Coconut Lime Shrimp

This Coconut Lime Shrimp is such a killer recipe if you’re craving big flavors but only have 20 minutes to spare to make dinner (AKA me always). The veggie prep is super easy and you get bold flavor from simple pantry ingredients like ginger, lime juice, turmeric, and coconut milk. I’m also including tips and easy swaps so you can make it your own!

Watch Me Make Coconut Lime Shrimp

Table of Contents

Ingredients and Substitutions
How to Make It
Storing
Tips
Reasons to Love It
Coconut Lime Shrimp Recipe

Ingredients and Substitutions

Shrimp

I usually have a bag of Trader Joe’s peeled and deveined shrimp in my freezer at all times for recipes just like this. It cooks quickly and doesn’t require any cutting prep — just thaw and toss in the pan. You could use cubed tofu, chicken, or salmon instead. Alternatively, skip the protein altogether and add extra veggies like broccoli or sweet potatoes.

Veggies

I use diced bell pepper and roughly chopped spinach in my Coconut Lime Shrimp. You can use any color of bell pepper, but note that they get sweeter as they go from green to yellow to orange to red.

Aromatics

The shallot, garlic, and ginger build a ton of flavor in this recipe. You can use red onion instead of shallot. Garlic powder and ground ginger don’t quite have the same effect in this recipe, so use fresh if you can.

Coconut Milk

I recommend using full fat coconut milk (not coconut cream) and shaking it thoroughly before adding to the pan.

Lime Juice

It’s best to use fresh squeezed lime juice, which is what gives this Coconut Lime Shrimp the wow-factor it needs. It also doesn’t hurt to zest the lime first.

Herbs and Spices

Ground turmeric adds color and warmth while red chili flakes add some heat. You can dial up or down (or omit) the chili flakes depending on how spicy you want it. The ¼ cup of fresh cilantro adds a lot of brightness and freshness when added at the very end, but if you’re a cilantro hater, parsley works, too.

Storing and Reheating Coconut Lime Shrimp

You can store leftover Coconut Lime Shrimp in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. To reheat, you can microwave in 30-second increments, stirring in between to make sure it reheats evenly. To avoid the microwaved fish smell, you can reheat leftovers on the stovetop over low heat until heated through, about 10 minutes.

Tips for Making the Best Coconut Lime Shrimp

• If you happen to plan ahead for this meal, you can thaw frozen shrimp in the refrigerator a day ahead of time. To thaw frozen shrimp more quickly, run it under cold water for 5 to 10 minutes or submerge them in a bowl of cold water for 10 to 20 minutes. You don’t want to use warm or hot water to thaw frozen shrimp because it will cook them unevenly and make them tough.
• For grated garlic and ginger, use this microplane!
• To save prep time, mince the garlic and ginger in a food processor and add the shallot in for the last few pulses to dice it. You can blitz the bell pepper in a food processor a few times to dice it as well, just don’t go overboard and make it too finely chopped.
• I serve this Coconut Lime Shrimp with steamed white rice, which I sometimes make from dry rice or by microwaving the precooked frozen rice packets from Trader Joe’s.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• This recipe is super quick and easy because the shrimp requires zero prep and it cooks really quickly. Everything else can be prepped pretty quickly ahead of time, too.
• Coconut Lime Shrimp is an approachable recipe if you’re craving vibrant Asian flavors. The ginger, coconut milk, and lime are easy to find in any grocery store and deliver a lot of flavor with minimal ingredients.
• Everyone loves a one pan meal! After cooking and setting the shrimp aside, all the ingredients get added back to the same pan to meld and simmer. That makes for faster dinner prep and a super easy cleanup.

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