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This easy Thai red curry with shrimp and snow peas is quicker to make at home than to order a takeout! Not to mention cheaper!!
Take a look at our Instant Pot Chicken with Thai Glaze if you are a fan of these flavours.
You will love this Thai curry recipe because it’s exactly the kind of dish that will warm you up from the inside on a cold winter night without being too heavy.
It’s colourful and delicious and takes 15 minutes to make with barely any chopping involved. Throw your rice in a rice cooker and by the time it’s done, your curry is waiting for you.
Thai curries
I know what you are thinking that curry pastes are difficult to make from scratch. They take a lot of time, ingredients and knowledge of the Thai cuisine.
All true but because we are focusing on quick and easy dinners we are going to cheat a little. We are going to use pre-made high quality Thai red curry paste!
You will see two main types of curry pastes in most supermarkets, red and green. Red curries are usually medium-hot, while green curries can be a bit spicier.
A good paste will go a long way. They carry a lot of spices and flavours, which mean you can add everything you need to your dish without having to track down obscure ingredients.
It’s worth noting that not all are created equal, so purchase the best paste you can afford. I haven’t always found that the most expensive paste is the best, though, so experiment with a few if you can.
One of the great things about a Thai curry is that mastering the basic technique can open the door to all sorts of versions and variations. If you take a look at my Thai Fish Curry, and you will see ingredients and an approach you recognise, but with a very different outcome. Lots of opportunity to get creative!
Ingredients
This curry is made with shrimp aka prawns but you can easily use chicken. Or make it vegetarian (which I often do).
You can also add any vegetables you like to it. Green beans, mushrooms, asparagus, bok choy and zucchini all taste amazing.
The key thing is to try to find ingredients that will cook at roughly the same pace. This will simplify the cooking process and prevent a scenario where some vegetables are raw and others are overdone.
If you are a soup fan, there is no reason why you wouldn’t turn this curry unto a soup like Thai Noodle Soup right here. Just add more broth and you are golden.
Recipe Tips and Notes
- Get all ingredients ready on your countertop because things will move fast once we start.
- Use either shrimp or chicken breasts for a quick dinner.
- Make sure your curry paste is of the best quality you can afford. That will ensure authentic flavours. You can use red or green curry paste. The green one is generally spicier.
- I prefer the full flavour and creamy texture of full fat unsweetened coconut milk. Feel free to use light coconut milk for a lower calorie alternative.
- Use vegetables in your curry that cook at the same pace like snow peas that I used.
- Garnish your curry with fresh, aromatic herbs like cilantro and Thai basil and fresh lime wedges for added flavour.
Serving suggestions
I’m a fan of Thai curry when it is served over plain steamed rice but also love noodles for a bit of variety. If you go with rice, jasmine is more traditional and does a great job absorbing the curry flavours.
Personally, I love to give my rice a bit of extra attention. It fills a lot of my bowl, so of course it’s worth a bit of effort! My favourite with Thai red curry is aromatic coconut rice, gently flavourful and easy to make in an This is an affiliate link.Instant Pot or rice cooker.
A squeeze of lime for an extra hit of citrus is also a wonderful addition!
Storage and leftovers
Curry can be frozen for up to 3 months, or kept refrigerated for 4-5 days. Keeping it any longer is not advisable due to the shrimp.
Leftovers can be warmed in a microwave or in a This is an affiliate link.saucepan on a stovetop using medium-high heat. Add a splash of water if it seems to be a bit too thick.
More Easy Curry Recipes to Try
- Indian Butter Chicken
- Chinese Chicken Curry
- Chickpea and Butternut Squash Curry(Vegetarian)
- Easy Cauliflower and Potato Curry(Vegetarian)
Thai Red Curry with Prawns and Snow Peas
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 tsp Sesame oil, optional
- 1/2 fresh red chilli , sliced or 1/4 tsp dried chilli flakes
- 1 yellow or red pepper, large, sliced
- 2 tbsp This is an affiliate link.Thai red curry paste, if using very thick, concentrated paste; 1/2 cup/190g if using runnier paste
- 1 lbs prawns/shrimp
- 400ml/14 oz This is an affiliate link.coconut milk, full fat
- 1 tbsp fish sauce
- 65g/1 cup snow peas
- 10g/3 tbsp cilantro, chopped
- 1/2 lime, juice only
- 2-3 basil leaves , Thai basil is preferred
Instructions
- Slice the bell pepper and fresh chilli. Take cilantro leaves off their stalks, chop up the stalks finely.
- Heat a large frying pan on medium heat and when it's hot add both vegetable oil and sesame oil. Then add chopped cilantro stalks, sliced pepper and chile, stir fry for a couple of minutes.
- Add the curry paste and cook it while stirring for a minute, then pour in coconut milk and fish sauce, mix to combine.
- Add the shrimp and snow peas and cook for 3 minutes. Both of those need very little time to be done. As soon as shrimp turns pink turn the heat off. Stir in cilantro and basil leaves.
- Taste your curry and squeeze some lime juice into it if needed. Serve over rice or noodles.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This is a great recipe. I made it many times. and my fiends love it. I added sambal, garlic and ginger. Thank you for sharing this wonderful recipe.
My pleasure, Marty!! So glad you enjoy it.
Thank you so much for this easy but so delicious recipe. I am writing this as it bubbles gently on the stove. I couldn’t believe how little time it took to cook! New week night favorite.
My pleasure, Camille! So glad you are finding it easy!
Is there a way to make this dish NOT spicy?
Hi Joy, Thai curries are usually spicy but when you purchase the curry paste try to look for a mild one. That would determine the spice level.
I made this recipe tonight, I served it as part of an Asian banquet.
It was a real hit. Such an easy, quick and delicious dish. Thank you Julie.
Thank you for such great feedback, Mary!! So happy everyone enjoyed the recipe!
Hello
I am looking forward to making this
Can I use coconut cream and lemongrass?
Thank you
Hi Carol, yes absolutely I love using coconut cream instead of coconut milk. So much flavour there! And lemongrass is a lovely addition as well.
Made this tonight and it was delish!
Thanks for the recipe
Great news, Carolyn! I like making this curry after Christmas too. It wakes up the tastebuds after all the rich food!
What can I substitue cocnut milk with? Regular milk?
Tanya, coconut milk gives this dish a very distinct and authentic Thai flavour, I wouldn’t substitute it with anything.
I just made this tonight for our dinner.
Absolutely lovely recipe, thankyou. Although I had to substitute a can of coconut cream instead of milk – accidentally opened the wrong can from the cupboard!
I’ve done that before, you just end up with extra creamy curry, Sarah, happy to hear you loved it!
I made this tonight and it was delicious. I subbed sambal oelek for the chili pepper and it had some nice heat. Recipe was perfect and quick, thank you!
When I made this Jidee, my boyfriend, said it wasn’t near spicy enough and also gave a couple more suggestions. So I am going to make it again tonite, because he loves curry as do I, and I’m going to spice it up a bit and add a bit more curry along with it. Looking forward to it! Thanks so much for sharing this recipe!
I am going to attempt to make this for my Thai boyfriend tonite. Hopefully I don’t fail and it is as good as what his mom makes.
You can do it, Samantha! 🙂
Thank you for your optimism! If successful then I will try more Thai recipes for him. 🙂
I made this tonight and I can not say enough good things about it! It was so easy, so delicious, & so fresh tasting. I loved everything about it. My husband kept saying, dang this is so good! That is a major plus in my book. We all were members of the clean plate club tonight! Thabk you for sharing!
Thank you for such amazing feedback, Megan! We love that recipe and curries in general. Every time we feel like we need to slim down a bit we always turn to curries and stir frys! Quick, easy and fresh and loaded with veggies. 🙂
So I made this dish for a girl’s get together this past Friday night and all I can say is: “Delicious”! Everyone was so impressed with this dish! And it is so easy to make!!! This curry is definetly going to grace my lunch and dinner tables over and over again.
Thank you for your feedback, Oksana! 🙂 I love curries, especially after the holiday meals, I really crave something spicy!
What size can of coconut milk did you use ?
13.5 oz/400ml
I made this tonight for my parents and I….huge hit!! So delicious over some white rice, thanks for sharing 🙂 I wish I could post a picture of my results here!
Happy to hear it Allison. 🙂 You can always post a picture on my Facebook page. 🙂
Made this last night – it was delicious and so easy, i couldn’t find fresh red chilis so I used roasted red chili paste and guessed at amount – still was fantastic. Thanks for the recipe!!
Pauline
So great to hear, Pauline! Thank you for sharing. 🙂
thai curries are always my go to..those paste comes very handy.
This looks so comforting and warm!
Your curry looks healthy and delicious, a wonderful way to transition into the new year!
I’ve been really craving spicy and not too heavy dishes. I love cheese but I think I really had my fill after the holidays! 🙂