Coconut Shrimp Curry

Coconut Shrimp Curry is a wonderfully balanced dish with shrimp, tender onions and peppers, and bold flavors. The sauce is the star of the show, with aromatic spices, ginger, garlic, and coconut in a tomato base. Each bite is so good that you won't be able to stop eating it until there's nothing left!

I make this whenever I have a seafood craving. It's the perfect one-pot, 30-minute meal to make on a busy weeknight or when I don't feel like cooking. If you are looking for a meal that has depth of flavor and is ready fast, I recommend that you try this shrimp coconut curry recipe.

If you like coconut-inspired recipes, you will love these coconut biscuits and crispy coconut shrimp too!

Why You'll Love This Recipe

• It's a 30-minute meal: It only takes half an hour to prepare this coconut shrimp curry recipe, proving that you can enjoy impressive food even when you're short on time.
• It's made in one pan: I love that you need one skillet to make curried shrimp. This saves so many steps and time on cleanup later.
• It's easy to prepare: This is a simple recipe that just happens to have a complex flavor profile. I promise you can pull it off even if you don't cook often.

Ingredients

• Shrimp: Ensure the shrimp are properly cleaned and deveined before you use them. I use ones with the tail on, but you may use tail-off ones as well. I like medium shrimp, but you can use any size, just adjust the cooking time accordingly.
• Garlic and ginger: These provide depth and a lovely aroma as they saute. Garlic can be pungent, while ginger has a sharp bite. They elevate the flavors of the other ingredients.
• Spices: I use curry powder, garam masala, and chili powder. Together, they add spice, warmth, and smokiness to the curry coconut shrimp.
• Tomato: I add both tomato paste (for depth and thickening purposes) and tomato sauce as part of the base for the curry sauce.
• Coconut cream: This adds sweetness, richness, and authentic coconut flavor to the dish. You may also make this shrimp curry with coconut milk, however you may need to make a cornflour slurry to thicken the sauce. If you love recipes that use coconut milk or cream, you may want to try this chicken adobo with coconut milk next.

See the recipe card below for exact ingredient amounts, nutritional information, and detailed instructions.

Variations

• Peanut coconut shrimp curry: Add a scoop of peanut butter to the curry and then garnish it with chopped peanuts for crunch.
• Add more fresh herbs: Thai basil and parsley are great examples. You can always finish this easy shrimp curry with as many herbs as you like.
• Tropical fruit shrimp curry: Stir in chopped pineapple or mango for the ultimate tropical twist.

How to Make Coconut Curry Shrimp

Here are the directions you'll need to make this coconut curry shrimp recipe yourself. There's not a lot of prepping involved before you get started, making it so easy.

Step 1: Sear the shrimp. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add oil. Sear the shrimp for about 2 minutes per side or until they are opaque. Set the cooked shrimp aside.

Step 2: Cook the onions and peppers. Turn the heat down to medium and add the rest of the oil. Throw in the onions and bell peppers and cook them for about 4 minutes or until they are tender.

Step 3: Add aromatics and spices. Add the garlic, ginger, and all the spices to the cooked vegetables. Give it all a good stir and then mix in the tomato paste. Let the mixture cook for about a minute.

Step 4: Stir in the sauce and cream. Now stir in the tomato sauce and coconut cream. Let it simmer for about 5 minutes and give it a taste to see if it needs salt and pepper.

Step 5: Add the shrimp. Return the seared shrimp to the skillet and let them warm in the sauce for about a minute.

Step 6: Garnish and serve. Sprinkle some cilantro leaves on top and serve each portion with a lime wedge. It's great with a side of simple white rice or this coconut rice. Enjoy!

For more quick and easy dishes with Asian flavors, try this shrimp stir fry or this Panda Express honey walnut shrimp recipe next!

Storage Directions 

• Storing: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. You can also freeze it in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months.
• Reheating: You may reheat leftovers in the microwave or on the stovetop. Thaw frozen shrimp curry before reheating it.
• Make Ahead: This dish is pretty quick to prepare but you may peel and devein the shrimp and slice the bell peppers and onions up to 24 hours in advance to skip a couple of steps when you're ready to prepare the curry.

Serving Suggestions

• Prepare some air fried flatbread to sop up the extra coconut curry sauce.
• Easy veggie recipes that would pair well with these flavors are grilled asparagus and sauteed cauliflower.
• If you love coconut, enjoy these Samoa rice krispie treats for dessert.

Coconut Shrimp Curry

Karin and Ken

This Coconut Shrimp Curry recipe is so rich and filling. The sauce is a bomb of flavor that complements the pieces of shrimp and infuses flavor as it cooks

5 from 1 vote

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 15 minutes mins

Total Time 30 minutes mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Servings 4 servings

Calories 528 kcal

Equipment

• large skillet

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 1 tablespoon oil divided
• 1 pound medium shrimp peeled and deveined
• 1 onion finely diced
• 1 red bell pepper sliced
• 4 cloves garlic minced
• 1 tablespoon minced ginger
• 1 ½ tablespoons curry powder
• 1 tablespoon garam masala
• ½ teaspoon chili powder
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 2 cups tomato sauce
• 14 ounce coconut cream
• Salt and pepper to taste
• ¼ cup fresh cilantro leaves for serving (optional)
• Fresh lime wedges for serving (optional)

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Instructions

 

• Add half of the oil to a large skillet placed over a medium-high heat. Sear the shrimp by cooking for approximately 2 minutes on each side, or until opaque and cooked through, cooking in batches if necessary. Set aside.
• Reduce the heat to medium, and add the remaining ½ tablespoon of oil to the skillet. Add the onion and sliced bell pepper, and cook, stirring, for 4 minutes or until softened.
• Add the garlic, ginger, curry powder, garam masala, chili powder and tomato paste to the skillet. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute or until fragrant.
• Add the tomato sauce and coconut cream to the skillet, and stir until well combined. Bring to a simmer, and continue simmering for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Return the cooked shrimp to the curry and simmer for 1 minute, or until heated through. Remove the skillet from the heat.
• Garnish the curry with the fresh cilantro leaves, if using, before serving alongside the fresh lime wedges.

Video

Notes

• Don't cook the shrimp longer than needed, or they will become very chewy and rubbery.
• Ensure the heat is not too high when you pour in the coconut cream to keep it from separating.
• Store extra curry in an airtight container for up to 2 days in the fridge.

Nutrition

Calories: 528kcalCarbohydrates: 22gProtein: 30gFat: 40gSaturated Fat: 31gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0.02gCholesterol: 183mgSodium: 792mgPotassium: 1234mgFiber: 7gSugar: 8gVitamin A: 1749IUVitamin C: 55mgCalcium: 130mgIron: 5mg

Keyword Coconut Curry Shrimp, Coconut Shrimp Curry, Shrimp Curry with Coconut Milk

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