I love homemade Thai food: Thai mango curry, slow cooker Thai chicken thighs and Thai salmon. This Thai shrimp curry is one of those weeknight dinners quickly thrown together in a skillet and you have a healthy restaurant quality meal. Easy curry with coconut milk, shrimp, butternut squash and a blend of simple Thai spices, this curry is quick, decadent and with a bit of a fiery kick. Not too much because of little people. You can definitely kick the heat up a notch by adding more curry paste.

My kids love shrimp but not the squash. When plating, I simply leave it out of their plates. I’m standing strong for not not cooking separately for the kids and it works with minor adjustments.

Thai cuisine is really simple to recreate at home. I make sure to always have red curry paste, fish sauce and kaffir lime leaves on hand. That’s all you need out of “weird” ingredients. I highly recommend Thai Kitchen brand. I hope coconut milk isn’t something you are shy of.:)

I usually get kaffir lime leaves at an Asian store. They are basically Thai bay leaves and can be stored forever tightly sealed in the freezer. You can omit them or replace with (Thai) basil leaves.

I thought sweet butternut squash was a great addition to this shrimp curry. It is a starchy vegetable which means complex carbohydrates. These carbs that are good for you. I personally find the curry quite filling without rice as it’s a complete meal on its own. Boys might prefer to have it with rice. I used white rice for photos (don’t ask) but I highly recommend brown rice as it’s healthier!

Also bean sprouts add a refreshing crunch to the dish. However you serve, make sure to top the curry with fresh green onions, cilantro and a lime wedge on a side for a true Thai cuisine experience at home. Enjoy!

Thai Shrimp Curry with Squash

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★★★★★

5 from 2 reviews

Thai Shrimp Curry with coconut milk, butternut squash, red curry paste is a healthy and easy dinner recipe.

Author: ifoodreal.com
Prep Time: 7 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Total Time: 42 minutes
Yield: 6 servings 1x

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Ingredients

1 small onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
2 tsp fresh ginger, grated
3/4 tbsp coconut oil
14 oz coconut milk, light (canned)
1/4 cup tomato paste
2 tsp fish sauce
2 tsp red curry paste
2 tsp honey
1 tsp cornstarch (optional)
5 kaffir lime leaves (optional)*
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1 lb butternut squash, cut into 1” cubes
1 large red bell pepper, diced
1.5 lbs shrimp, raw & thawed
2 lime wedges or more to taste
3 tbsp green onions, chopped
3 tbsp cilantro, chopped

Instructions

Preheat large deep skillet on low heat and add coconut oil, spreading with spatula. Add onion, garlic, ginger and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add coconut milk, tomato paste, fish sauce, red curry paste, honey, cornstarch, kaffir lime leaves, salt, pepper and whisk until combined. Increase heat to medium – high and bring sauce to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to low and cook for 5 minutes or until sauce thickens a bit.
Add squash and bell pepper, stir, cover and cook on low for 20 minutes or until squash is cooked al dente. Add shrimp, cover and cook for another 5 minutes. Do not over cook as shrimp will become rubbery.
Gently stir the curry, adjust salt to taste, squeeze lime, top with green onions and cilantro. Serve hot with brown rice or quinoa.

Store: Refrigerate covered for up to 4 days or freeze in an airtight container for up to 3 months.

Notes

*I usually get kaffir lime leaves at an Asian store. They are basically Thai bay leaves and can be stored forever tightly sealed in the freezer. You can omit them or replace with (Thai) basil leaves.

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