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This easy Thai shrimp curry recipe is a quick, simple, and ultra flavorful meal! There’s plenty of the bright, rich Thai-inspired coconut red curry sauce to serve over rice.
Try my Easy Thai Chicken Curry or Thai Sweet Potato Coconut Red Curry next.
Why you’ll love it
This easy shrimp curry is both fresh and cozy at the same time. I love a good coconut sauce, and garden herbs like basil and cilantro really make it pop. A kiss of lime juice brightens it up even more! Thai food is one of my all-time favorite cuisines with its irresistible flavors.
Since shrimp cook very quickly, that makes this Thai-inspired curry a fantastic weeknight option. It’s simple to whip up after work, and you can easily pick up all the ingredients at the grocery store. We’re all about convenience here at S&L! And big flavors, of course.
What you’ll need
- Shrimp – I use 31-40/pound count frozen raw shrimp
- Olive oil – for sautéing
- Onion and garlic – I like using sweet (Vidalia) onion
- Thai red curry paste – it has lemongrass, red chili pepper, ginger, and warm spices. The brand I recommend, Thai Kitchen, is mild. Others may have more heat.
- Chicken broth – for the base of the sauce
- Fish sauce – it adds another savory, umami layer
- Coconut milk – I suggest using Thai Kitchen full-fat since it’s not watery like others can be
- Bell pepper – for added crunch and freshness
- Lime juice – it adds acidity and a delicious citrus note
- Herbs – we’re using fresh basil, cilantro, and scallions to contrast the rich coconut sauce
Helpful tips
- Frozen shrimp are always my preference. The ones at the seafood counter at the grocery store are normally less fresh since they’ve usually been previously frozen then thawed anyway.
- To defrost shrimp quickly, simply run cool water over them.
How to make Thai shrimp curry
This is an overview with step-by-step photos. Full ingredients & instructions are in the recipe card below.
Prep the shrimp. In a large pot, sauté the onion in the olive oil until softened. Stir in the garlic and curry paste until fragrant. Pour in the chicken broth and fish sauce, and cook for a few minutes over a gentle boil.
Reduce the heat, then stir in the coconut milk. Add in the shrimp and bell pepper, and simmer until the shrimp are cooked through. Squeeze in lime juice to taste, and toss in the herbs and scallions. Season with salt & pepper.
Tools for this recipe
Check out Natasha’s favorite kitchen essentials, gadgets, and cookware!
- Mince garlic effortlessly with one squeeze of a garlic press, and I love this nested magnetic measuring spoon set for the curry paste.
- Thaw the shrimp easily in a colander.
- I make this recipe in my Dutch oven, and this sturdy ladle makes it easy to dish it up.
Substitutions and variations
- If you want to make this a spicy shrimp curry, try adding some chopped fresh Thai chilis or some crushed red pepper flakes if you have some in your pantry.
- You can use smaller or larger shrimp if you want; just adjust the cooking time by a minute or two as needed.
- Add a little bit of brown sugar (like a teaspoon or two) if you wish, but I do find it’s naturally sweet enough with the shrimp.
What to serve with Thai shrimp curry
- I love serving this Thai curry over white jasmine rice. Brown rice would be delicious too. You could definitely use your favorite noodles, though, like rice noodles!
- If you are craving a salad, try pairing it with my Thai Quinoa Salad for more tasty Thai-style flavors.
Leftovers and storage
- Store leftover shrimp curry for 2-3 days in an airtight container in the fridge.
- Reheat slowly over a low heat until just warmed through, taking care to not overcook the shrimp.
- You can freeze leftovers for up to 3 months.
If you made this easy coconut shrimp curry, please leave a star rating and review below! I love to hear from readers. Tag me on Instagram as well with your S&L creations.
Easy Thai Shrimp Curry
Ingredients
- 1 pound uncooked (31-40/pound size) shrimp thawed, peeled, can remove tails if desired
- 1/2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 medium onion chopped
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 3 heaped tablespoons Thai red curry paste
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1/2 tablespoon fish sauce
- 1 (13.5 ounces) can full-fat coconut milk
- 1/2 red bell pepper chopped
- Lime juice to taste
- Salt & pepper to taste
- 1 handful fresh cilantro chopped
- 1 handful fresh basil chopped/torn
- Scallions chopped, to taste
Instructions
- If you want to serve this recipe with rice, I suggest getting the rice going prior to starting the curry.
- Add the oil and onion to a soup pot over medium-high heat. Sauté the onion for 5 minutes.
- Stir in the garlic and curry paste and cook for 30 seconds.
- Add the chicken broth and fish sauce. Let it come to a boil and cook for a couple of minutes.
- Reduce the heat and stir in the coconut milk.
- Add the shrimp and red bell pepper. Let it simmer gently (don't let it reach a crazy boil) for 5 minutes or until the shrimp are cooked through.
- Add lime juice to taste (I use half a lime) and salt & pepper as needed, then stir in the cilantro, basil, and scallions prior to serving.
Notes
- I used Thai Kitchen brand red curry paste and coconut milk (I prefer it because it’s less watery than some other brands I’ve tried).
- Anything from 3/4 pound to 1 pound of shrimp will work.
- If you want a thicker broth, add less chicken broth.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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This recipe was originally published on April 9, 2019. It’s been updated with new photos and better instructions but is the same great recipe!
Good flavor but a little too much broth. I would cut the broth altogether and add some chili garlic paste for a little heat. Added snap peas with the red peppers and added carrots with the onions.
Made this in my restaurant.. it was a huge hit
Great! Thanks! Be sure to send your guests my way… 😉
Yummy! I didn’t have red curry paste so I used green curry paste. It was really good. I was hoping for leftovers but wasn’t going to happen.
So happy it worked out, Melinda!! Thanks for leaving me a comment. 🙂
We loved this so much! Thank you for an amazing recipe. I’m making it again this week because my kids loved it and we want to test it how it will work in thermoses before school starts 🤗
Can’t wait to try more of your recipes!
Fabulous!! Thanks for letting me know!
Yum! I want to make this tomorro, looks delicious. Is there something that I can use to replace fish sauce? (To avoid buying a title for just one dish) would it be bad if I omitted it?
Hi Jackie! I’d just omit it. It’ll taste a little less authentic, but it’ll still be good. I can’t really think of a good substitute, just make sure to add enough salt to the dish. 🙂 Hope you enjoy the recipe!
Delicious! Used oyster sauce as I didn’t have any fish sauce, and spinach as I also didn’t have any peppers. I made cauliflower rice to go with it. It was really tasty!
I’m so glad you were able to adapt it!!
Yum! I want to make this tomorrow, looks great. Is there something I can use to substitute fish sauce? (So I don’t have to buy a whole bottle for just one dish) would it be bad if I just omitted it?
Thank you in advance!
Delicious
So glad you liked it! 🙂
Yum, this shrimp curry sounds and looks incredible. Definitely on my list for this weekend! So glad I saw this on Foodgawker 🙂
Hope you like it, Quin! 🙂
Super easy and very flavorful! Loved this! My boys (4 and 6yrs) both ate it up. My husband did not. Lol! Can’t get that man to like seafood. But 3 out of 4 is still a definite win! Passed this recipe along to my mom friends too. Thank you!
Haha well… I guess you can’t win ’em all! So glad the boys liked it at least hehe. Thanks for leaving me a comment and passing the recipe along! 🙂
Hi can you make this for me without shrimp? Thx
No.
Made this tonight and it was delicious. The only variation that we changed was we a couple of Thai Birds sliced in with the red pepper. And it was served it over Brown rice.
This will be a keeper base recipe to add and change up a little for a yummy seafood stew.
That is awesome! So glad you enjoyed it!
Make this without shrimp? I would just substitute chicken.Iknow this because I have a son with fish phobia.
Sure! I don’t see why not.