This Thai Shrimp Curry Soup with coconut milk is easy to make and packed full of so much flavor! Who needs takeout when you can make your own delicious version at home! {Gluten-free & dairy-free}
Healthy Thai Shrimp Curry Soup
This delicious coconut curry shrimp soup has quickly become a regular part of our weekly meal planning routine. Meal planning can get boring when your dishes get repetitive or bland, but I’m pretty sure this Thai coconut shrimp soup can never get boring.
It’s intensely flavorful with red curry paste, fresh ginger, lime juice, and cilantro. But all that flavor doesn’t mean it’s complicated! This is still a simple soup ready from start to finish in less than an hour. Just try it once, and you’ll be hooked, too!
For more curry flavored recipes, be sure to try this Curry Chicken Marinade and Pumpkin Chicken Soup.
Why We Love This Thai Shrimp Coconut Soup
- Delicious: This Thai shrimp rice soup is SO delicious and tastes just like take-out (similar to this Thai Peanut Chicken Recipe)! It’s very filling because it basically has the complex carbohydrates, protein, and vegetables all packed in one mouth-watering bowl of soup.
- Easy to prepare: We can basically come home, get it all cooking up in one pot and eat within 30 minutes! These types of recipes are my new favorite weeknight meals.
- One pot classic: You know what that means. A lot less clean up involved. Easy, stress-free, delicious and healthy!
Ingredient Notes
- Olive oil: Heat a little oil in the pan to cook up the veggies.
- Vegetables: The onion, red peppers, garlic, and fresh ginger add wonderful flavors with minimal prep!
- Red curry paste: This is a flavor powerhouse! Keep a jar of red curry paste on hand to make this Thai shrimp soup recipe any time.
- Unsweetened coconut milk: Look for the creamy coconut milk in the cans. Feel free to use light coconut milk for a lighter broth or full-fat coconut milk for a richer flavor.
- Chicken broth: Use either homemade or a reduced sodium store-bought broth. You can also substitute vegetable broth.
- Honey: This adds a little sweetness to balance the heat. Maple syrup or brown sugar work, too.
- Quick cooking brown rice: For a little fiber and texture.
- Raw jumbo shrimp: Be sure to peel and devein the shrimp first! You may also see these called prawns at your local store.
- Fresh lime juice: This is crucial as the bright lime flavor balances all of the other flavors. Serve the soup with extra lime wedges, too.
- Fresh cilantro: Chop and sprinkle the cilantro for garnish and a fresh flavor. Green onions are a good option, too.
- Salt and pepper
How to Make Thai Shrimp Curry Soup
- Add olive oil to a large soup pot or Dutch oven over medium high heat. Add onion, bell pepper and garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 3-4 minutes. Stir in ginger until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Whisk in curry paste until well combined, about 1 minute. Gradually whisk in coconut milk and broth, and cook, whisking constantly, until incorporated, about 1-2 minutes. Add honey and stir.
- Turn the stove up to high and bring to a boil; add rice, reduce heat to medium low and simmer until rice is cooked, about 25 minutes. Add shrimp and cook for about 4 minutes or until pink.
- Stir in lime juice and cilantro. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
Keep scrolling to the recipe card below for the full printable recipe!
Recipe Notes:
- Don’t overcook the shrimp! If you’re using uncooked raw shrimp like I did, you can add it to the soup at the very end and only cook it for about 4 minutes or until it turns pink. Letting the shrimp boil in the soup for too long will result in overcooked rubbery shrimp.
- Cook the shrimp with the tails on. This can help incorporate some extra flavor into the soup. You can remove the tails if you’d like once the shrimp has cooked.
- Adjust liquid accordingly. If the soup has been sitting for a while, it will thicken up quite a bit since the rice absorbs some of the liquid. Right before serving, you may wish to add more broth or coconut milk to thin it out a bit.
- Adjust heat according to personal preference. The soup has a mild kick to it from the curry paste. If you wish to add more heat, add one to two tablespoons of sriracha hot sauce.
Storage Guidelines
To refrigerate: You can store leftover soup in an airtight container in the fridge for up to four days.
To freeze: Chill the soup in freezer-safe containers, leaving at least 1 inch of room for expansion. Freeze for 3-6 months then thaw in the fridge before reheating.
To reheat: Make a double batch and reheat the leftovers for a delicious meal later in the week! Just pop the leftovers in a medium saucepan and warm it over medium heat.
Recipe FAQ
I haven’t personally tried freezing this soup, but if you do try it out, I recommend storing in an air-tight container or freezer-friendly large Ziploc bag and storing in the freezer for up to three months.
To defrost, leave it in the fridge overnight. When ready to reheat, place in a large sauce pan and heat on low until heated through.
Yes! Fresh shrimp or prawns can be really expensive, and frozen shrimp is often much more affordable at the grocery store. However, frozen shrimp is often precooked, so you’ll need to adjust your cooking method. Start by thawing the shrimp completely in the fridge (ideally overnight) and straining off any excess liquid. If the shrimp is frozen raw, you can cook it exactly like normal. If the shrimp is precooked, just add it right in the last couple of minutes of cooking to avoid overcooking it.
Red curry is a spicy curry paste made with lots of chilies and spices. Milder versions are available, but it wouldn’t really be red curry without the chilies! This soup isn’t super spicy but does have a slight kick to it.
Serving Suggestions
This Thai coconut curry soup is meant to be a complete meal on its own, but it pairs wonderfully with these delicious dishes as well:
- Chicken Mango Salad
- Spicy Thai Chicken Wraps
- Easy Asian Cucumber Salad
- Healthy Chicken Stir Fry
- Instant Pot Lentil & Sweet Potato Thai Curry
How to Customize Thai Curry Shrimp Soup
- Adjust the flavor: Add extra lime juice for more tanginess, or sweeten with a little extra honey. You can also add more coconut milk or broth if you’d like. It’s also great with a drizzle of fish sauce! If you have fresh lemongrass available or kaffir lime leaves, those can give the broth even more flavor, too.
- Make it spicy: Add 1-2 tbsp of sriracha hot sauce. I would start with one tablespoon, give it a taste and adjust accordingly. You can also add lots of ginger for an extra kick, too!
- Adapt the protein: If you’re not a shrimp fan, feel free to precook diced boneless skinless chicken breast or skip it and use plant-based ingredients such as tofu for a vegetarian dish.
- Make it low carb: Feel free to ditch the brown rice and serve it over a bed of cauliflower rice and replace the honey with a sugar-free sweetener.
- Serve over noodles: This Thai coconut curry soup is also tasty with rice noodles! They don’t have the same fiber content as brown rice, but they taste great if you’re looking to switch it up.
More Easy Seafood Recipes
- Creamy Coconut Shrimp
- Lemon Garlic Parmesan Shrimp Pasta
- Shrimp Noodle Stir Fry
- Chili Lime Shrimp Skewers
- Spicy Shrimp Tacos
- Fish with Easy Lemon Garlic Sauce
- Dairy-Free Salmon Florentine
- Healthy Tuna Lettuce Wraps
- Healthy Fish Sticks
- Mini Salmon Cakes
- Parmesan Crusted Cod
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Easy Thai Shrimp Coconut Curry Soup
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium onion diced
- 1 red bell pepper diced
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 2 tablespoons freshly grated ginger
- 3 tablespoons red curry paste
- 2 400 mL cans unsweetened coconut milk
- 4-5 cups no salt added chicken broth*
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 3/4 cup quick cooking brown rice uncooked
- 1.5 pounds raw jumbo shrimp peeled and deveined
- Juice of 1 lime
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro chopped
- Salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
- Add olive oil to a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium high heat. Add onion, bell pepper and garlic . Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 3-4 minutes. Stir in ginger until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Whisk in curry paste until well combined, about 1 minute. Gradually whisk in coconut milk and chicken broth, and cook, whisking constantly, until incorporated, about 1-2 minutes. Add honey and stir.
- Bring mixture to a boil; add rice and reduce heat to medium low. Simmer until rice is cooked, about 25 minutes. Add shrimp to the pot and cook for about 4 minutes or until pink.
- Stir in lime juice and cilantro. Taste soup and adjust flavors accordingly. If you want more zing, add more lime juice. If you would like it more spicy, add 1-2 tablespoons sriracha hot sauce. If you're looking for more flavor, season with salt and pepper, to taste and add more cilantro. If you want it to be a thinner consistency, add more broth. Serve warm and enjoy!
Notes
- Don’t overcook the shrimp! If you’re using uncooked raw shrimp like I did, you can add it to the soup at the very end and only cook it for about 4 minutes or until it turns pink. Letting the shrimp boil in the soup for too long will result in overcooked rubbery shrimp.
- Cook the shrimp with the tails on. This can help incorporate some extra flavor into the soup. You can remove the tails if you’d like once the shrimp has cooked.
- Adjust liquid accordingly. If the soup has been sitting for a while, it will thicken up quite a bit since the rice absorbs some of the liquid. Right before serving, you may wish to add more broth or coconut milk to thin it out a bit.
- Adjust heat according to personal preference. The soup has a mild kick to it from the curry paste. If you wish to add more heat, add one to two tablespoons of sriracha hot sauce.
Nutrition
This recipe was originally posted in January 2016, but was updated in January 2024 to include more helpful tips and photos.