Creamy Coconut Shrimp with Lime and Ginger
By Emma Collins
Prep
10 min
Cook
10 min
Total
20 min
Servings
4
Level
Easy
Creamy coconut shrimp can be made in 20 minutes to feed four people; it's a quick pan dish that can be a good choice if you have to feed a group for dinner but don't want to spend the entire evening cooking at home. Sautéed shrimp is combined with a sauce made from lime, garlic, ginger, red pepper flakes, and coconut.
I pan-fry shrimp in a large skillet with enough room between pieces and take them out after cooking before adding sauce. Shrimp cooked in a crowded skillet can become mushy and rubbery. Use paper towels to dry shrimp before cooking to promote browning and reuse the skillet for sautéing other ingredients.
After the sauce is heated, I add the cornstarch mixture while stirring constantly for 1-2 minutes to thicken the sauce, pulling the shrimp out of the skillet after about 1 minute when only a small amount of sauce has been absorbed, if I were making this dish, I would want less sauce. It saves cooking time to cook the shrimp for the final minute. I add lime juice to the sauce for a citrus note.
I most often serve these coconut shrimp over jasmine rice because I enjoy the sauce. Other good choices include quinoa, noodles, or cauliflower rice. Broccoli and green beans make good side dishes. Sprinkle with cilantro or parsley and serve immediately with hot shrimp.
Why this recipe works
- Four servings are made in a single skillet. Total preparation time for the meal is 20 minutes.
- If the pan is too crowded, consider cooking the shrimp in batches to avoid steaming them instead of sautéing.
- The sauce is prepared in the same pan after the shrimp comes out. Fewer pans need to be washed afterward.
- Fresh or frozen shrimp are acceptable cooking ingredients if frozen shrimp are fully thawed and dried before cooking.
- You can eat skillet meals with rice or other side dishes.
Ingredients
- •1 lb large shrimp (peeled and deveined)
- •1 tbsp olive oil
- •salt (to taste)
- •black pepper (to taste)
- •1 can full-fat coconut milk (13.5 ounces)
- •4 cloves garlic (minced)
- •1 tbsp fresh ginger (grated)
- •2 tbsp lime juice (freshly squeezed)
- •1 tbsp soy sauce
- •¼ tsp red pepper flakes
- •1 tsp cornstarch (for slurry)
- •1 tbsp water (for cornstarch slurry)
- •fresh cilantro or parsley (for garnish)
Instructions
- 1
Pat the thawed shrimp dry with a paper towel, then season generously with salt and pepper.
- 2
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shrimp in a single layer and cook for 1-2 minutes per side, until pink and just opaque. Cook in batches if needed, then remove the shrimp and set aside.
- 3
Reduce the heat to medium. Cook the garlic and ginger in the same skillet for about 30 seconds, until fragrant.
- 4
Pour in the full-fat coconut milk, soy sauce, lime juice, and red pepper flakes. Whisk together and bring the sauce to a gentle simmer.
- 5
Whisk in the cornstarch slurry. Let the sauce bubble for 1-2 minutes, whisking constantly, until it has thickened slightly.
- 6
Return the shrimp to the skillet and stir to coat. Let it heat through for about one minute, then garnish with fresh cilantro or parsley and serve immediately.
FAQ
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories
350
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