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One Pot Shrimp in Coconut Sauce

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A 30-minute, creamy, and comforting One Pot Shrimp in Coconut Sauce with blended vegetables to serve over rice or noodles. It is dinner made easy!

One-pot-shrimp-in-coconut-sauce

What has the power to transport you back home when you are far, far away and missing it terribly?

For me, it is food!  I confess the rich and diverse cuisine of my home country makes hard to choose only one dish.

When I think about home, several dishes spring right to mind.

This creamy one pot shrimp in coconut sauce (camarão no leite de coco) had the power to transport my sweet Brazil onto my plate this time — and all the memories of those good old days.

It is easy, summery, comforting — and SUPER delish… just like home!

This shrimp in coconut sauce  is a trip to Ceará, a state in my Northeastern region where the recipe originally comes from.

It is even a trip to Bahia, an Afro-Brazilian state in that same region…

…since the dish is somewhat similar to its famous Bahian-style seafood stew known as Moqueca de Camarão.

What it makes the dish a bit different from moqueca is the absence of  palm oil and chunky vegetables. 

Note this coconut shrimp recipe adds cream cheese, basil, and red jalapenos — as they reflect our own touch to the traditional recipe.

Ingredients of coconut shrimp sauce on a table

But the thing is, its aroma still announces all of its bold flavors and contrasting textures… 

… something very Northeastern, very home-sweet-home.

It is Latin food at its best — as you can see in these easy Brazilian recipes to must try. 

Moreover, it is a trip to the amazing flavors of tropical Brazil… 

As they say in Bahia, AXÉ!!! (a Yoruba language term meaning ‘power’ or ‘energy’)… and in Ceará, OXE! (Oh, wow!)

HOW TO MAKE SHRIMP IN COCONUT SAUCE

Time is not a problem in this case.

This shrimp in coconut sauce  takes about 30 minutes… and uses simple ingredients such as jumbo shrimp, veggies, coconut milk, fresh herbs, and spices.  

Serve it over white rice — or noodles if you desire.

Shrimp in coconut sauce served over rice in a plate

To make this, place the peeled shrimp in a bowl with oil, minced garlic clove, salt, and pepper.

Toss to coat and let marinade while cooking the veggies. Heat a large skillet over medium heat with 2 Tbsp of oil.

Add the onion and bell pepper and let cook for about minutes.

Then, add coarsely chopped garlic cloves and cook for about 1 minute. Add the canned diced tomatoes, basil, and cilantro/parsley.

Let cook for about 2 minutes. Transfer the cooked vegetables to a blender and set aside.

Add the remaining oil to the skillet and cook the shrimp for 2 minutes.

Then flip and cook for another 1-2 minutes or it until starts getting pink.

Transfer the shrimp to a plate or bowl.

Next, prepare the coconut shrimp sauce.

Add coconut milk, chicken broth, lime juice, ground ginger, paprika (optional), and the remaining salt and pepper to the cooked, reserved vegetables.

Blend all until veggies are ground and mixture is smooth.

Transfer blended mixture to the skillet and bring to a boil; then reduce to simmer and cook for about 5 minutes.

Add the cream cheese and stir until melted and the sauce is creamy and smooth.

Last, add the cooked shrimp to the skillet and toss to coat.

Garnish with basil leaves, chopped cilantro/parsley, and slices of red jalapeno pepper if desired.

Serve over white rice (preferably) or noodles. Enjoy!

PIN & ENJOY!

One pot shrimp in coconut sauce close up image

One-pot-shrimp-in-coconut-sauce
5 from 10 votes
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One Pot Easy Shrimp in Coconut Sauce

A 30-minute, creamy, and comforting One Pot Shrimp in Coconut Sauce with blended vegetables to serve over rice or noodles. It is dinner made easy!

Course Main Course
Cuisine Brazilian
Keyword shrimp in coconut sauce
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings 4
Calories 539 kcal
Author Denise Browning

Ingredients

  • 1½ pounds jumbo raw shrimp (deveined, both shell and tail removed)
  • 5 tablespoons vegetable oil divided
  • 3 gloves garlic 1 minced and 2 coarsely chopped
  • 1 teaspoon salt divided
  • 1 teaspoon ground black pepper divided
  • ½ large white or yellow onion peeled and coarsely chopped
  • 1 large orange or red bell pepper de-seeded and sliced
  • 1/2 cup canned diced tomatoes
  • 2 leaves large basil plus more to garnish
  • 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro or parsley plus more to garnish
  • 1 cup canned coconut milk
  • 1/3 cup chicken or vegetable broth
  • 2 tablespoons lime juice (about 1 large lime, juiced)
  • 1 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1 teaspoon sweet paprika optional
  • 4-6 oz cream cheese softened (the amount depends on how creamy you want)
  • 1 red jalapeno pepper thinly sliced (optional)

Instructions

  1. Place the peeled shrimp in a bowl with 1 Tablespoon of oil, one minced garlic clove, ½ teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon black pepper. Toss to coat and let marinade while cooking the vegetables.

  2. Heat a large skillet over medium heat with 2 Tablespoons of vegetable oil. Add the onion and bell pepper and let cook for approximately 3 minutes. 

  3. Add the 2 coarsely chopped garlic cloves and cook for about 1 minute. Add the canned diced tomatoes, basil, and cilantro/parsley. Let cook for about 2 minutes. Transfer the cooked vegetables to a blender and set aside.

  4. Add the 2 remaining Tablespoons of oil to the skillet and cook the shrimp for 2 minutes, then flip and cook for another 1-2 minutes or it until starts getting pink. Transfer the shrimp to a plate or bowl.

  5. Add the coconut milk, chicken/vegetable broth, lime juice, ground ginger, paprika (optional), and the remaining salt and pepper to the cooked, reserved vegetables and blend everything until vegetables are completely ground and mixture is homogeneous. 

  6. Transfer blended mixture to the skillet and bring to a boil; then reduce to simmer and cook for about 5 minutes. Add the cream cheese and stir until melted and the sauce is creamy and homogeneous. 

  7. Add the cooked shrimp to the skillet and toss to coat. Garnish with basil leaves, chopped cilantro/parsley, and slices of red jalapeno pepper if desired. Serve over white rice (preferably) or noodles. Enjoy!

Recipe Video

Recipe Notes

  • It must be stored covered in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 days. Heat well before eating!  If desired, add a little bit more of coconut milk to dilute the sauce. 
  • Love One Pot Meals? Try also our One Pot Chicken in Lime Coconut Sauce.
Nutrition Facts
One Pot Easy Shrimp in Coconut Sauce
Amount Per Serving
Calories 539 Calories from Fat 351
% Daily Value*
Fat 39g60%
Saturated Fat 30g150%
Cholesterol 444mg148%
Sodium 2081mg87%
Potassium 484mg14%
Carbohydrates 10g3%
Fiber 2g8%
Sugar 5g6%
Protein 38g76%
Vitamin A 1465IU29%
Vitamin C 58.4mg71%
Calcium 287mg29%
Iron 5.3mg29%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

 

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Comments

  2. Anna @ shenANNAgans

    Yes, food is what connects me to home or memories of home too.
    I absolutely need this shrimp recipe in my life, what an amazing combination of tastes and flavours, loving that cheeky hint of cream cheese so much. Hope you are well my friend. 🙂

    Reply

  4. Chris Scheuer

    This sounds wonderful and such a fun new way to use coconut milk. I just happen to have a big bag of shrimp in the freezer…

    Reply

  5. Amira

    Food always bring people together and also bring memories back, with the delicious smell of mothers and grandmothers cooking, food can bring tears to my eyes- those kind that are not from smelling onions :). Love your recipe and it is indeed colored for summer.

    Reply

  6. Sugar et al.

    This is a life changing dish. So wonderful yet simple to make. I just love coconut flavoured sauces and gravies and this one is flavoured with spices as well. Ca’t wait to try it! It’s going to make a gorgeous Friday night dinner.

    Reply

  9. Anne@ASaladForAllSea

    Denise, this looks AMAZING! I want this for dinner tonight! Thank you for sharing this recipe. I love how food can hold such strong memories for us. Pinned! Can’t wait to taste a bit of your home. 🙂

    Reply

  10. Fran @ G'day Souffle'

    I could use some of that ‘Axé’ now to lift me out of the chilly winter here in Adelaide. This looks like a lovely dish. It reminds me of a dish I did called ‘Coconut Curried Shrimp’, but without the curry spice. Thanks so much!

    Reply

  11. Arriana

    5 stars
    I made this! it’s so delicious! I didn’t have to alter the recipe at all. Perfect… I am going to add this to my recipe box! Thank you thank you!

    Reply

  12. Tara Nair

    5 stars
    Loved the recipe, Denise! I will definitely try it out. Thank you so much for sharing this easy and yummy recipe 😀

    Reply

  13. Cydney McClain

    5 stars
    My husband absolutely loves shrimp. This gives me a new way to please his pallegivesSo easy. So delicious.

    Reply

    • Denise Browning

      Hi Cydney! It’s so good to have you vising us here. I hope you get the chance to make my family new fave seafood dish and enjoy. Sending our love. xx

      Reply

    • Denise Browning

      Carrie, unfortunately not yet. We have been working on this. It will be our next feature here. Thank you for reaching out!

      Reply

        • Denise Browning

          Hi, Jasmine! Do you have a food processor or a small smoothie blender instead? They can grind or blend the veggies well. If not, you can try to use a hand or stand mixer to try to grind the veggies as much as you can although it will contain pieces of veggies.

          Reply

  15. Monique

    5 stars
    Oh My Word!!!! I just made this for Sunday dinner…..didn’t alter the recipe AT ALL…..and it ís absolutely delicious!!!!! So simple to make. And you wanna talk about flavorful?! This is a definite add to my recipe book. I pinned it to my food board on Pinterest forever ago. Last week I told my daughter to scroll through and pick something for Sunday dinner. I’m soooooo glad she picked this one ❤️❤️❤️❤️

    Reply

    • Denise Browning

      Hi, Monique! I am so glad you enjoyed this stew, a real family favorite! I hope you come back for more delicious recipes. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to ask them. Have a marvelous week!

      Reply

    • Denise Browning

      Hi Lindsey! If desired you can skip the cream cheese but it won’t be creamy as if had cream cheese. Since you intend to make without it, please add less coconut milk than stated in the recipe or use a bit of cornstarch to thicken the stew like you would to a gravy. Enjoy!

      Reply

  18. Pat Fletcher

    5 stars
    WOW ! This is fantastic You can taste everything. Nothing is overpowering. I will always have this when my husband says someone is coming home with him and I have an hour. Won’t they be surprised ? Thank you.

    Reply

  23. Jenalys

    I’ll be trying this over the weekend and will report back! Very excited! I’m low carb so I’ll be putting it over cauliflower rice. The one thing I am questioning is the amount of oil. 5 tbsp seems like overkill. Do you think I could scale back to 3 and it still be delish?

    Reply

    • Denise Browning

      Hi, Jenalys! You can certainly use less oil especially if you cook this stew in a no stick pan. I would suggest to use 1 1/2 TBSP oil for the vegetables and 1 1/2 TBSP oil for the shrimp. I hope you enjoy this family favorite!

      Reply

    • Denise Browning

      Hi Caroline! Yes, you can use requeijao instead. Make sure to start with the same amount asked for cream cheese and increase the amount of requeijao only if necessary to make the stew creamy but not runny. The reason way is cream cheese is thicker than requeijao even when heated. Enjoy! Um abraco!

      Reply

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