Shrimp Curry with Coconut Rice (One-Pot)
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Shrimp curry with coconut rice, red bell pepper and spinach is what’s for dinner! This delicious Indian inspired recipe is packed full of flavor, but I keep it light with the curry spices. A combination of coconut milk, tomatoes, garlic, onion, red pepper and Indian spices make a delicious sweet broth that is poured over cooked rice and shrimp. This is a wonderful curry dish!
I know…me too. It may seem sort of random that I am sharing a curry recipe on the blog given that I often blog about dessert, Italian food and salad. It’s not that I don’t like curry, I do! I actually really like it but I didn’t grow up eating Indian food (neither did Vin) and we don’t currently indulge in Indian food that often.
With that said, I LOVE CURRY.
Confused?
Well I love this curry recipe, at least. Awhile back I asked my friend if she had any yummy recipes that she’s made lately and she gave me one for Coconut Shrimp Curry – she raved about it so I decided to make it.
She was right…it was very good and pretty easy to make.
So I made it again, and again, and again and tweaked it until I got it just the way I liked it. Since I am not an avid curry eater, I don’t have anything to compare this recipe to.
What I can say is that it’s creamy, light yet flavorful and has great textures going on with the rice, shrimp and red pepper. I always clean my plate when I make it – because each bite just makes me want to have another bite and another…
I think that’s called addicting?
Yes, it’s addicting. Did I mention it’s pretty healthy too? I used full fat coconut milk because it’s absolutely delicious but you could use lite coconut milk if your watching the fat and calories. Other than that, it’s made with vegetables, shrimp and spices.
Go get your curry on.
Shrimp Curry with Coconut Rice (One-Pot)
This One-Pot Shrimp Curry with Coconut Rice is a flavorful family dinner made with tender shrimp, red bell pepper, spinach, coconut milk, petite diced tomatoes, and warm curry spices. The rice cooks directly in the creamy curry sauce, keeping preparation simple and cleanup to a minimum.
Ingredients
- 1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined (can you use frozen, just thaw)
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt, divided
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper, divided
- â…› teaspoon cayenne pepper, optional
- 2 tablespoons olive oil or other cooking oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 2 teaspoons freshly grated ginger
- 1½ teaspoons ground coriander
- 1½ teaspoons curry powder
- ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1 (14.5-ounce) can petite diced tomatoes, drained
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 1 (14.5 ounce) can cup full-fat unsweetened coconut milk
- 1 cup chicken or vegetable broth
- 1 cup white basmati rice, rinsed well and drained well
- 2 packed cups fresh baby spinach
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, plus more to taste
- Chopped fresh cilantro, for serving, optional
Instructions
- Season the shrimp. Pat 1 pound shrimp dry with paper towels. Season with ¼ teaspoon kosher salt, ⅛ teaspoon black pepper, and ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper, if using. Set aside.
- Sauté the vegetables. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large, deep skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add 1 diced yellow onion and 1 diced red bell pepper. Cook for 4–5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables begin to soften.
- Add the aromatics and spices. Stir in 2 teaspoons minced garlic, 2 teaspoons freshly grated ginger, 1½ teaspoons ground coriander, 1½ teaspoons curry powder, and ½ teaspoon turmeric. Cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly, until fragrant.
- Build the curry sauce. Add 1 drained can of petite diced tomatoes, 1 teaspoon granulated sugar, 1 can of full-fat coconut milk, 1 cup broth, the remaining ½ teaspoon kosher salt, and the remaining ⅛ teaspoon black pepper. Stir well, scraping up anything stuck to the bottom of the pot.
- Add the rice. Stir in 1 cup rinsed and well-drained basmati rice. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil (make sure it's a gentle boil), reduce the heat to low to bring the rice to a gentle simmer and cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid. Cook for 15 minutes without lifting the lid.
- Add the shrimp and spinach. Remove the lid and gently stir the rice, scraping along the bottom of the pot. Arrange the seasoned shrimp in an even layer over the rice and sprinkle the spinach over top. Cover and cook over low heat for more 4 minutes or until the shrimp is cooked through.
- Let it rest: Take the pot off the heat and remove the lid and gently stir the rice again, scraping up any bits from the bottom. Let the dish rest, covered for 3 minutes.
- Finish the curry. Remove the lid and check that the shrimp are opaque and cooked through. Gently stir the shrimp and spinach into the curry rice. Add a splash of stock if sauce is too thick. Add 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, then taste and adjust the salt, pepper, or lemon juice as needed.
- Serve. Spoon the coconut shrimp curry rice into bowls and garnish with chopped fresh cilantro, if desired. Serve immediately.
Notes
The curry mixture should be at a gentle simmer before covering the pot and beginning the eight-minute cooking time.
Rinsing the basmati rice removes excess starch and helps prevent the finished dish from becoming gummy. Drain the rice thoroughly before adding it to the pot.
Rice brands can cook differently. If the rice is still slightly firm after resting, cover the pot and cook it over low heat for another 1–2 minutes. Add a small splash of broth if the mixture looks dry.
Use full-fat canned coconut milk for the creamiest sauce. Refrigerated coconut milk intended for drinking is too thin for this recipe.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat gently to prevent the shrimp from becoming tough.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
4Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving:Calories: 347Total Fat: 12gSaturated Fat: 3gUnsaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 240mgSodium: 1659mgCarbohydrates: 32gFiber: 5gSugar: 6gProtein: 30g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated. Use as an approximation only.
Recently made this dish and it is now a staple in my house! Love it!! I hope it’s okay I include you and this dish on a blog post so people will come to your site for more yummy and healthy meals!
Wonderful!!
I loved this curry i deep fried some tofu to repace the shrimp twas delicious
Yum!!
I substitute pasta instead of rice and it was great , will make again
glad you liked it!
I like the food. thanks for sharing
Love the recipe. I added a stir fry mix with snow peas, carrots, red cabbage and kale along with the spinach. It was so amazing. Served it over black japonica rice. This recipe is a keeper. Hubby lived it.
Hi Jessica. Preparing your dish as we speak and I’m sure it will become one of my favorite curry’s. Thanks for sharing the recipe.
I hope you like it!
I made this for dinner Sunday but ate it Monday and it was delicious! My hubby loved it! I added a little more curry and hot pepper sauce. Can wait to make again!
We love it, too! Glad you guys enjoyed it!
why is it called coconut shrimp curry? Theres no coconut in this.
Hi Jessica! I call it that because there is a can of full fat coconut milk in it.
I dont eat shrimp however i do make it for my dear husband and he always “subtly” requests it from time to time! Its looks delicious n he says it tastes amazing! Thanks for a great recipe!
you’re so welcome! glad your husband likes it!
Do you think this would work in the crockpot?
This is a fantastic recipe. I bumped up the spices because we like it like that. Added some brown sugar & extra shrimp. Threw in some matchstick carrots I had on hand. So yum! I have made it twice in 2 weeks. Thanks for sharing!
Yum! Love your additions! I will have to try it with the carrots!