This Easy Shrimp Curry Recipe is a hit with all my family. Plump, juicy shrimp are cooked with Indian curry spices in a creamy curry sauce. Serve with your favorite sides of rice, noodles or naan bread for a deliciously filling meal.

EASY SHRIMP CURRY

This creamy shrimp curry is delicious and my go-to curry during the week as it can be prepared and cooked in minutes.

Like many of us I’m a huge fan of any dinner dish that can be prepared, cooked and on the table in under 30 minutes!

When is comes to easy cooking you can’t beat this Indian shrimp curry which I flavor with curry powder, coriander, turmeric and just a touch of chili powder to add a kick.

These simple spices all work really well together, but none of them overpower the sweet flavor of the shrimp. If you want to skip the dairy, shrimp curry with coconut milk is a tasty alternative.

I suggest swapping the heavy cream for some full-fat coconut milk instead.

I like to serve my curry with some steamed rice, but I always add a side of naan bread to mop up all that flavorful curry sauce.

If you like shrimp recipes try this Shrimp Creole Recipe, Honey Garlic Sriracha Shrimp, Air Fryer Coconut Shrimp, Lemon Garlic Shrimp Pasta or this Mediterranean Grilled Shrimp Skewers.

Recipe Ingredients

• Olive Oil: Olive oil is my oil of choice to sauté the shrimps and veggies. You can use any light flavorless oil.
• Shrimp: For ease, I like to use a pound of peeled raw shrimp when making this easy shrimp curry.
• Seasoning: I use both curry powder and a pinch of chili powder to season the shrimps while they are searing in the pan.

FOR THE SAUCE:

• Red Onion: I find that red onion has a lovely mild flavor which works great in this curry and doesn’t overpower the shrimps. You could substitute with shallots or a yellow onion if you have no red.
• Garlic: I use 2 cloves of freshly mince garlic to make my curry sauce, but you can use garlic paste from a jar.
• Passata: Tomato passata or tomato sauce is best for this curry sauce.
• Spices: I use a combination of curry powder, ground coriander, turmeric and chili powder in this Indian shrimp curry.
• Brown Sugar: A teaspoon of brown sugar is added to the curry sauce to add a touch of sweetness to balance out the spices.
• Heavy Cream: A cup of heavy cream is added to the curry sauce towards the end of the cook. You could substitute the heavy cream with coconut cream, lite coconut milk or a thick Greek yogurt if you prefer.

Ways to Modify this Shrimp Curry Recipe

This Indian Shrimp Curry Recipe is very adaptable. Using the same sauce as a base, here are some ideas to try out:

• Swap the shrimp for fish, something like cod or salmon.
• This curry sauce will also work with chicken. I like to use it with skinless, boneless chicken thighs, just adjust the cooking times.
• To make a vegetarian or vegan curry, swap the shrimp for beans like white beans or chickpeas or tofu.
• Try adding vegetables in like zucchini, green beans, green onions, carrots or bell peppers.
• Fresh ginger is a great addition to this curry recipe.
• Stir through a handful of leafy greens like spinach or kale towards the end of cooking.
• To make this a vegan curry replace the heavy cream with coconut milk.
• You could add a tablespoon or so of red curry paste to add more flavor or red pepper flakes for spice.
• Try fresh herbs like fresh cilantro or parsley.
• Add lime juice or lemon juice to add acidity and a citrus flavor.

How to Make this Easy Shrimp Curry Recipe:

1. Sear Shrimp: Place a large skillet over a medium heat and pour in the olive oil. Add the shrimp to the pan and season with the curry powder and chili powder.

Sear the shrimp for approximately 1 minute on each side, then transfer to a plate and set aside while you get on with making the curry sauce.

2. Soften the Onion: Now add some more oil to the same pan and cook the onion until translucent, around 5 minutes. Add the garlic cloves and cook for 1 more minute or until fragrant.

3. Cook the Curry Sauce: Add the pasta and spices and stir to combine. Cook until the sauce has darkened, around 6 minutes.

4. Finish the Sauce and Serve: To finish the sauce, stir in the heavy cream and bring to a gentle simmer. Add the shrimp and toss to coat with the sauce.  Remove the pan from the heat and serve with brown rice, jasmine rice or cauliflower rice along with homemade naan bread.

Cooking Tips for Making Shrimp Curry:

• Storage and Reheating: Once the curry has been cooked, cool down and place in an airtight container in the refrigerator for a day or two. When ready to enjoy heat the curry up gently on the stove over a medium heat. Take care not to overcook the shrimps when warming the curry up.
• Freezing: Yes, this curry is really easy to freeze. I often double up the recipe, enjoying half now and freezing the rest for later. Once the curry has cooked and cooled, place it into an airtight container and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. When ready to enjoy, place in the refrigerator to defrost thoroughly before warming through.
• Balance: The trick to a good curry is to balance the sweet; sour; spice and salt flavors in the dish, so I always taste the sauce for balance before serving and adjust as required. The sweetness comes from the brown sugar, salt from the shrimps and some sea salt, spice from the combination of Indian spices and heat from the curry powder. I also like to add a squeeze of lime to add the acidity needed to balance the other flavors in the dish.
• Let is Sit: As is the case with most curries, they do taste better when allowed to sit as the flavors meld together. So make sure to make the best of any leftovers as the curry will taste even better the next day.

Other Curry Recipes to Try

My family love curry and here are a selection of our favorite curry recipes for you to try out in your own kitchen:

Cauliflower Curry

Slow Cooker Beef Curry

Pumpkin Curry

Curry Meatballs

Red Lentil Curry

Chickpea Curry

Slow Cooker Chicken Curry

Easy Green Chicken Curry