Send your lunch to the tropics with this easy and delicious recipe for coconut shrimp salad! Avocado, corn and a splash of lemon round out the flavors of this seafood sensation.
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Why we love this recipe
Oh, this shrimp salad recipe! Speedy, easy and super duper flexible, which is exactly what you want when it comes to lunch and supper. And did I mention delicious? DELICIOUS.
Everything in this easy peasy recipe is available all year round except for the corn, so if it happens to be February and you need to have coconut shrimp salad, you can grab some frozen corn, thaw it out and you are in business. And if you are making it in the summer, grab that fresh corn! 🌽
As for the flexible part, I love how I can mess around with this recipe depending upon what I have on hand. Any size shrimp will work. Got some cherry tomatoes? Toss them in there! Shake in some hot sauce if you want more zing. Want to use fresh mint instead of parsley? This recipe says BRING IT ON.
So think about this recipe as a jumping off point…it’s one of our faves just as is, but you be you when it comes to your coconut shrimp salad! As long as you keep the shrimp and coconut parts. 😍
Ingredients you need
Ingredient notes and substitutions
- Shrimp: Our first choice is always fresh catch shrimp, but frozen will work if you need to. And any size shrimp are fine.
- Coconut: Look for sweetened shredded coconut in the baking aisle of your supermarket.
- Corn: We alway go for fresh corn kernels for this recipe (especially in fresh corn season, swoon!) but frozen will also work (defrost them fully). We don’t recommend canned corn.
- Avocado: You want an avocado that has just a little give when you press on it. I usually get one that is rock hard and give it a few days on my counter. If your avocado is getting too soft before you need it, pop it in your fridge and it will stop softening.
- Herbs: We have used everything from parsley to basil to mint in this salad – use your fave!
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities and nutritional information.
How to make this recipe
STEP 1: Put a half cup of shredded sweetened coconut in a small skillet over medium heat and stir it until it starts to turn golden. (Watch it like a hawk when it starts to brown – it will brown FAST once it gets going.) Pour it into a bowl (so it doesn’t keep cooking from the heat of the pan) and set it aside.
STEP 2: Bring a pot of water to a simmer. Add a pound of peeled shrimp and cook until they are just done, about 2 to 3 minutes. Rinse them under cold water until they are cool.
STEP 3: Put a couple cups of corn kernels (fresh is best if you can get ’em, but thawed frozen will also work!) a handful of chopped parsley and a peeled and chopped avocado in a large bowl and give it all a gentle stir. (Pro tip: I use my own clean hands for this part).
STEP 4: Add the shrimp and give it another gentle stir.
STEP 5: Next, mix up some fresh lemon juice and a little olive oil in a jar and give it a good shake. Drizzle it over the shrimp mixture.
STEP 6: Divide this delectable shrimp salad between plates and sprinkle the toasted coconut over it all. Scatter on some herbs and serve it up!
Equipment we used for this recipe
These are some of my favorite kitchen tools! These are Amazon affiliate links, which means I get a little something if you buy through my links at no extra cost to you. (Which helps pay for all that bacon I keep buying! 😄) And I only share things I use and love. I’m so grateful for your support!
- Measuring Cup: We love these angled cups and have them in every size from the adorable baby 1/4 cup to the 4 cup version.
- Cutting Board: These sturdy dishwasher safe cutting boards also come in multiple sizes!
- Citrus Juicer: There are all kinds of juicers out there, but this colorful one is our fave for squeezing out all the juice without getting any seeds in your juice.
- Measuring Spoons: We love this set of spoons which comes in separate pieces (no spoons on a ring jangling when you are trying to measure).
- Metal Bowls: We love these sturdy metal bowls for both mixing and casual serving.
- Medium Pot: You probably have one of these already but just in case, here’s our fave!
- Tongs: Perfect for tossing all kinds of salads, including this one!
- Mason Jars: These are perfect for everything from storing ingredients and leftovers to shaking up salad dressing.
Recipe FAQs
Now, you don’t HAVE to take the vein (that dark line up the back of the shrimp) out, but lots of folks prefer their shrimpies that way. Pull off the shell by wiggling it apart at the bottom of the shrimp. Once the shell is off, cut a shallow line along the top of the shrimp where the vein is, pull it out with the tip of the knife and…you’re done! Put the shrimp shells in a zippered plastic bag when you toss them out, because if they sit in your trash can for more than a few hours…well, I’ll let you use your imagination.
I’ve tried one zillion techniques for this and here’s my favorite way: Spread a dishtowel out on your counter and put a cutting board on top of it. Stand your ear of husked corn up in the middle of the board (doesn’t matter which end), hold the top with one hand and use a paring knife to slice the kernels off. I usually start about one inch from the top (being careful of my fingers holding the corn) and slice down with a little back and forth motion. The kernels are going to spring off the cob in places, but that handy dishtowel will keep them from jumping all around your counter. It takes less than a minute to cut the kernels off of the cob and BOY IS IT WORTH IT.
You absolutely can, but we never do, especially if we have gotten our mitts on fresh corn. It is sweet and tender just the way it is. If you need to cook it, you be you! Add it to a simmering pot of water for a few minutes, then drain it and run it under cool water.
I love my friend Elise’s method for this, which is to cut the avocado in half length-wise, twist it open, remove the pit (I either squeeze the avocado gently until the pit pops out or I scoop in out with a spoon) and then run a paring knife up and down the avocado insides in a grid pattern. Scoop out the avocado flesh with a spoon and it is already nice and cut up!
Yes you can…except for the avocado part. Avocado turns brownish pretty quickly after it has been cut open, and even with the lemon juice in this recipe it won’t be at its prettiest. So if you want to prep ahead of time, save the avocado for the last minute, and if you want your coconut to stay at its golden crunchiest, do the coconut sprinkling at the end as well.
Leave your question (or comment or suggestion) in the Comments box below the recipe and I will answer pronto!
And that’s all there is to it – it’s been less than 30 minutes and you are sitting down to a plate of shrimp salad deliciousness!
(I always like to arrange one shrimp tail in a dramatic way. I gotta be me.)
Want to round out your meal?
We love some warm grilled flatbread to go with our shrimp salad, or a nice slice of sheet pan focaccia. With a piece of this simple jam cake for dessert. And since we are being tropical here, we really do deserve a margarita along with it, don’t you think?
Other shrimp salad recipes we love!
Looking for more salad inspiration? Here is our complete collection of salad recipes!
We want to know what you think! 🤔
If you try this recipe, we would love to hear how it came out for you! I’d be super grateful if you could leave a star rating (you pick how many stars! 🌟 ) and your thoughts in the Comments section.
Coconut Shrimp Salad
Send your lunch to the tropics with this easy and delicious recipe for coconut shrimp salad! Avocado, corn and a splash of lemon round out the flavors of this seafood sensation.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 3 minutes
- Total Time: 18 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
- Category: Lunch
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Low Calorie
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup sweetened coconut
- 1 pound shrimp, peeled
- 2 cups corn kernels
- 1/4 cup chopped parsley (or cilantro, if you like that better)
- 1 peeled diced avocado
- Juice from one lemon
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
Instructions
- Put the coconut in a small skillet over medium heat and stir it until it starts to turn golden. Pour it into a bowl (so it doesn’t keep cooking from the heat of the pan) and set it aside.
- Bring a pot of water to a simmer. Add the shrimp and cook until they are just done, about 2 to 3 minutes. Drain them into a strainer and rinse them under cold water until they are cool.
- Put the corn, parsley and avocado in a large bowl and gently toss. Stir in shrimp. Combine lemon juice and oil and pour over salad mixture and toss to coat.
- Divide your glorious shrimp salad between plates, sprinkle coconut over it all and serve it up!
Notes
- Shrimp: Our first choice is always fresh catch shrimp, but frozen will work if you need to. And any size shrimp are fine.
- Coconut: Look for sweetened shredded coconut in the baking aisle of your supermarket.
- Corn: We alway go for fresh corn kernels for this recipe (especially in fresh corn season, swoon!) but frozen will also work (defrost them fully). We don’t recommend canned corn.
- Avocado: You want an avocado that has just a little give when you press on it. I usually get one that is rock hard and give it a few days on my counter. If your avocado is getting too soft before you need it, pop it in your fridge and it will stop softening.
- Herbs: We have used everything from parsley to basil to mint in this salad – use your fave!
Michelle says
Such a simple summer meal! It was absolutely delicious – love how all of the flavors complimented each other!
Thanks Michelle! I do love a shrimp salad – glad you feel the same about this one! :)