Creamy Coconut Shrimp with Tomatoes

This Coconut Shrimp made with tomatoes, onions, garlic, ginger, fresh basil, tomatoes, and shrimp in a creamy coconut milk sauce is seriously good. Like we were licking the sauce off our plates good. Served with zucchini noodles or spaghetti squash for an easy meal.

I have always been a huge fan of curry. It's something I make all the time but I realize it isn't for everyone. That's where this simple dish comes in. It reminds me of a delicious curry dish but without the actual curry. You still get the creamy coconut part, you still get garlic and ginger, you still get a touch of spice, but you don't get any of the funkiness of curry that some people don't like. It's so good, you will make this again and again.

The other amazing thing about this Creamy Coconut Shrimp recipes is that it is ready in less than twenty minutes. This means that it's easy enough for any busy weeknight. 

Side Dishes for Creamy Coconut Shrimp

When it comes to serving this dish, there are endless options. Normally I serve it on a bed of zucchini noodles, spaghetti squash, or cauliflower rice for a low carb and Whole30/Paleo friendly option. Ir's also delish over brown rice or some soba noodles. If you love soups, add some chicken or shrimp broth and it quickly becomes a soup. You can throw in some extra veggies or add a starch like rice noodles or quinoa. Prepared this way, it kind of reminds me of traditional Thai coconut soup, especially if you squeeze in some lime juice.

Can I make this with chicken?

If shrimp isn't your favorite protein, you can swap in chicken breast instead. Just chop the chicken into bite-sized pieces and add it in place of the shrimp. Depending on the size of the chicken, it could take anywhere from 8-10 minutes to cook. Lean pork tenderloin or fish would work as well. 

Tips and Ideas

• If you don't have fresh tomatoes, canned tomatoes work just fine in this recipe. Drain the tomatoes before adding them so that you get a thick and creamy sauce.
• If you are following a Whole30, Keto, or Paleo diet make this with full fat coconut milk. It will add about 130 calories per serving.
• Adjust the amount of garlic, ginger, and red pepper flakes to suit your tastes. Usually, I punch up the red pepper flakes since we like things really spicy. You can also leave them out completely if spice isn't your thing.
• To keep this a Whole30/Paleo/Keto friendly dish serve it with spaghetti squash, zucchini noodles, or cauliflower rice.
• If you don't like the taste of basil or don't have any on hand, you could substitute fresh cilantro in place of the basil. 
• If you are using frozen shrimp, you have two options. First, you can quickly defrost them. Just place them in a colander and run cold water over the shrimp for about five minutes, tossing them a few times. You can also add the frozen shrimp directly to the pan and just add a few extra minutes of cooking time. This will add a little water to the sauce, but generally, it isn't enough to change the flavor or consistency. Also as a general note, almost grocery store shrimp is previously frozen. Buying the packaged frozen shrimp can be a great time saver,
• Another shrimp buying tip, try to buy the uncooked shrimp that has been shelled and deveined to save time. It may cost about $1 extra per pound but will save you tons of time.
• When choosing the size of the shrimp, I generally recommend large shrimp, either16/20 or 26/40. These numbers tell you how many shrimp per pound. For example, if the shrimp says 16/20, there should be between 16-20 shrimp per pound.

More healthy shrimp recipes

• Blackened Shrimp
• Garlic Parmesan Shrimp
• One Pan Shrimp Fajitas
• Chipotle Shrimp Tacos with Cilantro Avocado Slaw

Here are some of the products I used in this recipe:

• If you are following Whole30, you will need coconut milk that doesn't contain carrageenan. This is the one I normally buy.