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This Easy Curry Shrimp Recipe is made with a handful of ingredients and comes together so quickly for the perfect 30-minute meal!
Serve this homemade shrimp curry with white rice pilaf or cauliflower rice for a Whole30 and Paleo-friendly dish that’s even better than takeout.
30-Minute Shrimp Curry
I’m all about light, easy-to-throw-together meals, more specifically, the kind that take 30 minutes or less and always impress your guests! You can never go wrong with a 30-minute loaded taco skillet or 30-minute gluten-free chicken piccata.
However, this easy shrimp curry recipe has been a fave in my archives for years. It stays on repeat in my house and never gets old.
Despite its simple preparation, this simple shrimp recipe is a dish to remember. In fact, I was first inspired to create this recipe after a trip to Jamaica with my husband where I experienced an amazing authentic Jamaican curry shrimp dish.
I couldn’t stop thinking about it after coming home. While the version I ate there was served with mango jam and pico de gallo, I wanted to recreate it as a simple weeknight meal that isn’t fussy or complicated to put together. And this version recipe hits all those notes!
Ingredients Needed and Substitutions
*Scroll down to the recipe card for the full recipe and ingredient list and nutrition facts including protein, calories, carbohydrates, sodium, etc.!
- Raw Shrimp: You’ll need one and a half pounds of raw shrimp. Make sure they’re cleaned, peeled, and deveined!
- Ghee: love to use ghee because it offers a similar flavor to butter. However, if preferred you can use olive oil to keep this recipe dairy-free.
- Veggies and Aromatics: Onion, red bell pepper, garlic cloves, and ginger create a sweet, savory, pungent flavor.
- Spices: Curry powder, sea salt, black pepper, and cinnamon add a unique flavor that’s savory, spicy, and warm with just a touch of sweetness.
- Unsweetened Coconut Milk: This contributes to the creamy consistency. Make sure to use canned coconut milk, not liquid varieties. Full-fat coconut milk will create the richest flavor and creamiest consistency, but you can also use lite coconut milk. Or, heavy cream will work if you don’t need to keep this recipe dairy-free.
- Lime Juice: The acidity cuts through some of the heaviness and spice for a bright, well-rounded dish. Freshly squeezed is best!
Where I Buy My Seafood
- 100% Grass-Fed, Grass-Finished Beef
- Free-Range Organic Chicken
- Humanely Raised Pork
- Wild-Caught Seafood
Delivered to your door! The latest ButcherBox deal can be found right here!
How to Make This Simple Shrimp Curry Recipe
- Soften: Heat the ghee in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Once hot, add the onions, pepper, ginger, and garlic, and cook to soften.
- Season: Stir in the curry powder, salt, pepper, and cinnamon, and cook until fragrant.
- Simmer: Add the coconut milk and lime juice, and bring the liquid to a boil. Then, reduce the heat to simmer.
- Add the shrimp: Drop in the shrimp, and continue to simmer until they’re opaque and cooked through.
- Season: Adjust the seasonings to taste, garnish with lime and fresh cilantro, and enjoy!
Serving Suggestions
Curry is perfect served with rice to soak up all the sauce! Feel free to use traditional white rice pilaf or brown rice. Or, you can go a lower-carb route, and pair this with cauliflower rice. Another healthier option would be to serve this coconut curry shrimp recipe with spaghetti squash or another veggie noodle!
FAQs
This recipe is sweet, savory, and warm with lots of depth and a unique, slightly citrusy taste.
Stored in an airtight container, leftovers will stay fresh in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
Yes! You can freeze leftovers for up to 3 months. Thaw them in the fridge overnight, and gently reheat in a skillet on the stove over medium heat.
More Shrimp Recipes To Try
Easy Shrimp Curry Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon ghee or oil
- 1 onion diced
- 1 red bell pepper seeded and diced
- 1 ” piece fresh ginger minced
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 2 tablespoons curry powder
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- Pinch of ground cinnamon
- 1 13.5 ounce can unsweetened coconut milk
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 1-1/2 pounds raw shrimp cleaned, peeled and deveined
Instructions
- Heat ghee in a large skillet or dutch oven over medium heat. Once hot, add onions, pepper, ginger and garlic and cook until beginning to soften, about 5 minutes.1 tablespoon ghee or oil, 1 onion, 1 red bell pepper, 1 ” piece fresh ginger, 4 garlic cloves
- Add in curry powder, salt, pepper and cinnamon and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.2 tablespoons curry powder, 1 teaspoon fine sea salt, 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper, Pinch of ground cinnamon
- Add coconut milk and lime juice and bring up to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes.1 13.5 ounce can unsweetened coconut milk, 1 tablespoon lime juice
- Drop in shrimp and continue to simmer until the shrimp is opaque and cooked through, about 3-4 minutes.1-1/2 pounds raw shrimp
- Taste and adjust seasoning, adding more salt or lime juice as needed.
- Serve hot with white rice or cauliflower rice and a garnish of lime and cilantro.
Made this tonight for guests who raved about it and wanted the recipe. I don’t cook a lot, but this was easy and satisfying to make. I had a large portion and am full but craving more–it’s addictive. Perfect amount of spices. Thank you for a terrific recipe, which I will make again and again.
This might be the best thing I’ve ever put in my mouth. New favorite. Served with half rice and half cauli rice and then for the leftovers I poured it over sautéed spinach and it was the bomb.
I love this recipe! Making it again for probably the 5th time! I add a little mor cinnamon, but other wise I follow the recipe! Smells amazing and tastes even better! Thanks Lexi!
Yum! Thanks for a quick, easy and healthy weeknight meal!
This was really easy and delicious. Will definitely make again
As always, every dish i make from your collection is fantastic. I follow a keto diet and all of your recipes are so easy to tweak for keto.
This shrimp curry really hits the spot for a quick weeknight dinner.
Seriously this dish is so easy to make, so much flavour and the kids loved it too.
So happy it was a family hit!
I don’t have a 30 minute shrimp curry recipe, and definitely with cauliflower rice! Great weekday dinner recipe, thank you!
I love your recipes Lexi !! I made this one and it was delicious !!!
How much Ghee or oil should one use when making this recipe?
1 tablespoon!
We regularly eat shrimp curry here at our house. We use yellow peppers and a ton of spinach. I can’t wait to try some of the add in’s you suggested. We eat ours with sweet potatoes on the side.
Made this tonight. It was a major hit! I used ghee instead of butter or olive oil and I garnished with the pico and green onion. It turned out creamy and amazing! Thank you for sharing. 🙂
So glad!!
Added above 🙂
I made this last night and it was fabulous!
I didn’t have any curry so I substituted coriander, smoked paprika and cumin which worked very well.
Thank you so much!
I am so glad it was a hit!
I love curry! This sounds light, refreshing, and perfect for summer! I can’t wait to try this!
This looks delicious! I love coconut milk-based curries, and this one looks spot on. Yum!
I love all of the different options. Sounds great!
I love your food blog! Please check out mine and let’s connect?
edishcavegirl.blogspot.com
Lovely!!!
I’ve never had curry before, but I love shrimp so this is a must try!