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This easy Prawn Curry is ready in 17 minutes and only uses one pot, making cleanup a breeze! Juicy prawns simmer in a mild Indian style sauce of onion, tomato, ginger and spices with creamy coconut milk. The delicious flavours are sure to impress, and it will likely make it onto your weekly menu. If you love prawns in a curry, try my The Best Thai Red Prawn Curry too.
Prawn Curry at a Glance
James's tipAdd the prawns at the very end and take the pan off the heat as soon as they turn pink all the way through, so they stay juicy rather than rubbery.
Key ingredients
- Raw prawns
- Coconut milk
- Tomatoes
- Mild curry powder
Why you'll love it
- About 358 kcal a portion
- 23g of protein a portion
- One pot, ready in 17 minutes
Quick summary
This prawn curry fries onion, tomatoes, garlic and ginger with mild curry powder, coriander, paprika and turmeric, then simmers raw prawns in coconut milk for about 5 minutes until pink. It takes 17 minutes in one pot, serves 4 and is about 358 kcal a portion.
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Why this recipe works
Curries are one of my absolute favourite dishes to make. This prawn and coconut curry is no different! Its distinct curry flavours along with the creaminess of the coconut milk make this healthy prawn curry absolutely divine!
Curries are great all year round, but I especially love to pull them out on those cooler autumn evenings to warm me up. Keep a bag of frozen raw prawns, a tin of coconut milk and a jar of curry powder in, and you can whip up this Indian prawn curry any night of the week.
Prawn curries vary from region to region: Kerala, Goan and Chettinad curries all have their own spices. This one keeps things simple and mild with curry powder, ground coriander, paprika and turmeric. Serve it with rice and my Best Gluten Free Naan Bread, or for an even healthier option, swap the rice for quinoa (here’s How to Cook Quinoa).
Ingredients to make Prawn Curry
- Raw Prawns: are my favourite protein in this curry. Frozen raw prawns work well (see the hint in the method). Love prawns? My Garlic Prawns are another quick one.
- Oil: helps to fry up all of the ingredients.
- Onion: adds a delicious flavour while thickening the sauce as it cooks down.
- Garlic: is that distinctive flavour necessary in so many dishes.
- Ginger: adds a spicy touch to this quick prawn curry.
- Tomatoes: are common in Indian style curries.
- Mild Curry Powder: helps this prawn and coconut curry to not be too spicy.
- Ground Coriander: gives a bit of a citrusy taste to this curry.
- Paprika Powder: is a bit peppery while still being sweet.
- Turmeric Powder: is another spice that brings sweetness with a little bit of spice.
- Coconut Milk: brings a delicious flavour and creaminess to this prawn coconut curry. Light coconut milk works too and brings it down to about 267 kcal a portion.
See recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Substitutions
- Prawns: Another great protein is chicken: dice it and fry it with the onion in step 2 until cooked through with no pink left. You could also use chunks of white fish for more of a Goan style curry (try my Fish Curry), or firm tofu or tempeh.
- Mild Curry Powder: If you want a spicier coconut prawn curry, you could use a spicier curry powder.
- Coconut Milk: can be replaced with coconut cream and a splash of water to loosen.
Variations
- Spicy: To increase the spice of this prawn curry with coconut milk, you can use a spicier curry powder.
- Deluxe: You can step this curry up a notch by adding some vegetables. I’d also be sure to make it a King Prawn Curry if you really want to accentuate the prawn. You can also use the same base for extra vegetables and a firm white fish like cod. Serve it up with a side of my Bombay Aloo (Bombay Potatoes) for a true Indian experience.
- Kid friendly: If your kids aren’t game to eat prawns, I’d recommend trying this recipe with chicken. You can cut down the heat a bit if needed. If you want a perfect introduction to curry, try my 10 Minute Peanut Butter Curry.
For another quick curry, try my 10 Minute Chickpea And Spinach Curry.
How to make Prawn Curry
Step 1: Firstly, prep the ingredients. Dice the onion, grate the ginger, crush the garlic, and chop the tomatoes into smallish cubes.
Step 2: Heat a large pan with oil. Add in the onion and tomatoes with a pinch of salt and pepper. Fry until they soften, about 5 minutes. Continue stirring.
Step 3: Add in the garlic, ginger, spices, and fry together for another 2 to 3 minutes.
Step 4: Add in the coconut milk, prawns, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Simmer for about 5 minutes until the prawns are pink and cooked through.
Hint: You’ll know the prawns are cooked through once they’ve turned pink all the way through. Larger prawns may take more time. Using frozen raw prawns? Defrost them in the fridge overnight, or in a bowl of cold water for about 20 minutes, then pat them dry. For another speedy prawn dinner, try my Prawn Stir Fry.
Leftovers
Cool leftover prawn curry quickly and keep it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 day. Reheat it once only, in a pan or the microwave, until steaming hot all the way through. If you made it with already cooked prawns, enjoy it straight away rather than keeping leftovers. Fancy a cold prawn lunch instead? Try my Prawn Salad.
Recipe FAQs
Yes. Raw frozen prawns can go straight in at step 4: simmer a few minutes longer until they are pink and steaming hot all the way through. Already cooked prawns only need 2 minutes to heat through, and a curry made with them should be eaten straight away rather than reheated.
I use a mild curry powder so the whole family can enjoy it. For more warmth use a medium or hot curry powder, or stir in a teaspoon of garam masala with the coconut milk.
Stick to a mild curry powder, leave out the paprika and add a splash more coconut milk. A squeeze of lime and a spoonful of yoghurt on the side cool it down too.
Prawns are lean and high in protein, so this curry is about 358 kcal with 23g of protein a portion (calculated from the recipe card). Most of the fat comes from the coconut milk: light coconut milk brings it down to about 267 kcal.
Stir them into this curry for the last 2 minutes, just to heat through, or toss them through my Prawn Noodles for a quick lunch.
Only if you cooked it from raw prawns: keep it in the fridge for up to 1 day (or the freezer for up to 3 months, then defrost in the fridge) and reheat it once until steaming hot. If you used already cooked prawns, do not keep it to reheat.
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Prawn Curry
Ingredients
- 400 g raw prawns
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 white onion, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 inch piece ginger, grated
- 200 g tomatoes, about 4 medium, chopped
- 1 tbsp mild curry powder
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- ½ tsp paprika powder
- ¼ tsp turmeric powder
- 1 can coconut milk, 14 oz or 400ml
- salt, to taste
Instructions
- Firstly, dice the onion, grate the ginger, crush the garlic and chop the tomatoes into smallish cubes.
- Heat a large pan with oil, adding in the onion and tomatoes with a pinch of salt and pepper, and fry for about 5 minutes until they soften, stirring often.
- Now, add in the garlic, ginger and spices and fry together for 2 to 3 minutes.
- Finally add in the coconut milk, prawns and a pinch of salt and pepper and simmer for about 5 minutes until the prawns are pink and cooked through.
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Nutrition
I didn’t expect much, since it’s such a quick and easy recipe with not many ingredients…but OMG was I wrong!! Amazing dish! So simple and easy, yet so tasty. The whole family loved it! Will definitely do it again and again
Thanks so much Paula 🙂
Great recipe! Delicious and quick to make. Have used base curry and added other ingredients: vegetables and cod! Thank you for sharing .
Thanks, glad you enjoyed it Graham 🙂
absolutely amazing! loved the recipe!
Thank you 🙂
I made it the other day and everyone loved it. Thank you James, for another delicious and easy recipe!
Thanks so much Sophie 🙂
Quick easy and tasty.
Yay 🙂 thank you!
This was easy and delicious! Will be making it again.
Glad you enjoyed Sophia 🙂