Easy Thai Shrimp Curry
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In this quick Thai-style shrimp curry, plump shrimp are simmered in a coconut sauce infused with aromatics and green curry paste.
This Thai-style shrimp curry is made by simmering plump shrimp in a fragrant coconut curry sauce infused with aromatics and fresh herbs. It’s quick and easy to make. In fact, if you keep shrimp in the freezer and a few Thai staples – like canned coconut milk, green curry paste, and fish sauce – in the pantry, you’re never more than 25 minutes away from this satisfying meal.
There’s plenty of sauce if you’d like to add some vegetables to round out the meal; carrots, bell peppers or snap peas would all be welcome additions (cook them separately and add them at the end). Serve the curry with jasmine rice for soaking up the plentiful sauce, and be sure to put the rice on first so that everything is ready at the same time.
Table of Contents
What You’ll Need to Make Shrimp Curry
- Onion, Scallions and Garlic: These aromatics form the flavor foundation for the sauce.
- Thai Green Curry Paste: This common Thai ingredient is made from a blend of lemongrass, galangal (a cousin of ginger), cumin, coriander root, Kaffir lime, and hot green chilies to name just a few. I use the Thai Kitchen brand. Note that different brands will have different levels of heat, so you may need more or less depending on the kind you use.
- Coconut Milk: A staple in many curry dishes, it’s essential to opt for full-fat coconut milk to achieve that rich texture and taste. However, be aware that canned coconut milk’s consistency can differ depending on the brand. I’ve consistently had great results with the Thai Kitchen brand. Don’t worry if the coconut milk looks solidified or separated when you open the can; it can be added to the recipe “broken” and then whisked back together into a creamy emulsion.
- Fish Sauce: This dark, pungent liquid used in Southeast Asian cooking doesn’t have a “fishy” taste, but rather a salty, savory flavor. If possible, buy a brand imported from Thailand or Vietnam, and don’t worry about buying a large bottleit keeps forever.
- Lime Juice: Brightens up the sauce with citrusy freshness.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-by-Step Instructions
Begin by cooking the onions until soft, about 3 minutes.
Add the scallions, garlic and green curry paste.
Cook a few minutes more.
Add the coconut milk, water, fish sauce and brown sugar, and bring to a gentle boil.
Add the shrimp.
Cook until the shrimp are pink and just cooked through, then stir in the lime juice and sprinkle with the fresh chopped cilantro.
Spoon into shallow bowls and serve with jasmine rice and lime wedges.
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Thai Shrimp Curry
In this quick Thai-style shrimp curry, plump shrimp are simmered in a coconut sauce infused with aromatics and green curry paste.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 small yellow onion, thinly sliced
- ⅓ cup thinly sliced scallions, white and green parts, from 4-5 scallions
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2½ tablespoons Thai green curry paste
- 1 (14-ounce) can coconut milk
- ¼ cup water
- 2 tablespoons fish sauce
- 1 tablespoon dark or light brown sugar
- 2 pounds large, extra large (26-30 per lb) or jumbo (21-25 per lb) shrimp, peeled and deveined (see note), thawed if frozen
- Juice of 1 lime (about 2 tablespoons), plus more lime wedges for serving
- ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro, Thai basil, or Italian basil (or a combination)
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring frequently, until soft, about 3 minutes. If the onions start to brown, reduce the heat to medium. Add the scallions, garlic, and green curry paste, and cook, stirring frequently, for 2 minutes more. Add the coconut milk, water, fish sauce, and sugar and bring to a gentle boil. Add the shrimp and cook, stirring frequently, until the shrimp are pink and just cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in the lime juice and sprinkle with the cilantro (or basil). Taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary, and serve with jasmine rice.
- Note: For the shrimp, I recommend buying frozen shrimp labeled “shell split and deveined.” Most shrimp are cleaned and flash frozen shortly after being caught, so the “fresh” shrimp you see in the seafood case at the supermarket are typically thawed frozen shrimp. Who knows how long they've been sitting there, so you’re better off buying frozen shrimp and defrosting it yourself. Come dinnertime, all you have to do is run the shrimp under water to defrost, and then peel.
Pair with
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (6 servings)
- Calories: 299
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated fat: 13 g
- Carbohydrates: 10 g
- Sugar: 3 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 23 g
- Sodium: 1372 mg
- Cholesterol: 191 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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Tried this recipe for dinner last night and it was a hit with my husband and teenage daughter. So easy to make and so delicious. I was unable to find any basil at the grocery so stuck with cilantro, but I will try again with basil next time as I think the basil would pair so nicely with the coconut milk. Every recipe I have tried from your website is a success. Thanks for sharing.
Five stars! This recipe was awesome – as are most of the ones I have tried from your website. Love your clear directions, photos and cooking hints. My favourite website! Thanks
Hey Jenn,
This is the third recipe I have tried after stumbling onto the blog? (Website) by accident and being so impressed with the step by step directions, pictures, your backstory and the fact that you talk to your mom everyday. I’m a big fan !!! The shrimp was perfect I already shared shared your newsletter with friend,
Thanks much!
Mindy D.
Thanks so much, Mindy! Glad you’re enjoying the recipes 🙂
You mentioned in the description that this meal is infused with lemongrass and ginger but those ingredients are not listed. How much should be added? Or do not use it?
Hi Martie, Those ingredients are in the Thai green curry paste, which makes the recipe very easy 🙂
This Thai shrimp recipe is delicious. I made it exactly as directed. Thanks for sharing this recipe. It was so easy and fast.
Would it be possible to substitute the fish sauce? Perhaps for ouster or soy sauce…I cannot find fish sauce at my supermarket for some reason.
Hi Sara, You can substitute soy sauce. The taste will still be good, just not quite the same — fish sauce has a very distinct flavor. If you like Thai food and want to cook it at home, it’s worth getting. You can order it online here: http://www.amazon.com/Tiparos-Fish-Sauce-Fl-Oz/dp/B002VNTWHQ
I did try it with oyster sauce that evening and it was fabulous. I will be bringing this one back to the table soon, thank you so much for the link!
Why do you specify full fat coconut milk? Is the taste of low fat too watered down?
Hi Suzy, Yes, that’s correct.
i am having a dinner party for 8 – what other dishes could I add
Hi Bernice, All you really need with the shrimp is plain jasmine rice and maybe a simple green vegetable. The sauce has so much flavor, and there’s a lot of it, so you don’t want too many competing dishes. That said, you could serve some fun Thai appetizers (like my Thai Minced Chicken Lettuce Wraps or Chicken Satay w/Peanut Sauce – see Ina’s recipe on Food Network). Or you could start with a Thai-Style salad (I love this one from Food & Wine: http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/thai-cucumber-salad-with-peanuts). For dessert, tropical flavors would be nice…check out my Coconut Dream Pie…and fresh sliced pineapple would also be delicious.
Delicious! Used whole can of green curry paste and low fat coconut milk. Shallots instead of onions and cooked shallots, garlic, added ginger, and most of scallions, added slivered yellow peppers and a few (whole) thai red chilis. Sauteed all then added curry paste for a few, then coconut milk, water, prob less than 2 TB fish sauce and added slivered carrots. Let simmer. Removed 2 of 3 thai chilis. Added shrimp and remaining scallions when ready to eat, then lots of fresh basil and cilantro and lime juice. Served over rice, with sauteed bok choy on the side. Versatile recipe. Would add mushrooms in future, too. Spicy, but so flavorful. Yum!
We don’t eat shellfish at our house, unfortunately. Have you tried this with chicken? Would the approach be the same? Many thanks!
Hi Amy, Chicken would be delicious but I’d go about it a little differently. I would start by stir-frying the chicken pieces in a little hot oil until slightly browned on the outside but still pink in the middle. Then set the chicken pieces aside and proceed with the onions and rest of recipe. When you add the partially cooked chicken to the sauce, it should only need a minute or two to cook through. Please come back and let me know how it turns out 🙂
This looks delicious! Would red curry paste work instead of green? (Red is what I have on hand)
Hi Ann, Yes, red curry paste will work. Hope you enjoy it!