This is the best Thai shrimp curry—a fast, flavorful dish that brings the taste of your favorite takeout right into your own kitchen. Tender shrimp simmer in a rich, coconut-based green curry sauce that’s loaded with bold flavor from classic Thai ingredients.
There’s plenty of sauce if you want to add vegetables to round out the meal; carrots, bell peppers, or snap peas are all great options (just cook them separately and stir them in at the end). Serve the curry with jasmine rice to soak up all that flavorful sauce—and be sure to start the rice first so everything’s ready at the same time.
Shrimp Thai Curry Ingredients
Jennifer Segal
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Onion, Scallions and Garlic: These aromatics form the flavor foundation for the sauce.
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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 which is available in most large grocery stores. Note that different brands will have different levels of heat, so you may need more or less depending on the kind you use.
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Coconut Milk: A staple in many curry dishes, it brings a sweet and creamy flavor which balances the spicy flavors of the curry paste. Use full-fat coconut milk for rich texture and taste. You can use any brand, but I’ve found that the milk’s consistency and fat content can vary 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.
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Fish Sauce: This dark, pungent liquid used in Southeast Asia 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 bottle it keeps forever.
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Lime Juice: Brightens up the sauce with citrusy freshness.
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Shrimp: Frozen shrimp are a freezer-friendly staple easy to keep on hand for quick meals. Buy them peeled and deveined so all you need to do is thaw them out and they’re ready to cook in all your favorite quick shrimp recipes, like this one.
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How to Make Thai Shrimp Curry
Step 1: Cook the onions. Heat your oil in a skillet and add the onions. Cook about three minutes or until slightly soft.
Jennifer Segal
Step 2: Add the other aromatics. Add the scallions, garlic and green curry paste and cook a few minutes more to release the fragrance and aromatics from each ingredient.
Jennifer Segal
Step 3: Finish the sauce. Add the coconut milk, water, fish sauce, and brown sugar to the cooked vegetables. Bring to a gentle boil.
Jennifer Segal
Step 4: Add the shrimp. Cook until the shrimp are pink and just cooked through.
Jennifer Segal
Jennifer Segal
Jenn’s Pro Tips and Thai Coconut Curry Shrimp Variations
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Adding vegetables. Feel free to add vegetables to the dish for color and to bulk it up. I recommend cooking them separately and adding them right at the end to heat them up. Carrots, green beans, snow peas, and broccoli are some simple options that work well.
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Swap the meat. Chicken, like in this red curry chicken, will work equally well with the flavors of the green curry.
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Adjusting the spiciness. You can add more curry paste or even some sliced fresh green chilies if you want more spice in your curry. For a milder flavor, choose a mild curry paste and use less of it if needed for less heat.
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Thawing shrimp: Thaw them out in the fridge overnight, or if you happen to forget or need them quickly defrosted, place them in a bowl under cool running water. They will thaw out in about 15 minutes.
Jennifer Segal