This coconut curry shrimp is one of my family's favorite meals because it's flavorful and filling--and I love it because it only takes less than 30 minutes to make! Let me show you how to make quick, easy, and satisfying Jamaican-style curry shrimp at home.
And if you enjoy this recipe, you'll love my grilled curry salmon and roasted curry carrots, too!
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❤️ Why You'll Love this Recipe
One-Pan Meal - This recipe for shrimp curry with coconut milk comes together in one pan with no fancy kitchen appliances or chef-level skill technique. If you've ever tasted good Jamaican curry, you might be intimidated to try your hand at it, but it's very simple and clocks in at around 20 minutes from cutting board to dinner plates!
Wholesome Ingredients - Even though you won't need to put a ton of energy into this simple coconut curry shrimp recipe, we aren't taking shortcuts on the quality. You'll recognize everything in the ingredient lineup, and everything is accessible at a typical grocery store or farmer's market.
Featured Reader Review
★★★★★
"Made this meal last night and followed the directions exactly. I usually try to spice recipes up a little for my own taste, but not this time! SUPER good and had enough for some leftovers!"
-Cedric
👉🏾 I love the low-stress cleanup of one-pot dinners like my chicken and sausage gumbo,crispy roasted whole chicken, Soul Food-style black eyed peas, sesame ground chicken stir fry, and Moroccan spiced lamb chili. Check those out next!
What You'll Need for this Recipe
Shrimp, of course. For the quickest prep, grab shelled and deveined shrimp--tails on or off per your preference. I typically find that shrimp with the shells is cheapest but it does add time to the recipe spent peeling and cleaning. Do what works best for you.
Coconut Milk can be a controversial ingredient, with some authentic recipes not calling for it, especially when cooking for a crowd. But it adds creaminess and thickens without the need for cornstarch or flour. Use full-fat coconut milk for the best texture.
Broth and Bouillon Cubes for layers of savory flavor. I like to use Maggi cubes, which are popular in both West African and Caribbean cooking but you can use the bouillon cubes, powder, or paste of your choice--chicken, seafood or even beef work!
Check out the recipe card below for full ingredients list, measurements, nutrition facts, and step-by-step instructions!
Substitutions & Variations
Vegetables - You can use fresh or frozen vegetables interchangeably here. And you can even customize the recipe with other produce not listed here. I've made it with mushrooms, potatoes, and broccoli before, and everybody loved it.
Protein - Sometimes I toss in another quick-cooking protein with the shrimp, like chunks of codfish. Curry shrimp and fish make for a more substantial and nutritious meal, without changing the cooking time at all.
How to Cook Curry Shrimp in Coconut Milk Jamaican Style
- Step 1: Prep your vegetables: dice the onion, slice the bell peppers and carrots, mince the garlic, and cut off the top of the little pepper.
- Step 2: Cook the prepped produce with spices in oil until they start to soften.
Pro Tip #1
Cooking the aromatics and spices is a process called blooming, which deepens their flavor and helps evenly distribute it into every bite!
- Step 3: Add in the coconut milk, broth, bay leaf, and scotch bonnet pepper then bring the liquid to a boil.
- Step 4: Reduce heat and simmer then add in the shrimp and allow it to cook through.
- Step 5: Adjust the seasonings to your taste then serve.
Make it a Meal!
Boost the Veggies: If you want to add more fiber or phytonutrients, make it as easy as possible by adding more vegetables into the curry itself! Sliced mushrooms, diced potatoes, more bell peppers, sliced mushrooms, and chopped broccoli are all great. I like to chop up cabbage and stir it in right after the shrimp so it stays crisp.
Switch up the Sides: Coconut curry shrimp with rice is a classic combination but you can pair the curry with grits, pasta, or cauliflower rice instead. With any of these options, start cooking them before you prep the vegetables so they'll be ready around the same time as the curry.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, you can make this curry up to three days ahead of time with no significant change in texture or flavor. Just store using the guidance below.
Store cooked curry shrimp in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to five days. I recommend storing it separately from rice so that the rice stays fluffy.
Yes! To freeze curry shrimp, allow it to come to room temperature then transfer to an airtight, freezer-safe container. I like to freeze mine in souper cubes so that it's perfectly portioned and I can just reheat what I want to eat quickly and easily. Keeps for up to three months.
What to Serve With
Curried coconut shrimp is a fabulous quick weeknight dinner and stores well for meal prep. Serve it nice and hot over creamy cheese grits or rice--white rice, brown rice, or even cauliflower rice, if you prefer a low-carb option. A side of fried plantain never hurts the situation, either.
And please consider grits as a side dish! Curry shrimp and grits is a slept-on brunch combination that I highly recommend. Don't forget to wash everything down with an ice-cold glass of zobo, aka sorrel drink, hibiscus ginger beer, or Caribbean carrot juice!
More Favorite Shrimp Recipes
Looking for more recipes like this? Try these:
I hope you'll enjoy this easy coconut curry shrimp recipe soon and very soon. And sharing is caring, so be sure to pin this recipe for later on Pinterest. Thanks for reading!
📖 Recipe
Quick & Easy Coconut Curry Shrimp
Equipment
- 1 knife
- 1 garlic press optional
- 1 microplane optional
Ingredients
- 2 large carrots
- 2 bell peppers
- ½ onion
- 8 cloves garlic
- 2 tablespoons cooking oil
- 4 tablespoons curry powder
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger or one-inch fresh grated ginger
- ¾ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon ground thyme
- ¼ teaspoon allspice
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- 4 Maggi cubes or bouillon of your choice, crushed into powder
- 1 13.5-ounce can coconut milk
- 1 cup broth or stock or water
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 habañero or Scotch bonnet pepper
- 1 ½ pound shrimp shelled and deveined
- sea salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Prep your Ingredients: Cut carrots into biased rounds about ⅓-inch thick then again into half moons, cut bell pepper into slices, dice onion, and crush or mince garlic cloves. Grate ginger if using fresh.2 large carrots, 2 bell peppers, ½ onion, 8 cloves garlic
- Bloom the Aromatics: Add oil to cooking pan over medium heat. Then add the prepped vegetables, curry powder, ground ginger, nutmeg, paprika, thyme, allspice, garlic powder, onion powder, and crushed Maggi cubes. Stir until evenly coated and cook until ingredients are fragrant and onion is translucent (about six minutes).2 tablespoons cooking oil, 4 tablespoons curry powder, 1 teaspoon ground ginger, ¾ teaspoon ground nutmeg, ½ teaspoon smoked paprika, ½ teaspoon ground thyme, ¼ teaspoon allspice, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon onion powder, 4 Maggi cubes
- Make the Curry: Add in coconut milk, chicken broth, bay leaf, and habanero pepper then bring to a boil. Season shrimp with salt and pepper and set aside.1 13.5-ounce can coconut milk, 1 cup broth or stock, 1 bay leaf, 1 habañero or Scotch bonnet pepper, 1 ½ pound shrimp, sea salt, black pepper
- Reduce heat and simmer for 8-10 minutes then add in shrimp and cook another four minutes or until shrimp is opaque and cooked through. Taste test and adjust seasonings as needed.
- Remove from heat and serve with rice.
Cedric Craig says
Made this meal last night and followed the directions exactly. I usually try to spice recipes up a little for my own taste, but not this time! SUPER good and had enough for some leftovers!
Jayne Rain says
Curries are one of my favorite things to make and this shrimp curry looks so tasty. I can't wait to try it.
Mila says
I can't wait to add this into my rotation. I love the simple ingredients and the delicious outcome!
Kaluhi says
We use ALOT of coconut in Kenyan food and the flavors you put together taste like home!
Desirée says
I've been obsessed with curries lately! Thanks for sharing this one!
Katrina Adams says
It’s amazing how life changed since our last roundup last week!! Perfect meal for busy weeknight dinner!! 😋
Tamara J. says
This is such an amazing curry! It’s so simple to cook up on any busy night. Paired with a side of rice, dinner was on the table in no time!
Halima says
Amazing... I love shrimp, and coconut curry is my favorite thing to make. This makes me feel like I could eat this dish through my phone.
Capri says
I love how quickly this recipe comes together!! SO delicious
Lauren Branch says
This makes me wish I could eat shrimp! Yummy!
Aline says
Yes!! I already have all the ingredients to make this recipe - this is happening!!
Marta says
I have a GREAT Jamaican curry from Blue Mountain just screaming to be used in this recipe! I can't wait to (hopefully) get my hands on some shrimp!