Published November 18, 2020

I ate piña colada sauce for the first time at Boniello’s. I was blown away with the bright, sweet flavors. The sauce paired deliciously with crispy coconut shrimp.

The foodie in me pondered how difficult it could be to make at home. It had to have piña colada mix as the base, right?

After some research, I found that Red Lobster actually shared their piña colada sauce recipe. So I recreated their recipe with coconut shrimp for this week’s blog.

Ingredients for Coconut Shrimp with Piña Colada Sauce

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What shrimp do I buy to make coconut shrimp?

I bought a large bag of extra large, raw, tail-on shrimp. I let my shrimp defrost the morning that I planned on making this recipe. By the time I was ready to bread the shrimp, they were completely thawed.

Is there alcohol in the piña colada sauce?

Nope! This recipe uses a cup of piña colada mix/flavoring that you can buy in the supermarket near the sparkling ciders.

Can I use normal breadcrumbs instead of Panko?

Panko breadcrumbs are best because of their crisp texture. They create a golden crust — while also holding the coconut in place — to create the crunchy outside for these coconut shrimp.

if you have no other breadcrumbs to use, normal breadcrumbs may suffice, but if they are seasoned, they may conflict with the flavor of the piña colada dipping sauce. I would recommend taking a trip to the store to buy Panko breadcrumbs.

How to Make Coconut Shrimp with Piña Colada Sauce

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Do I leave the tail on the shrimp when breading?

I know that leaving the tail on the shrimp prevents it from curling in on itself / shrinking when frying. However, I do not enjoy trying to cut off the tail once it is breaded.

For my coconut shrimp, I peeled off the shell and tail. That way, you can eat the entire shrimp.

Can I make the piña colada sauce in advance?

Yes. Keep in the refrigerator and take out to warm to room temperature as you’re breading your shrimp.

Tools for this Dish

Medium saucepan and whisk (for piña colada sauce)
Measuring cups, spoons, and bowls for ingredients
Colander for thawing shrimp
- Bowl for shrimp once they’ve been cleaned
Several plates for breading the shrimp
Tongs and a paper towel lined plate (for shrimp after frying)
Serving plate/bowl

Cooking Notes

The Piña Colada Sauce

This recipe was easy to follow. All of the sauce ingredients go into the pot before simmering, except the slurry.

Once the sauce simmers, thicken with the slurry and cook a little longer. As the sauce cools, it will thicken even more, so don’t worry if yours is a bit thin when you turn it off.

Breading the Shrimp

Dipping the shrimp in flour helps the egg adhere to the shrimp before coating in bread crumbs. Once breaded, lay your shrimp on a plate or platter. Do not stack them or you risk their coating falling off.

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Frying the Coconut Shrimp

Shrimp can easily overcook and become rubbery.

Ensure that your oil is hot before placing the shrimp. If you don’t hear a sizzle or see the bubbles as it fries, then your pan needs to heat longer.

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Serving and Storing

I let my shrimp cool a few minutes before serving, that way you wouldn’t burn your mouth while taking a bite.

I had a plate of leftovers, which I kept in the fridge for a day. To reheat, I popped them in the microwave for 15-30 seconds to take the chill out of them. Reheating in the oven would’ve been better to preserve the coconut breading.

The Final Product

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Overall, I’m pleased that this piña colada recipe tastes as bright and summery as the one I had from Boniello’s! The shrimp, since I used unsweetened coconut, were savory and not as sweet, which I think is necessary given how much sugar is in the dipping sauce.

Recipe Score

I would give coconut shrimp with piña colada sauce a 10/10 for the following:

Recipe Level
- Easy: I almost tagged this recipe as intermediate, only for the fact that if you’re not timing the shrimp, they’re easy to overcook. 2 minutes goes by quickly, so I made sure to set an alarm so I knew when to turn them. Besides that, the breading is easy and so is the one-pot dipping sauce.
Ingredients
- Unless you make piña coladas at home during the pandemic, you may have to go to the store to buy the mix. I usually keep my freezer stocked with at least one bag of shrimp to have for weeknight cooking. Besides that, if you bake you should already have powdered sugar, cornstarch, and even pineapple in your pantry at home.
Prep
- Thaw your shrimp before breading them. I place them in the colander in the sink and run cold water over them to help soften.
Flavor
- 10/10: The piña colada sauce is just as I remember it. The sauce is extremely sweet (just like a piña colada). The bright citrus flavor from the mix and the pineapple pairs well with the crunchy texture of the shrimp.

K. Martinelli Makes Coconut Shrimp with Piña Colada Sauce

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