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This easy Thai shrimp curry recipe is quick, simple, and there’s plenty of sauce for the rice! Ready in less than half an hour.
I love a good coconut sauce, and this coconut shrimp curry doesn’t disappoint. I kept this recipe pretty simple so it comes together fast. Shrimp cook very quickly, so once you actually get cooking, it doesn’t take long at all. It’s also fairly healthy.
It’s been a while since I last posted a Thai-inspired recipe, but I do have a few others on here if you are interested like my Thai chicken curry soup, 15 minute Thai green curry soup, this Thai sweet potato curry, or my Thai turkey soup.
I made this Thai shrimp curry for the first time on January 27. I hated the photos so redid them like 2 months later. I hated the second batch of photos even more than the first, so we’re using the January photos. I just don’t like these photos. The light wasn’t even bad that day. Sometimes I am so baffled why things don’t turn out how I think they will. It’s not like I’m using a different window or board or bowl or camera or anything. I’ll probably end up redoing them again sometime. But, as Mark Zuckerberg says, “done is better than perfect”, so at least I know the recipe is tasty. -end rant-
I love the contrast between the rich coconut sauce and all the fresh herbs… that’s probably my favorite thing about Thai recipes. It’s not quite time yet for my garden basil, but it’ll be coming soon(ish)… can’t wait. The growing season here in Canada isn’t exactly long, but I’ll take what I can get lol.
How to make Thai shrimp curry
- Prep your shrimp. If using frozen shrimp, run them under cool water until they’re fully thawed.
- Sauté the onion for 5 minutes or until softened;
- Stir in the garlic and curry paste until fragrant;
- Stir in the chicken broth and let it boil for a couple of minutes;
- Add in the coconut milk, shrimp, and red pepper;
- Add the lime juice, season with salt & pepper to taste, and add the fresh herbs.
I love serving this Thai curry over white jasmine rice.
Want to make it spicy? Try adding some chopped fresh Thai chilis or some dried red pepper flakes if you have some in your pantry.
What kind of shrimp to use in Thai coconut shrimp curry?
I used 31-40/pound count frozen raw shrimp. You can use smaller or larger shrimp if you want; just adjust cooking time by a minute or two as needed.
Let me know if you’ve made this easy coconut shrimp curry!
Questions? Ask me in the comments below.
Easy Thai Shrimp Curry
Ingredients
- 1 pound medium shrimp thawed, peeled, can remove tails if desired
- 1/2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 medium onion chopped
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 3 heaped tablespoons Thai red curry paste
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1/2 tablespoon fish sauce
- 1 (13.5 fluid ounces) can full-fat coconut milk
- 1/2 red bell pepper chopped
- Lime juice to taste
- Salt & pepper to taste
- 1 small handful fresh cilantro chopped
- 1 small handful fresh basil chopped
- Scallions chopped, to taste
Instructions
- If you want to serve this recipe with rice, I suggest getting the rice going prior to starting the curry.
- Add the oil and onion to a soup pot over medium-high heat. Sauté the onion for 5 minutes.
- Stir in the garlic and curry paste and cook for 30 seconds.
- Add the chicken broth and fish sauce. Let it come to a boil and cook for a couple of minutes.
- Reduce the heat and stir in the coconut milk.
- Add the shrimp and red pepper. Let the soup simmer gently (don't let it reach a crazy boil) for 5 minutes or until the shrimp are cooked through.
- Add lime juice to taste (I used 1/2 a lime) and salt & pepper as needed.
- Add the cilantro, basil, and scallions prior to serving. Serve over rice (I love jasmine rice).
Notes
- I used Thai Kitchen brand red curry paste and coconut milk (I prefer it because it's less watery than some other brands I've tried).
- Anything from 3/4 pound to 1 pound of shrimp will work.
- If you want a thicker broth, add less chicken broth.
- Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy only and should be construed as an estimate rather than a guarantee. Ingredients can vary and Salt & Lavender makes no guarantees to the accuracy of this information.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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Deeeelish, easy and fast.
🙂
Super easy to make and great flavor. I served over jasmine rice and steamed spinach. Enough for 2 dinner portions tonight and 2 lunch sized portions for another day.
Excellent!! I’m so pleased you enjoyed it, Greer!
Easy and delicious and made 4 hardy and very enjoyed portions. Thank you!
Wonderful! You’re welcome! 🙂
I made this for dinner today, it was very different for us just had to add a little cornstarch. I was delicious 😋.
Yay!
My boyfriend and I loved this recipe!! Definitely will be making it again. Thank you!!
Wonderful! You’re welcome! 🙂
I’m not a spice person but this was just amazing.
That’s wonderful!
Can I use curry powder and a rue instead of a paste?
Is it like a Thai curry powder? If so then I think that should be fine. Can’t say I’ve tried it, though. Let me know how it goes!
Well making a rue with red curry powder powder did a good job next time I will add a bit more curry powder and chilli powder to add some more spiciness.
Made this the other night and it was absolutely delicious…I’m going to make it again, and throw in some Chorizo and Mussels…
So glad you liked it, Ben!! Love the chorizo and mussels idea… yum.
For non seafood people, absolutely substitute chicken for the shrimp! Use tenders or breasts in bite size pieces.
For fish lovers, consider a piece of halibut or scallops too. Simply poach 4-6 minutes or so right in the sauce, depending on size of piece.
Good advice!
Added 1 T. dark brown sugar
Omitted the peppers (husband hates them)
Substituted with sliced shiitake mushrooms and sugar snap peas.
Fabulous, velvety sauce and so colorful.
Excellent!