Curry shrimp is a flavorful and easy to make dish that works great as an appetizer or entree The combination of tender shrimp, creamy coconut milk and fragrant curry powder makes for a mouthwatering meal that will impress your family or guests In this article, I’ll walk you through the simple steps for making curry shrimp at home.
Overview
Curry shrimp features juicy shrimp cooked in a rich, curry-coconut sauce. The sauce picks up delightful flavors from spices like curry powder, garlic, ginger and cinnamon. Fresh lime adds brightness to balance the creamy coconut milk.
This recipe comes together quickly – you can make it start to finish in under 30 minutes. It’s one of those weeknight friendly seafood dinners that feels fancy but doesn’t require a lot of effort
Here’s a quick overview of what you’ll need
- Shrimp – Use raw, peeled and deveined shrimp. Frozen shrimp works well too.
- Coconut milk – Full fat coconut milk provides richness and body to the sauce.
- Curry powder – Use your favorite mild, medium or hot curry powder. The spice level is flexible.
- Aromatics – Onion, garlic, ginger and cinnamon provide a flavor base.
- Lime – Fresh lime juice right before serving adds brightness.
- Salt, pepper, spices – Customize flavors with your favorite seasonings.
- Cilantro – Optional garnish that adds freshness.
Now let’s get into the step-by-step cooking process!
Ingredients
- 1 lb shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 2 tablespoons olive oil or ghee
- 1 small onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 inch fresh ginger, grated
- 2 tablespoons curry powder
- 1 (14 oz) can coconut milk
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- Juice from 1 lime
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Chopped cilantro for garnish
Step-by-Step Instructions
Cook the Aromatics
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Heat the oil or ghee in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the diced onion and cook for 2-3 minutes until starting to soften.
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Add the minced garlic, grated ginger and curry powder. Cook for 1 minute until very fragrant.
Simmer the Sauce
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Pour in the coconut milk, cinnamon, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil.
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Let the sauce simmer for 5 minutes to allow the flavors to meld. Give it a taste and adjust seasonings as needed.
Cook the Shrimp
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Add the raw shrimp to the pan in a single layer. Let simmer for 3-4 minutes, turning once, until the shrimp are opaque and cooked through.
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Turn off heat and stir in the fresh lime juice. Taste and add more lime, salt or pepper if desired.
Serve
- Serve the curry shrimp warm, garnished with chopped cilantro if desired. Enjoy over rice or with naan bread to soak up the tasty sauce.
And that’s it! In around 30 minutes you can have a spectacular curry shrimp dinner made completely from scratch. Let’s go over some tips for success:
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Use fresh, quality shrimp for the best texture. Thaw frozen shrimp beforehand if using.
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Simmer the sauce before adding shrimp so the flavors can develop.
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Don’t overcook the shrimp! They just need 3-4 minutes in the sauce to heat through.
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Finish with lime juice and taste before serving. The bright acidity balances the rich coconut milk.
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Serve with rice, naan or pita bread to soak up the delicious curry sauce.
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Garnish with fresh cilantro or green onion to add color and freshness.
Now that you know how easy it is to make home-cooked curry shrimp, let’s look at some ways to modify this versatile recipe:
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Add vegetables – Stir in diced bell pepper, snap peas, carrots or broccoli florets when adding the shrimp.
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Use chicken instead – Substitute boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs for the shrimp if desired.
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Make it spicy – For more heat, add a minced chili pepper or extra cayenne pepper and red pepper flakes.
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Use red or yellow curry paste – Substitute 2-3 tablespoons of curry paste instead of powder for richer flavor.
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Coconut cream – For a richer sauce, swap light coconut milk for regular or coconut cream.
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Pineapple shrimp curry – Add cubed fresh pineapple during simmering for a tropical twist.
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Thai green curry shrimp – Swap the sauce for green curry paste, coconut milk and basil or cilantro.
The basic method remains the same but you can customize the flavors to make this recipe your own. Curry shrimp is endlessly adaptable to your tastes.
FAQs About Prepping Shrimp
Before you start cooking shrimp, here are some tips that will help you do it right every time, whether you’re making this coconut curry shrimp recipe or one of my other great shrimp recipes:
Yes! I use frozen shrimp all the time. Just make sure you thaw the shrimp completely and pat it dry before using in the recipe.
There are two options for thawing your frozen shrimp: 1. Simple Thaw Method: Put your bag of shrimp in the fridge overnight to thaw without having to do anything. 2. Quick Thaw Method: Transfer the shrimp to a freezer size bag and tightly seal. Put the bag in a large bowl and fill it with cold tap water. Put the shrimp on top of the heavy bowl (you can fill it with cans) so it doesn’t float and stays completely submerged. Let the shrimp sit for 10-20 minutes. After 10 minutes, replace the water with new cold tap water and submerge the shrimp again. Let shrimp sit an additional 10- 20 minutes. If the shrimp isn’t completely thawed, repeat as needed.
If you buy shrimp that hasn’t been deveined, the dark, sandy intestinal tract will still be running along the back of the shrimp just below the surface. Because it depends on when the shrimp ate last, it will be very dark some days and not so dark other days. Eating the shrimp with the veins on won’t hurt you, but it can make it taste gritty and take away from the clean shrimp taste, so I strongly suggest taking them out. To devein shrimp: 1. First, locate the vein in the shrimp running along its back. 2. Make a shallow cut along the back and use the tip of the knife to lift it out. 3. The veins and shells can then be thrown away. 4. Rinse the shrimp and pat dry.
Even if you bought “deveined” shrimp, you may have seen a second dark line running along the shrimp’s belly. This tract is NOT another digestive tract but the nerve cord and does not need to be removed.
It’s so easy to work with shrimp because it doesn’t take long to marinate! For this shrimp curry recipe, I marinate the shrimp for about 15 minutes while I get the other ingredients ready. For better results, marinate shrimp for no more than an hour. The spices will dry out the shrimp, and the acid (lime juice in this case, but lemon or vinegar can be used in other recipes) can break down the delicate meat and turn it into mush. Larger shrimp is more forgiving, but I still wouldn’t push it.
This Shrimp Curry recipe is exploding with flavor but incredibly easy to make with pantry friendly ingredients. You will lose your mind over good it is!
This Coconut Curry Shrimp is huge on flavor, low on effort, customizable, pantry friendly and can’t-stop-eating-delicious. It has juicy, plump shrimp in a coconut curry tomato sauce that smells great and is very creamy. The sauce is spiced with ginger, garlic, and cilantro. You can use any vegetables you like or have on hand in this shrimp curry recipe. I used my favorite potatoes, cauliflower, and bell peppers. Serve this recipe over rice, zoodles, etc. with naan and prepare for the barrage of compliments!.
Curried Shrimp/ Curry Shrimp in Coconut Milk~ Juicy & Flavorful
How to make Shrimp curry?
Add salt and more lime juice to taste. Discard bay leaf. Stir in cornstarch slurry and simmer for a minute or until the sauce is slightly thickened. Add the shrimp and heat through. Serve this delicious shrimp curry with steamed jasmine or basmati rice, fresh naan bread, and garnish with cilantro.
What is the difference between prawn and shrimp?
Shrimp and prawns have plenty of similarities, but they are not the same animal. Their differences involve their biology. Shrimp bodies are encased in a sort of accordion shell, with a membrane between the segments. Prawns have a shell where each segment overlaps the one below it. There are no big differences between them when it comes to their nutritional value; they are both a good source of protein, and relatively low in calories.
How long do you cook curry shrimp?
Let the sauce simmer and cook the shrimp over medium heat, flipping halfway, until fully cooked on both sides. Stir occasionally. This should take about 5-6 minutes. Salt and pepper to taste. Serve with rice, and enjoy. Make ahead – Undoubtedly, curry shrimp is an excellent choice for a make-ahead dish.
Does curry paste add heat to Shrimp curry?
The heat of the curry paste depends on the brand. We like Thai kitchen brand which is very mild, so it doesn’t add lots of heat to this shrimp curry. Give a taste to the curry paste before you add it to the dish, and if it’s very spicy you may want to start with a smaller quantity.