This authentic Thai red curry recipe is crafted from scratch with homemade curry paste. It comes with a delicious creamy coconut sauce that’s infused with aromatic Thai herbs and sauces.

Pair with a serving of steamed rice and enjoy with shrimp or your choice of protein.

Authentic Thai red curry

My hubby and I are total coconut curry addicts! Our love for them has made us gone a step further, and we decided to make all curry pastes from scratch.

We reached for our traditional granite mortar and pestle, and crafted large batches of each paste. Our freezer is now loaded with homemade goodness!

We made the spicy red curry paste, the irresistible green curry paste, the aromatic panang curry paste, and the complex massaman curry paste.

You can’t have an authentic Thai meal without making everything from scratch, right?

And let me tell you, the effort was worth it. It takes a bit more time and work, but this authentic Thai red curry with shrimp beats any version I’ve had in Thai restaurants.

After grinding the paste, it wasn’t long before my hubby and I were enjoying an absolute flavor-bomb! We savored every last drop of the creamy coconut milk sauce with perfectly cooked shrimp.

The eggplants and long beans add a delightful crunch, and fragrant steamed rice is perfect for mellowing down the spiciness of this comforting dish.

I wish I could teleport some of it to you right now, so you could have a taste, it’s that good!

Substitutions and alternatives

Thai red curry shrimp is a dish that is incredibly easy to customize to your liking. It’s simple to swap ingredients and add your favorite veggies.

• Thai curries can be made vegetarian. Simply substitute the shrimp with tofu, and the fish sauce can be substituted with vegetarian fish sauce, or half a teaspoon of salt.
• Add your favorite veggies like bell peppers, onions, zucchini, etc. Make it healthier and even more nutritious.

• Whether you prefer shrimp, chicken, beef, pork or tofu, you can use any type of protein you want. The creamy coconut sauce complements any meat perfectly.
• Adjust the spice-level by adding or removing chilies. If you can’t eat spicy, I suggest omitting the chilies altogether. Alternatively, you can use mild Spanish pepper instead of Thai bird’s eye chilies, or remove the seeds.

Homemade red curry paste

Making your own red curry paste is a game-changer. No more trips to the store or food markets for store-bought or pre-made paste. Just make a big batch at once, and you’ll be set for a while.

It’s amazing how much difference it can make in flavor. It takes your meal from good to amazing, and it’s so rewarding.

To me, investing time and effort into crafting an authentic red curry from scratch is absolutely worth every moment!

Ingredients for the curry paste:

• 0.7 ounces dry red spur chilies
• 0.18 ounces dry chilies
• 1 ounce galangal
• 1.75 ounces garlic
• 1.75 ounces shallots
• 0.18 ounces kaffir lime skin
• 0.18 ounces turmeric
• 1.75 ounces lemongrass
• 0.7 ounces shrimp paste
• 0.18 ounces salt

Instructions:

• Soak dry red spur chilies in water for 10 minutes.
• Add dried chilies, lemongrass, galangal, and salt to the mortar and pound until they are completely broken down.
• Add the remaining ingredients (dry red spur chilies, kaffir lime zest, turmeric, shrimp paste, garlic, and shallots) and pound until you get a fine paste.

Ingredients

For the exact measurements, please scroll down to the recipe card at the bottom of the page.

• Homemade red curry paste – For store bought paste, I recommend using either Mae Ploy or Maesri.
• Shrimps – Look for black tiger shrimp, these are usually larger than others. Other protein options are prawns, chicken, pork, beef, or tofu.
• Thai eggplants
• Long beans – Thai eggplants and long beans are 2 traditional Thai vegetables I love using in my Thai curries.
• Coconut milk – When you make a coconut curry, you should always use full-fat coconut milk. You want a rich and flavorful coconut curry sauce. In this recipe, I used coconut milk from the brand Aroy-D.
• Fish sauce – Adds a salty and umami flavor to the curry.
• Palm sugar – Palm sugar is an authentic sweetener of Thai cuisine. It’s a healthy alternative to white sugar, and brings an extra caramel-like taste.
• Kaffir lime leaves – Also known as makrut lime leaves. Try looking for fresh a package of fresh leaves in an Asian supermarket, any leftovers can be kept in your freezer.
• Fresh red chilies – If you have a high spice-level, then go ahead and add some fresh red chilies. If you don’t, you can remove the seeds or omit the chilies altogether.

Step-by-step instructions

Total Time: 10 minutes

To start, add one-third of the coconut milk to a medium-sized cooking pot or wok pan over high heat. Stir the coconut milk regularly until it begins to reduce, and the oil starts to separate from the milk. This will result in a thick and creamy texture.

Reduce the heat to medium and stir in the red curry paste.

Add the rest of the coconut milk after 20 seconds.

Add fish sauce, palm sugar, stir, and then add vegetables. Let boil for 1 minute, or until palm sugar is fully dissolved.
If you have substituted the shrimp for other protein, add it in this step.

Add in the shrimps, kaffir lime leaves, and chilies to the curry sauce. In Thailand, curries tend to be thicker than in Western countries, so don’t be alarmed if the sauce seems thicker than what you’re used to.

Boil until the shrimps are cooked through or 1 minute, the shrimps will turn opaque and orange once ready. Serve immediately.

Recipe notes

• Thai red curry is known for its spiciness, but there’s an easy way to make it more kid-friendly. Just omit the chilies and substitute with thinly sliced red bell peppers instead. Additionally, you can use less of the curry paste, but this will affect the flavors as well.
• This recipe delivers a curry that scores a 7/10 on my spice-o-meter. Add or remove chilies to taste, remove the seeds, or substitute Thai chilies for non-spicy chilies.
• Use full-fat coconut milk for a rich, tasty and creamy curry sauce.
• This recipe is gluten-free.

How to serve

Serve as a main-dish with a portion of steamed white rice. You can choose to serve the curry in a separate bowl, or on top of white jasmine rice. My guilty pleasure is pairing Thai curries with rice vermicelli noodles.

Optional: Sprinkle some sweet basil on top of the curry before serving.

How to store

This Thai red curry with shrimps can be kept in your refrigerator for up to 3 days. First, allow your leftovers to cool down and transfer them to an airtight container.

To freeze: Store in an airtight freezer-safe container or bag and thaw in the fridge overnight. Consume within 3 months.

Leftover coconut milk can be frozen for up to 6 months in a freezer, in an airtight container. It’s best to use a container that’s microwave safe. That way, you can choose to microwave it, or you can choose to reheat it in a cooking pot or a wok pan.

Frequently answered questions (FAQ’s)

More Thai curries you’ll love

This rich and fragrant bowl of red curry coconut sauce was perfect, but you can always take a look at my other curry recipes, they are all unique in their own way.

• Thai green curry recipe with pork – With traditional flavors and cooking methods.
• Panang with pork – Comes with a thick, rich and creamy curry sauce.
• Thai massaman – This curry is a bit sweet, and it comes with potatoes and peanuts.

If you love this authentic Thai red curry recipe, please leave a star rating and/or a comment below!

Print Recipe

5 from 5 votes

Authentic Thai Red Curry Recipe

Author: Praew Cooking Method: Cooking Cuisine: Asian cuisines Courses: Dinner Recipe Keys: Egg Free High Protein Low Carb O One Pot Spicy

Difficulty: Intermediate Prep Time 10 min Cook Time 15 min Total Time 25 mins

Servings: 2 Calories: 418

Description

This authentic Thai red curry recipe is easy to customize with your favorite vegetables and protein.

Ingredients

Servings

• 10 shrimps (black tiger shrimp)
• ¹⁄₈ cup red curry paste
• 2 cups coconut milk (full fat)
• 1 tablespoon fish sauce
• 1.5 tablespoon palm sugar
• 2 cups Thai eggplants (slice into 2 or 4 pieces)
• 4 long beans (slice into medium long pieces)
• 2 kaffir lime leaves (slice into thin strips)
• 2 fresh red chilies (sliced)

Instructions

1. To start, add one-third of the coconut milk to a medium-sized cooking pot or wok pan over high heat. Using a spatula, stir the coconut milk regularly until it begins to reduce, and the oil starts to separate from the milk. This will result in a thick and creamy texture.

2. Reduce the heat to medium and stir in the red curry paste.

3. Add the rest of the coconut milk after 20 seconds.

4. Add fish sauce, palm sugar, stir, and then add vegetables. Let boil for 1 minute, or until palm sugar is fully dissolved.

   If you have substituted the shrimp for other protein, add it in this step.

5. Add in the shrimps, kaffir lime leaves, and chilies to the curry sauce.

   In Thailand, curries tend to be thicker than in Western countries, so don’t be alarmed if the sauce seems thicker than what you’re used to. The sauce in this recipe is still a bit thicker than the sauce of a Southern Thai curry.

6. Boil until the shrimps are cooked through or 1 minute, the shrimps will turn opaque and orange once ready. Serve immediately.

Equipment

Granite Mortar and Pestle

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Nutrition Facts

Servings 2

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Amount Per Serving

Calories 418kcal

% Daily Value *

Total Fat 19.7g31%

Saturated Fat 16g80%

Total Carbohydrate 30.1g11%

Dietary Fiber 6g24%

Sugars 19.9g

Protein 25.1g51%

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* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

Note

• Use the nutrition card in this recipe as a guideline.
• This recipe makes a medium spicy curry. Add or remove chilies to taste, remove the seeds, or substitute Thai chilies for non-spicy chilies or bell peppers.
• Use full-fat coconut milk for a rich and creamy coconut curry sauce.
• This recipe is gluten-free.

Keywords: authentic Thai red curry, authentic Thai red curry recipe

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