Coconut Curry Shrimp, Caribbean Inspired But Quick and Easy!

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This quick and easy curry shrimp recipe is perfect for those busy weeknights. It's rich, flavorful, and on the table in under 30 minutes!

Coconut Curry Shrimp with white rice and steam cabbage

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If you're looking for a weeknight dinner that feels fancy but takes almost no effort, this easy curry shrimp is it. This family favorite has creamy coconut milk, warm curry, tender veggies, and juicy shrimp all in one pot in about 30 minutes.

And if you really want to take the flavor up a notch. Add a couple of tablespoons of my green seasoning (Haitian Epis) to both the shrimp marinade and the pot while it's simmering. It's optional, but trust me, it's highly recommended. You can find my easy recipe here: Easy Haitian Epis: The Secret to Caribbean Flavor

Ingredients

While this Jamaican curry shrimp recipe with coconut milk is quick and easy. It's also packed with that deep, layered Caribbean flavor that just hits different.

The coconut milk and potatoes give it a wonderful creaminess, the curry and allspice bring warmth & flavor, and the veggies & shrimp make it a full, satisfying meal.

For the Shrimp:

1 lb clean shrimp
Curry powder
All-purpose seasoning or seafood seasoning
Garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, paprika, turmeric, and fresh ground pepper (to taste)
Green seasoning/epis (optional but recommended!)
Jerk seasoning (optional, you can sub with salt)

For the Curry:

Coconut milk
Hot water
Curry powder
Cooking oil
Garlic (fresh or frozen)
A small piece of ginger (fresh or frozen)
Fresh thyme sprigs
Green onion
Carrot
Potato
Onion
Bell pepper (any color)
Allspice berries
Scotch bonnet or habanero pepper (optional, for heat)
Green seasoning/epis (optional but recommended!)
Garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, and a little chicken bouillon powder to season the pot

See recipe card for quantities.

Instructions

Step 1: Peel and devein the shrimp. Rinse with cold water and pat dry. Season with curry powder, all-purpose or seafood seasoning, and your dry spices, and set aside. If you're using green seasoning, add a tablespoon here, too.

Step 2: Cut up the bell peppers, green onion, carrots, *potatoes, and onion. Mince your garlic and ginger if using fresh. *Put potatoes in cold water so they don't turn brown.

Step 3: Heat cooking oil on medium and saute onions, garlic/ginger, along with 1 tbsp curry powder until onion is transparent and curry is fragrant. Add a bit of hot water if the curry starts clumping to loosen it up.

Step 4: Add bell peppers and saute for a minute or so. If you're using green seasoning, now's the time to stir in that other tablespoon.

Step 5: Pour in the coconut milk and add the remaining veggies(carrots, potatoes, green onions, thyme, allspice berries, & habanero pepper). Add hot water and season the pot with a little more black pepper, garlic powder, and chicken bouillon (or whatever seasoning you like). Give it a good stir and simmer for about 10 minutes, or until your potatoes are nice and tender.

Step 6: Add shrimp to the curry sauce and simmer until the shrimp are firm and the curry sauce has thickened, around 5 minutes. Do not overcook your shrimp, or they'll become tough.

Recipe Notes: Prep first, cook fast. Before you start cooking, put on a pot of rice (or better yet, a rice cooker) so that it's ready with your curry. Also, get your veggies chopped and your shrimp seasoned. It makes the whole process flow so much smoother.

How to Serve It

This coconut curry shrimp is amazing over a big bowl of fluffy white rice. It soaks up all that delicious and flavorful sauce perfectly. Now, if you really want to keep things Caribbean-inspired, pair it with some Jamaican steamed cabbage on the side (let me know if you want the recipe).

It's such a comforting and satisfying meal. There's a reason I make this at least twice a month lol.

Substitutions

There are a few ingredients some folks may not have on hand, like the fresh thyme sprigs or allspice berries. So you can substitute with the dry versions.

Use ½ tsp dry thyme = fresh thyme sprigs.
Use ½ tsp ground allspice = Allspice berries.
Use ½ tsp ginger powder = fresh or frozen ginger.

Tools

While you don't need any special tools to make this tasty curry shrimp. I swear by my inexpensive rice cooker that makes pulling together weeknight meals like this a breeze.

Top Tip

Do not overcook your shrimp or they'll become tough! While you can use a pound of any shrimp, I recommend using at least large-sized shrimp, in the best quality you can afford. I touch on this around the 4 min. mark in the video.

FAQ

Does Jamaican curry use coconut milk?

Traditionally, Jamaican curry doesn't use coconut milk. Especially if you're making curry chicken or curry goat. However, it has become popular to add coconut milk to curry fish.

This delicious, all-natural Caribbean green seasoning marinade will take all your everyday recipes to the next level!

Easy Haitian Epis: The Secret to Caribbean Flavor

Linda P.