This easy shrimp curry recipe takes just minutes to cook and tastes sensational! Perfect for busy weekdays and mild enough for the whole family to enjoy. Delicious served with basmati rice and garlic naan bread.

Lovers of Butter Chicken prepare to fall in love with this wonderful Butter Shrimp (Jinghe Makhani) curry recipe! All the luxurious rich flavor you would expect and the perfect showcase for plump juicy shrimp.

It’s my number one choice for whenever we need dinner in a hurry as it cooks incredibly quickly and tastes out-of-this-world delicious! Forget paying through the nose for often disappointing takeout – this homemade Indian-style shrimp curry is the real deal!

Close-up of creamy shrimp curry garnished with chopped cilantro.

Shrimp Curry Ingredients

Our shrimp curry has a tomato based gravy that’s deliciously fragrant thanks to the wonderful blend of spices. If you don’t have all the spices listed below, you can make an easier version using just one mild curry powder.

Shrimp – it’s worth splashing out on the largest raw jumbo HAVE YOU MADE GREEK CHICKEN AND LEMON RICE RECIPE? Please leave a rating, post a photo on my Facebook page, share it on Instagram, or save it to Pinterest with the tag #Nusde and make my day! If you have any questions, message me on Instagram and I will do my best to answer them quickly.shrimp (or jumbo prawns) you can afford. Frozen peeled and deveined shrimp are a little more affordable and a great freezer standby when you are stuck for what to make for dinner.
Concentrated tomato paste (tomato purée) is the base for our gravy. You can also use fresh or canned tomatoes but the flavor will not be as rich.
Shallots or onion and plenty of garlic.
Fresh ginger – ginger and garlic go hand-in-hand in the majority of curry recipes. You can even find frozen cubes of garlic and ginger in some supermarkets but fresh is always best!
Spices and seasoning – garam masala, cumin, turmeric, fenugreek, paprika, red pepper flakes, salt, pepper and a little sugar to balance out the flavor.
Lemon juice and water to balance the acidity and thin the sauce.
Unsalted butter to enrich the sauce and balance out the flavors.
Cream – heavy cream is added at the end to enrich this simple curry. You can also use coconut cream or milk instead of the cream if you prefer.
Cilantro (coriander) – to garnish.

Various ingredients are arranged on a light surface, including a bowl of raw shrimp, cilantro, tomato paste, butter, shallots, garlic, ginger, cream, and a bowl of labeled spices like turmeric, cumin, and paprika.

How to Make Butter Shrimp Curry

↓ For the full ingredients and detailed method, jump to the recipe card.

Combine all the seasoning and spices together. Set a teaspoon aside for the shrimp. Add the remaining seasoning, shallots, garlic, ginger, tomato paste, lemon juice to a food processor adding as much water as needed to make a smooth paste.
Pat the shrimp dry using paper towels. Place in a bowl and sprinkle with the reserved seasoning blend.
Heat the neutral oil in a large skillet or wok. Add the shrimp and cook them for about a minute until they turn pink. You don’t want to cook them for too long as they will continue to cook in the sauce. Use a slotted spoon to set them aside.

Left: Raw prawns seasoned with spices in a white bowl. Right: Shrimp cooking in a pan, turning pink and opaque.

Add a splash more oil and the curry paste to the pan and cook, stirring, for about 5 minutes. Stir in enough water to loosen the gravy, about 1/3-1/2 cup (80ml-120ml).
Now add the shrimp into the sauce and simmer over low heat for 5-10 minutes.Add cubes of cold butter to the sauce, stirring until it melts. Finally, stir in the cream and simmer for a minute or so until it is warmed through.
Have a quick taste to check whether you need to add a little lemon juice and garnish with plenty of chopped cilantro. Serve over steamed basmati rice or pilau rice with naan bread to mop up all the delicious gravy!

Four images show steps in cooking shrimp curry: 1) Cooking a red sauce in a pan with a wooden spoon. 2) Adding shrimp to the sauce. 3) Adding butter cubes on top of the shrimp and sauce. 4) Pouring cream into the mixture.

Storing and Freezing

Leftovers will keep for 2-3 days in the fridge stored in an airtight container. Reheat on the stove, adding a splash of water if needed.

Creamy curries can be frozen for up to three months, but the cream is prone to separating and curdling when the dish is reheated. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and heat over low heat, stirring gently, to serve.

Recipe Notes

How to defrost shrimp quickly: place the shrimp in a bowl and cover with cold water. Change the water several times until the shrimp is thawed. Pat the shrimp dry before using and never leave shrimp to defrost at room temperature.
Replacing the cream with coconut cream: the cream usually solidifies in cans of coconut milk, separating from the liquid. You can simply use a spoon to scoop it out and use instead of heavy cream. Reduced fat coconut milk should be stirred well before adding to the curry.
If you don’t have all the spices listed in the ingredients, you can use 1-2 tbsp mild curry powder instead for a simpler version of this curry recipe.

A skillet filled with shrimp in a creamy curry sauce, garnished with chopped herbs. Next to it is a bowl of white rice and a small dish of chopped herbs, all on a gray textured surface. A beige cloth is partially visible on the side.

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HAVE YOU MADE MY SHRIMP CURRY RECIPE? Please leave a rating, post a photo on my Facebook page, share it on Instagram, or save it to Pinterest with the tag #Nusde and make my day! If you have any questions, message me on Instagram and I will do my best to answer them quickly.