Jamaican Curry Shrimp delivers big, bold, tropical flavors from coconut milk, curry powder, garlic, and bell peppers. And, of course, we can’t forget delectable, juicy shrimp. This mouthwatering stew is flavor-packed yet surprisingly straightforward to make.
I know this dish looks exotic and hard to make, which may scare off some folks…but, in all actuality, it’s not any of those.
Large and juicy shrimp are simmered in a hearty sauce, infused with garlic, thyme, ginger, and curry spice. Yum!!!
Speaking of curry spice, if you haven’t made my awesome homemade curry powder, then you are missing out – seriously.
Store-bought curry pales in comparison to homemade. So take just a little time, give it a try, and tell me what you think.
Contents…Recipe Ingredients |
The Secret to Jamaican Curry 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.
This Jamaican curry shrimp is also enticing because you can have it on the table in about 30 minutes, including prep. Your family will be a bunch of happy campers.
Recipe Ingredients
- Shrimp – This succulent seafood at its finest (and probably the most economical) is the tender and juicy main attraction.
- Onion, Garlic, and Thyme – These flavor-enhancers take this curried shrimp over the top. And, of course, you can use dried if you don’t have fresh.
- Curry Powder – Jamaican curry powder is a fantastic fusion of flavors. And if you ask natural healers, they will tell you this blend is super good for you, too. My homemade curry powder is chemical- and salt-free to boot.
- Coconut Milk – The tropical taste of coconut milk makes a bodacious seafood stew.
- Green Bell Pepper – This unripe pantry staple adds a pleasant bitterness to our stew. You can replace it with the sweeter ripe red, yellow, or orange bell peppers if you want.
- Broth – The stew’s base is a flavorful broth. Homemade is always best, but a cube or teaspoon of bouillon to a cup of water will work in a pinch.
How to Make Jamaican Curry Shrimp
- Heat oil over medium heat in a heavy-bottomed Dutch oven.
- Saute the Seasonings – Add onions, garlic, thyme, curry powder, and sauté for about 2-3 minutes. If using Scotch bonnet pepper, add at this time.
- Add the Stew Base – Add tomato paste, bell pepper, and green onions, followed by coconut milk and broth. Bring it to a boil, then simmer for about 7-10 minutes. Toss in the shrimp. Cook for another 3-5 minutes.
- Taste Test – Adjust for salt, pepper, and thickness. Serve with Jamaican rice and corn pigeon rice and vegetables.
Recipe Variations
- And if shrimp is not your thing, you can make this curry with chunks of chicken breast or thighs.
- If the tropical taste of coconut doesn’t float your boat, you can use whole milk instead for shrimp chowder.
Tips and Tricks
- Use whole-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 turn the heat down to low for a burn-free stew.
- For an even more flavorful Jamaican curry shrimp, you can saute your shrimp in butter until cooked through, then add them to the stew at the end of the cooking time. Just stir them into the stew and serve.
FAQs
No, it isn’t. It has some of the same ingredients, turmeric giving it its distinctive yellowness. The most significant difference is that Jamaicans toast their spices, releasing more deliciousness and adding a pleasant toasted flavor.
Depending on the size and cooking method, they usually take 4-6 minutes. I’d start checking around 3 minutes if you’re using smaller shrimp.
You absolutely can. Just add a couple of minutes of cooking time, and you’re good to go.
Make-Ahead Instructions
Shrimp overcooks quite quickly. So to make this dish ahead of time, I follow the recipe up to where the shrimp goes in. Then I store it in the fridge till the next day. Simply reheat the stew, add the shrimp, and simmer until the shrimp is done.
Serving and Storage
I love this stew piping hot over a bowl of fluffy white rice.
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 to simmer. You don’t want to overcook your shrimp.
What to Serve with Jamaican Curry Shrimp
This recipe is excellent served with Jamaican pigeon peas and rice and even more delicious with rice and beans or this coconut rice to be served quite deliciously without any further embellishment. And of course, you are always welcome to embellish as you wish—vegetables on the side like broccoli, side salad, or whatever vegetable suits your mood.
More Incredible Shrimp Recipes
Conclusion
This pure soul-satisfying Jamaican curry shrimp is easy to throw together at a moment’s notice. The intense tropical curry flavors are welcome any time of year. Try this recipe the next time a seafood craving hits, and let me know how it goes.
Watch How to Make It
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This blog post was first published in May 2016 and has been updated with new write-up, fresh photos.
Jamaican Curry Shrimp
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Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons (28 ml) virgin olive oil or canola oil
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 2 large cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon (1 g) fresh thyme, minced
- ½-1 tablespoon (3-6 g) Jamaican curry powder
- 1 scotch bonnet pepper, optional
- 1 tablespoon (15 g) tomato paste
- ½ red bell or green bell pepper, diced
- 2 green onions, chopped
- 1 cup (240 ml) coconut milk (unsweetened)
- 1 cup (240 ml) broth, or more (I use chicken broth, but you can replace it with vegetable or seafood broth)
- 1-1½ pound (453-679 g) extra-large shrimp, peeled and deveined
- salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Heat oil over medium heat in a heavy-bottomed Dutch oven.
- Add onions, garlic, thyme, curry powder, and sauté for about 2-3 minutes. If using scotch bonnet pepper, add at this time.
- Add tomato paste, bell pepper, and green onions, followed by coconut milk and broth. Bring it to a boil, then simmer for about 7-10 minutes. Toss in the shrimp. Cook for another 3-5 minutes.
- Adjust for salt, pepper, and thickness. Serve with Jamaican rice and corn pigeon rice and vegetables.
Tips & Notes:
- Use whole-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 turn the heat down to low for a burn-free stew.
- For an even more flavorful Jamaican curry shrimp, you can saute your shrimp in butter until cooked through, then add them to the stew at the end of the cooking time. Just stir them into the stew and serve.
- I use chicken broth in this recipe. Or you can easily make your own shrimp broth. Combine shrimp shells with some chopped celery, and garlic, in a saucepan. Cover with water. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to low. Simmer for about 30-45 minutes or until the water is reduced in half. Strain and use.
- You can use habanero pepper instead of scotch bonnet pepper or try adding about 1/4 teaspoon 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.
Joyce Ilene Jump says
Your recipe sounds delicious. Can you cook all the ingredients ahead and add the shrimp later.
imma africanbites says
Hi, Joyce. I haven’t tried making the sauce ahead of time so I don’t have helpful answer to your question.
Marie says
I have to say kudos to this recipe! I am a white American female and my boyfriend is Jamaican and so I decided to surprise him with some curry shrimp for dinner… I will say that ,he said that it was the Best curry shrimp he has ever had and that says a lot! I’m glad I picked this one out of all I looked at! I cooked it with love!
imma africanbites says
That’s so sweet of you, Marie! I appreciate you taking the time to share your feedback. Happy weekend!
ImmaculateBites says
It’s listed . Check line 11.
Gabrielle says
Loved it
ImmaculateBites says
Thanks!
Marnie says
Made this tonight. Fantastic! Although I did not make the homemade curry spice, I added in a few of the components of it, to my store bought curry powder. Pinch of clove, nutmeg, allspice and coriander. And, per previous comments, I added (veg) broth slowly, and kept adding as sauce thickened. It was perfect. And I caught myself in time….I almost added the entire can of Coconut Milk, but realized the recipe called only called for a cup. This recipe is a KEEPER. Thank you.
imma africanbites says
Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback, Marnie. I appreciate it. Glad it turned out great for you. 🙂
Keysha says
Imma, this is the third recipe I’ve made from you and all have come out amazing!! My family and especially my husband love them. Thank you..thank you…thank you!
Ps. I followed the recipe but added a little more tomotoe paste, hot curry powder and Chicken broth to get the flavor and consistency I was looking for.
imma africanbites says
I bet it taste even wonderful, Keysha. Glad you guys love this as much as we do. 🙂 Thanks for stopping by!
Syreeta says
Im making this now carnt wait will let u no how it turns out also im using dunns river carribbean hot curry powder x
Shawnette says
Do you have any dishes that utilizes Annatto ?
ImmaculateBites says
I have this one here https://www.africanbites.com/alcapurrias/
Cath says
This sounds amazing, and I can’t wait to make my own curry powder to use in it. We eat chicken and shrimp often, so sometimes I get a bit tired of them – I’m wondering how this recipe would work with cubes of firm tofu? I”m not a huge fan of tofu but I thought this very flavourful sauce might just be the way to make it palatable. Has anyone tried that?
Franny says
Good as usual.
ImmaculateBites says
Thanks Franny!
ImmaculateBites says
Check step 3 . It’s stated . Thanks!
Keesha says
Made this the other day and my neighbors enjoyed it. The curry sauce over the rice was the best, didn’t need the shrimp (ok it helped). Gonna try the curry chicken recipe next. One more thing I like the step by step directions and pictures of the process. Thanks again
ImmaculateBites says
My pleasure! So glad to hear the step by step pictorials are really helpful . Thanks for taking the time to share this with me .
Meinda says
Thank you so much for this amazing recipe!! I made it tonight for my family and everyone loved it! Just the right amount of spice and flavor. I followed the recipe with no variations. Will defiantly be making again.
ImmaculateBites says
You are Welcome Melinda! Thanks for the feedback! Glad to hear it’s going on the menu again.
Quiere says
I have tried different Curry Recipes & this recipe Is the best! I added Mussels with the shrimp, My Family loved it.
ImmaculateBites says
That’s so fantastic !!! I’m so pleased to hear it turned out well with added Mussels , thanks for letting me know!
ImmaculateBites says
Yes it is.