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!
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.
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.
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 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!
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Deb|EastofEdenCooking
July 5, 2016 at 12:55 pmOh my, the sauce sounds heavenly! I adore shrimp so this recipe will be made soon, serving with a big pot of rice to capture all that outstanding flavor. Bravo!
Anna @ shenANNAgans
July 6, 2016 at 5:12 amYes, 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. 🙂
John/Kitchen Riffs
July 6, 2016 at 9:36 amFood carries such memories, doesn’t it? And this dish could carry nothing but good memories! SO nice — I’ll bet the flavor of this is wonderful. Good stuff — thanks.
Chris Scheuer
July 6, 2016 at 2:11 pmThis 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…
Denise Browning
July 6, 2016 at 4:04 pmI hope you can make this and enjoy, Chris!
Amira
July 7, 2016 at 5:15 pmFood 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.
Sugar et al.
July 7, 2016 at 6:55 pmThis 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.
Mi Vida en un Dulce
July 11, 2016 at 11:52 amBahia…I’m still dreaming with Bahia.
Raymund
July 11, 2016 at 2:42 pmI will definitely need a lot of rice with that super delicious sauce!
Yum!
Anne@ASaladForAllSea
July 13, 2016 at 9:57 amDenise, 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. 🙂
Fran @ G'day Souffle'
July 14, 2016 at 9:57 pmI 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!
Arriana
October 11, 2016 at 12:56 pmI 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!
Tara Nair
April 13, 2017 at 8:47 amLoved the recipe, Denise! I will definitely try it out. Thank you so much for sharing this easy and yummy recipe 😀
Cydney McClain
April 26, 2017 at 4:00 pmMy husband absolutely loves shrimp. This gives me a new way to please his pallegivesSo easy. So delicious.
Denise Browning
April 27, 2017 at 10:18 amHi 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
carrie
August 23, 2017 at 1:45 pmDo you have the nutritional info, calorie,,,carb count?
Denise Browning
August 23, 2017 at 1:56 pmCarrie, unfortunately not yet. We have been working on this. It will be our next feature here. Thank you for reaching out!
Jasmine
September 10, 2018 at 2:44 pmWhat do I do I did everything and realize I needed a blender but I have no blender what do I do
Denise Browning
September 10, 2018 at 8:26 pmHi, 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.
Monique
October 22, 2017 at 4:25 pmOh 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 ❤️❤️❤️❤️
Denise Browning
October 25, 2017 at 8:46 amHi, 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!
Ester
November 19, 2017 at 7:09 pmI am so exited to make this! I bet it tastes so good. Thank you for sharing this recipe!
Ester xoxo
Denise Browning
November 20, 2017 at 9:28 amThank you for stopping by Ester! I hope you make this dish and enjoy!
Lindsey Frankson
February 14, 2018 at 6:38 pmDo you think you could do this without the cream cheese?
Denise Browning
February 15, 2018 at 12:59 pmHi 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!
Pat Fletcher
April 30, 2018 at 12:05 pmWOW ! 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.
Denise Browning
April 30, 2018 at 12:45 pmThank you, Pat!
I am so glad you enjoyed this family favorite. Have a delicious week!
Enriqueta Lemoine
May 14, 2018 at 5:45 pmDenisse this is my first time here and trust me: I’ll be back frequently! I’m in love with this recipe! Best, Enri
Tiffany
May 16, 2018 at 9:44 amLove this recipe!! I will add some pepper flakes to give it some heat!
Alejandra Graf
May 16, 2018 at 10:20 amI’m allergic to shrimp but will try this recipe with tofu.
Silvia Martinez
May 16, 2018 at 10:32 amDenise, love your dish. I love how we can have dinner en 30 minutes. Shrimp cooks so fast and I love how it always takes the flavor of the sauce.
Jenalys
May 18, 2018 at 11:14 amI’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?
Denise Browning
May 19, 2018 at 8:15 pmHi, 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!
Caroline
February 28, 2019 at 7:27 pmHi!
This looks delicious. Do you think I can use
Requeijao instead of cream cheese?
Obrigada!
Denise Browning
February 28, 2019 at 8:11 pmHi 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!
Nina
April 24, 2019 at 9:07 pmHi, Denise! Thansk for the best shrimp stew recipe ever. It amde our list of top dinner recipes.