Coconut Lime Shrimp

This coconut lime shrimp recipe is quick, easy, fresh, and goes perfectly with rice. A great weeknight meal option!

Like all good shrimp recipes, this one comes together fast. Lime juice and zest, cilantro, and basil make this taste super fresh.

I’m really into coconut milk these days. I keep making my vegan Thai sweet potato coconut curry that I posted last week, and I had a hankering for shrimp in a coconut sauce, so I whipped up a recipe for that!

Coconut and lime just go together really well. It’s one of those combos like peanut butter and jelly that just never go out of style. I used to eat PB&J straight out of the jars when I was like 4.

My mom didn’t seem too pleased about that royal mess. Not sure why that memory popped into my head right now, but I’d like to resume that habit now that I’m all grownup and can do anything I want (yeah right). 🙂

My top tip for making this is ensuring that you don’t add the shrimp in too quickly. The sauce becomes better as it reduces. If you add the shrimp in too fast, the sauce will be too watery and/or you’ll end up with rubbery shrimp.

I add the herbs towards the end so they don’t get cooked to oblivion.

I learned a tip the other day from my friend Meghan of the Fox and Briar blog that’s been life-changing already (I don’t get out much, ok?). Keep your fresh ginger in the freezer. I don’t know about you, but I always end up wasting at least some fresh ginger because I can never use it all up in time.

A bonus for keeping the ginger in the freezer is that it makes it super easy to grate. I hate grating ginger, so this was huge for me. It usually clogs up my Microplane and just becomes a mess. Not so if you freeze it. Now you know!

Do you like cooking with coconut milk? Will you try this coconut lime shrimp recipe?

5 from 2 votes

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Coconut Lime Shrimp

This coconut lime shrimp recipe is quick, easy, fresh, and goes perfectly with rice. A great weeknight meal option!

Course Main Course

Cuisine Thai

Keyword coconut lime shrimp

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 30 minutes

Servings 4

Author Salt & Lavender

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 tablespoons shallot chopped finely
• 3/4 pounds medium shrimp peeled & deveined
• 3 cloves garlic minced
• 1 tsp grated ginger
• 1/4 cup vegetable broth or water
• Juice & zest of 1 lime
• 1 (13.5 ounce) can full fat coconut milk
• 1 teaspoon brown sugar
• 1/2 cup fresh cilantro chopped
• 6 large leaves fresh basil torn
• Salt & pepper to taste
• Cooked rice (optional)

Instructions

1. If you're making rice with this, cook it according to package directions.
2. Add olive oil to a skillet on medium-high heat. Sauté the shallot for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it's lightly browned.
3. Add the garlic and ginger to the pan and cook for about a minute, until fragrant.
4. Add the broth, lime juice and zest, coconut milk, and brown sugar. Simmer for 10 minutes.
5. Add the shrimp, cilantro, and basil, and cook for another 5 minutes or until the shrimp are cooked through (don't overcook). Season with salt & pepper as needed.
6. Serve immediately.

Recipe Notes

• Serving size really depends on how much shrimp you have vs. rice (I'd say it serves 2-4). If you serve 4 people, they will get about 6 shrimp each (based on a typical 3/4 lb. bag of 31-40/lb. size shrimp).
• I encourage you to adjust this recipe to your personal tastes. Give the sauce a try before you add the shrimp and add more lime juice, sugar, or salt & pepper if needed.