Tropical Coconut Shrimp Tacos
Tropical coconut shrimp tacos served over a chili lime coleslaw and topped with a mango papaya salsa. Seriously the best coconut shrimp tacos I’ve ever had! Eat them and you’ll feel like you’re in Maui.
I have been lucky enough to visit Hawaii twice. Once for my honeymoon, and another trip last August with my sister and her husband. It is my absolute favorite place to vacation. I would go every year if I could.
Give me a beach, a good book and a cocktail and I’m in vacation heaven.
On our honeymoon we discovered Coconut’s Fish Cafe in Maui, which makes the best fish taco’s on the island. They serve it over a crunchy coleslaw and top it with a mango salsa. We ate there 3 different times for lunch, and went again on our 2nd trip to Maui. Can’t get enough.
With a name like Coconut’s Fish Cafe, I always wish they had a coconut shrimp taco. Seems only fitting. But they don’t, so I made one myself! I didn’t think this was possible, but I like this tropical coconut shrimp taco even more than their fish taco version.
This tropical coconut shrimp taco is the crispy coconut shrimp taco of my dreams! The shrimp is coated in panko and shredded coconut, then fried in coconut oil to get even more coconut flavor. The coconut shrimp are so unbelievably crispy and crunchy and tasty, it’s hard not to eat all the shrimp before it’s taco time.
For crunch and creaminess I made a barely spicy chili lime coleslaw. The crunchy cabbage mixed with the slight spice from the chili powder and brightness from the lime juice is the perfect flavor addition to the taco.
Last, I top the taco with my tropical mango papaya salsa. Amazing! Tropical fruits mixed with cilantro, onion and lime juice.
When I make these coconut shrimp tacos, Shawn and I eat them and mentally drift away to Hawaii. He’ll look at me and say, “There is no way these taste this good.” They truly are the best taco’s I’ve ever had. Hands down. And I’ve eaten a lottttt of tacos in my day. Shawn loves them so much, he can eat 4 of them in one sitting.
You should definitely make these for Cinco De Mayo next week. And then again the following week. And then once a week for the rest of your life.
They’re that good.
Tropical Coconut Shrimp Tacos
Ingredients
Chili Lime Coleslaw
- 1/2 head of green cabbage, shredded
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise, or greek yogurt if you hate mayo
- juice from 1 lime, about 2 tablespoons
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- pinch of salt, or more to taste
- pinch of pepper, or more to taste
Mango Papaya Salsa*
- 1 medium papaya, seeded, peeled and chopped into 1/4" cubes, about 1 cup
- 3 medium mangos, pitted, peeled and chopped into 1/4" cubes, about 2 cups
- 1/2 medium red onion, finely chopped, about 1/3 cup
- 1 bunch cilantro, stems removed, finely chopped, about 1/4 cup
- juice of 1 lime, about 2 tablespoons
- 1/2 teaspoon salt, or more to taste
Coconut Shrimp
- 2 pounds peeled and deveined shrimp, thawed and patted dry, tails removed
- 2 eggs, cracked and beaten
- 1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
- 1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut**
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup coconut oil
- white flour taco size tortilla's
Instructions
Chili Lime Coleslaw
- In a medium size mixing bowl, combine the mayonnaise, lime juice, chili powder and salt. Stir to combine. Add in the shredded coleslaw and stir to combine. Set aside, or refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Mango Papaya Salsa
- In a medium size mixing bowl, combine the papaya, mango, red onion, cilantro, lime juice and salt. Stir to combine. Set aside, or refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Coconut Shrimp
- In a small mixing bowl, add the eggs. On a plate, combine the panko bread crumbs, shredded coconut and salt. Stir to combine. Dredge the shrimp in the egg mixture, allow the excess to drip off, then coat in the panko coconut mixture. Set aside on a plate. Repeat with all the shrimp.
- Line a plate with paper towels for the fried shrimp to drain on, set aside.
- Preheat a large skillet over medium high heat until very hot. Add in the coconut oil, and allow the oil to heat up for about 1-2 minutes until very hot. Add in enough shrimp to have an even layer. Do not overcrowd the pan, otherwise the shrimp will stick to each other and get soggy. Cook on first side until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Flip and cook the other side until golden brown another 2-3 minutes. Transfer to the paper towel lined plate. Repeat to cook remaining shrimp.
Assemble the taco
- Assemble the tacos by layering the chili lime coleslaw, coconut shrimp, and topping with mango papaya salsa. Best served warm.
Notes
**You could use sweetened coconut, but I prefer unsweetened
More Cinco de Mayo Recipes:
Chicken Tacos with Cilantro Lime Ranch Dressing
More Taco Recipes from my Blogging Friends:
Slow Cooker Caribbean Beef Tacos with Mango Salsa by Sweet Peas and Saffron
Spicy Shrimp Tacos with Cabbage Slaw by Snixy Kitchen
36 Comments on “Tropical Coconut Shrimp Tacos”
These tacos look so amazing, Natalie! I’m going to Maui this summer so these are making me even more excited to go! Love these tropical flavors. :)
We LOVE tacos too – for breakfast, lunch & dinner. I just made a papaya pine nut black bean salsa that we piled in our corn tortillas with scrambled eggs with kale and feta cheese. Divine!
I love coconut shrimp so very much, but never had them on a taco. I can’t wait to try this! They look so fresh and flavorful. I just love tacos!
Going to Hawaii for a bit of inspiration, hey, I’ll take it! I’ve been twice too.. once to Maui, then another to Kaui and the Big Island. Did you go to Hana? We stayed there for 10 glorious days! It’s a magical place… I think I’d eat four of your tacos one setting too (Shawn and I would get along just fine!). Jeeze, Natalie, these look soooo good. That chili lime slaw – coconutty shrimp.. sheesh!
No, eihän varmuudella voi mitään sanoa. Jos tulee joku aivan vastustamaton tapaus, joka on Mindyn paras kaveri, niin ei kai siinä sitten muuta voi. :) En ole edes varma, kaipaako Mindy kaveria. Kyllähän se Milon kanssa touhuaa, mutta tuntuu myös olevan ärsyyntynyt pojan holtittomasta päälle potispmipesma. Mindy vaikuttaa hirveän uupuneelta silloin kun Milo on täällä pidempään.
Nice website and everybody should totally comply with the author on this one here. Its hilarious, that's what i should write about this post. Because this should be what the whole internet thing is all about right? Keep on doing a great job!
I’ve been to Hawaii twice too! I haven’t been there in years, though and boy these tacos are making me want to live there! Um, they’re absolutely gorgeous, Natalie! That tropical salsa just takes it over the top. Where’s my spoon?!
Crispy coconut shrimp in tacos topped with mango salsa? Where can I place my order?! These sound amazing – enough to make me want to travel back to Hawaii. (Also – thanks for sharing my tacos, girl!)
Hawaii is one of my favorite places! Love these tacos! They look amazing Nat! Pinned!
It’s like you read my mind, Natalie! I was going to make and photograph some coconut shrimp! But when I do, I’m totally using them to make tacos for dinner. These are just genius!
It doesn’t get much better than shrimp tacos!! These look SO amazing. I love the salsa you added on top – it sounds so perfect for spring!
These look sooo delicious!! I am taco obsessed and would eat different kinds of tacos every night if my family wouldn’t kill me! Definitely need to give these a try, especially with the warmer weather we’ve been having.
This is such a great idea! I love coconut shrimp, but have never thought of putting them in a taco. I will definitely be making this!!
These tacos are gorgeous, Natalie! I love how crispy and golden the shrimp looks and the coleslaw and salsa sound amazing in here! They’perfect!
I’d love to make it to Hawaii, that’s so great you’ve made it there twice! :)
That shrimp looks gorgeous, so perfectly fried… the whole dish looks amazing! So perfect for the pleasant weather we’re having here today.
Wow, these tacos look too good! The crispy coconut looks delicious. I’ve been having major taco cravings as we get closer to summer and these look perfect. Pinned!
Hawaii is my very favorite place to vacation, too! These shrimp tacos look like the perfect way to pretend like I’m on vacation at home! That crispy coconut shrimp looks incredible!!!
Hi Benson, Thanks for the feedback. I’ve added the complete tested and working source code right before the end of the post. Please check if this works. Also check that your version of JareprReposts is 3.7.5 or newer. If you still have problems, please post a few lines of your code including line 116 of your dynamic.java class file.Thanks, Jeshurun
Nat, this is such a delicious recipe. I totally LOOOOVEEEE shrimp and especially when it is made like this! So crispy and crunchy!!! Also, mango is one of my favourite tropical fruit!! So this is perfect for me ;-)
Just lovely!! I bet the crispy shrimp and cabbage and soft and sweet salsa is the perfect combo! Clayton was determined that tacos ONLY included a crispy shell and ground beef until recently ;) so I can’t wait to make these!!
Wow, these look so fantastic! I love that salsa – you’re making me want a tropical vacation!
Great mins think alike. I got tacos on my blog today as well. :) I love the coconut shrimp in these tacos. That just sounds amazing.
I love Hawaii so much and wish I could vacations there yearly. (if it wasnt for that long long long flight)
Oh you are totally taking me back to Maui, Natalie! My husband and I went there for our honeymoon and it’s my goal to get back there for our 5 year anniversary (only 2 1/2 more years to go!)! I love how pretty these look! And that flavor sounds incredible. Perfect for making me dream of summer weather!