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Easy Thai Shrimp Curry
In this quick shrimp curry, shrimp are simmered in a fragrant Thai coconut sauce infused with fresh herbs.
This shrimp curry is my husband Michael’s favorite Thai dish. Plump shrimp are simmered in a rich and fragrant coconut sauce infused with green chilies and fresh herbs. It sounds exotic but it’s super easy to make. In fact, with just a few essentials in your pantry, you’re never more than 25 minutes away from this delicious meal, alive with the vibrant flavors of Thailand. Serve with jasmine rice, and be sure to put the rice on first so that everything is ready at the same time.
What you’ll need to make shrimp curry
Before we get to the recipe, a few words about the ingredients. First, you’ll need Thai green curry paste, which 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 like the Thai Kitchen brand, which is readily available at most large supermarkets. If you don’t see it, ask — the bottles are very small and sometimes hard to spot.
Second, you’ll need coconut milk; any brand will do, as long as it’s not low fat. And, finally, you’ll need fish sauce, which is a dark, pungent liquid used in Southeast Asian cooking. Contrary to what you might expect, it doesn’t have a “fishy” taste, but rather a salty, savory flavor. If possible, buy a brand imported from Thailand or Vietnam (I use Tiparos), and don’t worry about buying a large bottle — it keeps forever.
How to make shrimp curry
Begin by stir-frying the onions until soft, about 3 minutes.
Add the scallions, garlic and green curry paste.
Stir-fry 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.
Stir in the chopped cilantro.
Spoon into shallow bowls and serve with jasmine rice and lime wedges. Fresh sliced pineapple makes a delicious and refreshing dessert.
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Thai Shrimp Curry
In this quick shrimp curry, shrimp are simmered in a fragrant Thai coconut sauce infused with fresh herbs.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 cup thinly sliced onions, from one small onion
- 1/3 cup chopped scallions, white and green parts, from 4-5 scallions
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2-1/2 tablespoons Thai green curry paste
- 1 (14-ounce) can coconut milk
- 1/4 cup water
- 2 tablespoons fish sauce
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 2 pounds large, extra large or jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined (see note), thawed if frozen
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro, Thai basil or Italian basil (or a combination)
- Lime wedges, for serving
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 stir-fry for 2 minutes more. Add the coconut milk, water, fish sauce and brown sugar and bring to a gentle boil. Add the shrimp and cook, stirring frequently, until the shrimp are pink and just cooked through, 3-4 minutes. Sprinkle with the cilantro (or basil) and serve with jasmine rice and lime wedges.
- 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 is typically thawed frozen shrimp. Who knows how long it’s been sitting there, so you’re better off buying frozen and defrosting it yourself. Come dinnertime, all you have to do is run it under warm water to defrost, 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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Like others, I modified the recipe a bit. I added one each yellow, red and green bell pepper, mushroom and fresh ginger. I exchanged the water for some chicken stock. And since I increased the volume with veggies, I doubled the curry and fish sauce and increased the garlic. This was my first time making a Thai dish. It was absolutely delicious! I will definitely make it again. Maybe try chicken.
So…ummm…where’s the lemongrass and ginger? It’s missing from the ingredients yet mentioned in the recipe description!!
Hi Faith, Sorry for the confusion — the recipe doesn’t actually have ginger or lemongrass, but the green curry paste that the recipe calls for has that. Hope that clarifies! 🙂
This was very good! Thank you for sharing.
Regarding your description of the recipe….. no mention of Lemongrass in the recipe?
Hi Glenn, Sorry for any confusion — I don’t actually use lemongrass in the recipe, but the green curry paste that the recipe calls for has that. Hope that clarifies!
This was really good. I used some info from Thai Shrimp Curry on Epicurious that I made before. Here are my changes: Epi wanted 1 C chicken broth, this called for 1/4 C water – I used 1/2C chicken broth. Next time, no water or broth. Found the green curry too mild so I added some red curry -still mild so maybe all red curry next time. Added red bell pepper strips and frozen peas & corn (always in the curry at the Thai restaurant) for more vegs. Since I am growing Thai basil I added a bunch of leaves to the curry & also chopped some for a garnish. All in all, a very good base recipe.
PS Loved the Thai Chicken Curry recipe on this site.
Why is your page set up without an easy option to print the recipe?
Hi Etienne, There is an option to print the recipe — when you’re viewing the full recipe, look in the upper righthand corner of that box – you’ll see an icon there that looks like a printer. Select that and it will print the recipe. Hope that clarifies!
Flavors are spot on and just like the dish we order at our favorite Thai restaurant. If we wanted to add some spice to it – what would you recommend? Thanks for another terrific meal.
Hi Lisa, Glad you enjoyed! You could add Sriracha or red pepper flakes for more heat.
Hi Jenn,
Your recipes are WONDERFUL!
We are planning a cookout at a park for a friend’s birthday and she wants curry shrimp on the barbie. Is there a way to do that with this recipe? Should I make it at home and just wrap it in foil to “reheat” on the grill at the park? Thanks in advance for your help!
Hi Karen, So happy you like the recipes! I think this will be hard to reheat on the grill, as it’s very saucy. I wonder if this recipe from Food & Wine might be easier for a cookout?
This is the first review I’ve ever given on any cooking site and I just felt I had to because this was so easy and delicious. I really had doubts after adding the fish sauce because of the odd smell —
I’ve never used it before — but it really added a lot of flavor. It tastes as good as any Thai I’ve had in a restaurant.
I love this recipe! Usually, I substitute the shrimp with cod or sole fillets and add bell peppers and eggplant – absolutely amazing. Can’t go wrong with coconut curry and thai curry paste!
Very excited to make this! Before I do, however, I need to ensure I am buying the right ingredients. Am I using sweetened or unseeetened coconut milk? Thanks, in advance!
Hi Heather, It’s unsweetened coconut milk. Hope you enjoy it!
This is a great dish that even my fickle eaters (kids) love! I made this for guests and they raved about it. I followed the recipe as is and served it with rice and it was perfecto!
I assume that chicken breasts are an easy substitution, right? Any guidance on that?
Hi Mary, Chicken would work, but I’d go about it a bit differently. First, stir-fry the chicken pieces in a little hot oil until they’re slightly browned on the outside but still pink in the middle. Set the chicken pieces aside and proceed with the onions and rest of recipe. When you add the chicken to the sauce, it should only need 1 – 2 minutes to cook through. Enjoy!
This dish is absolutely amazing. My husband and I make this quite often, sometimes with chicken, red peppers and mushroom. Thanks for sharing it! Love it!!!
I’m new to Thai food, and I was hesitant – thinking it might be too spicy. Sadly, it didn’t have enough spice, and it was far too sweet.
I have made this several times with several variations – red or green curry paste (Thai Kitchen, at Walmart), shrimp or chicken. I only use 1/2 tsp fish sauce (2T is too strong for us). I also generally use 1 – 1.5 lbs chicken or shrimp, and make up the rest w/ vegetables (sliced bell pepper, water chestnuts, carrots, whatever) which I cook w/ the onions. And I’ve added “Start rice” as my first instruction (because otherwise I forget until I’m setting the meal on the table, lol). Thank you!
Delicious! I might purée the sauce next time, as I like it super smooth with no onion chunks.
Fantastic! Fast and very easy. My husband LOVES this dish.
This is the best recipe ever! I have made it at least a dozen times…NEVER fails, and super easy. 5 stars!
Hi Jenn – Can you use parsely instead of the cilantro or basil?
Sure, Laura – it will give you a slightly different taste, but will still be good. Enjoy!
Made this last night, turned out to be the best Thai dish i ever had!! Here is my twist to the recipe. I used two spoons of extra virgin organic coconut oil instead of vegetable oil. Just before adding the coconut milk, i added thin vertically sliced red pepper. Instead of brown sugar i added palm sugar. I also added shrimp with shells on. The shell part adds extra flavor. While boiling i also added handful of sliced mushrooms. As for the green curry paste, i was generous and added two red crushed Thai peppers while boiling. The dish came out astro-fablous!! I loved it!!
Delicious and so easy to make!
Wow! Seriously easy & absolutely delicious! My hubby and I thought this was better than our local Thai restaurants. Recipe was easy & came together fast for a weeknight meal. I served with jasmine rice recipe on your site. Perfect!!!
Hi Jenn! Loved this recipe and so easy to make! I recently saw the recipe on your Instagram feed, and noticed you mentioned it was infused with lemongrass and ginger. Is there an update to this recipe? That sounds even better if so!
Hi Stephanie, The lemongrass is actually an ingredient in the curry paste. Sorry for the confusion!
Jenn, if I wanted to make thai green curry chicken to serve with rice, should I use this recipe or the one for mussels in your cookbook but make it with chicken? Thank you!
Hi Janet, I’d use this one. I’d love to know how it turns out!
this was a tasty and worthwhile meal–will definitely make again. I let the sauce simmer for longer because multitasking and added a small bit of ginger based on some reviews. instead of just pineapple slices, this harried parent had a frozen pina colada which worked just fine, especially with the hot day!
🙂 Glad you enjoyed!
Would like a recipe for carrot muffins.
Love your blueberry muffin recipe.
Thank you.
Hi Marie, Glad you like the blueberry muffins! If you like muffins with carrots, you should give this one a try (it’s got lots of other ingredients too, but plenty of carrots). Hope you enjoy if you try them!
This is delicious but as with all curries, it needs more time to reduce and meld flavours. I recommend simmering the sauce at least one hour before adding the shrimp.
Hi Jenn!! Love your recipes and bought your book!! You’re my go-to!!
Question- I’m trying to watch calories. Is there any reason I can’t use light coconut milk? I know it probably won’t be as good as full fat – but will it curdle etc?
Hi Erika, so glad you like the recipes! 🙂 The light coconut milk will water the flavors down a bit and make the dish less rich, but it won’t curdle or ruin it. I’d love to hear how it turns out!
Update: ok. Calculated the calories and macros for the recipe and 4 servings (regular coconut milk vs light coconut milk). The difference was approx 87 calories and 9g fat. So I decided to make the full fat version (Bc the difference was acceptable for me). And I’m glad I did. The sauce was already thin and it would have been even thinner. Thank you for another keeper!!!!
Glad you enjoyed it!
This may be a new favorite. I’ve tried recipes from other blogs and they are usually good, but yours are always great. Thank you for continuing to offer easy, delicious meals.
We make this often in our house. It’s delicious! The first time I made this was for a Thai dinner party I had. It was a huge hit! I have since given the recipe out to everyone that attended. And now it’s a regular meal in their homes. Your recipes NEVER disappoint! I can’t wait to order the cookbook!
I found the green paste!!🙌🏾
Just cleaning out our bowls from this meal. Perfect flavor & temp for the babes. Husband & I spiked ours with some crushed red & a bit of ginger garlic paste. Per usual, amazing recipe & result. Cannot wait to make this again 💜
Wow!!! Absolutely amazing!!
Wonderful recipe! I did not have fresh cilantro, so I added some coriander powder after the onions were sauteed. I also used coconut oil instead. Thank you!
Oh and also left out the sugar because we eliminated sugar, dairy and modern wheat.
I made this soup for a very particular client I cook for. The only difference in my ingredient list was I used unrefined virgin coconut oil instead of vegetable oil, and I added bamboo shoots. It was AMAZING! It was so good that he requested it the following week and I made it for my own family twice afterwards. It is easy and delicious. Anyone can make this soup. Try it, you will not be disappointed.
Hi Jen, do you know if the curry paste loses flavor when stored for a while in the fridge? Thai food is one of my favorite cuisines, but this dish turned out very bland for me. Was wondering if it could have been the paste since it wasn’t opened fresh for this recipe (I used the same kind in your photos). I’m asking because your recipes are always a slam dunk in our house, so I wonder if something went wrong.
Hi Katie, Sorry this wasn’t a hit for you. I think the curry paste should last quite a while – did you use the full amount, as well as the fish sauce and brown sugar? The fish sauce adds all of the salt so if that’s omitted or reduced, the dish would definitely be bland.
I made the green curry mussel dish from your cookbook and it was delicious, so I decided to give this one another go (since I noticed some similarities between the two recipes). I clearly did something wrong the first time around, it was MUCH better this time. I think something went wrong with my curry paste before maybe… not sure. But it was definitely a hit on the second go, and so easy!
Made this last night, it was a bit mild for my taste. So I decided to add chopped cilantro, thin green bell pepper strips and bamboo shoots. My family loved it….I prefer mine to be a bit spicier so I added red chili flakes. Will make again. Thank you for sharing your recipe.
will try this!
We made this recipe last night and thought it was delicious, however, the flavor was a bit mild. Next time, I will make it with thin strips of chicken instead of shrimp and will add some peapods and red pepper for crunch. Really did enjoy this and look forward to enhancing it!
Flavor was a little too mild. Would also like to figure out a vegetable to incorporate to make it a fully balanced meal.
Love Trader Joe’s curry sauces!
Sooo good! Flavors are so fresh and vibrant. Not to mention that it’s easy to put together. Will definitely be making this again :).
Another outstanding recipe Jenn! Made recipe exactly and paired with jasmine rice. I could have eaten the whole thing by myself!
I have tried that brand of red curry and I like it but I have never tried the green one. Is it even more spicy? I’ve tried a different brand of Thai green curry paste to make your Thai chicken noodle soup, and it was way too spicy for me. So I thought I’d ask before I try to buy this brand of curry for this recipe.
Hi Danielle, To me the spice level is about the same but I think it probably depends on the brand. Have you tried Thai Kitchen?
Soooo good! Better than anything I’ve had in a Thai restaurant. I made it with chicken since that’s what I had on hand. I also used Jenn’s stir fry technique from her Chinese Vegetable recipe and added in broccoli, peppers, mushrooms and green beans. Served with jasmine rice. My toddler, husband and parents finished it all with a request for a repeat ASAP. I highly recommend making this immediately
Like Elizabeth, I did the recipe using Chicken (will try Shrimp next time). My wife loved this truly wonderful, authentic Thai meal (thanks as always, Jenn)! Looking forward to your cookbook! Malcolm
Hello!
I don’t remember how I discovered your site but I am so glad I did. I made the Thai Shrimp Curry last night and it was AMAZING!! I added eggplant and red pepper and the feeling of love and creativity I feel when I prepare a delicious dinner for my family is everything to me. I am so thankful for your talent/gift and appreciate you sharing with all of us.
While I’m here, I also made the chocolate chip, sour cream coffee cake and again…AMAZING!! Thank you and Congratulations on your new book!
😊 Thanks, Catrice – so glad you’re enjoying the recipes!
This was amazing!
Easy and excellent! My husband loved it!
My husband does not care too much for Shrimp but likes it the Thai way. I go for the red curry paste since my family likes a bit of spice. I add lemongrass since I have a tree and it gives an extra depth of flavor. Thanks for all the wonderful recipes. Carmalita
This is one of my favourite versatile curry recipes! I’ve made it with shrimp (obviously) but also tofu or even sliced chicken thighs. I also often add some mushrooms (or red peppers) and usually leave out the brown sugar (diabetic family members). I know all the changes make it seem like a different recipe but I think these are the best recipes where you can start from an idea and then make it work with slightly different variations over and over.
Made this again last night and, again, it was a HIT! My hubby and 2 daughters devoured their servings and wondered why I didn’t make more 🙂
Just some minor mods because of what I had on hand…swapped out red curry paste for green, and added red & orange bell peppers and thinly sliced carrots (peeled w/ potato peeler). I timed myself this time, and indeed everything was done in under 25 min. Thanks again!
Hi there, recipe looks delicious although I haven’t tried yet. If I cook on a Sunday is it possible to freeze and eat later in the week? Or even a few weeks later?
I don’t recommend freezing this dish, Sally-ann — sorry!
We LOVE this recipe and made just a small tweak so that we CAN freeze it. Just leave out the shrimp, freezing just the sauce. Then it’s simple to thaw the sauce and cook the shrimp fresh — or we “cheat” and buy pre-cooked frozen shrimp. We thaw the sauce and the shrimp, then heat up the sauce in a saucepan and throw the shrimp into the sauce just long enough to warm up the shrimp. One might argue that this version does not allow the shrimp to absorb any flavor, but when the shrimp is COVERED in delicious sauce, does the shrimp itself really need to have absorbed anything? : )
So, to recap, our method: 1) make triple batch of sauce. 2) mix third of sauce with shrimp to eat that night. 3) freeze two bags of sauce and buy two bags/portions of frozen shrimp. 4) have two more delicious dinners with no measuring/chopping/etc.
THANK YOU!!
I do the same with a creamy cajun recipe which has way too many fresh ingredients to make for only a serving or two.
I make a batch for 20 servings, freeze in bags and then I simmer with shrimp, salmon, sausage, whatever. In that recipe I use red bell pepper and portabella mushrooms and they freeze just fine.
Will do the same with this recipe. Thanks for the idea!
Can even have cooked rice frozen in bags. Totally awesome dinner in less than 10 minutes and zero clean up 🙂
I felt like this was a dish from an excellent restaurant!!! So freakin’ good!!! I used sesame oil, but followed everything else, and it was fabulous! Can’t wait to try more of your recipes 🙂
Very good. i added a whole bag of frozen Asian style vegetables. All other ingredients were perfect. Thanks again, love your recipes.
Amazing!!! SIMPLY AMAZING!!!!! This is the second recipe I’ve used in one week. I had to write a review. The recipes are so easy to follow and ingredients can be found in ANY supermarket. My son and husband are eating their second helping of Thai Curry Shrimp as I type this review. Thank you so much for sharing your gift Jen. Thank you for the step by step pictures so I know I’m following your instructions correctly.
I’m grateful for your children for without them, you would still be a chef in a 5star restaurant. Now we have the chef in our home.
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This recipe was very simple to make! I added about a tbsp of rice wine vinegar and substituted white sugar because that’s all I had on hand. Not sure if it was my brand of fish sauce I used, but 2 tbsp was a bit overpowering. Next time I’ll add the fish sauce a teaspoon at a time for taste.
Great recipe; really easy with great flavors. I find fish sauce a little strong so only 1 Tbsp for us, otherwise followed the recipe to a T.
This is my go-to recipe for Thai Shrimp Curry. Sometimes I up the vegetables by adding a bag of those steam-in-the-bag stir fry vegetables just before serving. I personally omit the sugar… still delicious.
Could I add some fresh ginger to this recipe?
Hi Barbara Jean, the Thai green curry paste already contains ginger, so I don’t really think it’s necessary; that said, if you want to add a little, feel free.
Excellent. I love that this has easy to find ingredients, too. We will be making this again. Works well with shrimp, of course, also works well with a seafood mix or with chicken.
This recipe was so good!!! I added some red and orange bell peppers to it. I will definitely be making this again 🙂
I absolutely loved the ease and deliciousness of this recipe. I just wish it were healthier.
This recipe is easy, quick and absolutely delicious! I did cut back on the fish sauce a bit for personal taste – I’d suggest using 1 tablespoon and tasting before adding more. All in all, an excellent recipe.
We LOVE this recipe and have made it many times. My husband wants me to try it and substitute thinly sliced flat iron steak for shrimp. Could I do this? Just put it in raw when I would have put in the raw shrimp?
Hi Grey, I think that would work as if it’s very thinly sliced, it will cook quickly. I’d love to hear how it turns out!
WOW! I made this Thursday night (I used chicken, instead of shrimp), but it was delicious! Better than my favorite take out place! This one is a keeper for sure!!!! Thank you so much for this wonderful dish!
I have red curry paste in the fridge. Can I substitute for the green? When should red curry paste be used?
Hi Barbara, The red curry paste will be delicious — either the red or green work, they just have a little different flavor. Enjoy!
Hi Jenn,
If I were to make this for a progressive dinner party, could I make it at home and reheat on stovetop at the host’s home.
Thanks for the awesome recipes!
Sure, Kelly. You might just undercook it a bit so that the shrimp don’t overcook when you reheat it. Hope everyone enjoys it!
Your recipe looks delicious! I love Thai coconut curry anything! My husband and I are trying to keep our carbs down, so have you ever tried it over zucchini noodles? If not, I wonder if anyone else has and if it would be good.
Personally, I haven’t tried this over zucchini noodles. I’d love to hear how it turns out if you use them here!
To keep carbs down, try over riced cauliflower. Yum!
This recipe is SO incredibly easy and absolutely delicious! I’ve made it three times so far. The only things I change is the amount of shrimp…there are only three of us so I use a little over a pound and sometimes I serve it over rice noodles. I also found out the Thai Kitchen brand is so far my favorite curry paste to use. Make this dish…it does not disappoint!
This recipe is absolutely delicious just as written! It is quick and easy to make and smells wonderful while cooking. The only thing I do differently is to double the sauce, it is just that good.
Thanks for another great recipe which is an easy prep meal! I have made this a couple of times and my whole family loved it, including two preschoolers.
Do you think chicken could work instead of shrimp?
Hi Ponyo, Glad your family likes this recipe! Chicken would work, but I’d go about it a bit differently. First, stir-fry the chicken pieces in a little hot oil until they’re slightly browned on the outside but still pink in the middle. Set the chicken pieces aside and proceed with the onions and rest of recipe. When you add the chicken to the sauce, it should only need 1 – 2 minutes to cook through. Enjoy!
One of our go-to weeknight dinners. Such an easy and delicious meal. Sometimes I make coconut jasmine rice to go with it.
This is my family’s favorite dish!! I make it exactly as written except that I add 1/2 yellow pepper, sliced with the onion slices! Super easy and perfect every time!
This is OUTSTANDING!!! Loved it. Will be making this again and often.
LOVED this. 🙂
Amazing and super easy!
Hi Jenn,
This recipe and all the meals I have tried so far are just fantastic! So happy I found your site. I love to cook and am always looking to change our food routine. Thank you for making this UK household VERY happy!
Maddi 🙂
I made this last night and my family loved it!! Just a few minor mods because of what I had on hand (used red curry paste instead of green, dark brown sugar instead of light, and added mushrooms, thinly sliced red peppers and carrots, and served over basmati rice). The aroma was so lovely that my husband and daughters crowded around the stove to see what smelled so good (and begged for a taste before it was done).
Even my 2 year old cleaned her plate, then subsequently ate out of mine and her fathers!
Thanks so much for a great recipe! This is the second I’ve tried from your site and they’ve both been wonderful!
That is really funny and cute
My boyfriend couldn’t stop saying how great it was – AND I was called a good cook. I did use the low fat coconut milk and it was still great
This was so good and so easy to prepare! My picky husband loved it!
Is unsweetened coconut milk okay, or do you suggest sweetened?
Thank you!!
Hi Joy, Definitely use unsweetened. Enjoy!
Deeeeelicious! Another 10 star winner – Thanks Jenn! Family asked me to make again and said next day would be ok! 🙂
I want to try this with veggies and tofu. Any suggestions for that? The sauce is amazing. I noticed some people wrote about too much heat in the curry paste. I used Thai Green Curry paste and there was no heat. I’d actually like a little so may try another brand unless you have a better idea?
Hi Janet, glad you enjoyed it! I think you could definitely make this with tofu instead of shrimp, and if you’d like to add a little more heat, you could add a little cayenne pepper when preparing the sauce or serve it with a little sriracha at the table.
Can you swap chicken in for the shrimp?
Yes Gretchen, chicken would be nice here but I’d go about it a bit differently. Start by stir-frying the chicken pieces in a little hot oil until slightly browned on the outside but still pink in the middle. Then set the chicken pieces aside and proceed with the onions and rest of recipe. When you add the chicken to the sauce, it should only need a minute or two to cook through. Enjoy!
Made this for dinner a few nights ago and it was a hit all around. I suspect leftovers would have heated up nicely, but we’ll never know since every last bit was eaten for dinner.
Mmmmm. So good! Used Red curry paste over green as a personal preference but so good.
I LOVE this dish, and make it all the time! I have also used chicken in place of the shrimp and always double the sauce and also add pinapple chunks and red and green peppers.
This was a very good and easy recipe. I’ve been wanting to make Thai food for awhile, but am always overwhelmed by the new ingredients I will need. This recipe seemed do-able and easy. And it was!
I made the following changes. I reduced the shrimp to 1 pound and added mushrooms and Napa cabbage to onions. It was really good this way and there were still plenty of shrimp to go around. I also squeezed a lot of lime directly into the dish instead of serving it with lime wedges. Next time I will add carrots and a smidge less fish sauce. I can’t wait to try this with chicken as well. Great recipe!
Really delicious! I am trying to change up our meal routine and these recipes are just the trick! Tasty curry flavour without being overwhelmingly hot. Can’t wait to try more of you your recipes, Jenn!
Made this at a friends house for dinner as they love shrimp and curry. It was a big hit. Next time I would double the sauce as everyone wanted more for leftovers to eat with the leftover rice. I would also chop the onions vs leaving them in long pieces next time. I used Thai Basil for the garnish which I liked better than the cilantro I used in previous times. It’s not always easy to find though. A definite favorite recipe in my goto list.
Hi Jenn, can I use oyster sauce instead if fish sauce?
Hi Masuda, Unfortunately, that won’t work with this recipe. Sorry!
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.
OMG! This was awesome. So easy, so tasty. I used to make a Thai curry soup that had me running all over town looking for galangla and those ever-elusive kaffir lime leaves. No more! Thanks for another amazing recipe!
This is my second review in less than a week, previously I made your Thai Quinoa Salad with Fresh Herbs and Lime and I left a rave review……I was HOOKED!! I also made the Baja Fish Tacos last night and today I picked up the ingredients for this Thai Shrimp Curry. I must admit it was my first time dealing with coconut milk and green curry paste etc…..your pictures and simple instructions made my meal so flawless. Ive been taking pictures of my results and my family and friends are so envious! I have two young girls and Im always on the hunt for simplicity but elegant and healthy meals….the Thai Shrimp Curry blew us away….the look on my husbands face was PRICELESS! THANK YOU!!! Also….again….ANOTHER recipe I never felt needed altering!! Wow!
This dish has become a family favorite thank you
Could I substitute green curry paste with something else? I can’t get my tongue around it.
Hi Mary, If you like red curry paste, that will work well.
What is the difference from red and green? The store I went to only carried the red. Thanks!
Hi Abbie, Sorry for the late reply! The main difference is red vs green chiles.
I do not like spicy food. Is this recipe spicy? Can it be made less spicy?
Hi Nancy, The dish isn’t spicy. The heat comes from the curry paste, but it’s muted by the richness of the coconut milk.
So good! This is the fourth recipe I have tried from your blog and they have all been excellent. Thought I had 2 pounds of shrimp in the freezer but sadly I didn’t so went with 1 pound of shrimp and lots of diced sweet red pepper. Definitely a hit. I may add a few mushrooms next time.
I made this last night and my husband declared it’s the best curry he has had (and we eat thai food fairly often). I want to try it with some veggies and tofu, that sauce is so good. I buy the Mae Pluy brand of curry pastes, so that is what I had on hand. The green has a very nice heat level to it that we like. I have not tried Thai kitchen curry paste yet. If you are ever in Seattle for a visit check out the Uwajimaya grocery store in the International district. Fantastic selection of products.
I made this last night… my wife and I loved it! The only difference I did was the onions were finely chopped instead of sliced. We’ll definitely have it again!
Jenn, hello just finished the easy Thai shrimp curry, it was fantastic!!!! I love your web site it has become my go to!!! I have not opened another food channel site since. So easy love pictures, and always comes out great. Thank you rhonda
Awesome recipe, super quick and easy! Prepared exactly as directed, left out the brown sugar, still delicious. This is the third dish I’ve made using your recipes, and they’ve all been great. Thank you so much for sharing. I always look forward to your recipes via email.
Tried this recipe for dinner last night and it was a hit with my husband and teenage daughter. So easy to make and so delicious. I was unable to find any basil at the grocery so stuck with cilantro, but I will try again with basil next time as I think the basil would pair so nicely with the coconut milk. Every recipe I have tried from your website is a success. Thanks for sharing.
Five stars! This recipe was awesome – as are most of the ones I have tried from your website. Love your clear directions, photos and cooking hints. My favourite website! Thanks
Hey Jenn,
This is the third recipe I have tried after stumbling onto the blog? (Website) by accident and being so impressed with the step by step directions, pictures, your backstory and the fact that you talk to your mom everyday. I’m a big fan !!! The shrimp was perfect I already shared shared your newsletter with friend,
Thanks much!
Mindy D.
Thanks so much, Mindy! Glad you’re enjoying the recipes 🙂
You mentioned in the description that this meal is infused with lemongrass and ginger but those ingredients are not listed. How much should be added? Or do not use it?
Hi Martie, Those ingredients are in the Thai green curry paste, which makes the recipe very easy 🙂
This Thai shrimp recipe is delicious. I made it exactly as directed. Thanks for sharing this recipe. It was so easy and fast.
Would it be possible to substitute the fish sauce? Perhaps for ouster or soy sauce…I cannot find fish sauce at my supermarket for some reason.
Hi Sara, You can substitute soy sauce. The taste will still be good, just not quite the same — fish sauce has a very distinct flavor. If you like Thai food and want to cook it at home, it’s worth getting. You can order it online here: http://www.amazon.com/Tiparos-Fish-Sauce-Fl-Oz/dp/B002VNTWHQ
I did try it with oyster sauce that evening and it was fabulous. I will be bringing this one back to the table soon, thank you so much for the link!
Why do you specify full fat coconut milk? Is the taste of low fat too watered down?
Hi Suzy, Yes, that’s correct.
i am having a dinner party for 8 – what other dishes could I add
Hi Bernice, All you really need with the shrimp is plain jasmine rice and maybe a simple green vegetable. The sauce has so much flavor, and there’s a lot of it, so you don’t want too many competing dishes. That said, you could serve some fun Thai appetizers (like my Thai Minced Chicken Lettuce Wraps or Chicken Satay w/Peanut Sauce – see Ina’s recipe on Food Network). Or you could start with a Thai-Style salad (I love this one from Food & Wine: http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/thai-cucumber-salad-with-peanuts). For dessert, tropical flavors would be nice…check out my Coconut Dream Pie…and fresh sliced pineapple would also be delicious.
We don’t eat shellfish at our house, unfortunately. Have you tried this with chicken? Would the approach be the same? Many thanks!
Hi Amy, Chicken would be delicious but I’d go about it a little differently. I would start by stir-frying the chicken pieces in a little hot oil until slightly browned on the outside but still pink in the middle. Then set the chicken pieces aside and proceed with the onions and rest of recipe. When you add the partially cooked chicken to the sauce, it should only need a minute or two to cook through. Please come back and let me know how it turns out 🙂
This looks delicious! Would red curry paste work instead of green? (Red is what I have on hand)
Hi Ann, Yes, red curry paste will work. Hope you enjoy it!