Bring the vibrant colors and flavor of Thai food to your own dinner table with this easy recipe! No need to go out or order in, you can make your own coconut curry shrimp and sauce. It's actually easy.
★ Why You'll Love this Recipe ★
Plump shrimp and creamy spiced sauce coats perfectly cooked, plump shrimp and is served over fluffy rice to create a bowl of pure bliss in every bite.
Love a food adventure?
Then you'll love explore Thai cuisine, where bold flavor and colors rule! This popular dish is quick and easy to make at home, ready in just 30 minutes.
This Thai coconut shrimp curry is loaded with yummy sauce that is a made with a blend of coconut milk, red curry paste, Thai basil, and that signature brightness from fresh squeezed lime.
The combination flavors and a touch of thickener (corn starch) creates a luscious and creamy sauce that's both savory and slightly sweet. The flavors are well-balanced and the sauce coats the shrimp nicely.
Perfectly Cooked Shrimp
Shrimp, when cooked just right, pops in your mouth and isn't rubbery or soggy. This isn't hard to do. Just follow the steps!
Visual Appeal
The vibrant color of the curry, with the pinkish hue of the shrimp and the green pops from the herbs make this dish quite appealing. If you want to impress your dinner guests, or family, this dish will do just that.
★ Ingredients You'll Need ★
This recipe isn't complex yet as far as number of ingredients, yet offers amazingly fresh flavor thanks to a combination of few signature ingredients.
Here's a look at everything you'll need:
- Shrimp. Start with raw shrimp that is peeled, deveined and tails removed (fresh or frozen and thawed). Choose your preferred size and adjust cook time as needed for large to small shrimp.
- Coconut oil. Palm oil, soybean oil, or peanut oil are also great choices if you don't have coconut oil.
- Onion. White offers a nice flavor for this dish but yellow could also be used.
- Red bell pepper. This adds a touch of sweetness. Orange or yellow bell pepper could also be used.
- Jalapeño. Fresh jalapeño, finely diced. Remove seeds to tone down the heat or leave them in if you enjoy some heat.
- Coconut milk. You want to use unsweetened canned coconut milk.
- Red curry paste. This can be found at most grocery stores and brings a bundle of spices and flavor in one swoop.
- Brown sugar. Coconut or palm sugar can be used.
- Fish sauce. In a pinch, you can replace this with soy sauce; however, fish sauce will offer a more rich umami flavor that's more consistent with traditional Thai cuisine.
- Lime. Be sure to use fresh-squeezed lime juice. This is key to balance the curry and offer than signature, extra-refreshing Thai flavor.
- Cornstarch. This thickens the sauce and helps coat the shrimp allowing more sauce to stick to it. You can also use arrowroot flour.
- Water. To thin the sauce as needed.
- Thai basil. Thai basil is a bit different in flavor and coloring than regular basil. Thai basil will have purples stems and is the best choice for this recipe. In a pinch, you can use regular basil if you can't access Thai basil.
- Lime wedges and jalapeño slices. These are optional garnishes for serving.
★ How to Make this Recipe ★
Despite its complex flavors, Thai coconut shrimp curry is quick and easy to prepare at home.
Just follow the steps and you can create a restaurant-quality dish in the comfort of your own kitchen.
Here's a look at the process:
- Thaw shrimp, prep veggies.
- Sauté veggies.
- Add sauce ingredients, heat and stir.
- Add and cook shrimp.
- Garnish and serve over rice.
Simple as that!
★ Tips & FAQs ★
What does Thai Coconut Shrimp Curry taste like?
Thai Coconut Shrimp Curry has a rich and creamy coconut milk base infused with aromatic Thai spices. Fresh lime juice add brightness and tangy. The addition of shrimp creates a delicious balance of sweet and savory flavor.
Can I adjust the spice amount of red curry?
Yes! The spice level can be customized to suit your taste preferences. Add more or less Thai red curry paste and/or jalapeños to achieve your desired level of heat.
What type of shrimp is best for this recipe?
Fresh or frozen medium-sized shrimp with shells removed and deveined are your best option. No time-consuming clean is needed. You can also use jumbo shrimp if you prefer a more substantial bite or smaller shrimp. Adjust cook time accordingly. You want the shrimp to be cook just enough so they are no longer pink. To test, try to find the largest shrimp in the pot, and either wipe away the sauce or run it under cool water. If it's fully pink and plump (not gray or translucent) then it's ready.
What type of rice pairs best with this curry?
Jasmine rice is a popular choice to serve with Thai Coconut Shrimp Curry due to its fragrant aroma and fluffy texture. Basmati rice or brown rice also work well.
Storing Leftovers
Store any leftover curry in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It can last up to 3 days.
Reheat the curry gently, stopping to stir and distribute the heat so shrimp does not become overcooked.
Freezing is possible but is not ideal due to the texture changes you might experience reheating the shrimp and sauce.
Is this dish suitable for meal prep?
Yes, you can prepare this dish and store it in an airtight container to reheat for a quick meal — makes a great lunch or dinner.
What other garnishes can I use to enhance the presentation?
Fresh cilantro, lime wedges, and thinly sliced red chili or red pepper flakes make excellent garnishes and can add extra flavor.
Is this recipe gluten-free?
Yes, the Thai Coconut Shrimp Curry is gluten-free; however, always check labels on store-bought ingredients like curry paste to ensure they meet your dietary preferences.
Serve with rice which is naturally gluten free.
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Thai Coconut Shrimp Curry
Equipment
- wok or skillet
Ingredients
- 1 lb raw shrimp peeled, deveined and tails removed (fresh or thawed)
Sauce
- 2 tablespoon coconut oil or cooking oil of choice
- 1 white onion diced
- 1 red bell pepper diced
- 1 jalapeño diced
- 14 oz unsweetened coconut milk (can)
- 2 tablespoon red curry paste
- 2 tablespoon brown sugar
- 2 tablespoon fish sauce
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- ½ lime cut into wedges
- 1 tablespoon water
- ¼ cup Thai sweet basil fresh or dried
Optional Garnish
- 1 jalapeño sliced
- 1 tablespoon lime juice (½ lime)
For Serving
- 2 cups cooked jasmine rice warmed
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Instructions
- Thaw shrimp if using frozen.
- Make the sauce. In a large pan heat coconut oil over medium-high heat. Add diced onion, bell pepper, and jalapeño. Cook and stir for 4-6 minutes until vegetables are softened. Set aside.In the same pan over medium heat, add coconut milk, red curry paste, brown sugar, fish sauce, and lime juice. Whisk together and bring to a low boil, then reduce to simmer.In a small bowl, mix the cornstarch and water until combined for a slurry. Scrape and stir the cornstarch slurry into the coconut milk sauce.Add the cooked vegetables to the sauce.
- Add and cook shrimp. Add thawed shrimp to the sauce. Cook for 7-8 minutes or until shrimp are fully pink and plumped. The sauce will also thicken as you cook, stir as needed. Remove from heat. Taste test sauce and adjust lime juice, brown sugar, or curry paste spice to your liking.
- Garnish and serve. Spoon shrimp and curry sauce over warm cooked rice. Garnish with fresh basil, sliced jalapenos, and a lime wedge.
Notes
- Thaw shrimp using room temperature or colder water so shrimp does not accidentally cook. Pat dry after thawing to remove excess moisture.
- Remove seeds from jalapeño to reduce heat or leave them in for a spicier curry.
- Fresh Thai basil is best. If you can only find dried sweet basil, that will work.
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