Coconut milk flavored with peanut butter and red curry paste makes a classic Thai-inspired, creamy sauce. When tossed with shrimp and bell peppers, it makes for an easy dinner!
I feel that I’ve led you astray. That I didn’t deliver. That I was just being a big tease.
Actually, there was a plethora of you who said that’s exactly what I was when you e-mailed me in droves asking where the recipe was for the photo of this dish in my Friday Faves because I hadn’t shared the recipe.
You’re right. I owe you this coconut curry shrimp recipe. So I’m delivering it in two different versions: the original from a cereal cooking challenge I was part of and another minus the cereal for those of you looking for a simpler option.
This recipe was my divine inspiration when I was put on the spot for a cooking challenge at General Mills HQ. We were tasked to create recipes using a General Mills cereal, ANY cereal. And that’s a lot of cereals!
I channeled my main man in the kitchen (my husband) and used Reese’s Puffs to create a Thai-flavored dish, grinding Reese’s Puffs and coating shrimp to make a peanut-y crust.
To recreate the recipe, I went to the store to buy the cereal and came home with…Cocoa Puffs, not Reese’s Puffs. So, instead of making yet another trip to the store, I’m giving you the stripped-down version as well, minus the Reese’s Puffs coating.
What’s in This Thai Shrimp Curry?
Here’s what you’ll need to make my take on Thai shrimp curry:
- Jumbo shrimp
- Vegetable oil
- Garlic
- Kosher salt
- Red chili flakes
- Onion
- Bell pepper
- Coconut milk
- Thai red curry paste
- Fish sauce
- Peanut butter
- Lime juice
- Ground ginger
- Brown sugar
- Basil
- Cilantro
- Green onion
How to Make Coconut Curry Shrimp
First up, peel and devein the shrimp (but leave the tails on). Then, toss the shrimp with a little oil, garlic, kosher salt, and red chili flakes. Let the shrimp marinate for 10 minutes.
Cook the onion and peppers in a hot skillet until softened, then transfer them to a bowl. Working in batches, cook the shrimp in the skillet and then place it in a separate bowl.
Next, make the coconut shrimp sauce. The creamy sauce is amped up by combining coconut milk with salty fish sauce and lime juice, plus peanut butter, red curry paste, brown sugar, and ground ginger. Don’t be afraid of fish sauce. It sounds odd but lends a distinctly Thai flavor to the dish. My husband read somewhere Red Boat is a highly-rated fish sauce, and is 100% natural, so it’s the one we buy now.
Add the cooked onion and peppers back into the skillet and pour in the coconut milk mixture. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer and cook until reduced by half. Add the shrimp to the skillet with the basil and cilantro and toss to coat.
When serving this coconut curry shrimp, it’s all about the garnish. Cilantro leaves, fresh basil, sliced red jalapeño, chopped green onion, and a squeeze of lime simply enhance this dish in my opinion. And if you’re using the Reese’s Puffs, a few tablespoons of crushed puffs adds a peanut buttery crunch.
Can I Add in Extra Veggies?
Of course! Feel free to swap out one of the bell peppers for another favorite veggie.
What Type of Coconut Milk Should I Use?
You should use canned unsweetened, full-fat coconut milk. If using low-fat coconut milk, the sauce will be thinner and has a tendency to break.
How to Make Coconut Milk Shrimp with Cereal
If you’d like to try the version with the cereal-crusted shrimp, simply grind 1 cup of Reese’s Puffs in a food processor. Marinate the shrimp for 15 minutes, roll in the crushed cereal, and sauté in the skillet.
You will need to wipe the pan out after each batch and may need a little extra oil as well.
It’s a pretty tasty crunch, if I do say so myself. (Pat on back…)
Tips for Making Coconut Curry Shrimp
PLEASE TAKE NOTE! There have been some comments that the dish is too salty. I believe this is from using a lesser quality fish sauce, which will lend a saltier taste. Please use a high-quality fish sauce like the one I recommend, or add just 4 tablespoons of sauce and then taste it, and add more to your liking.
Use fresh or dried ginger in this dish. I’ve used both. If using fresh, use 1 ½ tablespoons minced ginger and cook it with the peppers and onions and omit the dried ginger from the coconut milk mixture.
I like Key West Pink Shrimp in my shrimp dishes. In my opinion, they’re sweeter and more flavorful than striped or tiger shrimp that are typically farmed. I find the wild caught Key West Shrimps in the freezer section at my local Kroger (under the Private Selection brand).
Keep the tails. I like to leave the tails on my shrimp for presentation’s sake, but if you want to, feel free to remove the tails from the get-go.
Serve over brown rice for another layer of nutty flavor. If you’re a white rice kind of eater, go for it. Cellophane or rice noodles would be really good underneath too, or spiralize a few zucchini noodles to keep the veg-love flowing.
More Thai-Inspired Recipes You’ll Love
- Thai Quinoa Salad
- Thai Chicken and Cucumber Salad
- Slow Cooker Thai Chicken Soup
- Thai Basil Chicken (Pad Krapow Gai)
- Thai Coconut Chicken and Rice
- Thai Coconut Noodle Salad
If you make this recipe, please let me know! Bookmark this recipe and leave a comment below, or take a photo and tag me on Instagram with #foodiecrusheats.
Shrimp In Thai Coconut Curry Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 pound jumbo shrimp , peeled and deveined, tail on
- 4 tablespoons vegetable oil , divided
- 2 cloves garlic , minced or pressed
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon red chili flakes
- ½ onion , peeled and sliced
- ½ red bell pepper , seeded and sliced
- ½ orange bell pepper , seeded and sliced
- ½ yellow bell pepper , seeded and sliced
- 1 cup coconut milk
- 4-6 tablespoons high quality fish sauce , start with 4 tablespoons and add more to taste
- 2 tablespoons peanut butter
- 2 tablespoons red curry paste
- 2 tablespoons lime juice , about ½ large lime, juiced
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 2 tablespoons basil leaves , chopped
- 2 tablespoons cilantro , chopped
- 1 green onion , chopped
- Red jalapeno pepper , thinly sliced (optional)
Instructions
- Place the shrimp in a bowl with 1 tablespoon of the oil, garlic, kosher salt and red chili flakes. Toss to coat and let marinate for 10 minutes.
- Heat a 12-inch skillet over medium high heat with 1 tablespoon of oil. Add the onion and peppers and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Transfer the peppers and onion to a bowl.
- Add 1 tablespoon of oil to the skillet and cook half of the shrimp for 2 minutes, then flip and cook for another 2 minutes or until opaque. Transfer the shrimp to a plate. Add the remaining tablespoon of oil and cook the remaining shrimp then add to the other shrimp.
- In another bowl or 4-cup measuring cup mix the coconut milk, fish sauce, peanut butter, red curry paste, lime juice, brown sugar and ground ginger and stir well.
- Transfer the cooked onion and peppers to the skillet and pour the coconut milk mixture of the peppers. Bring to a boil then reduce to simmer and cook until reduced by half, about 5 minutes.
- Add the shrimp to the skillet with the basil and cilantro and toss to coat. Serve over rice or noodles. Garnish with more cilantro and basil, chopped green onion and sliced red jalapeño of desired.
Notes
Nutrition
More Easy Shrimp Recipes to Try
- Shrimp Scampi Pasta
- Grilled Shrimp Vietnamese Spring Rolls
- Peel ‘n’ Eat Beer Steamed Shrimp
- Saucy Greek Baked Shrimp
- Shrimp Tacos with Garlic Avocado Crema
Thanks for stopping by and checking out the recipe. I hope it inspires you to get in the kitchen and cook something good.
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Awesome recipe…I used chunky peanut butter and it gave the sauce this nutty/crunchy thing…very delicious after a night in the fridge for next day also … flavors meld so well…an option if you are doing a dinner and overloaded…just need the shrimp and the fresh garnishes.
Yes, chunky or smooth peanut butter works for the recipe. Glad you enjoyed it!
My first try at a Thai dish and it was awesome! Thanks for this amazing recipe!
Thanks, Joe, so happy you liked it!
Used chicken instead of shrimp and it was SO good!! Husband said to remind him just how much he liked this dish, in case he forgot!!
Happy to hear you could adjust to your liking!
I did find that even 4 Tbsp of fish sauce was too much. Will cut it by half next time. Also would increase peanut butter. It’s flavour was lost in all the spices. We like a more pronounced pesnutty flavour. But it was good.
This looks amazing…..will really have to try it, thank you
Place the shrimp in a bowl with 1 tablespoon of the oil, garlic, kosher salt and red chili flakes. Toss to coat and let marinate for 10 minutes. Poor instructions; suggests 1 tbs of each; which kills the recipe
I thought this tasted delicious! I followed the recipe as is. However, in your printable instructions it does not say to peel and devein the shrimp. I don’t cook shrimp often (ever?) so I didn’t know to do that. It would be helpful to update that in the recipe instructions :)
Hi Kira, thanks for this feedback – you make an excellent point! Also, we’re so glad you enjoyed this!
It was delicious! my sauce came out darker and greener but it qas still very good and healthy tasting
I’m glad you enjoyed Joseph!
We loved the flavors even though we sadly had to go with chicken due to my daughter’s hatred of seafood :(
I used sesame oil, fresh ginger (ran it over a zester/grater), and since I didn’t have a yellow onion on hand I added more green onions on the back end. Served it over jasmine rice. It was all good. Yum.
I plan to make it with shrimp in the near future. Thanks for sharing!
I’m glad you enjoyed it!
Hello,
Superb recipe for my family of 10. Doubled it and leftovers for lunch tomorrow Trying to get more veg into our recipes so added snap peas and book choy. Sugar is sugar and oil is oil so one is not really getting a healthier option by changing them out. Just use less.
Thanks again.
I’m glad you enjoyed!
This curry is so yummy.
Just made this tonight and hubs and son raved and said to put this on “The List”. I used the whole can of unsweetened coconut milk and 4 tbls fish sauce and wasn’t salty at all. Wondering if those that found too salty maybe didn’t use enough lime juice, just a thought. We put over rice and thought it was delicious. Thanks for a great recipe!
I’m glad you enjoyed!
excellent !!! can’t wait to make it again.
i also added about 2 cup fresh spinach and i used olive oil
A friend made this recipe and dropped off a serving for me to sample. I intended to take a quick taste but ended up savoring the whole bowl. It is, quite simply, outstanding, better than fine dining quality. The authentic Thai flavors came through as did the taste of the shrimp. The only Thai dish I have tasted that is better than this was at a highly rated resort in Barbados. I am salt sensitive and this did not taste at all salty. It is spicy but just enough. Confession: I absolutely HATE peanut butter. I was the only kid in the neighborhood who refused a PBJ sandwich. If I would have known in advance this dish contained peanut butter, I would have said ‘no thank you’ and passed. I did not detect the dreaded peanut butter at all. I only learned of it when I added this outstanding recipe to my files.
This recipe is amazing!! I make it once a month and serve over riced cauliflower to up the nutrition even more!!! Thank you so much for this recipe!!
Yummmeeeee!
Delicious and fast to make – Circa 20 Minutes.
My first time to ever cook Thai, or even use coconut milk in cooking. Turned out delicious and perfect!
Thank you!
We loved this meal! After reading the comments, only used 1 tbsp of fish sauce and it was perfect. In the future will double the sauce and add more vegetables – I want leftovers for the next day!
Delicious! I served this over jasmine rice. I used 4 tablespoons of fish sauce, and highly recommend a high quality fish saurce like Red Boat. You can order it on Amazon. Will definitely make this again!
I made this recipe exactly as the recipe with the 4TBS of fish sauce and we had the Red in our store. Turned out great! My husband said that I could make it again. We had it over rice. I was thinking of what veggie to throw in. Great ideas above.
Made this keto style!!!! OMG, delish ❤️❤️❤️
I love this recipe. So perfect for mid week!
Planning on trying the coconut curry shrimp recipe, how much curry powder should I use?
Absolutely delicious. Made it exactly like recipe said and started with 4 tbs of fish sauce. Was perfect. Added mushrooms and sugar peas. Used frsh ginger insread of powdered because that is what I had. Served over egg tagliatelle. Definitely on the make again recipe. But a little spicier next time.
Thanks for the recipe.
Just made this for dinner. Tasted like it was from my favorite Thai restaurant!
Made this today. Used Squid fish sauce, as it was all they had in the shop, but it turned out delicious. I added a tiny bit of honey because I read the comments about the salt, and yes, it wasn’t NOT salty, but we thought it was just perfect. My boyfriend kept praising it, and I’m usually not a fond of these types of dishes at all, but I really liked it. It did stink up our entire apartment though :P
I’ve ordered some Red Boat fish sauce online, so looking forward to trying it with that. I used 5 tablespoons in my recipe.
Thanks for sharing that squid sauce was a good substitute Trine. I’ve never cooked with it before so it’s great to know. And glad your boyfriend approves too. Next time have him make it for YOU :)
I was looking to use up my can of coconut milk and shrimp. I checked on line – so many recipes but yours enticed me. IT WAS AWESOME!!!! I went with 5 tablespoons of fish oil. I didn’t have any fresh basil, so I used dry and I had a frozen lime, so I was ready. If there was one concern, I would say it required too many dishes but it was worth it. I’ll definitely make this again. What I may do is make a large batch of the sauce and keep it in the refrigerator or freezer. Thank you so much!
Thanks so much! Glad you enjoyed, Karen!
It’s saucy and that last photo is just so the rice doesn’t get drowned out for the picture. But if you want it more saucy, feel free to add more coconut milk.
Just. curious if anyone has made this without the sugar or maybe with a sugar substitute? Will it be as good?
Loved the recipe! The taste is amazing! But even great quality fish sauce made it salty. I’d make it again with 1/2 the suggested amount of sauce.
Glad you liked it Amanda, thanks for the comment. Be sure to use a fresh, high quality fish sauce to avoid that too-salty taste.
This was way too salty! Ease up on the fish sauce for sure. Maybe use 2 tablespoons.
Thanks for the input!
A new favorite in our house! I modified things slightly…
Sauce modifications: Only 3 tbsp fish sauce, added extra lime juice and fresh ginger, and subbed almond butter. More fish sauce would have been too salty.
Marinade: No salt, added more chili pepper flakes.
Veggies: Added watercress chestnuts to cook with the peppers and threw in garlic when they were cooking.
Onion: Switched for shallot for preference
Thanks for the recipe ideas Maureen, and glad you made it fit your tastes!
wow, that is far too much fish sauce!!! It should need no more than 2T.
So delicious and simple!!
This was a pretty easy dish to make, I do think the sauce was a little thin and a little salty but otherwise delish!!
thanks Marilyn, The sauce may have thinned out if it got too hot while cooking but I’m glad you enjoyed it!
Amazingly delicious! I used soy sauce and dried basil and cilantro and it still tasted great! Thank you! Will be making this again for sure!
So good to hear Sophia and glad to know you were able to substitute what you had on hand. That’s the key to easy cooking. :)
My husband is allergic to seafood. Could I use soya sauce instead of fish sauce? Also, I only buy peanut butter that is peanuts only…is that the kind you use?
Absolutely!! And yes Elaine, that peanut butter will work great.
Omg I made this last night and it was AMAZING N PHENOMENAL. tasted just like the restaurants. Thank you so much. Will definitely keep this in rotation.
I love to hear that! Thank you Lucy!
Would are it more in line with proper Thai cooking spicey so need chillie paste and a few birds eye chillies as well.
I love proper Thai food and the heat they take it having lived there for a few years.
Wonderful dish, my whole family loved it!
OMG! I made this tonight with just a couple of modifications because I am doing Keto, and it was seriously the most delicious thing I think I have ever made! I used yellow and green squash instead of red pepper, used a whole can of coconut milk, and added an extra tablespoon of peanut butter. It is so good that I immediately sent this recipe to 3 other friends. Well done!!!!!
Hi
Loved this recipe and have made it several times. But as I like to serve it with rice, I added more coconut milk to get more sauce.
Delicious!
This dish is awesome!! Everyone I’ve made it for loves it, thank you!!
Hi! It looks delicious! What can I use instead of sugar? I don’t want to use sugar in my food. Would honey work or maybe the dish is sweet enough without the sugar?
Thank you!
Luis, you could definitely try with honey!
Hi i just made the shrimp recipes .great taste my wife was so happy thanks so much..