Shrimp Curry

Jump to Recipe

Shrimp Curry is an easy, flavorful weeknight dinner! Shrimp simmered in a creamy red curry coconut sauce. Delicious over rice!

YOU GUYS. This Shrimp Curry is weeknight dinner perfection. Not only does it require minimal ingredients but it also comes together quickly and easily. And not to mention, it is packed full of flavor. You and your family is going to love this, trust me. Mine did. 

While many people may associate curry with Indian cuisine, this recipe was inspired by a visit to a local Thai restaurant. It’s a bit spicy thanks to the red curry paste but also has a subtle touch of sweetness from coconut milk. 

Let’s talk about what you’ll need to make it: 

Shrimp Curry Ingredients: 

• SHRIMP: Use medium sized shrimp for this recipe. They will be the perfect bite sized pieces. To learn how to peel and devein the shrimp, check out my how to peel and devein shrimp post. 
• OIL: A neutral oil to sauté the bell pepper and yellow onion. 
• GREEN BELL PEPPER: Won’t add any heat to the dish but will add color and crunch. 
• SERRANO PEPPER: This is optional as it will add a bit of heat. To remove some of the heat you can remove the ribs and seeds from the pepper. 
• YELLOW ONION 
• COCONUT MILK: You’ll want to use unsweetened coconut milk for this recipe. It will add a subtle touch of sweetness and also creaminess. 
• RED CURRY PASTE: A flavorful base for so many Thai curry dishes. It’s made with red peppers, garlic, salt, lemon grass and turmeric. It can be a bit spicy but not overwhelmingly so. You should be able to find it in the International aisle of the grocery store. 
• SESAME OIL: Will add a subtle nuttiness to the recipe. A little goes a long way so you’ll only need 1/2 teaspoon. 
• FISH SAUCE: Another common ingredient in Thai cooking. Fish sauce adds umami flavor. 
• GINGER
• SALT 
• COOKED RICE: Not necessary but I like to serve this over jasmine rice. 

Step by Step Photos and Instructions: 

Shrimp Curry is one of those recipes that comes together really quickly thanks to the fact that it doesn’t take long for shrimp to cook. It’s best to have everything prepped and ready to go when you start cooking. Follow along with these step by step photos and instructions to see how easy it is. 

• 

• 

• 

• 

STEP #1: Sauté onions, bell pepper and serrano (if using) in a skillet over medium heat just until the vegetables start to soften. This should take a few minutes. 

STEP #2: Add in the coconut milk, curry paste, sesame oil, fish sauce, ginger and salt. Cook 5 minutes or until thickened slightly. 

STEP #3: Add peeled and deveined shrimp the curry sauce. Cook 5 – 7 minutes or until shrimp are opaque and cooked through. 

STEP #4: Season to taste with salt and serve over rice. 

See how easy that is?! A deliciously flavorful dinner on the table in under 30! 

Storage and Leftovers: 

While you can refrigerate and reheat shrimp curry, I find that it is best eaten the day that it is made because reheating shrimp increases the risk for it to become overcooked. Overcooked shrimp is rubbery in texture. 

Recipe FAQ: 

Shrimp is one of my favorite proteins! You can do so many things with it. Here are some of my most popular shrimp recipes:

Shrimp Linguine with Tomatoes and Zucchini is one of my absolute favorite meals. Its a great summer-time pasta!

Shrimp Tacos with Cilantro Lime Sour Cream are a must make for your next taco night.

If you like crispy shrimp, you’ll LOVE this Cajun Popcorn Shrimp.

Note: Originally published in 2009. Updated in 2013 with a slightly modified recipe, new photos, step by step photos and nutrition information.