Quick Thai Red Curry with Shrimp
Craving a bold, aromatic curry but too tired to prep a complex sauce? This 20-minute wonder is your fix.
When you need a big hit of flavor without the long simmer times, this Thai Red Curry is your secret weapon. It uses a high-quality curry paste as the heavy lifter, meaning you don't have to pound spices by hand to get that deep, earthy taste. The coconut milk provides a rich, velvety base that coats the shrimp perfectly. It’s bold, comforting, and honestly, it tastes like a restaurant meal but feels like a 'I just want dinner' win. Serve it over some pre-cooked jasmine rice or noodles for zero-effort success.
Ingredients
- 1 lb shrimp — peeled and deveined
- 3.5 floz coconut milk
- 3 tbsp Thai red curry paste
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 cup sliced bell pepper
- 2 tbsp fish sauce
- 1 tsp palm sugar or brown sugar
- 1 tsp fresh ginger — minced
- 2 tbsp lime juice
- 1 cup fresh basil leaves — optional but recommended
Method
- 1 Heat a large skillet or pot over medium heat. Add the curry paste and ginger, sautéing for 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
- 2 Pour in the coconut milk and chicken broth. Stir well to combine with the paste. Bring to a gentle simmer.
- 3 Add the sliced bell peppers and stir. Let simmer for 5 minutes until the peppers begin to soften.
- 4 Stir in the fish sauce, sugar, and lime juice. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
- 5 Add the shrimp to the pot. Cook for 3-4 minutes or until the shrimp are pink and opaque.
- 6 Stir in the basil leaves at the very end. Serve immediately over rice.
Variations
- Vegetarian Swap — Replace the shrimp with cubed firm tofu or extra bell peppers and swap fish sauce for a splash of soy sauce.
- Extra Spicy — Add a pinch of red chili flakes or a chopped Thai bird's eye chili if you want to turn up the heat.
Notes
If you can't find fish sauce, a splash of soy sauce works in a pinch, though it won't have that specific funk. Make sure your shrimp are large enough to hold up against the bold flavors!
Equipment that helps
- Large Skillet — Allows for easy sautéing and simmering in one vessel to minimize cleanup.
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