Jamaican Curry Shrimp
Enjoy bold, tropical flavors with Jamaican curry shrimp thanks to coconut milk, curry powder, garlic, and bell peppers. And, of course, we can’t forget the delectable, juicy shrimp. This mouthwatering stew is flavor-packed yet surprisingly straightforward to make.
I know this dish looks exotic and complex, which may scare off some people, but honestly, it’s not any of those. Large, juicy shrimp simmered in a hearty sauce infused with garlic, thyme, ginger, and curry powder are pure yum!!!
Speaking of curry, if you haven’t made my easy curry powder, then you’re missing out. Store-bought curry powder pales in comparison to homemade. So take a little time, try it, and tell me what you think.
The Secret to Extraordinary Shrimp
Besides the perfect curry powder, coconut milk gives this dish a unique flavor. Anyone who has tried Thai curry knows what I’m talking about. Plus, you can have this easy shrimp recipe on the table in about 30 minutes, including prep. Your family will be a bunch of happy campers.
How to Make Jamaican Curry Shrimp
- Season and saute the shrimp, and set aside.
- Sauté onions, garlic, thyme, and curry powder for 2-3 minutes. Add the scotch bonnet pepper if using, pour in the coconut milk, and stir in the tomato paste.
- Pour in the broth, add the carrots, and simmer. Add the bell peppers and cook for a minute or two, and add the shrimp back in. Adjust seasonings and enjoy.
Recipe Tips
- If shrimp is not your thing, you can make curry chicken with breast or thighs.
- Use full-fat coconut milk for the best shrimp curry. Or even better, make your own super fast.
- Curries and stews can burn quickly, so stir often and reduce the heat to low for a burn-free stew.
- Some people swear that soaking shrimp in beer for 10 minutes helps their texture and flavor. Just don’t go longer than that, or it can ruin the texture instead of helping it.
Make-Ahead and Leftovers
Overcooking shrimp is easy, so I follow the recipe until it goes in. Let the stew cool and store it in the fridge until the next day. Add the shrimp while the stew is reheating and simmer until it’s done. Enjoy a fast and easy meal.
You can store leftover Jamaican curry shrimp in the fridge for 3-4 days or in the freezer for three months. Gently reheat in a saucepan on low just until it starts simmering. It also makes an ideal addition to soups and stews.
Perfect Pairings for Jamaican Curry Shrimp
This recipe is excellent with Jamaican pigeon peas and rice or rice and beans. Simple coconut rice turns this into tropical goodness. Vegetables on the side, like broccoli, side salad, or whatever vegetable suits your mood.
More Incredible Shrimp Recipes
By Imma
Watch How to Make It
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This blog post was first published in May 2016 and has been updated with new tips, fresh photos, and a video.
Jamaican Curry Shrimp
Ingredients
- 1-1½ pounds (450-680g) extra-large shrimp, peeled and deveined
- salt and pepper to taste (see notes)
- 1 teaspoon (2g) Jamaican curry powder
- 2 tablespoons (28ml) cooking oil (canola, sunflower, or avocado works fine)
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 3-4 large cloves garlic, minced (1 tablespoon minced garlic)
- 2 teaspoons (2g) fresh thyme, minced (or ½ teaspoon dried)
- 1-2 tablespoon (6-12g) Jamaican curry powder
- 1 scotch bonnet pepper (optional)
- 1 tablespoon (15g) tomato paste
- ½ cup (70g) sliced carrots, blanched or frozen (optional)
- ½ red or green bell pepper, diced (or both red and green)
- 2 green onions, chopped
- 1-1½ cups (236-350ml) unsweetened coconut milk
- 1 cup (236ml) broth or more (see notes)
Instructions
- Heat oil over medium heat in a heavy-bottomed Dutch oven. Season the shrimp with salt, pepper, and curry powder. Sauté until barely opaque and slightly curled. Remove from the pan and set aside.
- Add onions, garlic, thyme, and curry powder to the same pan, and sauté for 2-3 minutes. If using scotch bonnet pepper, add it at this time.
- Add tomato paste, optional carrots, bell pepper, and green onions, followed by coconut milk and broth. Bring it to a boil, then simmer for 7-10 minutes.
- Toss in the shrimp and heat through. Adjust for salt, pepper, and thickness. Enjoy!
Tips & Notes:
- Salting shrimp to taste is easy. Start with ¾ teaspoon per pound of cleaned shrimp. You can always add more later.
- I used chicken broth in this recipe, but making your own shrimp broth is easy. Cover the shrimp shells with some chopped celery and garlic in a saucepan and simmer for 30-45 minutes or until the water reduces by half, then strain and use.
- You can use habanero pepper instead of scotch bonnet pepper, or add a ¼ teaspoon of cayenne pepper (adjust to taste) if you want some heat. If not, leave it out completely.
- Please keep in mind that the nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary significantly based on the products used in the recipe.
Tried this yesterday and we all loved it. Really appreciate that the measures are also indicated in grams and milliliters.
Thank you so much, Anna! Stay tuned and enjoy more amazing recipes:)
Made this for dinner and it turned out great. I did cook the shrimp first and also used a habanero pepper. I had 2 lbs of shrimp and used 1/2 of the habanero because my kids were eating it too.
Forgot to mention I used seafood stock!
Good to know that. Thanks
Glad you like and your kids also happy to eat, stay tuned for more go to recipe:)
Delicious recipe. Very quick to make. My family loved it! Thank you for the recipe!
Yeah, that’s what I want to hear. I am glad your family also loves it. Hurry stay tuned, try more recipes, and keep them surprised with your cooking skills. Thank you
Super tasty!
Thanks
Chicken , vegetable or seafood would do just fine.
Sooo good, followed your curry paste recipe which worked a treat! Is this recipe vegan if not using prawns?
Hi Kitty! Yes, it can be made vegan if you omit the prawns and use vegetable stock instead of meat broth. Enjoy! 🙂
This was flavorful and delicious! Loved the sauce and it was fabulous with shrimp! Will definitely add to the regular rotation.
Thanks so much, Eva! 🙂
ABSOLUTELY DELICIOUS!!! Thank you so much! Came from a city with lots of great Jamaican restaurants but moved to one with none. I never tried making Jamaican food at home bc I never had to put in the work. This recipe is easy to follow but does not lack in flavor!
Amazing! Thank you, Kiv!
Seafood is best . Chicken is an acceptable substitute.
This recipe is absolutely scrumptious! It can be used for any seafood combinations, I’ve made the sauce to pour over my salmon and also I’ve added crab legs to the sauce.
YUM YUM! Never tried it with salmon. Thanks for sharing this .
I made this recipe today my husband, kids and I loved it!! Will be making it a lot more. Thank you
Happy to hear it was a hit kesonja. Thanks for the feedback.
Hi Stephanie,
Yes you do.
So, so, so. so GOOD!!!! I did alter a little adding shredded cabbage, baby carrots, mushrooms, ginger, oregano (because I didn’t have thyme), diced salmon, cut pollock and broccoli before adding coconut milk. Simply delicious! Thank you for helping me make this wonderful Curry!!!!!!!!!!!! (this was for breakfast — I am going to eat it all day)
What brand of coconut milk did you use?
Hi Asia,
I don’t have any preference . I just don’t use coconut cream . It has tons of calories . Check the labels.
I have made it both ways and it works either way.
I used heavy cream to substitute for the coconut milk, because I was using coconut oil instead of canola oil which gave it a curry coconut shrimp taste. This recipe Tess a hit I love it so much I have forwarded it to my friends
Good to know. Thanks for sharing with friends.
Hi,
What to add to make it thicker?
Corn starch would thicken it up.
Hi Yndia, you sure can.
This was the tastiest curry shrimp I have ever had! I can’t wait to make this for my mother who was born in Jamaica.
Great!!! I hope mom loves it too :). Thanks for the feedback, Shawna!
Wow! Delicious and easy! Thanks!
You’re welcome, Tammy :)! Glad it was a hit with you!
Hi Martha! No, you do not cook the shrimp before adding to the curry. It cooks in the curry for the last 3-5 minutes.