What Goes With Coconut Shrimp?

Coconut shrimp is a firm favorite on any menu. With a crispy, golden crunch on the outside, and fried shrimp on the inside, it comes as no surprise that this dish is one of the best. 

Originally from the South Pacific islands, coconut shrimp is made by dipping shrimp in batter that is blended with aromatic shredded coconut and breadcrumbs for a zingy, crispy flavor. 

Coconut shrimp is often served as a delicious appetizer, so you may be surprised to find that you can pair this delight with so many sides to make a wonderful meal. This may have you thinking; what goes with coconut shrimp?

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Top Five Things That Go With Coconut Shrimp

Sweet Chilli Sauce

First and foremost, our favorite pairing to go with coconut shrimp is sweet chilli sauce. What sort of cooking website would we be if we did not mention the best combination ever? 

All you have to do is add a little sweet chilli sauce to the side of your plate, and enjoy the sweetness of the sauce perfectly balancing the sometimes bitter taste of the flaky coconut breadcrumbs for a bursting flavor.

Pineapple Fried Rice

Serving up some pineapple fried rice is our second favorite way to enjoy coconut shrimp. We first tried this dish in Honolulu, in Hawaii, and absolutely fell in love with it. Often served in a hollowed out pineapple, this dish looks as good as it tastes!

To make pineapple fried rice, you will need to whisk together in a small bowl some soy sauce, white pepper, ginger powder and sesame oil, and set it aside. Then, you will want to heat a little olive oil in a large wok over medium high heat.

Once this is done, you can add onions and garlic to the wok, and cook for around 3-4 minutes, stirring often until the onions are translucent. Then, you can add in some carrots, corn and peas if you like, and stir the mixture until the vegetables are nice and tender.

Finally, add and stir in some precooked rice, your pineapple chunks, green onions and the soy sauce mixture and heat it all the way through. Top with your best coconut shrimp and you are ready to serve!

Coconut Shrimp Curry

If you enjoy a little extra spice, you can turn your coconut shrimp into a filling meal by serving it up in a curry. For this recipe, you can either use crispy coconut shrimp, or use normally fried shrimp mixed with coconut flavorings. 

For a quick and easy coconut shrimp curry, you will need to heat oil and butter in a large skillet or pan over medium-high heat. Next, add some onions and fry until soft for around 3-4 minutes. Then, you can add ginger and garlic, and saute until fragrant.

For a flavorful sauce, add garam masala, ground coriander, turmeric and some cumin and cook through, stirring occasionally for around 20-30 seconds. Throw in some crushed tomatoes, salt, chilli powder, and some coconut milk or cream and simmer until the sauce thickens for around 4 minutes!

Finally, stir in your (fried) shrimp and let it cook through for a few more minutes. Serve up with some of your favorite rice, we recommend using garlic rice, and enjoy!

Coconut Shrimp Tacos

Who doesn’t love shrimp tacos? So why not try crispy coconut shrimp tacos?! Our favorite way to serve these is with a little lime and a drizzle of mango salsa! This recipe is perfect for anyone who loves a little sweet, spicy and salty combination.

For this serving suggestion, you will need tacos or tortillas, crispy coconut shrimp, mango salsa and avocado.

To make the salsa, you will need to mix together mango, red bell pepper, jalapeno, onion and some cilantro in a little bowl. Squeeze some lime juice for an extra burst of flavor on top and stir it together. 

Once this is done, grab your taco or tortillas (you can warm them up first if you prefer), place three coconut shrimp on each taco and cover with your homemade mango salsa. Garnish with a few slices of fresh avocado, and a sprinkling of lime or chilli for extra spiciness, and enjoy!

Fries and Coleslaw

Of course, you can enjoy crispy coconut shrimp with fries! Fries are a staple side dish that go with almost anything. Coconut shrimp goes great with french fries, but we also love serving them up with some sweet potato fries and coleslaw!

For this serving suggestion, you will need two sweet potatoes, some olive oil, garlic powder and a little salt and pepper. Slice up your sweet potato into fry shapes, and toss in some oil, garlic powder, salt and pepper for seasoning. 

Then, arrange in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake fully in a 425 degree fahrenheit oven for around 25 minutes until light golden brown!

Serve up with your favorite coleslaw or even a homemade one and enjoy your coconut shrimp and sweet potato fries!

Honorable Mention

Pina Colada

If you are already serving up some coconut shrimp, why not go all out and make it a tropical cuisine night? We recommend that you enjoy a pina colada with your coconut shrimp, to transform your evening into an island breeze, as if you are in a tropical paradise. 

A pina colada is a sweet cocktail that pairs perfectly with the sweetness of coconut shrimp. It is made with rum, coconut milk, pineapple juice and ice.

For this recipe, simply mix together 6 oz of white rum, 6 oz of cream of coconut or coconut milk, 6 oz of pineapple juice, 4 cups of ice and 4 oz of golden rum for a blend of flavors you will never forget.

Now you know our favorite ways to enjoy shrimp tacos, you can try them out or make up some of your own!


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