When I head out to dinner, I am always up for some seafood, and shrimp is one of my top choices — shrimp cocktail is one of my favorite appetizers but I love it as part of a main dish as well.
Recently, we had shrimp paired with a spicy sweet sauce — it inspired me to make this Coconut Shrimp Dipping Sauce.
When I am trying to make a new dipping sauce recipe, I think about what flavors compliment each other best. I wanted something that really popped against the background of coconut flavor in the breading and the sweet shrimp.
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What Flavor Is It?
Citrus flavors are a perfect pairing for coconut, and heat is always good to offset sweetness. So this simple recipe calls for just orange marmalade and chili sauce as the main ingredients.
The best part of this dip is that it’s so easy and quick. It’s a great recipe to make ahead or you can throw it together while the rest of dinner is cooking.
Next time you need a sweet sauce that packs a little punch, try this to go with delicious coconut shrimp. You can pair it with meats, veggies, or cheeses too.
What is Coconut Shrimp Dipping Sauce?
This sauce is a perfect combination of sweet and heat with a little bit of chunkiness. While it may not be totally traditional, it is popular at many restaurants in the U.S.
Mixing the chili sauce with the marmalade gives it just the right texture to cling to fried and crunchy shrimp. When I make coconut shrimp I like to use panko breadcrumbs and this sauce coats them perfectly, seeping in between the nooks and crannies of the crispy coating on the sides of the shrimp.
This basic 3 ingredient sauce is simple to make and can elevate anything from shrimp to chicken wings or veggies. It’s customizable, too – kick up the heat for those with palettes that prefer spice or tone it down for little ones or the pickier eaters at the table.
Ingredients
- Sweet chili sauce – You can buy this at the grocery store or you can make your own sweet Thai chili sauce. Either way, it brings a combination of heat, sweetness, and umami to this tropical dipping sauce.
- Orange marmalade – Marmalades differ from jam in that they have pieces of fruit suspended in them rather than being made of chopped fruit. You can find them in the same section as the jelly at you local shop.
- Fine sea salt – The salt helps to bring out the fruity flavor of the marmalade and the spiciness of the chili sauce. Using fine salt means it mixes better, ensuring your sauce isn’t grainy.
How to Use Coconut Shrimp Dipping Sauce
Of course you can use this spicy and sweet dipping sauce with your favorite coconut shrimp recipe, but there are plenty of other pairings, too.
- Grilled seafood – Slather this sauce on salmon, Thai shrimp, or any other seafood for some spicy sweetness. Shrimp lettuce wraps are also divine topped with this sauce.
- Shrimp scampi – Try a twist on your favorite shrimp scampi recipe by tossing this sauce with the shrimp and pasta.
- Chicken – Any basic grilled or roasted chicken recipe will be made better with a dollop of this. You can use it as a sauce for wings as well.
- Beef – Change up your typical beef stir fry or beef lo mein by adding a bit during or after cooking.
- Vegetables – Up your veggie game by tossing steamed vegetables with this sauce.
- Dairy-based dip – Mix this basic sauce into cream cheese for a satisfying spread for crackers or crusty bread.
- Cheese and charcuterie – The sweetness and spiciness of this sauce pairs well with creamy cheeses like brie or goat cheese. Make some fantastic appetizers by spreading this on baked brie or just adding it to a cheese and charcuterie board.
- Dip – Use it as an alternative dipping sauce for eggrolls, mozzarella sticks, or french fries.
- Spread – Try spreading this on the bread of a typical turkey sandwich or even a burger. Experiment with adding it to grilled cheese, or make an elevated peanut butter and jelly using it instead of your simple strawberry or grape preserves.
Variations
- Take it tropical – Experiment with adding a bit of cream of coconut or coconut milk, pineapple, and/or lemon juice or lime juice.
- Turn up the heat – Add more spice to this sauce by tossing in some red pepper flakes or sriracha.
- Make it creamy – Mix the sauce with Greek yogurt to your desired consistency to make a creamy version.
- Add spices – To impart layers of flavor, try mixing in some garlic powder, onion powder, or any other spices that suit you.
- Coconut flakes – Try adding some unsweetened coconut flakes to bring the flavor of coconut to the sauce as well.
- Oils – Experiment with adding small amounts of olive oil or coconut oil to change up the consistency.
Storage & Freezing
Store in an airtight container for up to a week or you can jar it and keep it for up to a year. If you store it in the refrigerator, you can serve it cold or you can set it out early to come up to room temperature.
More Dipping Sauces
Coconut Shrimp Dipping Sauce
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup sweet chili sauce
- 1/4 cup orange marmalade
- pinch fine sea salt
Instructions
- Combine the sweet chili sauce, orange marmalade and salt in a bowl and blend until mixed.
- Cover and chill for 15-20 minutes before serving.
- If you’ve tried this recipe, come back and let us know how it was in the comments or star ratings.
I love how simple and flavorful this dipping is to make. My daughter loves shrimp so this dipping sauce will be on our table now.
Love how flavorful and delicious this dipping sauce is. Thanks for sharing.
Love the addition of marmalade in this dipping sauce. It works really well with the sweet chili sauce.
This sauce is definitely the best I’ve ever had! I’m super picky about my sauces but this one was perfectly balanced with a sweet and slightly spicy flavor!