Quick and Easy Prawn Curry
, Updated Jul 12, 2025
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If you are looking for a quick midweek meal then you can’t go wrong with speedy prawn curry (a.k.a shrimp curry)! This easy recipe is all about minimum effort and maximum flavour.
You will also love my Simple Chicken Curry
Tired and hangry? You have come to the right place! This deliciously simple prawn curry is my go-to meal when I am feeling fed up and THIS CLOSE to ordering takeout.
Fortunately, this prawn curry recipe is incredibly simple and fast, likely taking less time to prepare than waiting for a pizza delivery. Get ready to ride the curry express!
The easiest prawn curry I’ve ever made and so delicious!! I only had 30 minutes to whip something up for dinner. My 3 and 6 year old absolutely loved it – I will be using this recipe AGAIN!!
NIKITA
Prawn Curry Ingredients
This easy recipe cooks super quickly so make sure you have everything prepped and ready to go before you start. Let’s take a look at the key ingredients, shall we?
- PRAWNS (OR SHRIMP): I usually choose frozen prawns or shrimp for ease. They come pre-peeled and deveined, defrost quickly and are just a little bit cheaper than fresh.
- SPICES: The spices form the backbone of our curry. Garam masala gives a rich warm flavor, while turmeric adds color and just a hint of bitterness.
- OUR CURRY BASE: Onion, garlic, and ginger are the essential trio for most curry recipes. I also add bell peppers for crunch and sweetness.
- COCONUT MILK: Temper the heat and infuse your prawn curry with creamy sweetness by using full-fat coconut milk. Light coconut milk can be used to cut down on the calories if preferred.
- HEAT: Making your own curry allows you to control the heat levels. Use a whole red chili if you like it spicy, remove the seeds and membranes for a milder tasting curry.
- GROUND ALMONDS: Adding a little almond meal thickens the sauce. For a nut-free option, use a little cornstarch slurry instead.
- FRESH SPINACH: It adds color and nutrients. Feel free to substitute with other greens if you prefer.
- YOU WILL ALSO NEED: Vegetable stock, tomato paste, fresh cilantro and red pepper flakes.
Prawns vs Shrimp
For a very long time I thought prawns and shrimp were the same thing. And this is sort of true – in the UK we use ‘prawns’ and in the US ‘shrimp’.
Prawns and shrimp are apparently entirely different types of crustaceans if you look into it more closely. But for the purpose of this recipe you can use either!
How to make Prawn Curry
Full measurements and instructions can be found on the printable recipe card at the bottom of the page. Please take a look at the steps and video before attempting this recipe!
- Heat a little oil (or use a cooking spray) in a large pan or wok. Cook the onion over medium heat for 5 of minutes or until softened. Add the curry powder, turmeric, garlic, chilli and fresh ginger.
- Stir in the tomato paste and stock. Stir in the ground almonds, coconut milk and bell peppers. Cook for 5 minutes.
- Add the prawns and cook until they just turn pink – a couple of minutes. If you use chicken as a variation you will need to cook for longer.
- Finally, add the spinach and cook until it wilts. Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary. Serve over rice with some lime wedges on the side.
Prawn Curry Variations
This recipe is easy to customize to your specifications – see some ideas for variations below.
- Replace the prawns with cubed chicken breast, making sure it is fully cooked before serving.
- Use firm tofu instead of prawns for a vegan variation.
- This recipe uses Indian spices but you could easily replace them with a little store-bought curry paste.
- Replace the spinach with peas or any other vegetables that cook quickly.
More curry recipes to try
Have you made my prawn curry recipe? Post a photo on my Facebook page, share it on Instagram, or save it to Pinterest with the tag #supergoldenbakes. I can’t wait to see your take on it!
Quick and easy prawn curry
Video
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil or use cooking spray
- 1 onion , finely diced
- 1 tbsp Garam Masala or mild curry powder
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 red chilli , finely diced
- 2 tbsp freshly grated ginger
- 2 garlic cloves , minced
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 2 tbsp ground almonds (see notes)
- 1 cup (250ml) coconut milk full-fat or reducced fat
- ½ cup (125ml) vegetable stock
- 2 bell peppers , sliced
- 1 ½ lb (750g) raw peeled prawns or jumbo shrimp
- 1 cup (225g) baby spinach
- 1 lime quartered , to serve
- 2 tbsp cilantro (corainder) to serve
- Pinch red pepper flakes to serve
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large pan or wok. Cook the onion over medium heat for a couple of minutes until softened.1 tbsp vegetable oil, 1 onion
- Stir the curry Garam Masala, salt, turmeric, garlic, chilli and fresh ginger.1 tbsp Garam Masala , 1 tsp ground turmeric, 1 tsp salt, 1 red chilli, 2 tbsp freshly grated ginger, 2 garlic cloves
- Add the tomato paste and stock. Stir in the ground almonds, coconut milk, and bell peppers. Cook for 5 minutes.2 tbsp tomato paste, 2 tbsp ground almonds, 1 cup (250ml) coconut milk, ½ cup (125ml) vegetable stock, 2 bell peppers
- Add the prawns and cook until they just turn pink – a couple of minutes.1 ½ lb (750g) raw peeled prawns
- Finally, add the spinach and cook until it wilts. Check and adjust the seasoning to your taste.1 cup (225g) baby spinach
- Serve over rice with a pinch of red pepper flakes and lime wedges on the side.1 lime quartered, 2 tbsp cilantro (corainder), Pinch red pepper flakes
Notes
- This recipe uses Indian spices but you could easily replace them with a little store-bought curry paste.
- Give this recipe a Thai spin by using red Thai curry paste instead of the ground spices.
- Replace the spinach with peas or any other vegetables that cook quickly.
- Replace the ground almonds with 1 tbsp cornflour (cornstarch) diluted in 1 tbsp cold water.
- This curry is fairly dry. You can add more coconut milk or stock if you would like more sauce.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is always approximate, and will depend on quality of ingredients and serving sizes.
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This is the second time I have made this
My husband does not usually like curry or chilli
I used Garamond Marsala & the small chilli
He loved it even said He would pay for it
Yay!
Good prawn curry all the family enjoyed it. Which is not always the case
Thanks
So easy to make and so very tasty. This dish is a winner in our family.
Thanks so much Josie!
Yum Yum My husband who does not like curry loved this Even said to make it again Thankyou for a recipe that We really enjoyed
So glad you liked it 🙂
Very tasty. I used more coconut milk and stock for more sauce.
This was really tasty and easy to make (I say this as someone who is not an instinctive cook!). Will definitely be making this again – thanks for the post.
Thank you so much for your comment – so glad you liked it 😘
This curried prawn recipe has so much flavor!! Perfect combination, and so quick and easy!!! Great share
I’m trying to make more curry recipes and this is one I’m really excited to have in my repertoire. Thanks for the tasty recipe!
Your instructions were perfect. This was delicious!
Love this quick and easy prawn recipe (although I did use shrimp lol). It made a quick dinner last week when I didn’t even have time to blink. I love using the ground almonds and coconut milk which give this such an outstanding taste but did use my on-hand Thai red curry paste in lieu of the garam masala. Delicious and will make again!
The prawn vs shrimp debate does my head in! Let’s just say depends which country you are in. Thai red paste works great in this recipe