Red Lobster’s Parrot Isle Coconut Shrimp has been a beloved menu item for years. This shrimp is crispy-coated with bread crumbs, coconut flakes, and pina colada mix, making for an unforgettable dining experience. With this easy copycat recipe, you can recreate this delectable dish in just 30 minutes.
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Red Lobster Parrot Isle Jumbo Coconut Shrimp
Hands down, Red Lobster Parrot Bay Coconut Shrimp is one of my long-time favorite recipes from the restaurant. It seems that this dish has been renamed Parrot Isle Jumbo Coconut Shrimp. Whatever the name, you can get this simply irresistible shrimp either as a main dish or as an appetizer.
The shrimp is breaded with coconut, fried until perfectly crisp, and then served with a wonderfully light and flavorful pina colada dipping sauce. Red Lobster also includes salsa on the side. Now, you can recreate this dish at home, and you won’t believe how easy it is to make.
What makes this shrimp so good?
This coconut shrimp is irresistible – one of the secret ingredients to this recipe is the Captain Morgan Spiced Rum. However, all of the components contribute to its amazing taste and texture.
It features tropical coconut mixed with pina colada mix and powdered sugar to achieve just the right amount of sweetness to complement the shrimp. Breadcrumbs, rum, and cornstarch are the only other ingredients needed for the shrimp’s flavorful coating, but the cooking method is also crucial here.
By frying the coconut shrimp, you get an extra crispy texture. Although there are definitely air fryer or oven recipes for coconut shrimp, those techniques just don’t achieve the same texture or taste as freshly frying them in oil. Then, when the shrimp are still warm and you dunk them in the pina colada dip, this appetizer becomes next-level indulgent.
Why you’ll love this recipe
If you’ve loved this menu item since it was known as Red Lobster Parrot Bay Coconut Shrimp, you are long overdue for making the homemade version of it. The good news is that recreating it at home can be a breeze with this copycat Red Lobster Coconut Shrimp recipe!
Don’t worry, the process is straightforward, and the final result is even better. Whether you’re hosting a dinner party or want to prepare an incredible appetizer to indulge in just for you, this shrimp dish is bound to impress your guests or yourself.
You can pair the Red Lobster Jumbo Coconut Shrimp with clam chowder or other shrimp dishes like dragon shrimp or shrimp scampi to create your personalized “shrimp your way” meal, just like at the restaurant. You’ll love the versatility of this dish and I can guarantee it will be added to your regular rotation.
Ingredients
Here’s what you need to make Parrot Isle coconut shrimp:
- Large shrimp
- Sweetened coconut flakes
- Plain bread crumbs
- Cornstarch
- Pina colada mix
- Captain Morgan Spiced Rum
- Powdered sugar
How to Make Red Lobster Coconut Shrimp
- In a deep bowl, combine bread crumbs, cornstarch, and coconut flakes.
- In a small bowl, combine piña colada mix, powdered sugar, and rum.
- Place additional cornstarch in a separate small bowl.
- Heat oil to 375°F.
- Coat shrimp twice as follows:
- First Coating: Cornstarch, then in the pina colada mix, then in bread crumb/coconut mixture.
- Second Coating: Pina colada mix and then the bread crumb/coconut mixture.
- Place the prepared shrimp carefully into the hot oil and fry until golden brown.
- Remove from the fryer and drain.
- Serve with coconut shrimp sauce.
Recipe notes and tips
When choosing shrimp for this recipe, I like to go for the larger size, just like Red Lobster. They cost a little more, but you will have less work in prepping your shrimp, and I like to devein my shrimp when I prep them. (If you watch the grocery store ads you can often find shrimp on sale.)
That thin black string down the back of a shrimp is not actually a vein, but rather the shrimp’s digestive tract, and its dark color means it is filled with grit. Even so, the vein is not harmful if eaten. So the decision to devein shrimp is basically a matter of personal preference and aesthetics. And, with jumbo shrimp, it is fairly easy to devein them.
Devein your shrimp by using a sharp paring knife to make a slit along the back and lift out the vein with the tip of the blade. You can also use a shrimp deveiner, a knife-like kitchen tool made specifically for deveining shrimp with their shells on. This tool can be purchased at any kitchen supply store.
Butterflying your shrimp helps them cook more evenly and gives you an attractive presentation. Watch this video and see a three-step demonstration of how to devein and butterfly your shrimp.
To remove that shrimp smell from your hands, it seems that toothpaste works well according to Lifehacker.
More Copycat Red Lobster Recipes
- Seafood Nachos
- Cajun Shrimp
- Cajun Spice Mix
- Shrimp Pasta
- Bacon Wrapped Scallops
- Corn with Old Bay Seasoning
- Whipped Sweet Potatoes with Pecans
- Mountain Dew Margarita Recipe
Love shrimp? Try these recipes
Be sure to check out more of my easy shrimp recipes and the best casual dining restaurant recipes.
Red Lobster Coconut Shrimp
Ingredients
- 1 cup plain breadcrumbs
- 1 cup sweetened coconut flakes
- 3/4 cup cornstarch divided use
- 1/2 cup piña colada mix
- 1 tablespoon powdered sugar
- 3 tablespoons Captain Morgan Spiced Rum
- vegetable oil for deep frying
- 1/2 pound jumbo shrimp butterflied
Instructions
- In a deep bowl, combine the breadcrumbs, coconut flakes, and 1/4 cup of cornstarch and set aside.
- In a small mixing bowl, combine the piña colada mix, powdered sugar, and rum and set aside.
- Place the remaining 1/2 cup cornstarch in a separate bowl.
- In a deep fryer or heavy-bottomed pot, heat the vegetable oil to 375°F.
- Coat the shrimp twice as follows: First, dredge the shrimp in cornstarch, dunk in the piña colada mix, and then dust in coconut breadcrumb mixture. Then, for the second coating, dunk the shrimp back in the piña colada mix followed by the coconut breadcrumb mixture.
- Place the prepared shrimp carefully into the hot oil and fry until golden brown. Remove from the fryer and drain.
- Serve with Red Lobster piña colada coconut shrimp sauce.
Can you email me the dipping sauce recipe
Love your recipe for “Parrot Bay. Coconut Shrimp”!
The sauce is OUTSTANDING. In fact I didn’t like Red Lobster’s coconut dipping sauce for years, but your recipe is 100X better.
Years ago I noticed a change in the coconut shrimp at R L. I called the manager over and he said they had to change the recipe for cost effectiveness, most notably no more Captain Morgan’s Spiced Rum. I’m sure they whammyed the dipping sauce too.
But not your Shrimp. THEY’RE LIKE THEY USED TO BE AT RED LOBSTER.
BETTER!
So if you want the real and authentic Parrot Bay Coconut Shrimp, make these ones! MAKE THEM NOW!
Thanks, for the update about the recipe that is being served there. I am glad you enjoy the recipe provided!
Can I use unsweetened coconut flakes?
You can, but I don’t think it will be as sweet.
The coating fell off while frying!
Taste is ok.
Can you give us a air fryer recipe for this please??
I will see what I can do about this.
Can I get the sauce recipe? I had pretty much the right thing for the shrimp, but that sauce recipe is killing me.
Sure, here you go. https://copykat.com/red-lobster-pina-colada-dipping-sauce/
Please email me the dipping sauce recipe for the shrimp after it’s cooked. My wife loves it. I can’t find it anywhere.
Thanks
What can I use instead of coconut?
I am not sure. It’s pretty central to the recipe.
What can I use instead of the spiced rum?
Just made this and it came out great. Only thing is, you definitely need to add some salt to the bread crumb/coconut mixture. It came out tasting a little flat, but sprinkling some salt on after frying took it to the next level.
Would you please email me the sauce recipe for the Coconut Shrimp?
Thank You!
Patti
Can you email me the sauce recipe for the Coconut Shrimp please. Thank You! Patti Moses
Where do you find Pina colada sauce
I couldn’t see the recipe being covered, there is a link to the recipe. I will email you the sauce recipe.
Oh, wait! I see where the dipping sauce recipe is, but it’s hidden behind an ad that I can’t get rid of!
Can anyone who’s made this suggest a good pina colada mix to use?
I use the frozen Barcardi Pina Colada mix that is in cans near the frozen orange juice.
This is my first time reviewing a recipe and this is point on! I was afraid to try this at first because i have tried copy cat recipes that came out horrible. But I tried this one because I LOVE Red Lobsters coconut shrimp. I get it every time my family and I go to Red Lobster. But now I never have to go back and its all because of this recipe. It tastes exactly like the coconut shrimp at Red Lobster.
I did change the recipe a bit though. I butterflied the shrimp so that it cooked well and got the perfect golden brown color. I also used panko bread crumbs instead of regular bread crumbs and left out the rum. BEST COPYCAT RECIPE EVER
I use the Panko (huge difference than the regular and personally I think waaay better) and leave out the rum as well. I have been making these pretty similar to this recipe but I am interested in tryin this way. The recipe I had been basing mine on saved the pina colada mix and powdered sugar for the dip. I also havent been usin the cornstarch but I am going to throw that in the mix and see what happens!
Order this often, so talked w/an employee who said they add sour cream to the Pina Colada mix.
Is everything else accurate though?? Really want to try this sauce!
Look through the comments on the sauce recipe. Bill worked there and gave the recipe they used.
Can i have the pina colada sauce recipe.
I love Coconut shrimp and this recipe was no exception I can’t believe it was so easy to make at home! We will be making this again!