This creamy, aromatic Thai Shrimp Coconut Curry is the perfect restaurant-quality weeknight dinner for seafood lovers. It is filled with authentic East Asian flavors and it is easy to make. Serve with coconut rice, jasmine rice, egg fried rice or noodles.
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It's a well-known fact that I LOVE seafood and I LOVE Thai food. Thai cuisine happens to be one of my favorite cuisines and I can’t tell you the number of Thai restaurants I have been to. This Thai Coconut Curry, Massaman curry and Shrimp Pineapple Fried Rice are some of my favorite dishes. I decided to bring my love for Thai food and shrimp into my home kitchen with this super easy but delicious curry recipe.
Curries are pretty much a staple dish in Thai Cuisine. There are so many curry varieties, and it can be overwhelming! The curries come in different colors and have very different flavor profiles. Curry paste is used to make Thai curries, and the curry pastes make the difference between each type of curry. Each curry paste has its own flavor profile and uses different ingredients. Popular Thai curries include Green curry, Red curry, Massaman curry and more!
This recipe includes red curry paste, coconut milk and other tasty ingredients. I love serving this restaurant-quality dish on special occasions and at dinner parties.
If you like this recipe, you will love my Spicy Mauritius Prawn Rougaille, Jamaican Curry Shrimp Recipe and Rasta Pasta with Jerk Shrimp Recipe.
Shrimp Thai Curry Ingredients
The ingredients for this recipe are very easy to find in most supermarkets and stores. You are going to need the following:
- Shrimp: Use uncooked fresh or frozen shrimp. If you are using frozen shrimp, allow it to defrost before use. Alternatively, you can use mixed seafood to make a seafood curry instead. A mix of shrimp, mussels, scallops and oysters will create a delicious seafood curry.
- Green capsicum pepper: Use fresh green peppers, deseed and chop them evenly.
- Red capsicum pepper: Use fresh red peppers—Deseed peppers and chop.
- Onion: Add white onions to this recipe.
- Garlic cloves: Use either fresh garlic cloves or store-bought chopped garlic.
- Ginger: Use fresh ginger or shop-bought ginger paste.
- Curry powder: Feel free to use mild curry powder or hot curry powder, depending on how spicy you want the curry to be.
- Coconut milk: Many Thai curries use coconut milk as the main base; therefore, coconut milk is an essential ingredient for this recipe. Good quality full-fat coconut milk will deliver the flavor but if you want something healthier, try experimenting with low-fat coconut milk. Remember that the taste will differ slightly if you opt for low-fat coconut milk.
- Thai red curry paste: As this is a red Thai curry, you will need red Thai curry paste. You can find this in most supermarkets, but if you have trouble finding them at major supermarkets, try looking at specialty Asian stores or order online.
- Soy sauce: Add either dark or light soy sauce.
- Vegetable/sunflower oil: You only need a small amount.
How to Make Thai Curry Shrimp
- The first step is to cook the shrimp. Heat some oil in a pan, add shrimp and season with some soy sauce. Cook shrimp for 2-3 minutes on both sides or until done. You will know the shrimp is done once it turns pink. Once done, remove shrimp from the pan and set aside for later.
- Next, add chopped onions, chopped red capsicum peppers and green peppers to the same pan and cook on medium heat for 2-3 minutes. Once done, remove from the pan and set aside for later.
- Add crushed garlic and minced ginger to the same pan and cook until the garlic and ginger is fragrant. Then, add Thai Curry paste and curry powder. Allow to curry to cook for at least 1 minute and stir. Pour in the coconut milk, add soy sauce and stir. Cook the curry on low to medium heat and stir occasionally. After 5-7 minutes, the curry should have thickened.
- Next, add the shrimp, capsicum peppers and onions back into the pan and stir until everything is well combined. Once the curry is ready, add fresh chilies, a few wedges of lime and garnish with cilantro.
- Finally, serve the authentic Thai shrimp curry with coconut rice, jasmine rice, egg fried rice or noodles.
Top Tips
- Shrimp: Large shrimps work best for this recipe however, you can use medium or small shrimps instead. Make sure you add more. I used fresh shrimp for this recipe but feel free to use frozen shrimp if you don't have fresh shrimp. If you are using frozen shrimp, then defrost them before cooking. Do not overcook the shrimp, as they will become rubbery and chewy.
- Vegetables: Feel free to customize your Thai shrimp curry with vegetables by adding broccoli, finely diced carrots and green peas. This will add even more flavor and color to this dish.
- Red Thai curry paste: Use good-quality red curry paste for this recipe for the best results!
- Storage: The Thai shrimp red curry can be refrigerated in an airtight container for 3-4 days.
FAQs
Red curry paste usually includes crushed red chilies, shallots, garlic, lemongrass and blue ginger.
Thai red curry paste is considered to be the spiciest of all Thai curry types. This is because it includes a lot of red chilies compared to other paste types. If you are worried about the spice level, consider using a milder curry paste or using a small amount of red curry paste in your recipe.
A major difference between Thai green curry and Thai red curry is that Thai green curry is made with green chilies, while Thai red curry is made with red chilies. There are also some differences in the ingredients that are used to make both curries.
Easy Thai Shrimp Coconut Curry
Equipment
- Pan
- chopping board
- knife
Ingredients
- 1.5 cups of shrimp
- 1 green capsicum pepper
- 1 red capsicum pepper
- ¾ onion sliced
- 2 garlic cloves chopped
- 2 teaspoon ginger
- 2 tablespoon curry powder
- 1 can coconut milk
- 2 tablespoon thai red curry paste
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- Vegetable/sunflower oil
- 1-3 red chilies
- Cilantro/Coriander
- Lime wedgdes
Instructions
- Cook shrimp: Heat a splash of oil in a pan. Add shrimp, season with a splash of soy sauce and cook for 2-3 minutes or until done. Once done remove shrimp from the pan and set aside for later.
- Stir fry vegetables: Next, add onions, red capsicum peppers and green peppers to the same pan and cook on a medium heat for 2-3 minutes. Once done, remove from the pan.
- Thai Curry: Add garlic and ginger to the same pan and a bit more oil if necessary. Cook until you can smell the aroma of the garlic and ginger. Then, add Thai Curry paste and curry powder. Cook and stir for at least 1 minute. Pour in the coconut milk, add soy sauce and stir. Cook the curry on a low to medium heat and stir from time to time. After 5-7 minutes the curry should have thickened.
- Shrimp Thai Curry: Next add the shrimp, capsicum peppers and onions back into the pan and stir until everything is well combined. Leave to simmer for a couple more minutes. Once the curry is ready add chopped fresh chilies, a few wedges of lime and garnish with cilantro. Serve curry with coconut rice, jasmine rice, egg fried rice or noodles.
Notes
- Shrimp: Large shrimps work best for this recipe however, you can use medium or small shrimps instead just make sure you add more. I used fresh shrimp for this recipe but feel free to use frozen shrimps if you don't have fresh shrimps. If you are using frozen shrimp then make sure you defrost them before cooking. Do not overcook the shrimp as they will become rubbery and chewy.
- Vegetables: Customise your curry by adding other vegetables such as broccoli, finely diced carrots and green peas. This will add even more flavor and color to this dish.
- Red Thai curry paste: Use good-quality red curry paste for this recipe for the best results!
- Storage: The Thai shrimp curry can be refrigerated in an airtight container for 3-4 days.
Marta
This is going to be a repeat recipe me many times over. The coconut flavor in this Thai shrimp curry was really what sealed it for me. It made it creamy without overpowering the other tasty flavors in this dish. So good!
Stephanie
My husband is a shrimp lover and this recipe definitely hit the spot. The layers of flavor were heavenly and it had just the right amount of spice. Will definitely be making this again.
Crystal
WOW!!!!! This was amazing! Perfect weeknight meal too! The coconut cream added a hint of sweetness to balance out the spices in the curry. Loved it!
Tamara
This was absolutely delicious! I had some shrimp that I needed to use, and found your recipe. I will definitely be making this again very soon!
Marcus Avery
This was such a quick dish to make and it was packed with so much flavor. I'll be making this again!
Immaculate
I had some mixed vegetables that I needed to use. The best decision I made was picking up some shrimps and making this curry sauce. Love it!
Dee Moore
I love the taste of Thai Curry and I enjoyed pairing it with shrimp. This recipe was so delicious and perfect for a weeknight meal.
Jessica
This was surprisingly quick and easy to make and so full of flavor. We really enjoyed it and will be making it again. Thank you for a wonderful recipe!
Robin
I always enjoy a good curry recipe and this one did not disappoint.
Jazz
This was such a flavorful dish. We enjoyed for dinner last night and I had to let you know that I'll be making it again!
Lisa
How do you recommend re heating this curry since it has shrimp (if you make it in advance for a dinner)?
Jen Sim
Hi Lisa, it can be heated in the microwave or on low heat on the stove.
Helan
Thanks for sharing this amazing recipe.my family loved it.will be sharing this recipe with my friends.they will like it.