This Thai inspired creamy coconut shrimp is a weeknight dinner winner! It’s an easy and healthy shrimp recipe with deliciously creamy shrimp cooked in an amazing creamy coconut sauce. Ready in one pan in about 20 minutes!
Why You’ll Love This Creamy Coconut Milk Shrimp
- A thick and creamy coconut sauce with tangy lemon juice and curry is a sauce you’ll eat with a spoon.
- One pan and on the table in 20 minutes – easy peasy!
- The perfect mix of sweet and savory. You can add a little spice with red chili flakes.
- Serve it with pasta, zoodles, rice or cauliflower rice.
- That sauce! Oh so creamy and delicious.
Want more? Check out this listing of 30+ recipes that use coconut milk!
Making The Creamy Coconut Shrimp Sauce
All you need is a handful ingredients and a few minutes to make this deliciously savory sauce.
- First, mix up the sauce ingredients in a bowl or large measuring cup.
- Just before adding the sauce to the pan, give it a quick stir.
- Pour the sauce in the pan and simmer for a few minutes, scraping up any bits from the pan for extra flavor.
- Simmer the shrimp in the sauce to cook. Don’t overcook or the shrimp will turn rubbery.
- Pour some sauce over the shrimp for serving.
How to Serve This Creamy Coconut Shrimp Recipe
This recipe is perfect when served over white or cauliflower rice. Dump the sauce ALL OVER EVERYTHING and dig in.
Other options for serving are:
- Any kind of pasta or veggie noodle (zoodles or spaghetti squash noodles work great)
- Over a bed of greens or with roasted veggies
You could also add in some hearty greens like chopped kale or chard in step 6 of the recipe. They will simmer and cook down with the shrimp perfectly.
More Easy Shrimp Recipes
- Cilantro Lime Shrimp Bowls
- Creamy Garlic Prawns
- Sheet Pan Shrimp Fajitas
- 10-Minute Chili Lime Shrimp
- Easy Blackened Shrimp Recipe
Your Turn to Try This Creamy Shrimp Recipe
I just know you’ll love the creamy coconut sauce, so give this recipe a try for an easy weeknight dinner! Let us know how it goes by leaving a rating and comment below.
And take a pic to share on Instagram. Tag us @realsimplegood, so we can check it out! We love to see what you’re making!
Like this Recipe?
SHARE IT NOW OR PIN IT FOR LATER!
Easy (20-Minute!) Creamy Coconut Shrimp
Ingredients
- 1 shallot, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 10 leaves of basil, roughly chopped
- 2 lbs shrimp, peeled and deviened
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
For the creamy coconut sauce:
- 1 can coconut milk, (14 oz) equivalent to about 1+3/4 cups
- 2 tbsp red curry paste, (can sub 2 tbsp dried curry powder)
- 1 tbsp lemon juice, (about 1/4 of a lemon, juiced)
- 1 tbsp fish sauce
- 1 tsp dried ginger
- 1 tsp tapioca starch, (for thickening, can sub corn or arrowroot starch)
For topping (optional):
- chopped cilantro or basil
- red chili flakes
Instructions
- Prep shallot, garlic and basil as noted. Set aside.
- Rinse shrimp with water. Place shrimp on a paper towel to dry and pat dry to remove excess moisture. Set aside.
- Mix the creamy coconut sauce ingredients together in a bowl or large measuring cup. Whisk to mix.
- Heat a large pan over medium heat and add sesame oil. Once hot, add in the garlic and shallot. Cook, stirring frequently, until they begin to soften, about 3-4 minutes.
- Turn heat to medium-low. Give the creamy coconut sauce a whisk to mix and pour it into the pan with the garlic and shallot. Simmer, stirring frequently, until the sauce warms and thickens, about 2-3 minutes.
- Add the shrimp and basil into the pan and stir to mix it in with the sauce. Simmer the shrimp in the sauce to cook for 3-5 minutes or until fully cooked. Stir shrimp occasionally while cooking to cook on both sides.
- Remove from heat and serve. Top with optional toppings as desired.
