Easy Shrimp Coconut Curry and Potatoes | 30 Mins

Creamy, comforting and deliciously lush, this shrimp coconut curry is exquisitely savory, with a hint of sweet and the most delicious fork tender, sauce-infused potatoes we've ever had. You're going to want to make this one on weeknights. On repeat.

Like the best recipes, this dish is all about the sauce. Rich and velvety, with a hint of sweetness, the delectable coconut and curry sauce is not thick like gravy. Instead it's just saucy enough to soak deeply into the potato. Every bite is an explosion of pure omg-deliciousness.

Perfect for colder weather or when you just need something comforting, a bowl of this fragrant coconut curry over rice will warm you to your bones. The sweet, juicy shrimps covered in perfectly seasoned coconut sauce are so addictive, we just can't stop eating it.

While testing this recipe we realized that we could cut out at least a half hour of cooking time by simply microwaving the potatoes first for about six minutes. This step is a little outside of the norm, but it works! We are thrilled that the recipe only requires about 30 minutes - perfect for a weeknight dinner!

What you need to make this curry

You can find everything you need to make this fantastic recipe at local grocery stores.

• Shrimp - use raw, peeled, deveined shrimp, the larger is better. Either frozen or fresh shrimp are fine. I prefer using fresh raw shrimp whenever I can.
• Yellow onions - adds sweetness, flavor, and extra body for the sauce. The type of onion doesn't matter too much - you can use any type from red onions to shallots.
• Fresh ginger, fresh garlic cloves add fresh flavors to the sauce.
• Jamaican curry powder - was used in this dish. There are many variations of curry powder and each type of curry powder has a subtle difference in flavor. Use your favorite curry powder or curry paste.
• Tomato sauce or ketchup and Dijon mustard - adds additional flavor and brighten the flavors.
• Chicken bouillon cube - adds additional umami flavor and salt. You can also use a cup of chicken broth and salt (to taste).
• Yukon gold potatoes - are highly recommended because they easily absorb the flavors of the sauce and soften without melting into the sauce. While you can use other potatoes like red bliss potatoes or Idaho russet potatoes, try to use the yukon gold if you can.
• Coconut milk - we add a 13.6-ounce can of full-fat coconut milk for this dish. If you use light coconut milk the coconut flavor and sauce richness will be reduced. If using coconut cream use a 3:1 coconut cream to water ratio - so add10.5 ounces of coconut cream and 3.5 ounces of water.
• Coconut oil - adds another layer of coconut flavor. Other types of fat like olive oil, vegetable oil, canola oil, avocado oil or butter can also be used.
• Fresh sliced cilantro - provides a delicious herbal contrast to the other flavors. You can also garnish with green onions, red pepper flakes, roasted ground cumin and a twist of lime.

How to cook coconut curry shrimp

Make this easy shrimp curry recipe in four simple steps:

Step 1: Microwave the potatoes for faster cooking

• Place the potato cubes in a microwave safe dish, add half a cup of water and steam in the microwave for about 6 minutes to soften. Once the potatoes are done, set aside. You can also boil the potatoes to soften them if you prefer not to use a microwave.

Step 2: Make the spice base

• While the potatoes are cooking in the microwave, heat a medium Dutch oven over medium heat. Once hot, add the coconut oil. Add the onions and sauté until transparent - about 2-3 minutes. Add the garlic and ginger paste and sauté for about 1 minute. Add curry powder, chili powder, tomato paste and mustard. Fry for about 2 minutes. Add a half a cup of water if the mixture is too dry.

Step 3: Add the potatoes

• Add the steamed potatoes and sauté. Add the coconut milk and boil the potatoes in the spicy mixture until fork tender - about 5 minutes. Stir as needed to prevent the potatoes from sticking to the bottom.

Step 4: Add the shrimp

• Add the shrimp and cook until pink - about 3-4 minutes. Taste and adjust for seasoning. Garnish with fresh cilantro (optional) and serve immediately.

Tips

• More umami - add a teaspoon of fish sauce or coconut aminos.
• For thicker curry sauce - add a half cup of blended onions.
• Add subtle, spicy heat - add a teaspoon of black pepper.
• Add intense heat - Add cayenne pepper or red chili pepper flakes.

Nutrition

A serving of this coconut curry shrimp recipe has about 272 calories, 7.1 grams of protein, 22 grams of fat, and 15.6 grams of carbohydrates.

This shrimp coconut curry recipe yields approximately six servings.  The nutritional information is intended as a general guideline. If the nutrition information is important to you, you should independently verify it using your preferred tool.

Storage and Reheating

Refrigerator. Stored in an airtight container, cooled leftover shrimp coconut curry with last for about 4 days.

To reheat:

• Stovetop is best. Place the shrimp curry in a small saucepan and heat on medium-low heat. Add a little bit of water if it looks dry. Stir every 1-2 minutes, for approximately 6-8 minutes or until heated through.
• Microwaving is not recommended. We do not recommend reheating shrimp curry in the microwave as it will overcook the shrimp and ruin the texture. If you must use a microwave, we recommend removing the shrimp and heating the potato and sauce thoroughly and then pouring the hot potato and sauce over the shrimp. The radiant heat will warm the shrimp without overcooking it.

Tip. Shrimp curry is particularly delicious when reheated together with rice. Tossing the curry with the rice in a hot skillet causes every grain to be coated with the delicious sauce resulting in an EPIC leftover meal. This is one of the favorite ways to eat leftovers in my family.

What to serve with Shrimp Coconut Curry

Sweet and creamy, this easy coconut curry shrimp dish is perfect for the entire family.

• With rice. The classic way to serve this coconut curry is with white rice plain like jasmine rice, brown rice, basmati rice, and cauliflower rice. You can also serve this dish with flavored rice like vegetable pulao, and coconut rice.
• With bread. Coconut curry is also delicious when served with roti or soft naan and a squeeze of fresh lime juice.
• As a sandwich filling. One of my favorite ways to eat leftover shrimp coconut curry is in a sandwich. I simply remove the tail and any shells and tuck it into the pocket of some puffy pita bread.
• With salads. For a low-carb option, serve over lemony Lebanese tabbouleh.

Variations

Many countries have their own version of coconut curry shrimp. Coconut milk is a common ingredient in Indian food and Thai-style meals. Below are some easy coconut shrimp curry variations.

• Add Thai-inspired flavors - substitute the curry powder with Thai red curry paste. Adding a tablespoon of peanut butter and a handful of kaffir lime leaves adds more layers of flavor to this flavorful dish. Serve over rice noodles and garnish with red thinly sliced red bell peppers.
• Add an Indian twist - substitute the curry powder with a half teaspoon each of coriander powder and ground cumin powder, a quarter teaspoon of turmeric and add two teaspoons of tamarind paste to the sauce.
• Add more color - add thinly sliced red bell pepper.
• Without coconut milk - see our other shrimp curry recipe recipe.

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