Easy Coconut Shrimp Curry Recipe

Name: Easy Coconut Shrimp Curry
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 1 Tbsp olive oil; 1 cup finely chopped onion; 1/2 teaspoon mild yellow curry powder; Pinch of ground cardamom or the seeds from 1 cardamom pod, crushed; 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt; 1 cup canned coconut milk (use regular coconut milk NOT light); 1/4 cup water; 1 pound raw, peeled, deveined shrimp (with or without tail); Cilantro for garnish

Coconut shrimp curry is one of those quick and easy weeknight dishes. Unadorned, but so satisfying. This shrimp curry is convenient too, if you, like me, happen to keep a bag of shrimp in the freezer and a can of coconut milk in the pantry. You can cook this whole coconut shrimp curry dish in 30 minutes or less, and that's starting with frozen shrimp!

Choosing Coconut Milk for This Shrimp Curry Recipe

I made a momentous discovery while working on this recipe. The first batch we made ended up too thick, so we thought, why not use light coconut milk instead? Disaster. It tasted horrible.

We then did a taste test comparing regular coconut milk to the light variety in their cans. The regular coconut milk was lovely, rich, and coconut-y. The light coconut milk? Coconut flavored milk of magnesia.

So, I recommend, if you are even considering using light coconut milk for this recipe, that you do a taste test before making the sauce. Just pull out half a spoonful from an opened can. Compare it with regular coconut milk. You want the best tasting coconut milk for this shrimp curry recipe or any recipe that calls for it!

What to Do With Leftover Coconut Milk

This recipe calls for 1 cup of coconut milk so you'll have some left in the can. We have suggestions for keeping the rest from going to waste.

15 Recipes to Use Up Canned Coconut Milk

More Quick and Easy Shrimp Recipes

Easy Coconut Shrimp Curry

Prep Time 10 mins

Cook Time 25 mins

Total Time 35 mins

Servings 4 servings

To thaw frozen shrimp, place shrimp in a large bowl, cover with cold, lightly salted water. Add a couple of ice cubes. Let sit for 15 minutes until defrosted.

This is a basic shrimp curry recipe. Please feel free to dress it up. Add chopped celery or bell pepper to the onions and/or fresh ginger or diced tomatoes. Experiment with the curry spices you are using.

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup finely chopped onion
1/2 teaspoon mild yellow curry powder
Pinch ground cardamom or the seeds from 1 cardamom pod, crushed
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup well-shaken canned coconut milk (use regular, not light)
1/4 cup water
1 pound raw, peeled, deveined shrimp (with or without tail)
Cilantro, for garnish

If you're using frozen shrimp and haven't already defrosted it, do that while you prepare the sauce. The shrimp will be thawed and ready to cook by the time the sauce is done.

Sauté the onion and seasonings:

Heat olive oil in a medium sized sauté pan on medium heat. Add the chopped onion. Cook until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the curry powder, cardamom, and salt. Cook for 2 more minutes.

Elise Bauer

Elise Bauer
Add the coconut milk and water:

Add the coconut milk and water, simmer for 5 to 10 minutes.

Elise Bauer

Elise Bauer
Add the shrimp:

Add the shrimp to the curry sauce and spread out evenly in the pan. Simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the shrimp has turned from grey to pink and is just cooked through. Do not overcook or the shrimp will be rubbery.

Elise Bauer

Elise Bauer

Serve with cilantro for garnish. Serve with basmati rice or better yet, coconut basmati rice.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
302	Calories
18g	Fat
9g	Carbs
28g	Protein

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories	302
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 18g	22%
Saturated Fat 12g	59%
Cholesterol 239mg	80%
Sodium 1241mg	54%
Total Carbohydrate 9g	3%
Dietary Fiber 1g	3%
Total Sugars 3g
Protein 28g
Vitamin C 4mg	18%
Calcium 128mg	10%
Iron 2mg	14%
Potassium 415mg	9%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.