Easy and Flavorful Coconut Shrimp Curry made in the Pressure Cooker in just 20 minutes. This is the simple Indian shrimp curry made with ginger, garlic, onions, tomatoes along with flavorful spices, and finished with coconut milk. Pair this curry with rice for a perfect experience. Gluten-free, Paleo, and Low carb!
This is one of those easiest curries to make when you want to impress someone and have less time to cook. The second reason also makes it a perfect dish to cook on a weekday in just 20 minutes.
While the curry was cooking, I cooked white rice on the stovetop (can be done in a second instant pot or rice cooker) and dinner was served in no time.
If you like indian coconut based curries, do check out my Coconut Chicken Curry and Coconut Chickpea Curry recipes!
Are you ready for this delicious Shrimp Curry? Let's get started!
How to make Coconut Shrimp Curry in the Pressure Cooker?
The main thing to note in this recipe is that Shrimp cooks very quickly, so we will use the low pressure setting in the electric pressure cooker (instant pot in my case).
We will cook the shrimp for 3 minutes on low pressure and then quick release the pressure manually to get perfectly cooked shrimp.
I used tail-on deveined large raw frozen shrimp that I got from Costco. If you use a smaller size shrimp, decrease the cooking time.
The base of this curry is the same as many other Indian curries, with ginger, garlic, onions and tomatoes. I also add very basic spices which you will have in your pantry if you have done Indian cooking before.
I have also provided links to Amazon for the spices in case you are new to them. However I highly recommend finding the nearest Indian grocery store to get a much cheaper price.
I add coconut milk in the curry to give a creamier texture. Use full-fat coconut milk for best results.
That said, even with the very simple preparation, this curry is such a flavor bomb with shrimp in it, similar to my shrimp masala recipe. This is a must try!
Garnish with some lime juice and cilantro, and enjoy over rice!
Doesn't the curry look gorgeous. I am ready to eat this again, it is so easy to make!
Looking for more seafood instant pot recipes, check out this delicious Salmon Tikka Masala.
Blast from the past:
- Posted 3 months ago – Seviyan / Vermicelli Kheer
- Posted 6 months ago – Mom's Chicken Curry
- Posted one year ago - Palak Tofu
Want to find easy Instant Pot Indian Recipes? Here are 23 Best Instant Pot Indian Recipes for you to try!
Coconut Shrimp Curry - Instant Pot / Pressure Cooker
Ingredients
- 1 lb Shrimp deveined tail-on, frozen (about 25-30)
- 1 tablespoon Oil
- 1 teaspoon Mustard Seeds (Rai)
- 1 Green chili pepper slit in 2 pieces
- 1 cup Onion chopped
- ½ tablespoon Ginger minced
- ½ tablespoon Garlic minced
- 1 cup Tomato chopped
- ¼ can Coconut Milk (~3.5 oz) full-fat
- 1 tablespoon Lime juice
- ¼ cup Cilantro to garnish
Spices
- ½ teaspoon Ground Turmeric (Haldi powder)
- ½ teaspoon Cayenne or Red Chili powder adjust to taste
- ½ teaspoon Garam masala
- 1 teaspoon Coriander powder (Dhaniya powder)
- ½ teaspoon Salt adjust to taste
Instructions
- Start the instant pot in Sauté mode and let it heat. Add oil, mustard seeds and let them sizzle.
- Add green chili, onions, ginger and garlic. Sauté for about 5 minutes until the onions turn golden brown.
- Add tomato and spices. Mix and let it sauté for 2-3 minutes.
- Add coconut milk and shrimp to the pot. Stir and press cancel. Close lid with vent in sealing position.
- Start the instant pot in Manual or Pressure cook mode at low pressure for 3 minutes.
- When the instant pot beeps, quick release the pressure manually.
- Stir in the lime juice and garnish with cilantro. Coconut Shrimp Curry is ready to be served. Enjoy with rice.
- Tip: Take the steel insert out of the instant pot, so the curry is not cooking more from residual heat.
Video
Notes
- I used large raw deveined tail-on shrimp that were frozen for this recipe. If using smaller or already thawed shrimp, reduce pressure cooking time.
- We add less liquid in this curry as instant pot retains the liquid and less is needed to cook. If you like, you can add ¼ cup coconut milk after the curry is cooked. The curry does get thicker as you refrigerate it.
- Which Green chili to use? I typically use Thai, Birdeye or Serrano Chili Pepper in my recipes. Don't forget to adjust to your taste.
- This recipe was created in a 6qt Instant Pot DUO60 Multi-use Programmable Pressure Cooker.
Note: Nutrition values are my best estimates. If you rely on them for your diet, use your preferred nutrition calculator.
Nahla Daly says
Omg this recipe blew our minds! It was so easy and the taste was just unbelievable. I’ve never made raw shrimp before or even shrimp before and now I have a go to. Thank you for sharing. Hahaha my husband just interrupted my writing to ask me for more.
Lisa varkey says
My family thoroughly enjoyed this recipe - I’m so glad I doubled it! We used one whole can of coconut milk for double the recipe which was perfect. I added half during cooking and the rest afterwards. Thank you!!!
Jothy says
Is it possible to substitute coconut milk? If so. What do you suggest?
Meeta Arora says
Hi Jothy - You can just cook the shrimp in the same quantity of water, and then add cream after pressure cooking it done. Hope you enjoy it!
Miss vee says
I tried this recipe over the weekend. Absoultely delicious and so easy to make. My partner absolutely loved it and went back for seconds. Thank you for sharing this flavourful recipe.
Linda says
This was wonderful! I did use the chili powder option, subbed mild, canned green chili, and added a bit of extra coconut milk. After releasing pressure, I added some roasted cauliflower, peas, and thickened with some cornstarch mixed with water. This was my first time cooking shrimp in the IP and the first time using the low setting. The shrimp was perfectly cooked, and the spices were perfect.
Meeta Arora says
Hi Linda - So glad to hear you enjoyed the shrimp curry. Thank you for sharing the detailed changes you made, it will be helpful to other readers.
Dee Dee says
What kind of green chili do you recommend? Serrano? Jalapeno? Bell? Looking forward to trying the recipe!
Meeta Arora says
Hi Dee Dee - I typically use Thai, Birdeye or Serrano Chili Pepper in my recipes. Don't forget to adjust to your taste. Hope you enjoy the curry!
Caroline Horizny says
Hi, can you use fresh shrimp? The frozen shrimp I buy is usually not without its shell
Meeta Arora says
Hi Caroline - I have not tried, but I think the recipe will work well with fresh shrimp too. I would love to hear how it turns out.
Hina Patel says
Very simple & tasty recipe. i tried today & my family just loved it.
Meeta Arora says
Hey Hina - So glad to hear you all enjoyed the Shrimp Curry!
Lekha Chellani says
Hi,
Thank you for the recipe. The coconut milk curdled after I released the pressure. What could I do to avoid that?
Meeta Arora says
Hey Lekha - So sorry to hear the curry did not work as expected. Not sure why it happened. I would say you can add 1/4 cup water before pressure cooking and add the coconut milk after pressure cooking the shrimp. Hope that helps!
Rosemari says
What do you do with the rest of the can of coconut milk?
Meeta Arora says
Hey Rosemari - I like to make Coconut Rice with any leftover coconut milk. You can also refrigerate the coconut milk for a up to 2-3 days. Here is the recipe for coconut rice if you like - https://www.pipingpotcurry.com/pressure-cooker-coconut-rice/
Judy Johnson says
You can freeze coconut milk as well. Do it in ice cube trays or some other recipe sized container.