This easy Thai Pineapple Shrimp Curry is the perfect balance of sweet and savory. Perfectly cooked shrimp with sweet, juicy pineapple are paired in an aromatic Thai Red Curry base, topped with fresh cilantro then served with steamed rice.
Pineapple with shrimp is the perfect blend of sweet and savory. Add the amazing flavors and aromas of classic Thai red curry and you have yourself one fantastic dish…topped with some fresh cilantro and served with a side of steamed jasmine rice, of course.
This Thai Pineapple Shrimp Curry comes together in just a snap so it’s perfect for a weeknight meal. Quick, easy, and delicious!
The base of this dish is Thai Red Curry. Red curry paste is first sautéed to bring out the aroma, then it simmers in coconut milk. I like my curries to be really thick and velvety but if you prefer your curry to be thinner in texture, simply reduce the simmering time by a few minutes. It’s delicious either way!
The shrimp is added during the last couple of minutes of the cooking process to ensure that they are perfectly cooked – juicy and succulent; not overcooked and rubbery. Then aromatics such as kaffir lime leaves, lime juice, and fish sauce are added at the end for a punch of flavor.
How to Cook Thai Pineapple Shrimp Curry
Heat 3 tablespoons of coconut oil or cooking oil over medium-high heat in a wok.
Add 3 tablespoons of Thai Red Curry Paste (store-bought or homemade), then sauté till fragrant (about 1 minute).
Add 1 1/2 cups of coconut milk (about 1 can) and 1 1/2 cups of water. Allow this mixture to come to a boil, then reduce the heat to low.
Allow the curry to simmer, stirring occasionally. As the curry continues to cook, it will start to thicken.
If you prefer a thinner curry, allow the curry to simmer for just 3 – 5 minutes. If you’re like me and you like your curries really thick and velvety, it will take about 10 – 15 minutes.
Turn the heat back up to medium-high, then add 1 pound of raw large shrimp (peeled and deveined), and 1 cup of pineapple chunks.
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For the pineapple, you can use canned pineapple chunks, pineapple tidbits, or fresh pineapple will work too.
Add 2 fresh red chilies (cut into 1/2-inch pieces).
Stir until the shrimp is cooked. This should only take a couple of minutes so keep a close eye. You will know that the shrimp is done when it starts to curl into a C-shape; there should be a bit of a gap in the middle of the shrimp (if it’s a really tight O-shape, this means that the shrimp is overcooked and will be more rubbery).
When the shrimp is cooked, add the aromatics: 2 teaspoons fish sauce, 1 teaspoon lime juice, 2 kaffir lime leaves (finely julienned), and 2 tablespoons sugar.
Give the curry a good stir to combine all the ingredients, then transfer to a serving dish.
Garnish with cilantro leaves, then serve with steamed rice.
Enjoy!
Frequently Asked Questions
You can store any leftover shrimp curry in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 2-3 days. It’s important to note that you should place any leftover shrimp curry in the fridge within 2 hours of cooking.
You can also freeze it for up to 2 months in freezer bags. Thaw in the fridge before re-heating.
Do not re-heat this dish more than once.
Yes, you can. You will want to cook the pineapple first, then add the shrimp later. Let the shrimp heat up all the way through, then add the aromatics at the end. Be careful not to overcook the shrimp or they will turn out rubbery. It should only take about a minute to heat up the shrimp in the curry.
The spiciness of this dish will depend on how spicy your curry paste is. It varies from brand to brand, and even more so when making homemade Thai Red Curry Paste, depending on how spicy the chilies are.
I recommend giving it a quick taste before cooking. If it’s super spicy, you can scale it back by a tablespoon. If it’s not spicy enough to your liking, you can add sliced Thai bird chili or crushed red pepper for an extra kick.
Jumped straight here to the recipe? Please consider coming back to read the whole post when you have the time as I have included step-by-step instructions with photos.
Thai Pineapple Shrimp Curry
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons coconut oil or cooking oil
- 3 tablespoons Thai red curry paste
- 1 1/2 cups coconut milk (about 1 can – 13.5 fl oz)
- 1 1/2 cups water
- 1 pound shrimp large or jumbo, peeled and deveined
- 1 cup pineapple chunks
- 2 fresh red chilies cut into 1/2-inch pieces
- 2 teaspoons fish sauce
- 1 teaspoon lime juice
- 2 kaffir lime leaves finely julienned
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- fresh cilantro leaves for garnish
- steamed rice for serving
Instructions
- Heat coconut oil or cooking oil over medium-high heat in a wok.
- Add Thai Red Curry Paste, then sauté till fragrant (about 1 minute).
- Add coconut milk and water. Allow this mixture to come to a boil, then reduce the heat to low. Allow the curry to simmer, stirring occasionally* (see notes below).
- Turn the heat back up to medium-high, then add shrimp and pineapple chunks.
- Add fresh red chilies.
- Stir until the shrimp is cooked** (see notes below)
- Add fish sauce, lime juice, kaffir lime leaves and sugar.
- Stir to combine all ingredients, then transfer to a serving dish.
- Garnish with fresh cilantro leaves, then serve with steamed rice. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
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