Shrimp Curry Recipe

Name: Shrimp Curry Recipe
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 20 min
Ingredients: 1 lb. shrimp (peeled and deveined); Salt and ground black pepper; 1 lime (lime juice); 2 tablespoon vegetable oil (or if you prefer you can use olive oil); 1 cup red onion (chopped); 1 cup yellow bell pepper (chopped); 3 cloves garlic (minced); ¼ teaspoon cumin; ¼ teaspoon ground coriander; 1 1/2 teaspoons curry powder; Salt and black pepper to taste; 1 cup diced tomato with the juice from the can; 1 3/4 cup coconut milk from the can (not carton coconut milk); Fresh cilantro or parsley for garnishing

By: Olivia Ribas Updated: 3/20/25

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This cozy curry shrimp is full of deliciously warm spices, veggies, tomatoes and creamy coconut milk. It’s something the whole family will love! Best of all, it’s ready in 20 minutes or less which makes it the perfect weeknight dinner option.

Curries are absolutely perfect for crisp fall evenings. They’re a great go-to when you need an easy, healthy meal to heat up your home. And, if you’ve got any leftovers, they make for an excellent lunch the next day.

Looking for some more tasty curry recipes? Check out my Easy One Pot Cauliflower Curry or this Spicy Carrot Soup.

I love how easy this dish is. Because shrimp cooks so quickly, any meal made with this protein can generally be whipped up really fast! If you’re in the mood for seafood and want to get dinner on the table in under 30 minutes, try this incredible Shrimp Vegetable Skillet!

How To Make

Ingredients

Shrimp — Look for large, peeled and deveined shrimp at the grocery store. This is going to be the most convenient option as peeling shrimp yourself will take some extra time. If you can’t find fresh shrimp, frozen will do the trick.
Lime juice — You can use bottled lime juice, but I recommend fresh because it offers the best and brightest flavor.
Oil — Either vegetable or extra virgin olive oil will work great.
Fresh veggies — Minced garlic, chopped red onion and yellow bell pepper. If you’re feeling adventurous, mix things up and use a different color of bell pepper!
Spices — Ground cumin, ground coriander seed, curry powder (or also red curry), salt and pepper. Some recipes call for ginger, turmeric, chili powder and even cayenne pepper. I didn’t want to make it very spicy, so I didn’t add then. But if you prefer, please feel free to add them.
Canned diced tomato — Be sure to include juices from the can. You also can use tomato sauce if you prefer.
Coconut milk — For this recipe, you’ll want to buy canned coconut milk rather than a box or carton. Canned coconut milk is extra thick, creamy and delicious. It can often be found in the baking or Asian foods aisle at the grocery store. If you use coconut cream, add a little bit of water to the pan since the sauce can become very thick.
Herbs — A little bit of chopped fresh parsley or cilantro will add fresh flavor and gorgeous color to your curry dish.

Instructions

Prepare shrimp:

Place shrimp in a small bowl. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and drizzle with lime juice. Mix until all shrimp are well coated with juice and seasonings.
Allow this mixture to rest for about 15 minutes.

overhead view of raw shrimp in a white house

Sauté and season veggies:

Measure oil into a large pot on the stovetop and turn heat to medium. Please, don’t cook this recipe in a large skillet. You need a large pot to make this shrimp curry recipe.
Add chopped onion, bell pepper and minced garlic. Sauté ingredients until onions become tender, this should take around 3-5 minutes.

Add cumin, ground coriander, curry powder, salt and pepper to the pot. Mix well.

Add liquids:

Add diced tomato with juices and canned coconut milk to the pot. Increase heat and bring everything to a boil for 3-5 minutes.

sauteed veggies, coconut milk and curry in a pot

Reduce heat and allow mixture to calm to a simmer. Add shrimp and cook for 2 minutes, until pink.

Serve:

Serve immediately with fresh chopped cilantro or parsley for garnish. This shrimp curry is fantastic all on its own or spooned over some fluffy rice or basmati rice or even brown rice.

Recipe Tips

Avoid purchasing shelled shrimp! You can save lots of prep time with an already peeled and deveined option. Sometimes, you’ll need to look in the frozen section to find it.
If you buy frozen shrimp at the grocery store, let it thaw in the refrigerator overnight before use.
Make sure not to over-marinate your shrimp. It only needs about 15 minutes and will begin to cook in the lime juice if left much longer.
Whenever possible, use fresh lime juice for this recipe. Bottled will do the trick, but it can taste a bit stale in comparison. Fresh lime juice has much better flavor.
When making curry, add just a bit of salt and black pepper. Once it’s done, do a taste test and add a little more if desired.
In a pinch you can use half and half or heavy cream instead of canned coconut milk. Canned coconut milk is typically located in the baking or Asian foods isle at the grocery store.
Shrimp only needs a couple of minutes to cook and can become tough or rubbery if left for too long. Be careful not to overcook.

Shrimp Curry Variations

If you’re feeling creative or simply have extra produce to use up, you can definitely play around with this versatile recipe.

Veggies: try adding some cauliflower, green peas, zucchini, yellow squash, carrots or diced butternut squash.

Potatoes: chopped russet, gold or sweet potatoes would all be delicious.

Legumes: mix in some beans, lentils or chickpeas.

How To Store Leftovers

Allow leftover curry to cool and transfer it to an airtight container. Store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
This curry can also be frozen for up to 3 months. Be sure to leave some space in your container as liquids will expand as they freeze.
Reheat your curry in the microwave or in a pot on the stovetop until hot. Because it’s thick, you’ll need to stir the curry often while it’s heating up.