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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My daughter in law has a milk allergy, could I make this recipe with chicken broth?
We have had your original version many times and love it so I would like them too try it. Love your recipes, thank you
Hi Belva, Is it a coconut milk allergy or a regular milk allergy? Unfortunately, the recipe won’t work well with chicken broth. Sorry!
I made this last night with Jasmine rice and fresh peas, it was easy and very good, but very, very hot! I only used 2 tbsp. of curry paste and it was still burning our lips. Are there different types green curry pastes, maybe some hotter than others? Next time I will half the paste, but will definitely make this again.
Hi Mary, What brand did you use?
Delicious recipe. It was perfect with the Thai Basil Pesto I made recently.
Hi Jenn, I love all of your recipes! I am going to make this Thai Shrimp tonight. At the grocery store I could only find red curry paste, not the green paste. Will that make a big difference? Thanks, Kara
It will be fine, Kara. I’ve made it with both — both delicious 🙂
Went to the market to buy the ingredients and all I found was Thai red curry paste. They did not have the “green” one. I purchased it but wanted to ask you first if the “red” is ok to use? Thanks!
Abbie, The red curry paste will be delicious — either will work, they just have a little different flavor.
Hello, I enjoyed this curry so much,planning on cooking this for my friends and use chicken,but they can’t eat shrimp or fish,so what can I replace the fish sauce with,Thanks
Hi Betty, Glad you enjoyed! There is no great substitute for fish sauce — it has a very distinct flavor — but soy sauce might work. The flavor will be different but still good.
This is a wonderfully delicious recipe! Thank you for providing your talented recipies online for us.
I’m wondering if it is also good with sliced chicken breast when I am out of shrimp?
I suspect it is?
Thank you,
Laurie
Hi Laurie, Yes, I’m sure that would be delicious as well. If you try it, please come back and let me know how it turns out 🙂
Hi Jenn,
It turned out delicious in your curry sauce, but your shrimp is even tastier!
Thank you for your reply,
You’re the very best!
Fantastic recipe! Just a good as authentic Thai restaurant curry.
My husband doesn’t like coconut, does this have a coconut flavor, or could I substitute something else. The big problem is I Love coconut! ! Help
Hi Karen, Unfortunately for your husband, this one is full of coconut flavor, and there’s no good substitute. You’ll enjoy it though 🙂
I’m planning on trying this but I have 1 question. You mention the frozen shrimp in stores as being split and deveined. My local store sells them this way however there appears to be a second vein on the shrimp. They are cut on the outside and deveined there but there is a second dark “vein” on the inside of the shrimp. Shouldn’t that be removed also?
Hi Jim, It’s optional — I remove it if the shrimp are very large and the vein is really noticeable.