Easy Thai Shrimp Curry
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In this quick Thai-style shrimp curry, plump shrimp are simmered in a coconut sauce infused with aromatics and green curry paste.
This Thai-style shrimp curry is made by simmering plump shrimp in a fragrant coconut curry sauce infused with aromatics and fresh herbs. It’s quick and easy to make. In fact, if you keep shrimp in the freezer and a few Thai staples – like canned coconut milk, green curry paste, and fish sauce – in the pantry, you’re never more than 25 minutes away from this satisfying meal.
There’s plenty of sauce if you’d like to add some vegetables to round out the meal; carrots, bell peppers or snap peas would all be welcome additions (cook them separately and add them at the end). Serve the curry with jasmine rice for soaking up the plentiful sauce, and be sure to put the rice on first so that everything is ready at the same time.
Table of Contents
What You’ll Need to Make Shrimp Curry
- Onion, Scallions and Garlic: These aromatics form the flavor foundation for the sauce.
- Thai Green Curry Paste: This common Thai ingredient 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 use the Thai Kitchen brand. Note that different brands will have different levels of heat, so you may need more or less depending on the kind you use.
- Coconut Milk: A staple in many curry dishes, it’s essential to opt for full-fat coconut milk to achieve that rich texture and taste. However, be aware that canned coconut milk’s consistency can differ depending on the brand. I’ve consistently had great results with the Thai Kitchen brand. Don’t worry if the coconut milk looks solidified or separated when you open the can; it can be added to the recipe “broken” and then whisked back together into a creamy emulsion.
- Fish Sauce: This dark, pungent liquid used in Southeast Asian cooking doesn’t have a “fishy” taste, but rather a salty, savory flavor. If possible, buy a brand imported from Thailand or Vietnam, and don’t worry about buying a large bottleit keeps forever.
- Lime Juice: Brightens up the sauce with citrusy freshness.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-by-Step Instructions
Begin by cooking the onions until soft, about 3 minutes.
Add the scallions, garlic and green curry paste.
Cook 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, then stir in the lime juice and sprinkle with the fresh chopped cilantro.
Spoon into shallow bowls and serve with jasmine rice and lime wedges.
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Thai Shrimp Curry
In this quick Thai-style shrimp curry, plump shrimp are simmered in a coconut sauce infused with aromatics and green curry paste.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 small yellow onion, thinly sliced
- ⅓ cup thinly sliced scallions, white and green parts, from 4-5 scallions
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2½ tablespoons Thai green curry paste
- 1 (14-ounce) can coconut milk
- ¼ cup water
- 2 tablespoons fish sauce
- 1 tablespoon dark or light brown sugar
- 2 pounds large, extra large (26-30 per lb) or jumbo (21-25 per lb) shrimp, peeled and deveined (see note), thawed if frozen
- Juice of 1 lime (about 2 tablespoons), plus more lime wedges for serving
- ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro, Thai basil, or Italian basil (or a combination)
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 cook, stirring frequently, for 2 minutes more. Add the coconut milk, water, fish sauce, and sugar and bring to a gentle boil. Add the shrimp and cook, stirring frequently, until the shrimp are pink and just cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in the lime juice and sprinkle with the cilantro (or basil). Taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary, and serve with jasmine rice.
- 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 are typically thawed frozen shrimp. Who knows how long they've been sitting there, so you’re better off buying frozen shrimp and defrosting it yourself. Come dinnertime, all you have to do is run the shrimp under water to defrost, and 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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I found this to be too sweet. I would make it again but definitely cut back on the sugar.
Hi can you remove my last name from the email I sent you previously? Thanks!
Done! 🙂
Thank you! Do you think dried coconut milk, reconstituted would work? I love all your recipes, they always turn out great 🙂
Hi Soogan, I don’t have experience with dried coconut milk, but from what I read online, it sounds like it should work. Please LMK how it turns out if you try it!
We really liked it. Next time I need to kick the heat up just a skosh. The fish sauce made it so authentic. The recipe was so quick 😊
Never thought I could make restaurant-quality curry but this recipe proved me wrong. I’ve made it many, many times, each time so delicious. I’ve added several combinations of vegetables but my favorites are shitake mushrooms (pre-cooked and added with shrimp) and shisito peppers (halved, seeded and sauteed with onions). I’ve also thickened the sauce on occasion , dissolving a teaspoon of cornstarch in a little coconut milk before adding it to the pan. Served over rice – Fabulous!
Hi Jen, do you think dried coconut milk powder, reconstituted with water, would work instead of canned coconut milk?
Make this! One of my go-tos for an easy weeknight dinner. Fast, simple,
Flavorful, delicious. Have made it with chicken too! So, so, good.
Fun Fact: One of my co-workers share the recipe several years ago with me. It was the first Jenn recipe I ever made. Once Upon a Chef is now my first stop when looking for something new to make as well as family favorites.
This dish is both easy and classy. Made it for my husband first for a special Valentine’s dinner. Then tripled the recipe and made it for my book club. Huge hit. Had to shop for some of the ingredients as they were not pantry staples, however they have long shelf life’s and I’ve replaced them many times over. Follow instructions to a tee and you won’t be disappointed nor will your table of dinner patrons
My family loves this recipe, but I do tweak it to make it more appealing for the kids and sneak in some veggies.
I am not sure if it’s just my kids, but they really do not like the smell of fish sauce and it’s an uphill battle to get them to eat dinner if they smell it in the kitchen. I have found that I actually like this recipe better if you only use 1 Tbsp fish sauce and then 1 Tbsp coconut aminos/tamari (gluten sensitivity in our house, I am sure soy sauce would work too), rather than 2 Tbsp of fish sauce.
I also load this recipe up with veggies. I usually add about 2-3 cups of veggies. I have steamed julienned carrots and broccoli in the pan (steam in same pan, then set aside) before cooking the rest. I have also added potatoes, sliced super thin so they cook quickly in the liquid. I have also tried sliced bamboo (from the can and rinsed). All veggies have worked, but my favorite combo is the addition of steamed broccoli and carrots.
This recipe is a definite keeper! It’s easy like the title says, it sounds impressive because it’s an ethnic dish, but the taste is what really sells me on this recipe. It doesn’t taste “easy.” I’ve made it for many people and everyone has loved it. We usually ladle it over sticky or Jasmine rice and serve bowls of fresh pineapple and strawberries on the side.
Nice dish and so simple! I love the balance of sweet and savory. The lime takes it to another level.
Delicious, easy and really quick! Loved it but did find it a tad sweet, next time I will use a little less sugar.
Delicious, very easy and quick to make.
I made this tonight and it was absolutely delicious! Sadly my grocery store was out of fish sauce, so I subbed the fish sauce for some light soy sauce and it added the salty umami kick I was looking for. I had it with some brown basmati rice, and it was so comforting, warm, and flavorful. I’ll be making this one again and again.
Was missing the scallions, everything else was in my pantry/fridge ready to go. I also only had one pound of large shrimp. However, it turned out amazing. Easy to whip up and was delish. Lots of fresh cilantro and chopped peanuts to finish off. This one is a keeper.
Hi Jenn, I want to add some
vegetables to this (red pepper and sliced mushrooms probably). How and when should I do this? Steam first and add at the end? Thanks!
Sure Elizabeth, that will work. Please LMK how it turns out!
Great recipe. Everyone loved it. Thank you for sharing.
I am very excited to find this recipe! One of my favorite local restaurants had a similar dish, with some charred/grilled pineapple bits, and I think some turmeric. I figure I could easily add those items to this version. Also, this dish just cries out for some lemongrass. This might be one of the highlights of my stuck at home cooking lifestyle.
Very tasty. Added snow peas and red peppers to the onions.
Wow. This was restaurant quality. We made it as written but added pineapple and sliced bell pepper all served on sweet potato Asian noodles. Amazing. Thanks, Jenn. Would love to add a picture….gorgeous presentation!
First time I tried cooking Thai food. Sadly, I have a very poor sense of taste or smell, so I trusted the recipe and my wife and kids told me it was delicious. It’s a testament to Jenn’s ingenuity that she can make such wonderful, straightforward and tasty recipes that even I can’t mess up.
The best Thai Green curry I ever made! And I have tried many recipes. Definitely bookmarking.
I live in coastal NC and just bought 2 lbs of 10-15 of shrimp from a boat. Used red curry paste instead of green because that’s what I had in stock. Other than that I followed the recipe and it came out phenomenal! I don’t think a restaurant could do any better.
Great recipe, easy, quick, came out restaurant quality. Used red Thai curry paste instead of green, and added shiitakes with the onions. Thank you!!
Could you substitute Thai Red curry paste in this recipe?
Sure! Hope you enjoy. 🙂
Hi Jenn,
Does the brand of fish sauce used matter? I noticed a color difference from red boat Fish sauce to another Thai fish sauce that was much lighter in color? I also noticed you use different brands; is that on purpose or is that what’s on hand
Thanks,
I love your receipes , they are easy, delicious, and forgiving.
Hi Jasmine, I’ve learned that there is a decent amount of variability in fish sauce. My favorite is Red Boat if you can find it. Second choices would be Thai Kitchen or A Taste of Thai. Hope that helps!
Hi,
I needed input on a few points:
1. The coconut milk added remained a bit ‘curdled’ in this dish… how does one eliminate this?
2. It was too watery and without ‘body’ as a curry dish…
thanks
Hi JooJoo, Based on what you’re describing I’m wondering if it was a problem with the coconut milk. Was it, by any chance, fat-free or reduced fat? Also, certain brands may be thinner than others or may have additives. The one that I really like is Thai Kitchen. Hope that helps!
Hi, I used GOYA coconut milk and it was not nonfat …
Hi Joojoo, I believe Goya might be a bit thinner than some other brands. Next time I’d suggest using a Thai brand. I really like Thai kitchen.
I made this with Maesri green curry paste. It was excellent, nice, and bright!
Can it be served with Thai Noodles instead of rice?
Sure!
Just did it today and was fantastic! Great flavors and super easy to do! My husband loved it
I just realized I only have a can of coconut cream (unsweetened brand) I must have grabbed it by mistake instead of coconut milk when at Whole Foods. I also only have green peppers not red …is there something I should do differently if using the cream instead of the milk? I assume the green peppers will be ok:)? Thanks!
Hi Marsha, I’ve never tried this with coconut cream — while I think it will work, you’ll need to thin it out a bit with some milk or water. And a green bell pepper is fine to use. Please LMK how it turns out!
Simple, quick and delicious. I browned the shrimp and set it aside. At the same time I steamed my veges (snap peas carrots, red pepper, some minced garlic and shallot. Meanwhile I sauted the green onion, garlic, curry paste; added coconut milk, fish sauce and brown sugar(2tsp only) and no water (as sauce will be too thin) brought sauce to a gentle boil then added the steamed veges and shrimp and cooked a little longer until shrimp were done. Sprinkled each serving with cilantro.
Great easy recipe. Grocery store only had red curry paste so used that. Turned out great! My family loved it! Served with siracha. I’m so happy I found your website!
I made this tonight and while easy it lacked flavor in my opinion. I’ve made many of your other recipes which were excellent.
This is a really good base recipe. We added double the green curry paste, Thai chili paste, fresh basil and some red pepper flakes. Still mild but flavorful. Will try the red curry paste next time.
My family loved it.
Wow! I just made the Easy Thai Curry and it was delicious! Soooo easy and flavorful! I don’t like a lot of heat, but my husband does. I just put Siracha and red pepper flakes on the table. He loved it! Thanks, Jenn! I love your website – it is my go to site. I love your cookbook too! Beautiful!
💗
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.
An easy and satisfying dish!
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.
I should have said carrots & peas – not corn!
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!