A Rich Coconut Shrimp Dinner
Tender shrimp, fresh spinach, and a creamy coconut sauce come together in a dinner that feels rich and comforting without being heavy. The sauce has layers of warm spice from turmeric, coriander, and paprika, while ginger, garlic, and gochujang add depth and just a little heat.
A full tablespoon of gochujang may sound like it will make the dish spicy, but coconut milk softens the heat and gives the sauce a mild sweetness. The finished dish is creamy, savory, gently spiced, and especially good spooned over jasmine or basmati rice.
Building More Flavor with Shrimp Shells
Shell-on shrimp bring more to this recipe than just the shrimp themselves. Instead of discarding the shells, they are gently simmered in the coconut milk for 10–15 minutes. This draws out their sweet, briny flavor and creates a richer base for the sauce without adding seafood stock.
Keep the coconut milk at a gentle simmer rather than a hard boil. After straining, lightly press the shells to recover as much coconut milk as possible before discarding them.
Keeping the Shrimp Tender
Shrimp can quickly become tough when they are left in a simmering sauce for too long. To prevent that, the shrimp are seared for only about one minute per side and then removed from the skillet. They should have a little color on the outside but remain undercooked in the center.
The shrimp are returned to the finished sauce for just a minute, along with any juices collected on the plate. This gives them enough time to finish cooking while remaining tender.
What to Serve with Coconut Shrimp
Jasmine or basmati rice is the best accompaniment for this dish. Both have enough fragrance to complement the ginger and warm spices without competing with the coconut sauce.
Spoon the shrimp, spinach, and plenty of sauce over the rice. This is one of those meals where the sauce is every bit as important as the shrimp, so you will want something underneath to catch every drop.
Shrimp in Creamy Spiced Coconut Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 pound shell-on large shrimp
- 1 can 13½–14 ounces full-fat unsweetened coconut milk
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon white pepper
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 tablespoon butter, devided
- 1 teaspoon avocado oil
- 1 1 large bunch fresh spinach, thoroughly washed, tough stems removed, and roughly chopped
- ½ small yellow onion finely diced
- 1 jalapeño finely diced, optional
- 1 tablespoon finely grated fresh ginger
- 3 large garlic cloves minced
- ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
- ½ teaspoon ground coriander
- ½ teaspoon sweet paprika
- 1 tablespoon gochujang
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
- Juice of 1 lime
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon cold water
- Cooked jasmine or basmati rice, for serving
Instructions
- Peel and devein the shrimp, reserving the shells. Place the shrimp shells and coconut milk in a small saucepan. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 10–15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Strain the coconut milk, pressing the shells lightly to recover as much liquid as possible. Discard the shells.
- Pat the shrimp dry and season with the kosher salt, black pepper, and garlic powder.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of the butter and the avocado oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Arrange the shrimp in a single layer and sear for about 1 minute per side. The shrimp should have some color but should not be completely cooked. Transfer the shrimp to a plate.
- Add the roughly chopped spinach to the skillet. Cook, stirring frequently, just until wilted. Transfer the spinach to a bowl and set aside.
- Reduce the heat to medium and add the remaining 1 tablespoon butter. Once melted, add the onion and jalapeño. Cook for 3–4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened.
- Add the ginger and garlic and cook for about 30 seconds. Stir in the turmeric, coriander, and paprika and cook for another 30 seconds to bloom the spices. Add the gochujang and cook for 30 seconds, stirring constantly.
- Pour in the shrimp-infused coconut milk and stir in the fish sauce. Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer and cook uncovered for 3–5 minutes.
- Whisk the cornstarch and cold water together until completely smooth. Stir the slurry into the simmering sauce and cook for about 1 minute, stirring frequently, until the sauce thickens.
- Stir in the lime juice and taste the sauce. Adjust the seasoning if needed.
- Return the spinach, shrimp, and any accumulated juices to the skillet. Simmer gently for about 1 minute, just until the shrimp are cooked through. Serve immediately over jasmine or basmati rice.
Notes
- Fresh spinach bunches vary in size. Use one generous bunch; it will look like a lot at first but will cook down considerably. The spinach may be omitted or replaced with another tender cooking green.
- The jalapeño adds a small amount of fresh pepper flavor and gentle heat. Remove the seeds and membranes for a milder sauce or omit the jalapeño entirely.
- Gochujang varies in saltiness and heat depending on the brand. Taste the finished sauce before adding any additional salt or fish sauce.
- Keep the coconut milk at a gentle simmer while it infuses with the shrimp shells. A hard boil may reduce the coconut milk too quickly.