One-Pot Wonder: Shrimp Curry Bowls

Oh Shrimp Curry Bowls, how I love thee! Not only do you satisfy adult palates with your complex, fresh-tasting Thai-inspired ingredients, but even picky kids go for your sweet-savory sauce over noodles. Plus, you’re healthy and not complicated to make!

Photo byThriving Home

Good News for Parents of Picky Eaters

For all you moms out there with young picky eaters, are you soooo tired of eating a narrow, kid-approved dinner rotation? I feel you…and I have some encouragement for you.

I started making these incredible Shrimp Curry Bowls years ago, because my husband and I were craving complex flavors and textures. I’d offer some to my picky little kids in vain. But, over the years, my persnickety people turned into more curious eaters. Now at ages 16, 14, and 12, this dish has become part of the “no whine” dinner rotation at the Tiemeyer house.

Prayers, good vibes and positive thoughts be with you, oh parents of the picky eater. May your preschooler’s palate be expanded and your parent culinary wishes come true with this recipe.

Ingredients

Photo byThriving Home

Now, it’s time to gather up all your ingredients. You may or may not be familiar with all of these, but you can find all of them in your regular grocery store.

Coconut Curry Sauce:

• 1 tablespoon avocado oil or olive oil
• 1/2 medium yellow onion, finely diced
• 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced
• 2 tablespoons red curry paste (recommend: Thai Kitchen brand)
• 1 (14-ounce) can unsweetened coconut milk (recommend: Goya or Thai Kitchen brands)
• 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar (sub: coconut sugar)
• 1 teaspoon Sriracha sauce, plus more to taste
• 1 1/2 teaspoons fish sauce
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce (sub: coconut aminos or gluten-free soy sauce)
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice (about half of a fresh lime)

Shrimp Bowls:

• 8 ounces (1/2 pound) soba noodles or whole wheat angel hair pasta
• 2 tablespoons olive or avocado oil, divided
• 1 pound peeled, deveined, raw shrimp (I usually buy the 31/40 count; make sure they are thawed)
• Salt and pepper
• 16-ounce bag of frozen stir-fry vegetables (sub: 3 cups fresh chopped vegetables like carrots, broccoli, sugar snap peas, etc)
• 1 cup shredded purple cabbage, for serving
• Chopped peanuts, for serving
• Lime wedges, for serving

How to Make Curry Shrimp

Before you get going, peruse through these process shots and quick overview of the recipe to get your bearings.

Make the Sauce

Stir fry the onion and ginger in oil, until soft. Add the curry paste, coconut milk, sugar, Sriracha, fish sauce, and soy sauce. Simmer to reduce and thicken a bit. Stir in the lime juice.

Photo byThriving Home

Pro Tip

Use your time wisely in the kitchen by doubling the sauce and freezing a batch along with frozen shrimp and stir-fry veggies for another dinner later.

Cook the Noodles:

Cook the soba noodles according to package directions and drain. Set aside and toss with a little oil to keep from sticking.

Stir-Fry the Shrimp

Meanwhile, in a large skillet, stir-fry the shrimp until pink, seasoning lightly with salt and pepper while it cooks. Set aside on a plate.

Stir-Fry the Veggies

Add oil to the same pan and stir-fry the frozen or fresh vegetables, until veggies are crisp-tender. Remove pan from the heat.

Assemble Your Bowls

Each person can build their bowl by adding noodles, veggies, shrimp, and sauce. Top the bowls with the purple cabbage, chopped peanuts, and a lime wedge.

Make It a Freezer Meal

Photo byThriving Home

When I’m making this dish for my family, I usually buy double the ingredients so I can make one for dinner and another batch into a freezer meal kit for later. It’s really quite simple.

How to Freeze For Later: Prepare the sauce in Step 1 of the recipe below. Freeze the sauce in a freezer container or bag next to the frozen shrimp and frozen vegetables.

How to Prepare From Frozen: Note: You will need to have pasta, shredded purple cabbage, peanuts, and lime wedges on hand. Thaw the sauce and shrimp. (Note: Do not thaw the frozen vegetables.) Follow cooking instructions starting with Step 2.

How to Serve Shrimp Curry

So you have to trust me on this, ok? You HAVE to build your bowls this way with these toppings for the full experience. (Well, you can do what you want, but I’m just trying to lead you down the path to a flavor explosion.)

• To a bowl, add your noodles, some stir-fry veggies, and shrimp.
• Drizzle the warm sauce all over your bowl–as much as you like– and toss. There will be plenty to go around.
• Now, here’s the most important part. Top your saucy bowls with chopped peanuts, some thinly sliced red cabbage, and finally squeeze a lime wedge over the top.
• And…you can thank me later. 🙂

Photo byThriving Home

More Healthy Dinner Ideas

Try some of our other healthy, family-friendly dinner recipes like these.

• Salmon and Sweet Potato Cakes
• Chicken Burrito Bowl
• Asian Salmon (aka Sweet & Savory Salmon)
• Coconut Curry Soup