Quick and Easy Creamy Chinese Coconut Shrimp Recipe
This Quick and Easy Creamy Chinese Coconut Shrimp recipe combines succulent shrimp sautéed in fragrant coconut oil with a rich, flavorful coconut milk and cream sauce infused with garlic, ginger, lime, and a hint of spice. Ready in just 30 minutes, this dish offers a perfect balance of creamy, tangy, and subtly sweet flavors, making it a delightful main course to serve over your choice of rice.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: Chinese
Ingredients
Shrimp and Aromatics
- 2 pounds raw shrimp (large or jumbo – thawed, peeled, and deveined)
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil
- 2 to 3 green onions – white part chopped and green tops thinly sliced
Sauce
- 14 ounces coconut milk
- 1 cup coconut cream
- 2 tablespoons corn starch
- Juice of 1 lime
- Fresh lime zest of 1 lime
- 2 tablespoons fresh minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon minced ginger root
- 1/4 cup shredded coconut
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- A pinch of cayenne pepper (optional)
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Prepare Ingredients: Peel, devein, and rinse the shrimp thoroughly. Chop the green onions, separating the white part and the green tops. Mince the garlic and ginger root. Zest and juice the lime.
- Sauté Shrimp and Onions: Heat a large skillet or frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the coconut oil and allow it to warm. Add the shrimp and the chopped white parts of the green onions to the hot oil. Sauté for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the shrimp turn opaque and are cooked through. Use a slotted spoon to remove the shrimp and onions from the pan and set them aside on a plate.
- Prepare Coconut Sauce: While the shrimp cook, pour the coconut milk into a large bowl. Add the coconut cream, corn starch, minced garlic and ginger, lime juice and zest, shredded coconut, sugar, cayenne pepper (if using), vanilla extract, salt, and ground black pepper. Whisk vigorously until the mixture is fully blended and smooth.
- Cook the Coconut Sauce: Carefully pour the blended coconut mixture into the still-hot skillet. Bring the sauce to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
- Simmer to Thicken: Reduce the heat to low and let the sauce simmer for 4 to 5 minutes. Stir occasionally as the sauce thickens to a creamy consistency.
- Combine Shrimp with Sauce: Add the cooked shrimp and onions back into the skillet. Stir to coat them in the thickened coconut sauce and simmer together for an additional 2 to 3 minutes to warm the shrimp through and marry the flavors.
- Serve: Remove the skillet from heat and serve the creamy coconut shrimp immediately over cooked rice of your choice. Garnish with the thinly sliced green tops of the green onions and a wedge of lime for added freshness and visual appeal.
Notes
- Helpful Tools: Large skillet, small bowl, large bowl, whisk, slotted spoon, hand juicer, zester, cutting board, large kitchen knife, measuring cups, measuring spoons.
- Serving Suggestions: This creamy Chinese coconut shrimp pairs beautifully with white rice, brown rice, coconut rice, or cauliflower rice for a low-carb option.
- Storage: Allow the shrimp and sauce to cool completely at room temperature. Transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Reheat gently before serving to preserve the creamy texture.
- Optional Heat: Add a pinch of cayenne pepper for subtle spiciness or omit if preferred.
