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This Easy Fish Curry simmers chunks of white fish in a creamy coconut and tomato sauce with Thai curry paste, garlic and green chilli. It takes 25 minutes from start to finish and serves 4, so it is a good one for busy weeknights. If you like a quick curry, try my 10 Minute Chickpea And Spinach Curry too.
Fish Curry at a Glance
James's tipGet the sauce to the thickness you want before the fish goes in, then simmer gently and do not stir too much, so the chunks stay whole.
Key ingredients
- White fish
- Coconut milk
- Thai curry paste
- Chopped tomatoes
Why you'll love it
- About 364 kcal and 28g protein a portion
- Ready in 25 minutes
- Mild or hot: you choose the paste
Quick summary
This curry pops mustard seeds in oil, softens onion and garlic, fries Thai curry paste, then simmers chopped tomatoes, tomato paste and coconut milk before chunks of white fish poach in the sauce for 4 to 5 minutes. It serves 4 and is about 364 kcal a portion.
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Why this recipe works
The coconut and tomato sauce is rich and creamy, and mild white fish soaks up all of its flavour. The fish only needs 4 to 5 minutes in the sauce, so this is one of the quickest curries I make.
I am a huge fan of curries and seafood, and this coconut fish curry is on repeat in my house, especially when the evenings draw in. The whole thing takes 25 minutes. For a vegetable curry with the same warming feel, try my Aubergine Curry.
Serve it with basmati rice, quinoa or my Best Gluten Free Naan Bread to scoop up the sauce.
Ingredients to make Fish Curry
- Olive Oil: For frying the mustard seeds, onion and garlic.
- Black Mustard Seeds: Fried until they pop, they give a nutty flavour. Leave them out if you do not have any.
- Onion: Adds sweetness and body to the sauce.
- Garlic Cloves: Crushed and chopped.
- Thai Curry Paste: Red, yellow or green all work. Heat varies a lot between brands, so start with 1 tbsp and add more to taste.
- Chopped Tomatoes: One 400g tin gives the sauce body and a little sharpness.
- Coconut Milk: Makes the sauce creamy. Light coconut milk works for a lighter curry (about 243 kcal a portion).
- Tomato Paste: Thickens the sauce and adds more tomato flavour.
- Green Chillies: Thinly sliced. Remove the seeds for less heat.
- White Fish: I use haddock. Cod, hake, basa or pollock all work; use firm, skinless fillets and cut them into large chunks. My Cod Curry is another fish curry with cod.
- Salt and Pepper: To season at the end.
- Chopped Coriander: To garnish, with a squeeze of lime if you like.
See recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Substitutions
- Spices: For more depth, add grated fresh ginger, a stick of lemongrass, a pinch of turmeric, cumin or garam masala with the curry paste.
- Fish: Swap the fish for raw king prawns (cook for 3 to 4 minutes, until pink) or chicken (cook for longer, until no pink remains). For a prawn version, see my The Best Thai Red Prawn Curry.
Variations
- Spicy: For more heat, keep the chilli seeds in, add another tablespoon of curry paste or a pinch of cayenne pepper.
- Deluxe: Sear the fish chunks in a hot pan for a minute on each side before they go into the sauce, add a few curry leaves with the mustard seeds, and finish with a squeeze of lime.
- Kid friendly: Use less curry paste, leave out the green chillies and add a splash more coconut milk.
- More veg: Add green beans or broccoli florets with the coconut milk, or a drained tin of cannellini beans. For a curry that is all vegetables, try my Vegetable Thai Green Curry.
How to make Fish Curry
Step 1: Chop the onion, crush and chop the garlic, and thinly slice the chillies.
Step 2: Cut the fish into large bitesize chunks, about 3cm, so they hold together in the sauce.
Step 3: Heat the olive oil in a saucepan over a medium heat. Add the black mustard seeds and cook until they start popping.
Step 4: Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring, for 3 to 4 minutes until softened.
Step 5: Add the curry paste and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring, until fragrant.
Step 6: Add the chopped tomatoes and tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes, then add the coconut milk and cook for 2 to 3 minutes more. If the sauce is too thick, stir in a splash (about 60ml) of water or stock. You can make the sauce up to this point a day ahead.
Step 7: Add the fish, cover and simmer gently for 4 to 5 minutes, until it is opaque all the way through and flakes easily. Season, scatter over chopped coriander and serve with basmati rice, quinoa (my How to Cook Quinoa guide makes it easy) or naan.
Hint: Get the sauce to the thickness you want before the fish goes in. Once the fish is in, stir gently, so it does not overcook or break up.
Leftovers
Cool leftovers quickly, keep them in an airtight container in the fridge and eat within 2 days. Reheat once, gently in a pan or the microwave, until piping hot all the way through. To freeze, it is best to freeze the sauce without the fish for up to 3 months, then reheat it and add fresh fish. For another quick fish dinner, try my Salmon Tray Bake.
Recipe FAQs
Firm white fish is best, as it holds together and has a mild flavour that does not overpower the sauce. Haddock, cod, hake, pollock and basa all work. Salmon works too but tastes richer.
Burnt garlic or spices are the usual cause, so keep the heat at medium when you fry them. Too much turmeric or fenugreek can also taste bitter. If it does, add a squeeze of lemon or lime, or a little more coconut milk.
The fish turns from see through to opaque white and flakes easily with a fork. In a simmering sauce this takes 4 to 5 minutes for 3cm chunks. Do not let it boil hard, or the fish will break up.
It depends on the brand, so check the jar. Start with 1 tbsp, taste the sauce, and add more if you want more heat. Extra coconut milk will calm it down.
Yes. Defrost it in the fridge overnight and pat it dry, then cut it into chunks. Cooking fish from frozen in the sauce makes it watery and harder to cook evenly.
Yes. Add raw king prawns at the end and simmer for 3 to 4 minutes, until they turn pink. My Prawn Curry is another quick one.
More Curry recipes
- Aubergine Curry
- Thai Prawn Curry
- Butternut Squash Curry
- Cauliflower Curry
- Cod Curry
- Potato Curry
- Prawn Curry
- Vegan Thai Curry
- Vegetable Curry
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Fish Curry
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- ½ tsp black mustard seeds
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, crushed
- 1 tbsp Thai curry paste, red, yellow or green
- 400 g can chopped tomatoes
- 400 ml coconut milk
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 2 green chilies
- 600 g haddock, or other white fish, desired type
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Chopped coriander, for garnish
Instructions
- Chop the onion, crush and chop the garlic, and thinly slice the chillies.
- Cut the fish into large bitesize chunks (about 3cm).
- Now heat olive oil in a pot. Add black mustard seeds and cook until they start popping.
- Add chopped onion and garlic, and cook, stirring, for 3 to 4 minutes.
- Add curry paste and cook for 2 to 3 minutes.
- Now add in the tin of chopped tomatoes and tomato paste. Cook for 2 minutes, then add coconut milk. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes. If you feel your curry is thick, add a splash (about 60ml) of water.
- Finally, add the fish, cover and simmer gently for 4 to 5 minutes, until it is opaque and flakes easily. Serve warm, garnished with chopped coriander, with rice and/or naan bread.
Notes
Nutrition
I don’t comment often (usually forget, or never get round to making the dish) – but this curry was delicious loved the flavour! Made it tonight – used Basa, and the Thai Red paste, and added a tin of Cannelli beans. Seared the fish first, then added. Served with cous cous. Would definitely make again, with either white fish or chicken. Quick, easy and super tasty!
Sounds delish! Glad you enjoyed 🙂
Did this curry last night. Super easy to make, I added an extra tbsp of Thai paste because we like a bit more spice and I also added some broccoli and green beans because I always like to bulk out our meals with more veg. A really tasty dish, and healthy too so what’s not to like. Definitely doing it again and looking forward to trying more of James delicious recipies
Thank you Carole 🙂
This is fantastic curry we’ll worth making
Thanks so much Judy 🙂
Quick, simple and delicious. I used twice the amount of red curry and added some fresh grated ginger and lemongrass I had on hand. For the fish, I had some shrimp, scallops and cod. We served it over jasmine rice along with a nice green salad. It was so yummy. Our company raved.
Thanks Suzanne 🙂
What is the best thing to marinate the fish in, and which is the least spicy of the Thai Curries?
Green is usually the least spicy 🙂 enjoy!