• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
That Girl Cooks Healthy
  • Home
  • About Me
    • Privacy Policy
    • Contact
    • FAQ/Disclaimer
    • Work With Me
  • Recipe Index
  • Health guidance
    • My Caribbean
  • My E-book
menu icon
go to homepage
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Home
  • About Me
    • FAQ/Disclaimer
    • Privacy Policy
    • Work With Me
  • Recipes
  • Health guidance
  • My E-book
  • ×

    BLANK » Recipe Index » Caribbean Dishes

    Jamaican Curry Shrimp

    Last Updated December 26, 2022. Published September 7, 2018 By Charla 11 Comments

    • Share
    • Tweet
    • Yummly
    • Flipboard
    • Mix
    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    Jamaican curry shrimp recipe - seafood lovers will go crazy for this delicious, flavoursome Island shrimp dish that's so easy to make from scratch.

    jamaican curry shrimp

    Jamaican curry shrimp

    This Jamaican seafood cuisine is a favourite of mine as it brings back fond memories of my youth.

    If you adore Caribbean seafood that is relatively simple to prepare and equally as tasty then this Jamaican curry shrimp has your name written all over it.

    **Update alert I have increased the amount of shrimp used for this recipe and adjusted the seasoning to compensate**

    This is my mother's recipe because I think she is queen of making the tastiest and pretty darn easy curry shrimp in my family.

    I asked her 100 times how to perfect it  her way and watched her over and over for years.

    Now that I have my own cooking website I'm pleased to share a taste of home with you all and hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we have.

    Our recipe has it's own adaptation, for instance we don't include bell peppers in the curry sauce.

    This is purely down to preference but you will find many Jamaican shrimp curry recipes will have peppers.

    We also include some paprika and my all purpose seasoning blend in our curry, again that's just how we like it.

    A few tips on fast tracking the recipe

    The great thing about this shrimp dinner is that it can be prepared the night before.

    It's simply a case of whatever works out best for you. You have the option of chopping up the onions, scallions and garlic overnight, ready to use ahead of time.

    Alternatively, you can cook the curry sauce overnight and set aside so if you're busy with work or chores during the day, all you'll need to do is add the shrimp to the sauce which makes things much more convenient.

    Jamaican curry shrimp

    How to make Jamaican curry shrimp

    In terms of what ingredients, you will need the following;

    • Curry powder
    • All purpose seasoning (I used my homemade blend)
    • paprika
    • tomato paste
    • scallion
    • onion
    • garlic
    • coconut milk
    • hot water
    • Himalayan pink salt

    Jamaican curry shrimp

    Jamaican curry shrimp with coconut milk

    I found the more precise you are with measurements and ingredients the better the overall results.

    There is no need for a thickener since the fat from the coconut milk will congeal and add volume to the sauce.

    Coconut milk is a integral part of the cuisine for that velvety smooth sauce.

    Ingredient ratio - You don't need a lot of onion for this recipe, I find too much onion, curry powder and tomato paste can be overpowering. You really don't need a large quantity of any of these ingredients because too much of one ingredient especially those mentioned can ruin the dish.

    I always use a small onion to make this recipe, if I don't have a small onion then I simply use half of a medium sized onion but never a whole large one because that would be too much.

    Curry sauce - The curry sauce should be made first before adding the shrimp. The sauce is made with all of the ingredients listed above and left to thicken up for about 10 minutes prior to adding the shrimp.

    Adding the shrimp - Only add the shrimp once you or your guests are ready to eat, don't re-heat the shrimp as the texture will change and only add the amount of shrimp that you intend to consume.

    Cooked vs raw shrimp - I'm always partial to using raw large shrimp because they are less likely to overcook. If you are new to cooking seafood, I would recommend using raw shrimp. They require a slightly longer cooking time than cooked shrimp and are less inclined to over cook.

    On the other hand, cooked shrimp only needs to be heated through prior to serving so timing is very crucial to avoid overcooking and compromising the texture.

    Jamaican curry shrimp

    Can I make this shrimp dish without a dutch pot?

    Yes, of course, most Caribbean households defer to the dutch pot for cooking stews, however, a deep frying pan works just as well.

    Curry shrimp Jamaican style is........

    • Delicious
    • Bold
    • So flavoursome you will want it over and over again

    Serving suggestions

    • Jamaican curry shrimp and Rice is a favourite
    • Sweet Potato Mash (paleo option)
    • Pumpkin
    • Vegetables
    • Steamed Cabbage
    • Baked Plantain

    Can I use low fat coconut milk instead?

    If you are worried about the fat content, there's the option of using low fat milk instead. If you do use this type of milk you will need to mix it with a tablespoon of starch to help thicken up the sauce.

    jamaican curry shrimp

    The step by step pictures

    Jamaican curry shrimp step 1-2

    Saute the garlic, onion and scallion until translucent and soft.

    Add the tomato paste, stir then pour in the hot water and sprinkle in to the sprigs of thyme

    Pour in the coconut milk into the dutch pot

    Add your spices - curry powder, all purpose seasoning and paprika followed by the raw shrimp

    Other recipes you may like

    • Crispy Oven Baked Prawn Fritters
    • Shrimp Rundown
    • Jamaican Chicken Soup
    • Jamaican Saltfish Fritters
    • Spicy Sweet Shrimp and Plantain
    • Jamaican Curry Goat
    • Pan Fried Garlic Butter Shrimp
    • Jamaican Hot Pepper Shrimp

    **Don't forget to comment below and star rate if you have tried my recipes. Let's be friends and engage on Facebook and Instagram I also like to pin on Pinterest, where you can find more amazing recipes.**

    Jamaican Curry Shrimp

    Learn how to make this quick and easy Jamaican curry shrimp from scratch
    4.60 from 5 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Dinner
    Cuisine: Jamaican
    Prep Time: 10 minutes
    Cook Time: 20 minutes
    Total Time: 30 minutes
    Servings: 3 people
    Calories: 283kcal
    Author: Charla

    Ingredients

    • 1 lb extra large raw shrimp (devained and washed) (450g)
    • 1 tablespoon of curry powder heaped
    • 2 tablespoon coconut oil
    • 2 teaspoon of all purpose seasoning see post
    • 1 teaspoon of paprika
    • 5 sprigs of thyme
    • 2 large scallion chopped
    • 1 small onion chopped
    • 4 garlic cloves chopped
    • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
    • 1 cup of coconut milk
    • 1 cup of hot water
    • himalayan pink salt and black pepper to taste
    • 1 whole scotch bonnet

    Instructions

    • On medium heat, melt some coconut oil in a medium sized dutch pot and proceed to saute the onion, scallion and garlic until soft and translucent.
    • Stir in the tomato paste, sprigs of thyme and continue to cook for another minute before pouring the hot water in first followed by the coconut milk
    • Bring to the boil then add your curry powder, all purpose seasoning, paprika and scotch bonnet.
    • Reduce the flame to low and simmer for 10-15 minutes until the sauce begins to thicken
    • Finally add your shrimp and coat with the sauce and cook for 5 minutes until they turn completely pink. If using cooked shrimp, coat and heat through for 3 minutes maximum.
    • Add the desired amount of pink salt/black pepper according to taste.
    • Do a taste test and add more seasoning/curry if required then serve accordingly

    Notes

    • Make sure the shrimp you are using is RAW and NOT cooked or ou run the risk of the texture being rubbery if overcooked.
    • The shrimp should be de-vained and cleaned before being prepared.
    • Be sure to let the sauce cook down first before adding the shrimp. Don't rush this step because you want the flavours to come through
    • You can add black pepper if you want but I tend to omit this by choice

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1serving | Calories: 283kcal | Carbohydrates: 17g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 22g | Sodium: 92mg | Potassium: 529mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 696IU | Vitamin C: 22mg | Calcium: 112mg | Iron: 6mg
    Tried this Recipe? Tag me Today!Mention @ThatGirlCooksHealthy or tag #ThatGirlCooksHealthy!
    « Yellow plantain porridge
    Funchi Fries (Dutch Caribbean)(Vegan + Gluten Free) »
    • Share
    • Tweet
    • Yummly
    • Flipboard
    • Mix

    About Charla

    I'm Charla. Caribbean foodie & Certified Health Coach. Welcome to the heaven of gluten and dairy free recipes as well as modernised healthier alternatives to some of your favourite Caribbean recipes.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Michelle

      May 19, 2019 at 7:14 am

      4 stars
      WOW..the best curry shrimp I have ever tasted in life and first time making it myself. Only change I made was that since my shrimp was already cooked, I marinated the shrimp with the dry seasonings you listed in your recipe, for 3 hours..what a hit!!

      Reply
      • Charla

        May 19, 2019 at 7:23 am

        Thank you Michelle. I'm so glad you liked my recipe!!

        Reply
    2. Martinaé Patton

      January 11, 2019 at 3:33 am

      5 stars
      I made it, but I didn’t scroll down to the increments I would need. I just made it to taste but it is pretty darn good!

      Reply
      • Charla

        January 11, 2019 at 8:16 am

        That's fine. I actually cook like that when I'm not posting recipes on my website. I'm just glad you liked the overall recipe.

        Reply
    3. Carol

      October 07, 2018 at 9:53 pm

      5 stars
      Excellent and easy. You should specify on your recipe how many it serves. This served two main dish dinner size portions for me.

      Reply
      • Charla

        October 07, 2018 at 11:14 pm

        Hi Carole, glad you liked the recipe. I generally shy away from stating serving amounts because this tends to be subjective but I will start to update my recipes for a rough guide.

        Reply
    4. Immaculate

      September 14, 2018 at 11:47 pm

      5 stars
      Your pictures look amazing and I can't wait to try this recipe!

      Reply
      • Charla

        September 15, 2018 at 11:12 am

        thank you!!

        Reply
    5. Jazz

      September 13, 2018 at 4:34 pm

      4 stars
      I'd love to know what's in your all-purpose seasoning blend! The link doesn't seem to be active.

      Reply
      • Charla

        September 13, 2018 at 8:24 pm

        Thanks. Are you sure you clicked the link? I checked with several sources who said it works fine.

        Reply
    6. Lonwabo

      September 08, 2018 at 3:30 pm

      Please send me your creative recipes. I like Jamaican food.

      Reply

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube

    Greetings

    I'm Charla. Caribbean foodie & Certified Health Coach. Welcome to the heaven of gluten and dairy free recipes as well as modernised healthier alternatives to some of your favourite Caribbean recipes. Learn more about me

    JOIN MY MAILING LIST AND BE THE FIRST TO KNOW WHEN I POST EXCLUSIVE HEALTHY RECIPES.

    Featured recipes

    A bowl of soup with a grey side plate

    Turkey Neck Soup

    2 glasses of mauby jug

    Mauby Drink

    half a plate of fritters

    Vegan Pumpkin Fritters (Gluten Free)

    two glasses of sorrel

    Jamaican Sorrel Drink

    plantain pie

    Plantain pie

    beans in an orange dish

    Stewed Kidney Beans (Vegan)

    More

    Featured in

    Top Choice Recipes

    sliced plantain bread

    Plantain Bread

    Caribbean recipe collage

    Caribbean Veganuary Recipes

    omelette on a white plate

    Plantain Frittata (Plantain Omelette)

    waffles with a fruit garnish

    Vegan Sweet Potato Waffles

    a casserole in a white bowl

    How to Lead A Healthier Caribbean Lifestyle

    energy balls in rows

    Raw Cacao Energy Balls

    drink in a glass with moss in a bowl

    Sea Moss Drink (Irish Moss Drink)

    close up of the rice

    Arroz Con Coco (Colombian Coconut Rice)

    Footer

    Featured In

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • Privacy Policy

    Contact

    • Contact
    • FAQ

    Copyright © 2020