Coconut Curry Shrimp
When you want dinner to feel solved, this is the shrimp curry to make.
This is the dinner to make when you’re tired, hungry, and don’t want to think too hard. Coconut curry shrimp gives you a cozy, takeout-style bowl without a long ingredient list or a complicated process. The sauce is creamy, a little spicy, and flexible enough to spoon over rice or scoop up with naan. It comes together fast, but it still tastes like you made an actual plan. Expect a weeknight-friendly curry, not a slow-simmered restaurant version. The shrimp cook quickly, so this is best when you want something warm and satisfying on the table in under 45 minutes with very little fuss.
Ingredients
- 1 lb shrimp — peeled and deveined
- 1 tbsp curry powder
- 1 tbsp oil
- 1 unit yellow onion — small, thinly sliced
- 3 unit garlic cloves — minced
- 1 tbsp fresh ginger — grated
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 cup coconut milk — full-fat
- 1 cup broth — chicken or vegetable
- 1 tbsp lime juice
- 1 tsp salt — plus more to taste
- 0.5 tsp black pepper
- 1 cup bell pepper — sliced
- 2 tbsp fresh cilantro — chopped, optional
- 4 cup cooked rice — for serving
Method
- 1 Pat the shrimp dry and toss with the curry powder and a pinch of salt. Set aside while you start the sauce.
- 2 Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and bell pepper and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, until softened.
- 3 Stir in the garlic, ginger, and tomato paste. Cook for 1 minute, stirring often.
- 4 Pour in the coconut milk and broth, then add the salt and black pepper. Simmer for 4 to 5 minutes to let the sauce thicken slightly.
- 5 Add the shrimp in a single layer. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, turning once, until pink and just cooked through.
- 6 Stir in the lime juice, taste, and add more salt if needed. Serve hot over rice with cilantro on top.
Variations
- Vegetarian swap — Replace the shrimp with 2 cups of chickpeas and add them with the coconut milk so they can warm through.
- Faster swap — Use pre-sliced onions and frozen pepper strips to cut the prep time down even more.
- Substitutions — Swap chicken broth for vegetable broth, or use light coconut milk for a slightly thinner sauce.
Notes
If the sauce gets too thick, loosen it with a splash of broth or water. Don’t overcook the shrimp; they’re done as soon as they turn opaque and curl into a loose C shape. Serve with rice, naan, or warmed frozen naan if that’s what you have.
Equipment that helps
- Large skillet — It gives the sauce enough surface area to simmer quickly and keeps the shrimp in one layer.
- Wooden spoon — It helps you stir the aromatics and sauce without scraping up the pan.
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