’re still goin’ strong on the Low FODMAP Diet, you’ll find ’em Gluten Free. And, comin’ from a gal that’s not opposed to eating copious amounts of gluten, these baked coconut shrimp will have just about everyone coming back for more!
THAT BC LIFE
As you may already know, I moved my butt to the other side of the country earlier this year. And I (well, mostly Bae) drove it, to boot. So I guess you could say that’s more ‘travelling’ then the average person got to do last year. And that being in a completely new environment, away from family and friends, kinda does feel like traveling, after all.
The B.C. life is so damn different compared to what I grew up in back in Toronto. I’m a night owl (although I can almost say that in the past tense now) and the people here are early risers. Hikers. The outdoorsy and active type. Which I’ve simply never been. I do enjoy a good hike every now and then but my now and then and your now and then are probably two verrrrry different now and thens, if ya catch my drift. It feels like a crime not to explore every nook and cranny on this side of the country (which I’ma do, I promise). Although I must admit, that just driving to the grocery store is like a scene out of a movie. I just love it!
A few of my favourite discoveries so far on the West Coast:
- Trucks or vans pulled to the side of the highway selling fresh seafood right out the back door…. Again, movie?! Which is exactly how I got the shrimp to make these Coconut Crusted babies, by the way.
- FARM STANDS ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD has hands down become one of my favourite things to discover. They sell anything from fresh eggs, flowers, vegetables, manure…you name it. And the best part? And ACTUAL SCENE FROM A MOVIE? There’s not even a human operating it. It runs on a honour system. So you basically put your cash in a jar or box, take your goods and go. Like what?! Is this Canada?! I didn’t believe it, either.
- Signs like “fresh apple pie” or “homemade Nanaimo bars” with a big arrow pointing to a regular ol’ house. Supporting local made EASY!
(SHOCKER! They all have to do with food!)
A West Coast rule I learned rather quickly:
ALWAYS drive around with a cooler – you never know who could be selling what on the side of the road! One day you could just so happen to be driving by a cooler full of shrimp and it is in that instant, that you immediately know what to make of them: these people-pleasing and surely addicting Baked Coconut Crusted Shrimp.
LET’S GET TO THE BAKED COCONUT CRUSTED SHRIMP, SHALL WE?
WHAT KIND OF SHRIMP SHOULD I USE?
Okay, friends, I get it. Not evvvveryone can just get shrimp from the back of the town fisherman’s pickup truck on a Saturday. Don’t Fret. Just make sure that wherever your shrimp comes from, they’re the larger sized ones. I find the more surface for the coconut crust and Panko breading to stick to, the better! Peeled and deveined (or do that part yourself) with the tail on. If you’re really fussy about it and have the extra time, you can remove the tail… but ain’t no body got time for that in this house. Besides, the tails arguably make for better photos. Who’s with me?!
THE GLUTEN FREE BREADING
We’re still following the low FODMAP diet (which is reportedly helping a brotha!) hence the Gluten Free. For these coconut crusted shrimp, I used a mixture of Gluten Free Flour and Gluten Free Panko Breadcrumbs. I’m not gonna lie, I was kinnnnda worried about this part, thinking that the breading and coconut mixture wouldn’t stick to the shrimp nice enough to form a solid crust but thankfully, I was totally wrong. If you’re not following a LOW FODMAP or gluten free diet, feel free to swap the breadcrumbs and flour out for the regular stuff.
COCONUT SHRIMP DIPPING SAUCE
The most popular question when it comes to these baked coconut crusted shrimp is “what’s a good coconut shrimp dipping sauce?” Or “what can I use instead of cocktail sauce?” Well friends, fear not. This is an easy, throw-together LOW FODMAP dipping sauce that compliments these baked coconut crusted shrimp rather nicely. I’m willing to bet you already have the ingredients on hand! I recommend serving the creamy coconut dipping sauce cold alongside the hot freshly baked shrimp! Any extras can be stored in a container in the fridge for up to 3 days.(Makes a great chicken marinade…).
THE ASSEMBLY
Yes, you’re gonna wanna think of this as an assembly line! You will need:
2 BOWLS. 1 WITH 1/4 CUP OF COCONUT MILK. THE OTHER WITH THE BREADCRUMB MIXTURE (COCONUT FLAKES, FLOUR, BREADCRUMBS AND CHILLI FLAKES)
You’re gonna wanna have your bowls filled, lined up and ready to go, so you can work as quickly as possible. I find I have to keep my fingers wet or wash my hands after every couple shrimp as the mixture will stick to your fingers during the process. You can use eggs instead of the coconut milk to initially dredge the shrimp, if preferred.
TO BAKE OR TO FRY?
The age old question I seriously contemplated when deciding just exactly how to cook these coconut crusted shrimp – baked or fried?! But these days (I guess you could blame it on my old age…) unless we’re 3 sheets to the wind or paying for exactly that the following morning, I’m normally going the healthier route….especially if I’m doing the cooking. So ultimately I decided to bake these coconut crusted shrimp but something tells me that they would have been equally as delicious fried in a bit of (coconut) oil on the stove top. So you do you, boo.
I didn’t regret not fryin’ ‘em though. These baked coconut shrimp were crispy and super tasty, held together nicely, required no attention (other than a single flip) and, in the words of my boyfriend (who claims shrimp is just not his fav), I “knocked this one out of the park.” So, I guess you could say, *10/10, will make this coconut shrimp recipe again*
WHAT TO SERVE WITH THESE CRISPY BAKED COCONUT CRUSTED SHRIMP
Alright, so you got the recipe and dipping sauce down and your coconut crusted shrimp are baked to crispy perfection. Now what?! What to serve with those delicious beauties?! Here are some of my fav side dish options that pair well with any meal:
CREAMY SPINACH MASHED POTATOES
LOW FODMAP + GLUTEN FREE CRISPY BAKED COCONUT CRUSTED SHRIMP
Course: Appetizers, Lunch, DinnerCuisine: Caribbean, ThaiDifficulty: Easy2
(or 4 as an appetizer)15
minutes20
minutes35
minutesThese Gluten Free and FODMAP friendly Coconut Crusted Baked Shrimp are utterly delicious and are sure to please the entire crowd! They’re crispy on the outside, tender on the inside and baked to an absolute perfection! Served with a creamy coconut sauce for dipping, what’s not to love?!
What You’ll Need
- For the Shrimp
1 pound Large Raw Shrimp, peeled and deveined, tails on*
1 cup Unsweetened Coconut, finely shredded
1/2 cup Gluten Free Flour or Low FODMAP Flour*
1/2 cup Gluten Free Panko Breadcrumbs*
1/4 cup Coconut Milk
1 tbsp Chilli Flakes
Salt and Pepper, to taste
- For the Creamy Coconut Dipping Sauce
5 tbsp White Vinegar
3 tbsp Maple Syrup
2 tbsp Coconut Aminos
1 tbsp Sriracha
1 tbsp Fresh Ginger, minced
1 tsp Arrowroot Powder
Splash of Coconut Milk
Salt and Pepper, to taste
Directions
- For the Dipping Sauce
- Add all of the ingredients to a sauce pan over medium heat. Cook, stirring frequently, until it thickens, about 2-3 minutes. Place it in the fridge until ready to use.
- For the Shrimp
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Sprinkle the shrimp with salt and pepper and pour the coconut milk in a shallow bowl.
- Combine coconut flakes, panko breadcrumbs, flour and chilli flakes in another bowl and set beside the coconut milk.
- Working in an assembly line, dip the shrimp, one at a time, in the coconut milk allowing any excess to fall back into the bowl.
- Place the shrimp in the flour and breadcrumb mixture, pressing down firmly to ensure both sides are evenly coated. Place on prepared baking sheet and repeat until all shrimp are coated.
- Bake until the shrimp are nicely browned and cooked through, about 15-20 minutes, flipping halfway through. Serve with the cold dipping sauce!
Notes
- Feel free to remove the tails if you prefer.
- You may swap out the Gluten Free flour + Breadcrumbs for the regular stuff, if not following a Low FODMAP or Gluten Free Diet.
