Coconut Shrimp Curry
Extremely simple to prepare, and quick, too, this coconut shrimp curry with creamy coconut milk and tender shrimp is so delicious.
We love curry around here. And we love shrimp. I have a recipe for Shrimp Stir-Fry with Coconut Curry Sauce that is divine and marries the two flavors but is more of a, well, stir-fry, as the name implies, versus this new curry recipe that channels a stew-like flavor and style.
Extremely simple to prepare, and quick, too, the combination of sultry, deep spices with the creamy coconut milk and tender shrimp is beyond what words can describe.
This, to me, is pure comfort food.
We ate it over basmati rice and although we sopped up the saucy curry with delicate pieces of naan, you could easily serve this in a bowl, just like the Coconut Curry Soup.
Methinks I should really seek help for my love of all things coconut and curry.
And finally, if you are averse to shrimp, I actually believe chicken would make a great substitution here OR leave it out completely for a vegetarian dish. Make this! Love this!
Don’t be scared of the flavors if you haven’t cooked Indian food a lot – I just know you’ll adore the subtle, delicious flavors! And please invite me over when you serve it up.
What to Serve With This
- Sliced cucumbers and other fresh veggies with Homemade Ranch Dressing
- Sliced cheese
- Cut up apples with Toffee Apple Dip (for a sweet and semi healthy dessert!)
One Year Ago: Pineapple Salsa Chicken {Slow Cooker}
Two Years Ago: Tortellini Spinach Salad with Balsamic-Tomato Vinaigrette
Three Years Ago: Quick and Delicious Clam Chowder
Coconut Shrimp Curry
Ingredients
For the shrimp marinade:
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice, from about 1 lemon
- 1-2 pounds large or extra-large shrimp, peeled and deveined
For the sauce:
- 1 tablespoon canola oil
- 1 medium red or yellow onion, finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon ground pepper
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger, from about a 1-inch peeled piece of ginger
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 2 cloves garlic , peeled and finely minced
- 2 teaspoons ground coriander
- ½ teaspoon turmeric
- 1 teaspoon curry powder
- 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
- 1 can coconut milk, light or regular
- 1 cup chopped fresh cilantro
- Hot cooked rice for serving, if desired
Instructions
- For the simple shrimp marinade, toss the shrimp with the salt, pepper, cayenne and lemon juice in a resealable large bag or in a bowl. Refrigerate for 15-20 minutes.
- Meanwhile, in a medium-sized pot, heat the canola oil over medium heat until rippling and hot. Add the onion and cook for 2-3 minutes. Stir in the pepper, ginger, salt, garlic, coriander, turmeric and curry powder. Continue cooking over medium heat, stirring often, until the mixture is very fragrant and the onion is soft and translucent, about 5-7 minutes.
- Add the undrained tomatoes to the pot and cook, stirring and scraping up the browned bits from the bottom, for about 1 minute. Increase the heat to medium-high and simmer for 5-10 minutes, stirring often. Add the coconut milk, stirring to combine. Bring the mixture to a boil and add the shrimp and any accumulated juices from the marinade.
- Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook until the shrimp are curled, lightly pink and cooked through, about 2-4 minutes. Stir in the cilantro. Serve over hot, cooked rice, if desired.
Notes
Recommended Products
Recipe Source: adapted from American Masala by Suvir Saran – a great find I checked out at my local library
Sooo yummy!! Made with chicken instead of shrimp and it was delicious! Has a little bit of a kick that I love. This is a keeper.
Thanks Mel! This is a great dish that the whole family, including my little ones, loved! I can’t wait to try it with chicken next time.
It really is a good recipe. There are a few tweaks l do, and its solely based on taste and desire of seasoning, and takes some of the pressure off the coconut milk for making it creamy.
TWEAKS:
– grated ginger instead of minced
– Large Vadalia onion, crescent moon sliced
– 4 garlic cloves, (instead of 2)
– 1 tsp turmeric (instead of 1/2)
– 1 TBS granulated garlic
– 2 tsp curry powder (instead of 1)
– 1 TBS granulated onion
– 1/4 cup of cream
– ONLY kosher salt, for both shrimp marinade and sauce – It requires less but goes a long way (season to taste – this includes courses ground pepper)
– sub 1x reg or large rotel can (this is where your spice is introduced. This substitutes for the cayenne – which can occasionally turn out too spicy for the faint of heart. Reg VS large size depends on how much tomato you like).
I follow the instructions until everything in the OG ingredient list is combined into the pan, except I’m using that rotel can instead of just diced tomatoes (prior to the shrimp being added). After that I slowly incorporate my tweaks, and once I’m satisfied with the flavor profile, I’ll add the shrimp.
DO RECOMMEND basmati or jasmine rice with this. Once rice is done, plop a giant helping of butter into the rice cooker and let it melt. Lightly salt. I have used La Croix Coconut water to cook my rice. Gives a subtle coconut profile. Otherwise you can absolutely use a can of coconut milk to enhance a stronger flavor into the rice.
Two words: WORTH IT.
I made this for dinner last night and my son already called dibs on the leftovers first thing this morning. What better compliment could a mom ask for? I used chicken thighs first cooked in the Instant Pot (using the same marinade) and it was really fantastic.
We’ve been making this recipe for the past 10 years and really enjoy it. Though it’s best with shrimp, we’ve made most with chicken and it’s great. Then we started using cauliflower and chicken or just cauliflower and wow, so good! Then this week, I was low on coconut milk, but used what I had and added in kale too. Yummy! Then to stretch the leftovers, we added more kale and a can of garbanzo beans. Wow! Delicious and beautiful! I love how versatile this recipe is. The spices work beautifully with all kinds of extra veggies.
Thank you, Mel, for the fantastic recipes! We’ve been enjoying them for the past 12 years and are so grateful for the work you put into this endeavor.
A good meal to serve for guests. The sauce can basically be made in advance and just finished off with the shrimp. My instant pot came in handy to make the rice and keep it warm. Delicious!!
I love your recipes. Thanks for making mealtime so much better without taking a long time. I have yet to make one of your recipes that I didn’t like. You and ourbestbites are the jackpot of our family style of food. And I love that button to save rather than hoping to remember later what I thought of making Thank you !!! Quick question: I’ve noticed through experimenting that some recipes are fine to sub in ground dry ginger for fresh or bottled lemon juice or true lemon powder instead of fresh squeezed , or bottled minced garlic or garlic powder for fresh garlic , and others make a huge difference. Any clues on judging which recipes will truly need the fresh that its worth a trip to the store when I’m out and which ones it doesn’t make much difference? I haven’t figured out a pattern and wondered if you had. Thanks again
Hi Beckie – that’s a good question. I’m not sure there’s one solid answer for subbing across all recipes. I find that if the flavor is prominent (lemon, ginger, etc) it’s best to use fresh. If it’s a minor amount (1 tablespoon or less, I’d say), subbing in an alternative (dried, powdered, etc) should work fine. 🙂
Made this for dinner tonight! Super easy for a nice week night meal! Loved the flavor! Made just as the recipe stated. Will definitely be making again!