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Creamy shrimp over rice with green onions, sugar snap peas, sesame seeds.
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4.65 from 37 votes

Creamy Coconut Shrimp

This creamy coconut shrimp recipe was inspired by a popular Chinese buffet entrée. The rich, creamy coconut sauce has a slightly nutty and sweet flavor with hints of citrus. Serve it with your favorite starchy side dish to soak up all the sauce.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time12 minutes
Total Time22 minutes
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Asian
Keyword: Asian coconut shrimp, Chinese coconut shrimp, creamy coconut shrimp
Servings: 4 servings
Author: Dahn Boquist

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds large shrimp
  • 1 to 2 tablespoons coconut oil
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 5 to 6 garlic cloves minced
  • 2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger
  • 1 (15 ounce) can canned coconut milk
  • 2 tablespoons fish sauce
  • 1 fresh lime zested then juiced
  • 1 ½ tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 2 teaspoons cornstarch optional
  • 1 tablespoon water
  • 3 to 4 scallions diced

Instructions

  • Peel and devein the shrimp. Heat the coconut oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season the shrimp with salt, then cook for 1 minute per side. Work in batches to avoid overcrowding the skillet.
  • Set the shrimp aside then add the garlic and ginger to the skillet and cook for 1 minute.
    Sautéing garlic and ginger in a skillet.
  • Add the coconut milk, fish sauce, lime zest juice, and sugar. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat and cook for 6 to 7 minutes until slightly reduced and thickened. 
    Adding coconut milk, lime, and fish sauce to the skillet.
  • If you want the sauce thicker, combine the cornstarch and water in a small dish then stir it into the sauce. Simmer for 2 minutes until thick. 
    Mixing cornstarch into the white coconut sauce.
  • Add the shrimp to the sauce and cook for 1 to 2 minutes to heat the shrimp. 
    Adding shrimp to creamy white sauce.
  • Remove from heat and top with chopped scallions. 
    Topping coconut sauce shrimp with scallions.

Notes

  • Don’t overcook the shrimp. Nothing ruins a good dish faster than rubbery seafood. They’re done when they turn from translucent to opaque with pink streaks. It usually takes just 2 to 3 minutes.
  • If you use frozen shrimp, make sure to thaw them completely and drain the excess liquid. 
  • Make sure to use canned coconut milk and not the stuff in cartons. Full fat coconut milk will give you a thicker, richer sauce than reduced fat.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 serving | Calories: 227kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 16g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 3mg | Sodium: 864mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 7g
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