How to Make Coconut Shrimp Sauce
This creamy 4-ingredient Coconut Shrimp Sauce recipe made with Asian sweet chili sauce has kept more than 100,000 home chefs coming back for dip after dip!
This Is The Best Sauce For Coconut Shrimp
If you’re a fan of coconut shrimp, you know that the sauce can make or break the dish!
Regular old cocktail sauce doesn’t work for me for coconut shrimp. The tomato and horseradish drowns out the subtle coconut flavor, in my opinion.
A lot of coconut shrimp dishes are served with an orange marmalade-based sauce. This can be tasty, but sometimes the sweetness of the sauce + the sweetness of the coconut shrimp can be a bit of sweetness overload for me. And don’t even get me started on the piña colada dipping sauce that Red Lobster’s coconut shrimp are served with. It’s not for me.
That’s why I’m sharing my favorite recipe for Coconut Shrimp Sauce. It’s creamy but also sweet, with a punch of heat to actually balance the sweetness, plus a squeeze of fresh lime juice for good measure.
Do you need a recipe for the coconut shrimp itself? We have a great one. It’s sweet but not too sweet and so so crispy!
Why You’ll Love This Coconut Shrimp Sauce Recipe
- The velvety smooth, creamy consistency will coat every bit of shrimp perfectly.
- Sweet chili sauce is the ultimate “comeback sauce,” in my opinion, and this sauce uses a generous amount of it. You’ll keep coming back for more dips of it!
- While it’s designed for golden brown coconut shrimp, this sauce pairs well with other seafood dishes, too.
Coconut Shrimp Sauce Ingredients
A full recipe card, including exact ingredient amounts, appears at the bottom of this post.
- mayonnaise – the creamy and rich base of the sauce. Greek yogurt or sour cream also work here in a pinch, but it will be a much tangier sauce.
- sweet chili sauce – this Asian condiment adds sweetness and a hint of heat to the sauce.
- lime juice – the juice of half of a nice juicy lime will add a bright flavor and just the right amount of tang , and balance the sweetness of the sweet chili sauce.
- sriracha – adds a spicy kick to the sauce, if you want that! You can adjust the amount up or down, based on your desired level of spiciness.
How to Make Coconut Shrimp Sauce
1. ADD. Put all of the ingredients in a small bowl.
2. STIR. Use a whisk to get everything nice and smooth. If you have time, refrigerate for an hour or so for best flavor. You can also keep this sauce in the fridge, in a covered container, for up to 5 days.
Home Chef Tips For Making Creamy Coconut Shrimp Dipping Sauce
- If you prefer a sweeter sauce for coconut shrimp, add a bit of honey or orange marmalade to the sauce.
- If you’d prefer a more savory sauce, stir in one or two minced garlic cloves.
- The flavor of this sauce heavily depends on the sweet chili sauce, and not all brands are created equal. My favorite brands are Mae Ploy (the gold standard, in my opinion), and The Ginger People.
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Other Ways To Use This Sauce for Coconut Shrimp
While this coconut shrimp sauce is perfect for dipping our coconut shrimp recipe or air fryer popcorn shrimp, it’s also incredible versatile. Here are a few other ways you can enjoy it:
- Use it as a dipping sauce for spring rolls or egg rolls.
- Thin the sauce with a bit of water and use it a dressing for tropical-inspired salads. A nice one might include mixed greens, mango, avocado and cooked shrimp or chicken.
Creamy Coconut Shrimp Dipping Sauce Storage
If you have leftovers, transfer them to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 5 days.
Do you need a recipe for the coconut shrimp itself? We have a great one. It’s sweet but not too sweet and so so crispy!
Creamy Coconut Shrimp Dipping Sauce
Ingredients
- Juice of 1/2 lime
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- ¼ cup Asian sweet chili sauce
- 2 teaspoons sriracha
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to medium bowl and whisk until smooth.
- For best flavor, refrigerate for 1 hour or up to 5 days.
Oh my gosh Hannah, I TOTALLY want a Sriracha bottle manicure now! hahaha.
What could I use to sub for the sweet chili sauce?
Hi Dad 🙂 That’s a tough one, because nothing else tastes like it. It’s sort of like a spicy sweet and sour sauce. But…not really. You might be able to find sweet chili sauce in the Asian section at Meijer.
Where do you buy it from?
I can only find the Mae Ploy brand (which is the best one) at Meijer, actually. Other stores have another brand of sweet chili sauce (I think Taste of Asia brand or something), but I haven’t tried that one.
The other brand looks like this. I’ve seen this one at a lot of stores: http://www.amazon.com/Taste-Asia-Chili-Sauce-Mild/dp/B00886JIJC
These look out of this world amazing! I never would have thought to bake shrimp; thanks for the suggestion. And, I love sriracha mayo, I’ll have to try that sweet chili sauce to see if I love it as much as you. Definitely pinned!
If you do plan to pursue hand modeling further, I suggest a Sriracha bottle manicure. You know bright orangey red nails with green tips.