This quick and easy Thai style Shrimp Coconut Curry recipe makes a rich and aromatic dish that’s sure to impress your guests.
Serve with simple rice pilaf for a easy weeknight meal.
Simply Delicious Thai Shrimp Curry
This fragrant with delicious Coconut Shrimp Curry is ready in just 25 minutes! It’s super easy, and packs tons of flavor!
Why This Recipe Works
- Using your favorite Thai curry paste ensures you get the flavors you enjoy every time.
- Cooking the shrimp in the curry paste and aromatics gives them a kick of extra flavor
- Using coconut milk adds an extra depth of and balances out the complex flavors.
What Is Curry
Curry is a variety of dishes usually prepared in a sauce that originates in Asia. They are rich in flavor have a wide variety of spices blends that often including turmeric, coriander, ginger, and fresh or dried chilies.
Coconut Curry
Unlike Indian curry, Thai curries are almost always made with coconut milk. It works really well to balance the intense spices and fresh aromatics. Resulting in a creamy delicious dish.
How To Make Shrimp Coconut Curry
Pat the shrimp dry with some paper towels, season with salt and pepper, and set aside.
Heat the canola oil in a large skillet on medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook until the onions are very tender, but not caramelized.
Add the garlic, ginger, and cook another minute.
Add the curry paste sauce and cook, stirring, another minute.
Add the shrimp and with the mixture cook in the paste about a minute to coat.
Add the fish sauce and coconut milk.
Cooking shrimp with shells (or in this case tails) adds extra flavor to the dish. I remove them before serving for easy eating, but this is totally optional.
Cook, stirring occasionally, until thick.
Serve with white rice.
Types of Thai Curry Paste
For this recipe, I don’t specify a curry paste. If you’re a fan of Thai food, you probably already have your favorite.
Here’s a quick guide of common Thai curry pastes with links to buy (As an Amazon Associate, a small commission is made from qualifying purchases) :
- Red Curry: A hot and spicy curry paste usually made with red chilies, crushed with garlic, shallots, ginger, and lemongrass.
- Green Curry: Hot and spicy curry paste commonly made with green chilies, turmeric, garlic, Thai basil, shallots, kaffir lime leaves, ginger, and kra chai.
- Yellow Curry: A mild curry that gets its color from turmeric. Usually include cumin, mustard seeds, nutmeg, and kaffir lime leaves and juice.
- Panang Curry a spicey, but mild curry paste that is usually made from dried chili peppers, kaffir lime zest and leaves, coriander root and seeds, cumin, ginger, and lemongrass.
Tips For Best Results
- After adding the shrimp, cook briefly just to coat in the paste. The shrimp will finish cooking in the sauce.
- Use full-fat coconut milk for richness.
- Most Thai curry paste works, but I’d avoid Massaman curry paste with seafood.
- Feel free to add your favorite vegetables, you can pre-steam them and add them at the end.
Other Great Seafood
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Let’s Make Coconut Curry Shrimp
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds large shrimp deveined and peeled
- 2 tablespoons canola oil
- 1 onion large, minced
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger minced
- 2 tablespoons Thai curry paste whatever you like best see post for more info.
- 1 tablespoons fish sauce
- 1 cup coconut milk
- fresh cilantro (AKA coriander) a good handful, chopped
Instructions
- Pat the shrimp dry with some paper towels, season with salt and pepper, and set aside.
- Heat the canola oil in a large skillet on medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook until the onions are very tender, but not caramelized. Add the garlic, ginger, and cook another minute.
- Add the curry paste sauce and cook, stirring, another minute. Add the shrimp and cook with the mixture for about a minute just to coat.
- Raise to high and add the fish sauce and coconut milk. Cook, stirring occasionally, until thick (3-4 minutes).
Tips + Notes
- After adding the shrimp, cook briefly just to coat in the paste. The shrimp will finish cooking in the sauce.
- Use full-fat coconut milk for richness.
- Most Thai curry paste works, but I’d avoid Massaman curry paste with seafood.
- Feel free to add your favorite vegetables, you can pre-steam them and add them at the end.
Colleen Y says
Great Recipe with fantastic flavour. I made exactly from the recipe and added fresh spinach near the end. I topped it with green onions and cilantro.. This will be a keeper… Thanks
Erren Hart says
Thank you so much for your wonderful feedback! I’m so glad to hear that you enjoyed the recipe so much. Adding fresh spinach sounds like a delicious addition, and the toppings of green onions and cilantro must have added a lovely freshness to the dish. I’m glad to hear that this recipe will be a keeper for you. Feel free to explore more recipes on the site and happy cooking!
Melanie Smith says
I haven’t cooked for anyone else since I parted from my husband 3 yrs ago.
This recipe was a perfect starting point to rebuild my confidence, cooking for a new man!! It was fun buying the ingredients; learning about the different curries and using ingredients not used before.
What a spectacular meal, I teamed it with your Saag Bhaji & it was really enjoyed by us both!
Its helped me remember my passion to cook for others
I simply love your website and fell blessed I stumbled across it… I dont eat meat so will adjust some of your recipes.
I made this one with mixed fish & seafood.
Thank you.
You are a foodie Goddess!!!
Erren's Kitchen says
Wow, thank you so much Melanie, it means so much that you enjoyed cooking again, I hope you continue on your food journey! 🙂
Shirley says
Erren, We knew we wanted coconut shrimp curry but I wasn’t willing to waste my time or shrimp on just any recipe. My husband & I both agreed on your photo and your recipe was exceptionally delicious. I really liked your explaination of color coding for curries, also. Definite 5 star*****
Erren's Kitchen says
Thank you so much Shirley! I’m so pleased you liked it 🙂
carnette says
This was amazing!!! Both my husband and I LOVED it. Quick to make and absolutely delicious!
Erren Hart says
I’m delighted to hear you liked it so much! 🙂
Janey says
My husband and I both had seconds! No leftovers here! 🙂
Erren Hart says
Wonderful to hear! 🙂
Katy says
My family and I all loved this dish. I serve it with couscous and couldn’t get enough. I will need to start doubling the recipe though because everyone wanted seconds.
Erren Hart says
So glad everyone enjoyed it so much! 🙂
Sam says
Omg this is SO good! And it looks really pretty! I added a small can of pineapple trying to recreate a dish I had on vacation. Really good!
Erren Hart says
That’s so great that you were able to make it your own, Sam! 🙂
Erren Hart says
Great to hear, Viv!
Erren Hart says
Great to hear, Heather!
Angela says
I made this last night. So good
Erren's Kitchen says
Thank you! Glad you liked it 🙂