fbpx

Easy vegan coconut-crusted garlic shrimp

Easy Vegan Coconut Crusted garlic shrimp – this 35-minute easy vegan breaded shrimp recipe is better than real shrimp. It’s quick to make, very simple, and delivers bold delicious flavors. They are the best vegan alternative to regular breaded shrimp. Perfect for dipping into your favorite sauce. Featuring juicy king oyster mushrooms as our shrimp, garlic, and spices all fried to perfection with a crunchy golden coconut crust. Enjoy these plant based gluten free breaded shrimp as a main course like spicy vegan shrimp tacos (yum!), serve as an irresistible appetizer with a creamy garlic dip, or make it a tasty side dish topped over steamy rice and roasted veggies. There are so many options and they’re all out of this world tasty. These vegan shrimp taste of the sea, especially if you top them with seaweed flakes, and they double as perfect appetizer and a delicious healthy dinner for the whole family.  

Jump to Recipe

Are you looking for a super quick, irresistibly tasty meal that everyone will adore? A vegan dinner that even meat lovers will crave? We have the answer right here in this saucy vegan shrimp with a deliciously irresistible golden coconut crust. 

Tell me about this vegan garlic shrimp recipe 

Flavor – the spices and seasonings are the same as when you make regular shrimp. Because the king oyster mushrooms are tender and meaty the seasonings create a mouthwatering ‘real shrimp’ taste and texture. With bold paprika, Italian herbs, and savory garlic these golden coconut-breaded shrimp are fried to crispy golden deliciousness. Yum.

Skill level – making vegan shrimp is incredibly easy. We’re talking minimal skill level required. If you can mix a bowl of milk and flour and dip your vegan shrimp into it, you can make this simple vegan coconut prawns dinner. 

Time – making the homemade vegan shrimp recipe is a quick and easy process. Depending on how quickly you whisk the batter, prep is a 5-10 minute process. With minimal knife work, it’s all about dipping the vegan shrimp into batter and you’re ready for the 10-15 minutes of frying or baking. All in all prep and cooking time should mean you will have these delicious juicy coconut shrimp with the texture of real shrimp on the table ready to eat in 20-30 minutes. Easy peasy vegan seafood recipe in no time…and so tasty.

Main Ingredients to make vegan Crispy coconut-crusted Shrimp 

King Oyster Mushrooms – the star of this easy dish is the king oyster mushrooms. Wrapped in a golden crust they become juicy and tender and gets the same texture of shrimp as they cook. We’re talking amazing faux shrimp with a perfect texture that makes this everyone’s all time favorite shrimp recipes.

Plant Milk – any plant milk will work here. I like to use almond milk, but soy milk, cashew milk, or even oat milk are also great.

Coconut Flour – coconut flour makes the base of the golden breaded crust. It’s just the right amount of sweetness and becomes deliciously golden, tender, and crunchy when fried. And unlike regular flour or breadcrumbs coconut flour is naturally gluten-free. If you don’t have coconut flour you can replace it with chickpea flour or corn flour. And if you don’t need a gluten-free version, you can replace the gluten free flour with panko breadcrumbs. 

Sweetened coconut flakes – adding sweetened coconut flakes creates a great gluten free Panko bread like crust. The sweetness enhances the spices and brings out the umami of the mushrooms. You can leave them out if you prefer a smooth more tempura-like golden light dough. 

Vegetable Oil – Use an oil with a high smoking point such as vegetable oil, canola oil, or peanut oil. Avoid oil like olive oil and walnut oil.

Seasoning – Italian seasoning, paprika or smoked paprika, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and chili flakes. The seasoning along with the tender mushrooms is what makes these tasty vegan prawns taste like the real thing. If you prefer a non-spicy shrimp just leave out the chili flakes or replace it with white pepper.

Tips for making the best golden crunchy coconut shrimp the vegan way 

Extra crispy golden crust – to get an extra golden crunchy crust to your vegan coconut shrimp you can add 3-4 tablespoons extra sweetened coconut flakes. The sweetness enhances the spices and the coconut flakes become irresistibly golden and crunchy during cooking. So tasty.

Hot oil – the oil should sizzle when you add the shrimp. Wait for the oil to get hot…you can test if the oil is sizzling by tossing a few herbs into it. If the oil sizzles when you add herbs it’s ready to fry.

Fry in batches – Fry the shrimp in batches, leaving a finger width of space between them. For that delicious golden crust don’t overcrowd the skillet.

Cool – Place the fried or baked shrimp on a paper towel and let them cool for a few minutes before enjoying it. They will be too hot straight out of the fryer or oven.

From frozen – these easy vegan shrimp are freezer friendly. If using frozen vegan shrimp, let them thaw completely before cooking. Note: Always reheat after they’ve been frozen.

How to make vegan gluten-free breaded shrimp

Step 1

Rinse the mushrooms and cut the tips off. If the mushroom stems are very thick, and you want your “shrimp” to be thinner, simply cut the mushrooms into halves lengthwise.

Step 2

Now, add the plant milk, salt, paprika, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, a pinch of chili flakes, and coconut flour to a mixing bowl and whisk to combine. 

Step 3

Pour the sweetened coconut flakes onto a plate. 

Step 4

Dip the oyster mushrooms into the plant milk mixture and coat on all sides. Transfer directly to the coconut flakes plate and roll the shrimp to cover on all sides. 

Step 5

Place the breaded shrimp on a baking sheet while you continue coating the rest of the mushrooms. 

How to fry vegan coconut shrimp 

  • Pour vegetable oil into a frying pan until the pan is covered with a small layer of oil.
  • Heat to medium-high heat. 
  • Gently place the coconut “shrimp” in the pan, adding only as much vegan shrimp as will comfortably fit without the pan becoming too crowded. There should be a finger-width space between each piece. 
  • Fry the vegan shrimp for around 5 minutes on each side until golden brown.
  • Continue frying in batches until all the shrimp are fried. 
  • Note: add more oil as needed while cooking. The shrimp will soak up a good amount of oil.
  • Once fried, gently transfer the coconut-crusted shrimp to a baking tray lined with paper towels to allow the paper to absorb any excess oil.
  • Serve and enjoy.

Can I bake coconut shrimp in the air fryer?

Yes. These tasty vegan coconut shrimp are delicious made in an air fryer…and a lot less calorie dense, too compared to fried. You can also bake these tasty vegan breaded shrimp in the oven. Either way, it’s a mere 10 minutes of baking time before you’re ready to serve golden-crusted tasty shrimp. Yum.

How to bake coconut shrimp in an air fryer

  • To bake the vegan shrimp in the air fryer, spray it with nonstick spray.
  • Place the coconut shrimp in the air fryer making sure there’s a finger-width space between them and bake for 8-10 minutes at the highest temperature, flipping halfway through.

Easy way to bake plant-based coconut breaded shrimp in the oven 

  • To bake the vegan shrimp in the oven, line a baking sheet with baking paper and preheat the oven to 425F (200 degrees Celsius). Spray the nonstick baking sheet with vegetable oil spray.
  • Place the shrimp on the baking sheet with a finger-width space between them and bake for 8-10 minutes flipping halfway through.

What dips to serve with golden-crusted vegan shrimp 

These tasty plant-based breaded shrimp are amazing just as is. But they’re also fantastic served with a delicious dip. 

Here are my top 5 dips to serve with tasty breaded shrimp:

FAQs – all your vegan breaded shrimp questions answered 

How to store vegan coconut shrimp

Store any leftover vegan shrimp in a clean airtight container for up to 3 days.

Are vegan shrimp okay to freeze?

Yes. These tasty plant-based prawns are fine to freeze making them great for meal prep. Just reheat before eating after defrosting.

Best way to freeze coconut shrimp

Allow the shrimp to cool before transferring them to a freezer bag or freezer-safe container. Freeze for up to 3 months. Take the vegan shrimp out of the freezer and allow them to thaw in the refrigerator. Reheat before serving.

How to reheat vegan shrimp

These shrimp are best when reheated in an air fryer at the highest temperature for 15 minutes or until they are hot.
You can also reheat them in a regular oven by baking them at 350F (180 degrees Celsius) for 15 minutes or until they are heated all the way through. Alternatively, you can also fry them in a frying pan for 2-3 minutes on each side.

Amount of calories in vegan shrimp

There are just around 250 calories per serving in these tasty vegan cocktails prawns.

DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?

We would love to know how it turned out! Please let us know by leaving a review below. Or snap a photo and share it on Instagram; be sure to tag us @munchyesta

Easy vegan coconut-crusted garlic “shrimp”

Easy Vegan Coconut Crusted garlic shrimp – this 35-minute easy vegan breaded shrimp recipe is better than real shrimp. It’s quick to make, very simple, and delivers bold delicious flavors. Featuring juicy king oyster mushrooms as our shrimp, garlic, and spices all fried to perfection with a crunchy golden coconut crust. Enjoy these plant based gluten free breaded shrimp as a main course like spicy vegan shrimp tacos (yum!), serve as an irresistible appetizer with a creamy garlic dip, or make it a tasty side dish topped over steamy rice and roasted veggies. There are so many options and they’re all out of this world tasty. 
Course Appetizer, Vegan Dinner
Cuisine American
Keyword vegan dinner
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Servings 4 people
Calories 250kcal
Author Simone – Munchyesta.com

Ingredients

  • 8 Oz (225g) King Oyster Mushrooms
  • ½ cup (120ml) Plant Milk use your favorite non-dairy milk
  • ½ cup (60g) Coconut Flour or Chickpea Flour
  • 1 cup (120g) Sweetened Coconut Flakes
  • 1 tsp Paprika or Smoked Paprika
  • 1 tsp Italian Seasoning
  • ½ tsp Garlic Powder
  • ¼ tsp Salt
  • ¼ tsp Ground Black Pepper
  • ¼ tsp dried Chili Flakes

For serving

  • 1 handful Fresh Parsley chopped
  • 1-2 Lemons cut into wedges
  • Dip of your choice 

Instructions

  • Rinse the mushrooms and cut the tips off. If the mushroom stems are very thick, and you want your “shrimp” to be thinner, simply cut the mushrooms into halves lengthwise.
  • Now, add the plant milk, salt, paprika, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, a pinch of chili flakes, and coconut flour to a mixing bowl and whisk to combine. 
  • Pour the sweetened coconut flakes onto a plate. 
    Dip the oyster mushrooms into the plant milk mixture and coat on all sides. Transfer directly to the coconut flakes plate and roll the shrimp to cover on all sides. 
    Place the breaded shrimp on a baking sheet while you continue coating the rest of the mushrooms. 

How to fry vegan coconut shrimp

  • Pour vegetable oil into a frying pan until the pan is covered with a small layer of oil.
    Heat to medium-high heat. 
  • Gently place the coconut “shrimp” in the pan, adding only as much vegan shrimp as will comfortably fit without the pan becoming too crowded. There should be a finger-width space between each piece. 
  • Fry the vegan shrimp for around 5 minutes on each side until golden brown.
    Continue frying in batches until all the shrimp are fried.
  • Note: add more oil as needed while cooking. The shrimp will soak up a good amount of oil.
    Once fried, gently transfer the coconut-crusted shrimp to a baking tray lined with paper towels to allow the paper to absorb any excess oil.
    Serve and enjoy.

Leave a Comment

Recipe Rating




Discover more from Munchyesta

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Continue reading

Skip to content