You’ll LOVE this creamy coconut shrimp recipe. Imagine the crispiest most flavorful succulent shrimp tossed in a delicately sweet and creamy coconutty sauce… Every bite is an absolute delight! This dish brings together crispy and creamy, two consistencies that just work so well together to give you something that tastes… incredible. Plus, everything’s ready in about 30 minutes too, how cool is that?
I really hope you enjoy this Creamy Coconut Shrimp Recipe. If you do, please let me know in the comment below. I LOVE reading your comments.
WHY YOU WILL LOVE THIS RECIPE
One of the best appetizers on the PLANET!
I have to put in actual effort to NOT make it every day. It just tastes so good.
That’s because I need to make other new recipes to share with you but I can only do that once I stop making this which I just can’t do. I LOVE this creamy coconut shrimp dish.
I think Zee and I are just going to keep making this delicious recipe for a long time, yes.
So, what exactly is this creamy Chinese coconut shrimp recipe?
It’s a pretty famous fusion dish (one of the best fusion Chinese recipes ever, Chinese food is so good!) that I don’t think is Chinese exactly but is pretty popular in Chinese buffet restaurants in the United States. Most Chinese restaurants serve it in their buffets.
Imagine crispy batter fried shrimp tossed in a thick creamy sweet coconut sauce…
Those flavors of crispy succulent super flavorful prawns mixing with the sweet coconut flavor from the sauce are out of this world. Ooh plus those crispy + creamy consistencies working together…
Insane.
It’s one of those easy shrimp recipes you’ll want to make every.single.day.
Wanna know a few more reasons why you’ll absolutely love this recipe? Here we go:
- It’s a pretty quick recipe and is ready in about half an hour . You get some crispy and creamy shrimp so fast, it’s the best thing on a busy weeknight! Pair it up with some cauliflower rice, rice noodles, coconut rice, zucchini noodles, sticky rice or a simple white rice such as basmati rice for a whole meal!
- Oh and this easy creamy coconut shrimp recipe uses such simple basic ingredients, it’s crazy! You probably have them at home already and if you don’t, you can find them at your local grocery store without a problem.
- This delicious recipe is such a pleaser too. It comes out right every single time, you can’t go wrong with it. An absolute no stress meal whether you’re making it for a special occasion or as an easy weeknight dinner. Such an easy recipe and tastes absolutely divine every single time.
- Oh and if you love all things crispy (like me), you’ll love this delicious recipe. There’s just something so satisfying about crispy food. And paired up with a creamy coconut sauce like this one? Get ready to find your new favorite dish!
- And it’s just something so new, such different flavors! Crispy shrimp with a creamy sweet sauce. You need to try this delicious shrimp recipe right now. You may be used to Thai recipes where the shrimp is cooked in a coconut milk curry but this is a different twist on shrimp with coconut milk. So good.
INGREDIENTS & SUBSTITUTIONS FOR THIS CREAMY COCONUT SHRIMP RECIPE
For exact ingredient measurements, please scroll down to the Recipe Card.
To fry the shrimp:
- Shrimp– Fat succulent shrimp really are something special in this coconut sauce shrimp recipe (one of the best fusion Chinese recipes ever!). You can go ahead and use medium-sized shrimp or even large or jumbo shrimp here. You can use fresh shrimp or frozen shrimp. If you’re using frozen shrimp though, make sure you thaw your shrimp well.
- Egg white– One of my most favorite ingredients when frying something crispy. Egg white makes the shrimp in our creamy coconut shrimp recipe oh so crispy, airy and delicious. Love it!
- Fish sauce– I’m adding just a little fish sauce to our shrimp here. When you add fish sauce to your shrimp, you get this perfect umami flavor once it’s all crispy and fried. I love that flavor so much and feel it goes so well here. If you want to skip out on fish sauce or don’t have any, add a little salt and black pepper instead.
- Cornstarch– One of my favorites when it comes to frying something up. Corn starch gives our fresh shrimp the most perfect crispy crunchy crust. Yum! You can substitute with all purpose flour or potato starch or even a combination of these here.
- Cooking oil– The best oil here in my opinion would be a neutral cooking oil with a high smoke point. Some options are canola oil, vegetable oil, sunflower oil, peanut oil, refined coconut oil… many options.
To make the creamy sauce:
- Coconut milk– Coconut milk adds the most delicious creamy texture and coconut flavor to our sweet sauce. Go ahead and used canned coconut milk here. You can use coconut cream (coconut cream will make our sauce deliciously thick!) or maybe even reduced-fat coconut milk but the sauce may be thinner and may lack that rich flavor. You can also use heavy cream here but you won’t get that lush coconut flavor. I would always suggest thick full-fat coconut milk.
- Sweetened condensed milk– We add some thick sweet condensed milk to our rich coconut sauce to give it that characteristic sweetness . Condensed milk also adds to the thickness here. You can use whatever sweetener you prefer such as regular sugar, honey, brown sugar or even coconut sugar but the results may not be the same.
- A pinch of salt– A little salt is always essential to bring out all those flavors.
- Mayonnaise– Mayonnaise once again adds to the richness here plus thickens up our sauce really well too. You won’t taste the mayo much, it works beautifully well with the coconut milk and sweetened condensed milk to give us a deliciously thick sweet coconut sauce.
- Vanilla extract– To add a hint of vanilla flavor to our creamy coconut milk sauce. I don’t know how or why it works but trust me on this, it just does. You can skip on this if you prefer though.
To garnish:
Green onions– Some freshly chopped green onions on top give our creamy coconut shrimp dish the best flavor ever!
Once again, for exact ingredient measurements, please scroll down to the Recipe Card.
HOW TO MAKE CHINESE BUFFET STYLE CREAMY COCONUT SHRIMP RECIPE [Step-by-Step Instructions with Photos]
Please keep in mind that I go into lots of detail in all my recipes so you get to know all the super important tips and tricks when it comes to making a particular recipe. I always want you to make the BEST of whatever you’re cooking .
STEP 1: GET THE SHRIMP READY
If you’re not using fresh shrimp and are using frozen shrimp instead, make sure you thaw them well!
Add your shrimp to a large bowl. Devein shrimp and wash and drain if needed.
Now add the egg white and fish sauce to your raw shrimp and mix well.
Now, add the corn starch to a separate wide bowl.
Dust the surface you’ll be placing your dredged shrimp on with some corn starch.
Time to dredge the raw shrimp! Add the shrimp with all that liquid into the cornstarch bowl.
Go in with your hands and dredge the shrimp well. The cornstarch mixture will harden a little and that’s okay. Break the cornstarch mixture with your fingers and stick it on well to your shrimp. We want those small clumped bits of cornstarch! It’ll add to the crispiness.
Alternatively, you can dip each shrimp into the cornstarch and dredge it individually.
Place your dredged shrimp on the cornstarch dusted surface.
STEP 2: FRY THE SHRIMP!
Take a wok, Dutch oven, large skillet or pretty much any equipment you prefer deep frying things in.
Pour in the cooking oil over medium heat (no medium-high heat here!) and wait for it to get hot.
You can check if the oil is hot enough by dropping a tiny piece of batter in. If it sinks to the bottom, the oil isn’t ready yet and if it bubbles up and rises to the top, your oil is hot enough for fry time!
Now, slowly add your dredged shrimp to the oil. Please fry in batches!
Don’t touch the shrimp for about 2 minutes.
Once 2 minutes are up, with the help of tongs, move the shrimp around gently and break apart any that are stuck to each other.
Cook the shrimp until they’re golden brown. This will take another 2 to 3 minutes.
Now get your crispy tender shrimp out. I use a slotted spoon to drain all that oil out before placing the shrimp in a single layer on a wire rack over a sheet pan.
Don’t place your shrimp over a paper towel. The paper towel will absorb that oil making your golden tender shrimp soggy.
Fry the rest of your shrimp the same way and move to the next step!
I can’t stop myself from eating the shrimp here. They taste so good just fried too!
STEP 3: MAKE YOUR CREAMY COCONUT SAUCE
Time to make our creamy coconut milk sauce!
To make the coconut cream sauce for shrimp, take a skillet or saucepan over medium-low heat (no medium-high heat here!).
Add the coconut milk, sweetened condensed milk and salt.
Cook for about 3-4 minutes over medium-low heat, gently stirring until everything is mixed well together. We want to get all those flavors out!
Once 3-4 minutes are up, switch off the heat and add in the vanilla extract and mayonnaise.
Mix well for about 1-2 minutes or until your sauce is all nice and thick. Yum!
STEP 4: MIX EVERYTHING TOGETHER!
There are two things you can do here-
- Add yourcrispy tender shrimp to the creamy coconut sauce in the large skillet and toss well (like me!),
- Or, brush the sweet coconut sauce over your crispy large shrimp.
You don’t have to worry about the shrimp getting soggy. I’ve made just enough sauce to cover your crispy tender shrimp without making it soft and soggy.
Go ahead and garnish your creamy coconut shrimp dish with green onions and serve!
And now try a creamy crispy tender shrimp! How incredible does it taste hmm? And you made it all by yourself! Be proud . I hope this turns out to be one of those easy shrimp recipes you make all the time!
Hey you, I really hope you love this Creamy Coconut Shrimp Recipe as much as I do!
If you do, I would appreciate a star rating SO much (you can rate this Easy Coconut Milk Shrimp recipe right below or from the Recipe Card ).
Once again, for exact ingredient measurements, please scroll down to the Recipe Card.
Jump to RecipeAlso, if you have any questions about this recipe, make sure to check out our FAQ section below to maybe find your answer there, or leave a comment and I will try to get back to you as soon as possible, I promise .
Easy Creamy Coconut Shrimp Recipe (Chinese Buffet Style!)
Course: Uncategorized4
servings5
minutes27
minutes353
kcalIngredients
To fry the shrimp:
– 1 lb or 450 gms shrimp (can use jumbo, large or medium-sized shrimp)
– 1 egg white
– ½ tsp fish sauce (optional but so good, if you’re skipping on this then add some salt & black pepper)
– 1 cup or 120 gms cornstarch (can susbtitute with all purpose flour or potato starch)
– neutral cooking oil enough to submerge your shrimp while they fry (this may be a few cups)
To make the creamy sauce:
– ½ cup or 120 ml coconut milk (can substitute with coconut cream, heavy cream, evaporated milk or cashew cream)
– 2 tbsp sweetened condensed milk (can add more if you want it even sweeter)
– a pinch of salt
– 2 tbsp mayonnaise
– ¼ tsp vanilla extract (optional but so good here!)
Garnish:
– freshly chopped green onions
( Note- Please keep in mind that I go into lots of detail in all my recipes so you get to know all the super important tips & tricks when it comes to making a particular recipe. I always want you to make the BEST of whatever you’re cooking ❤ )
Directions
- GET THE SHRIMP READY
If you’re using frozen shrimp instead of fresh shrimp, make sure you thaw your frozen raw shrimp well.
Add 1 lb or 450 gms shrimp to a large bowl. Devein shrimp and wash and drain if needed.
Add 1 egg white and ½ tsp fish sauce to your shrimp and mix.
Now, add 1 cup or 120 gms cornstarch to a separate wide bowl.
Dust the surface you’ll be placing your dredged shrimp on with some corn starch so it doesn’t stick.
Now dredge the shrimp. Add the shrimp with all its liquid into the cornstarch bowl.
Go in with your hands and dredge the shrimp well.
The cornstarch mixture will harden a little and that’s okay. Break it with your fingers and stick it on well to your shrimp.
We want those small clumped bits of cornstarch, it’ll add to the crispiness!
Alternately, you can dip each shrimp one at a time into the cornstarch and dredge it individually.
Place your dredged shrimp on the cornstarch dusted surface and let’s get to frying! - FRY THE SHRIMP!
Take a wok, Dutch oven or pretty much any equipment you prefer deep frying things in.
Pour in the neutral cooking oil over medium heat (no medium-high heat here!) and wait for it to get hot.
You can check if the oil is hot enough by dropping a small piece of batter in. If it sinks to the bottom, the oil isn’t ready and if it bubbles and rises to the top, the oil is hot enough for frying.
Now, slowly add your dredged shrimp into the hot oil. Please fry in batches here.
Don’t touch the shrimp for about 2 minutes. Let the shrimp cook.
Once 2 minutes are up, using tongs, move the shrimp around gently and break apart any that are stuck to each other.
Let the shrimp cook until they’re golden brown. This will take another 2 to 3 minutes.
And now take your shrimp out. I use a slotted spoon to drain all that oil out before placing the shrimp in a single layer on a wire rack over a sheet pan.
Please don’t place your shrimp over a paper towel. The paper towel will absorb that oil leading to soggy shrimp.
Fry the rest of your shrimp the same way in batches and move to the next step! - MAKE YOUR CREAMY COCONUT SAUCE
Take a skillet or saucepan and add ½ cup or 120 ml coconut milk, 2 tbsp sweetened condensed milk and a pinch of salt over medium-low heat.
Cook for about 3-4 minutes over medium-low heat, gently stirring and mixing everything together. We want to get all those flavors out!
Now turn off the heat and add in ¼ tsp vanilla extract and 2 tbsp mayonnaise.
Mix well for about 1-2 minutes or until your sauce is all nice and thick - MIX EVERYTHING TOGETHER!
There are two things you can do here-
1) Add your shrimp to the creamy coconut sauce in the large skillet and toss well (like me!), OR
2) Brush the sweet coconut sauce over your crispy large shrimp.
Don’t worry about the shrimp getting soggy. I’ve made just enough sauce to cover the shrimp without making it soft and soggy for a long time.
Once your crispy large shrimp is covered in that silky smooth sauce, go ahead and garnish your creamy coconut shrimp dish with freshly chopped green onions and serve!
Notes
- TIPS:
I suggest you use medium, large or jumbo shrimp here. Shrimp tends to get smaller once you fry it so if you use smaller shrimp and fry it, it’ll get even smaller and may even dry out.
Always thaw your shrimp if you’re using frozen shrimp and not fresh shrimp.
And if you’re making this Chinese creamy coconut shrimp recipe the next day, keep the frozen shrimp in your refrigerator the previous night so it gently thaws overnight and doesn’t take too much time the next day.
This sauce gets pretty thick once you add the mayonnaise in but if you want to thicken it up even more, you can add some cornstarch slurry in.
And if you want to thin out the sauce, add some coconut milk or maybe even a little water.
Serve your Asian coconut shrimp immediately. I’ve made sure the batter is such that our shrimp stay crisp for a long time but it’s natural that once the sauce touches the shrimp, it’ll start to lose its crisp after a while.
Make more sauce if you like. I’ve made just enough to coat the shrimp for best results so the shrimp doesn’t get soggy too soon but you can make more of this creamy sauce if you want.
