Thai Coconut Curry Shrimp
Plump shrimp simmered in a creamy red curry and coconut sauce with peppers and spinach. A fragrant, restaurant-style curry ready in 25 minutes.
40% of it needs you at the counter
- Hands-on
- 10 min
- Cooking
- 15 min
- Serves
- 4
- Calories
- 335
- Protein
- 26 g
- Per serving
- $3.46
Why this recipe works
A jar of good Thai red curry paste is a weeknight superpower. It brings dozens of ingredients' worth of flavor, so this curry tastes like it simmered for hours.
- Frying the curry paste in oil for a minute releases its aromatics before the coconut milk goes in.
- Shrimp poach gently in the sauce for just 3 minutes, so they stay tender.
- Fish sauce, lime and a little sugar balance salty, sour and sweet the way Thai curries do.
Ingredients
To serve
You will need
- Large deep skillet
Method
Tap a step number to mark it done.
Fry the curry paste
Heat the oil in the skillet over medium heat. Add the curry paste and stir for 1 minute until fragrant.
Simmer the sauce
Whisk in the coconut milk, add the bell pepper, and simmer until the pepper is just tender and the sauce has thickened slightly.
Cook the shrimp
Add the shrimp and simmer until pink and curled.
Finish
Stir in the spinach until wilted, then the fish sauce, sugar and lime juice. Taste and adjust, then serve over rice with herbs.
Techniques in this recipe
Raw Done: loose C Over: tight O When is shrimp done?
Shrimp are done when they turn pink and opaque and curl into a loose C. A tight O means overcooked and rubbery.
Read the full guide
Cook's notes
- Red curry pastes vary a lot in heat; start with 1½ tablespoons if you are unsure of your brand.
- Shake the can of coconut milk well, or whisk it smooth, so the sauce is creamy.
- Nutrition covers the curry only; add about 205 calories per cup of cooked rice.
Nutrition per serving
335 calories
$3.46 estimated cost per serving
Where the calories come from
| Protein | 29% of calories | 26 g |
|---|---|---|
| Carbs | 8% of calories | 7 g |
| Fat | 63% of calories | 25 g |
| Fiber | 1 g | |
| Sodium | 510 mg |
Calculated from USDA FoodData Central values for the listed ingredients and amounts; not lab-tested. Cost estimated from average US retail prices.
Questions people ask
Can I use light coconut milk?
You can, but the sauce will be thinner and less rich. Simmer it a few minutes longer to thicken.
Is this curry gluten-free?
Most Thai curry pastes and fish sauces are gluten-free, but check the labels, as some brands add wheat.
Can I use chicken instead?
Yes. Use 1¼ pounds of thinly sliced chicken thighs and simmer them for 8 to 10 minutes until cooked through before adding the spinach.
