Coconut Milk Shrimp is a recipe with saucy shrimp simmered in creamy coconut milk sauce with fresh garlic, ginger, pepper flakes, and lime juice. It’s perfect over cooked rice and ready in only 30 minutes! 

coconut milk shrimp this recipe

Just like our popular Coconut Milk Chicken with Cilantro Lime, this recipe will leave you craving more.

Coconut Milk Shrimp

Super easy, made all in one pan, and packs tons of flavor! This coconut milk shrimp is so delicious and quick to make, you could literally have this on your dinner table in no time at all. 

The shrimp are quickly marinated in honey, garlic, ginger, and red chili flakes and then simmered in creamy coconut milk that’s flavored with delicious aromatics such as shallots, scallions, and fresh lime juice.

This one-pan meal is creamy and rich with the best spicy-sweet coconut flavor.

What Goes with Coconut Shrimp?

Coconut milk shrimp serves amazing over Pineapple Rice or Cilantro Lime Coconut Rice. You can make it a complete meal with these side dishes:

ingredients for coconut milk shrimp

Ingredients for Coconut Milk Shrimp

Here’s what you’ll need to make coconut milk shrimp recipe:

  • Shrimp: large, raw, deshelled, and deveined. If using frozen shrimp, thaw out completely and drain really well. Also, pat dry with a few sheets of paper towel to remove excess moisture.
  • Olive oil: or avocado oil for the marinade.
  • Honey: to balance out the spiciness. Do not omit.
  • Aromatics: garlic, fresh ginger, shallot, and scallions.
  • Spices: red chili flakes and kosher salt.
  • Butter: for cooking the shrimp and aromatics. Just a little needed to add tons of flavor.
  • Coconut milk: unsweetened canned milk is what you want. For best results, use full-fat coconut milk.  See this post for more tips on buying coconut milk.
  • Fish sauce: Another must ingredient. Fish sauce adds an earthy, savory flavor to the sauce. And the sauce does not taste fishy at all. 
  • Lime zest and juice: use fresh lime juice for best results. 
  • Cilantro: not a fan of cilantro? Try fresh basil instead.

How to Make Coconut Milk Shrimp Recipe

Cooking shrimp in coconut milk is really easy. All you need is time for the coconut milk to reduce. It thickens naturally so you don’t need any additional thickening agents. Make sure to use full-fat coconut milk and not coconut cream.

  • Step 1: Marinate the shrimp – toss the shrimp with olive oil, honey, garlic, ginger, chili flakes, and salt. Set aside to marinate for 15 minutes at room temperature.
marinated shrimp in a bowl
  • Step 2: Cook the shrimp – melt butter over medium-high heat in a large non-stick skillet. Add shrimp with a pair of tongs to the hot skillet. Leave the liquid from shrimp inside the bowl.

Cook the shrimp for 1-2 minutes per side or until pink on the outside (shrimp will be raw on the inside). Remove immediately to a clean bowl.

cooked shrimp in pan

Tip: When cooking shrimp, make sure the pan is hot before adding the shrimp. You should hear a sizzle the second the shrimp touches the pan. Also, layer the shrimp in a single layer. You don’t want any shrimp overlapping. Cook in batches if need to.

  • Step 3: Make the sauce – reduce the heat to medium and melt remaining butter in the skillet. Add shallots, white parts of scallions, and chili flakes. Cook for a few minutes until soft and fragrant.

Stir in coconut milk and fish sauce. Season with salt to taste. Simmer until reduced and thickened, about 3-5 minutes.

coconut milk with lime in pan
  • Step 4: Stir in shrimp – stir in lime zest, juice, and shrimp. Simmer for few minutes until the shrimp is cooked through. Add green parts of scallions and cilantro.
step by step how to cook shrimp with coconut milk

Storing Leftovers

Leftover coconut lime shrimp will last in the refrigerator for up to 3 days in an airtight container. Reheat over medium-low heat on the stove-top, stirring frequently.

I do not recommend reheating in the microwave as it can reheat the shrimp unevenly, resulting in rubbery shrimp.

coconut milk shrimp recipe

Video: How to Make Coconut Milk Shrimp

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coconut lime shrimp in pan

Coconut Milk Shrimp Recipe

★★★★★ 4.9 from 28 reviews
  • Author: Katya
  • Prep Time: 15 min
  • Cook Time: 30 min
  • Total Time: 45 minutes
  • Yield: 4-6 1x
  • Category: Main
  • Method: Simmer
  • Cuisine: Thai
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Description

Saucy shrimp simmered in creamy coconut milk sauce with fresh garlic, ginger, pepper flakes, and lime juice. It’s perfect over cooked rice and ready in only 30 minutes! 

Ingredients

Scale

Shrimp

  • 1 pound peeled and deveined large shrimp, pat dried with a paper towel
  • 1 Tbsp. olive oil or avocado oil
  • 2 Tbsp. honey
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 Tbsp. freshly grated ginger
  • 1/4 tsp. red chili flakes
  • 1/4 tsp. kosher salt
  • 2 Tbsp. butter for cooking shrimp

Sauce

  • 2 Tbsp. butter
  • 1 medium shallot, finely chopped
  • 2 scallions, thinly sliced, white and green parts separated
  • 1/4 tsp. red chili flakes
  • 1 (14 oz.) can unsweetened coconut milk (not lite)
  • 1 Tbsp. fish sauce
  • Zest 1 lime
  • 1 Tbsp. fresh lime juice, about 1/2 lime
  • Fresh chopped cilantro
  • Kosher salt, to taste

Instructions

Shrimp

  1. In a bowl, toss the shrimp with olive oil, honey, garlic, ginger, red chili flakes, and salt. Set aside to marinate for 15 minutes at room temperature.
  2. Melt butter over medium-high heat in a large non-stick skillet. When the butter is hot, add the shrimp with a pair of tongs. Leave the liquid from the shrimp inside the bowl and discard. Cook the shrimp for 1-2 minutes per side or until pink on the outside. Remove immediately to a clean bowl. Shrimp will be raw on the inside. If you have leftover liquid in the pan from the shrimp, drain it before adding butter in the next step.

Sauce

  1. Reduce the heat to medium and add butter to the skillet. Add shallots, white parts of scallions, and chili flakes. Cook for a few minutes until soft and fragrant. Stir in coconut milk and fish sauce. Season with salt to taste. Simmer until thickened, about 3-5 minutes.
  2. Stir in lime zest, juice, and shrimp. Simmer for few minutes until the shrimp is cooked through. Do not overcook the shrimp. Add green parts of scallions and cilantro.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size:
  • Calories: 439
  • Sugar: 9.4 g
  • Sodium: 890.7 mg
  • Fat: 33.8 g
  • Carbohydrates: 13.6 g
  • Protein: 25.2 g
  • Cholesterol: 213 mg

Keywords: coconut shrimp, quick shrimp, shrimp in sauce