Coconut Shrimp Dipping Sauce (Red Lobster Pina Colada Copycat)

This is a delightful, sweet dipping sauce, perfect for shrimp or even chicken nuggets. At Red Lobster, the sauce is served at room temperature with Parrot Bay Rum Shrimp. Our version of this sauce tastes just like the Red Lobster’s Piña Colada Dipping Sauce.

Homemade copycat Red Lobster Pina Colada Dipping Sauce in a bowl on a plate with fried shrimp.

Coconut Shrimp Dipping Sauce

Red Lobster is known for its amazing shrimp. It is flavorful, cooked with coconut, and then you have this amazing dipping sauce. You will love to make this sauce, it is simple to prepare and best of all it takes just moments to make. I know you can serve the dipping sauce with shrimp, or even chicken. You are going to love how easy it is to make this super simple sauce.

Homemade copycat Red Lobster Pina Colada Dipping Sauce in a bowl with fried shrimp.

This Pina Colada Dipping Sauce is easy to make, you will need a few simple ingredients you can find at most any grocery store. You will need some Pina Colada mix, coconut, pineapple, powdered sugar, and some pineapple juice. Anyone can make this simple recipe, you can literally put this recipe together in about 10 minutes. I like to put this together ahead of time, and let it rest in the refrigerator for about an hour before serving.

You might wonder how else you can use this sauce. This sauce is a great dipping sauce for homemade nuggets, chicken tenders, and it could even work with fresh fruit.

How Do You Make Shrimp Sauce From Scratch?

It is super simple to make shrimp sauce from scratch. For this recipe you will combine pina colada mix, water, crushed pineapple, sweetened flaked coconut, powdered sugar, and cornstarch together. This will give you a wonderful tropical inspired dipping sauce.

What is Shrimp Sauce Used For?

Shrimp sauce is a condiment for fried or even boiled shrimp.

Which Coconut Flakes Are Best?

We use sweetened coconut flakes in this recipe, the sweetness adds the perfect touch to the sauce. You can use regular flaked coconut, both will work fine.

What Do You Eat Coconut Shrimp With?

So you might wonder what else should you enjoy with coconut shrimp,  other than this delicious sauce.  Coconut shrimp is very diverse and there are lots of dishes you can serve with it. I would like to recommend:

  • Buttered rice
  • Fried rice
  • French fries
  • Coleslaw
  • Green beans

What Size Shrimp For Coconut Shrimp?

You should use either medium or large shrimp for coconut shrimp. The larger shrimp allows for the delicious breading to go on the shrimp. Flaked coconut can be large, and you want the larger shrimp so the coconut does not overwhelm the shrimp.

Do you love the Red Lobster? Be sure to check out these recipes

Best Dipping Sauce Recipes

Check out even more easy dips and sauces and the best copycat recipes.

Coconut shrimp with pina colada dipping sauce on a plate

Coconut Shrimp Dipping Sauce

You can make the best ever Red Lobster Pina Colada Dipping Sauce for coconut shrimp. This sauce is also perfect for chicken and even fresh fruit.
4.74 from 57 votes
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Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Red Lobster Recipes
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Servings: 10
Calories: 46kcal

Ingredients

  • 1 cup piña colada mix (preferably Major Peters)
  • 5 tablespoons water
  • 2 tablespoons crushed pineapple drained
  • 4 teaspoons sweetened flaked coconut
  • 3 tablespoons powdered sugar plus 1 teaspoon
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch mixed with 1 tablespoon of water

Instructions

  • Mix together pina colada mix, water, crushed pineapple, coconut, and powdered sugar in a saucepan. 
  • Cook over medium-low heat until the sauce begins to simmer, stirring frequently. Reduce heat to low and let the mixture simmer slowly for 10 to 12 minutes. 
  • Mix cornstarch and cold water together to make a slurry. Add the slurry to the sauce, stirring while adding, until well blended.
  • Let the mixture simmer for 3 to 5 minutes longer, stirring occasionally. Remove the sauce from the heat and let it cool to room temperature.
  • Serve the sauce at room temperature.

Video

Notes

This sauce is super easy to make!
You can store the leftover sauce in the refrigerator for up to 3 days after preparing.

Nutrition

Calories: 46kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 0g | Fat: 0g | Saturated Fat: 0g | Cholesterol: 0mg | Sodium: 12mg | Potassium: 10mg | Fiber: 0g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin C: 0.2mg | Calcium: 2mg | Iron: 0.1mg

About Stephanie Manley

I recreate your favorite restaurant recipes, so you can prepare these dishes at home. I help you cook dinner, and serve up dishes you know your family will love. You can find most of the ingredients for all of the recipes in your local grocery store.

Stephanie is the author of CopyKat.com's Dining Out in the Home, and CopyKat.com's Dining Out in the Home 2.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Beverly Minnick

    I am planning to make this recipe to have with our coconut shrimp tomorrow night. I just have one question. When it says to mix the cornstarch with cold water, how much water do I use. Do I mix the whole 5 tablespoons of water in the beginning with the other ingredients?

      • Sue klingbeil

        This looks really good, planning on trying it–but I worked at RL for years, and this isn’t called Parrot Bay Rum Shrimp, just Coconut Shrimp.. Unless it’s different in another part of the country, I live in Ohio.

      • Annette

        5 stars
        I was just at a Red Lobster in Ohio a couple of days ago and got coconut shrimp. I think it is just called coconut shrimp here in SC also. Love the sauce!

      • Norma

        1 star
        It has been sold in N.Y. State as “Parrot Bay Coconut Shrimp”— now it’s sold (I’m typing it straight from their menu) as “Parrot Isle Jumbo Coconut Shrimp.” Check it out on: RedLobsterToGo.com I’ve seen other recipes online that refer to “Red Lobster’s website”, and their “Senior Director of Culinary Development”. Just guessing, but they must’ve worked Parrot Bay brand rum, coconut or spiced, into the original recipe’s shrimp batter. Bill Brasky’s version seems right because it’s very fresh-tasting, and major-restaurant-kitchen-staff friendly.

  2. Terry Roberts

    Had to switch out actual pina colada when I couldn’t get the mix, but it still turned out great! Thank you for sharing it!

  3. Laura Pierson

    Just finished making this recipe. Love it! Looks, smells and tastes very much like the Red Lobster version. Going to attempt to make the Parrot Bay shrimp for dinner. Made this first though because I wanted to give it a chance to cool down. So glad I found your site. I look forward to trying some of your other recipes. Thanks!

  4. ellymay84

    Instead of using cornstarch use unflavored gelatin you wont have that funny taste you taste when you use corn starch and it gives it a nice gloss.

  5. Cadillac

    The original version has 1/2 a cup of sour cream, 1/4 of pina colada mix, 1/4 of a cup of crushed pineapple, and 2 tbs of granulated sugar..

      • Erin

        Janette, I understand why you are asking. In the first half of the directions it tells you to mix the water with the PC mix portion, then again with the cornstarch. When I made it I DID NOT MIX WATER WITH PINA COLADA AND PINEAPPLE PORTION. I only used the 5T for the cornstarch portion. Turned out great. Good luck!

      • Baltisraul

        No, you have already used your 5 tbl. Check the ingredients list and when to use them. Just a few dashes of water should be just fine for the cornstarch. Love this dipping sauce!

    • Gatita Rabiosa

      You just need a little amount. Just enough to dissolve the corn starch. So around two tablespoons would do.

  6. Travis

    I’ve been eating and loving this sauce at Red Lobster for over ten years and always ask for extra whenever I order the Coconut shrimp. Made this recipe tonight and it was RIGHT on the money. Added a bit more pineapple and just a little bit more cornstarch but otherwise it was perfect.

  7. Lin

    I’m addicted to this dipping sauce at Red Lobster. Im always asking for some to take home so I’m really glad I found your site & can now make it at home.

  8. Lin

    I’m addicted to this dipping sauce at Red Lobster. Im always asking for some to take home so I’m really glad I found your site & can now make it at home.

  9. Harrisjojo

    I use to think or rather guess this was made with plain greek yogurt, crushed pineapple, and sweetened coconut flakes but was wrong wrong wrong.

  10. Liz Nelson

    5 stars
    I made this sauce this weekend and my family loved it with their shrimp. This was a home run at my house!

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