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.
cosbykid says
doubled the recipe. my wife said it tasted better than the restaurant. how do you thicken your sauce?
Melinda says
Corn starch can be used to thicken sauces.
ImmaculateBites says
Hello Deniz.
Yes, Scotch Bonnet is a little on the hot side, but it also lends a nice flavor to the dish. You could leave it out completely though, your food will still taste delicious!
Primrose says
I prepared this dish today and it so scrumptious and delicious kept going back for seconds..very easy to follow the receipe too.. Thank so much for sharing .. Awesome..P..xx
Primrose says
I just prepared this dish today and was so scrumptious and delicious. I didn’t have any coconut milk so used my coconut cream and it gave that extra creamy flavour awsome..thank you for sharing..bless..Prims..x
Pat says
I dont think this is a Jamaican dish its an East Indian.
Jamie says
This was soooooo good!! Thank you so much Imma! The directions were clear and easy to follow.
Jodi says
This dish was awesome full of flavor a wee bit on the hot side too, couldn’t find the scotch bonnet so they say habanero is very close to it. What an amazing dish. The actual prep work to longer the actually cooking it. Grateful that it’s gluten free as well.
Musu says
I’m so glad I found your website. I’m 24 and just learning how to cook. This recipe is simple and easy to follow.
ImmaculateBites says
So happy to have you here Musu. Thanks for the feedback.
Shenique says
I haven’t seen my husband so excited about a meal in a few. My family loved it. I was concerned because there was not much seasoning in the recipe but it is so full of flavor. Will definitely come back for more. It was amazing!
Christina says
I had no thyme… Experimented with 2 cloves. It was immaculate! I can just imagine how it will be on my second attempt. Thanks a million!!!!
Kathleen says
Hello Imma,
I came across your site by fluke. I made the curry shrimp last night. It was full of flavor and so easy!!! It was amazing! My husband loved it. He usually polishes off all the food and we never have leftovers, but he left extra in the pot so he can take for lunch today. I will definitely be visiting your site again. Thank you!
imma africanbites says
Awww. That just made me smile. Thank you for taking the time to let me know, Kathleen. Happy weekend!
Christina Currymania says
This was so goooood that I had to make it two days in a row. The second time I added spicy chorizo sausage and potatoes. I didn’t have tomato paste so I used spicy Chipotle BBQ sauce. My husband went back to the pot 2 additional times and my son cleaned the plate( no need to wash that plate LOL) I definitely will try this again very soon. Thank you so much for this recipe. In the words of my hubby… “God bless the cook” 🙂
ImmaculateBites says
Hahaha! God bless you Christiana!!! Thank you so much for taking time out to share your thoughts with us. It really means a lot to me.
Kristen says
Soo Good
This recipe was excellent. This dish brought me back to being on the island. My husband had three servings. Thanks for the recipe.
Bonnie says
I have been meaning to review this recipe for some time.
I can honestly say, I think this is the most delicious meal I have ever prepared! The first time I made it, I followed the directions to the letter, including preparing the fresh curry powder (so worth it!) We had some leftovers, and my husband confessed the next day that he kept thinking about the curry, almost obsessively!! I generally double this recipe now because – it’s so, so delicious!
I have since made this numerous times, using a mock chicken, monk fish, and again the shrimp or just vegetable.
The recipe is very tweakable and also very forgiving, if anyone needs to make changes.
I do tend to add some gram flour to thicken the sauce if it comes too thin, and that works like a charm. I also add some fresh lime juice right at the end, just to liven things up (and coconut and lime work so well together.)
That said, this recipe is amazing! Thank you for sharing with us!
ImmaculateBites says
You are too sweet Bonnie, thank you SO MUCH!!!. I chuckled at what you said about your husband – It really warms my heart that you would take time out to share this with us. God bless!
Chanel says
Turned out great and my friend loved it too
imma africanbites says
Glad it turned out for you, Chanel! Happy weekend!
ImmaculateBites says
Vegetable, chicken or shrimp broth would do just fine.