Easy Thai Coconut Curry
This easy curry recipe with coconut milk is super versatile. Add your favorite ingredients and make to your own personal taste. 
Zucchini Shrimp Coconut Curry Recipe
We’ve known folks who said “I don’t like curry”. Are you one of those folks? If so, we should talk because maybe there’s a missing link here that could possibly sway you over to the curry-lovers side. There’s so many different types of “curry” that no curry is ever created equal. In fact, the term “curry” is such a generic term for a beautiful kaleidoscope of spices used all over the world. We use it today to collectively describe a dish as having awesome flavor and of course, color.
Every “curry” or combination of spices is different and so are the flavors. Maybe you had a curry that had a concentration of a spice that didn’t appeal to you? Or maybe it was too flavorful that gave you heart-burn. Trust us, we’re all in the same boat. There are some curry combinations that we just can’t eat because they’re too strong, resulting in heart-burn that forces us to walk around the block a few times just so our meal can digest.
We empathize with all you curry-avoiders. But it doesn’t mean that you should avoid curry all together. There’s mild versions and recipes that give you just enough hint and subtle flavor to get you excited for the next bite. Let’s not give up on curry completely. Life is better with a bit of spice.
What we propose is to start small and slow. Every recipe can be adjusted to taste and make it your own with what ever you want in any combination that works for you. This coconut curry recipe we made last year for our zucchini project is one of those that is the perfect starting point to customize the flavors to your personal taste buds.
There’s something for everyone in this curry recipe. Don’t like shrimp? Add more veggies, chicken or your favorite protein. Like more flavor? Add more curry powder, garlic and spice. This recipe is easy and perfect to make if you’re a newbie.
This zucchini shrimp coconut curry is our go-to curry recipe and every time we make it, it’s never the same twice. That’s the beauty of curry because the possibilities are endless and with that, hopefully it’ll be able to have something special for everyone to enjoy.
hugs,
diane and todd
Easy Thai Coconut Curry and Shrimp & Veggies
Ingredients
- 1 Tablespoon (15 ml) vegetable oil
- 1/2 medium onion , minced
- 3 cloves garlic , minced
- 1 inch (2.5 cm) knob ginger , minced
- 14 ounces (397 g) coconut milk
- 2 Tablespoons (30 ml) curry powder
- 1/4 teaspoon (2.5 ml) cayenne powder optional, or to personal taste
- 1 cup (240 ml) chicken stock
- 1-2 Tablespoons (15 ml) fish sauce
- 3/4 pound (340 g) zucchini , (1 med. zucchini) chopped
- 1 small bell pepper , diced
- 1 pound (454 g) shrimp , peeled and deveined
- chopped cilantro or fresh basil for garnish , optional
- Kosher salt , to taste
- black pepper , to taste
Instructions
- Heat large saucepan on medium-high heat. Add oil, then onions, garlic, and ginger. Cook until translucent.
- Add coconut milk then add the curry powder, optional cayenne powder, chicken stock, and fish sauce. Combine to break up all lumps of spices. Bring to a boil, then immediately reduce heat to low. Simmer coconut curry sauce for about 5 minutes.
- Add zucchini, bell peppers and shrimp. Cook for additional 5 minutes, or until shrimp is cooked through and zucchini is tender. Taste for flavor and add salt and pepper, if desired.
- Garnish with basil and/or cilantro and enjoy warm over rice, blanched zucchini noodles, pasta or with bread.
Delicious and perfect for a weeknight meal. Made it as directed in the recipe and threw in some leftover peas at the last minute. Thanks for this easy and adaptable recipe!
Love the addition of peas. Thanks for sharing Amy!
Tried this out with shrimp and it was so delicious. I can’t wait to try this recipe out with chicken or all veggies.
I have been making this recipe for over a year now and it has become one of my go-to’s! A quick and delicious crowd pleaser and a good staple as I keep shrimp, naan and a bag of frozen Asian vegetables in the freezer. Since the rest of the ingredients aren’t fresh, it’s a good go-to meal if I haven’t made it to the store and want to just substitute frozen vegetables. Thanks for posting this!
Awesome and so easy! Just happened to have everything on hand and whipped it up. Thank you!
I made this recipe close to all ingredients as possible.. only thing is I didn’t have any coconut milk so I used coconut flour.. and I must say it was delicious!
Hello, if I use chicken thigh meat, do I add them in at the end just like how you did with the shrimp? Or do I need to stir fry the chicken first?
Hi Niki,
For chicken we would stir fry them first. After cooking the garlic and onions, add the chicken and cook it until mostly cooked through, and then continue with the rest of the recipe. Enjoy!
This looks really good! Going to try it
We made this for dinner tonight. Great blend of flavors. We found it a bit too spicy and we like spice. I will definitely make this again but will cut the cayenne pepper in half. Added some diced potatoes to the mix to help absorb some of the nice sauce and we liked this addition. Served it with a watermelon salad which was a nice foile to the heat of this curry dish.
just made it and taste it. it is great!!! thank you.
Your curry recipe is wonderful and tasty. I love it 🙂
Coconut curry is one of my favorite combo of flavors! The aroma alone is intoxicating! This looks amazing – silky perfection!
Looks gorgeous curry. I didn’t saw that kind of curry in my life. This combination of zucchini sounds good.
Could you make this a slow cooker recipe? Just toss everything in together all day??
Liz- this recipe could work in a slow cooker, not sure why it wouldn’t. But if you try it, please let us know how it turned out. Thanks!
This curry looks absolutely amazing! Love how you can switch up the ingredients to fit your own taste.
Yum and double yum! I’m wondering what brand of curry powder you use, since as you mention, there are a lot of variables out there in curry land. Do you have a favorite or do you try something new each time?
We use different brands, but this recipe had the Spice Islands yellow Curry powder.
I’m one of the Spice Islands people too. I love curry but my wife is just like the people you described. The ones who say they don’t like it. I know that if she tried this she would love it. Should make it for her.
This looks fabulous!