This flavorful Thai fish curry recipe is the best! The zesty red curry paste and creamy coconut milk combine to form a delicious base for the fresh fish and chopped veggies.
If you like Thai food and a little bit of heat, you're going to love this veggie-heavy recipe. It's ready in about 40 minutes and makes four servings. Serve this curry alongside some rice for a hearty and healthy dinner recipe.
This delicious Thai fish curry is surprisingly easy to make, and you'll love the bold and fresh flavors! It keeps well in the refrigerator and develops flavor over time, making it a perfect meal prep recipe.
This is a great dinner party dish as well - the bright colors and zingy flavors will delight your guests.
Fish Curry Ingredients
- Fresh Fish - You can use mahi mahi, tilapia, or any other type of white fish.
- Vegetables - Red bell pepper (orange bell peppers also work) and zucchini come together for delicious vegetable flavors in this curry.
- Coconut Milk - You'll use a can of full-fat coconut milk. Make sure not to get "coconut cream." You need the coconut water as well to form the base of the curry.
- Aromatics - Shallot, garlic cloves, and ginger are the wonderful aromatic base of the curry.
- Red Curry Paste - Many grocery stores carry red curry, but if you can't find it at your local grocery store, Asian markets or online retailers will have it.
- Cooking Oil - Oil will be used to sauté the fish and the vegetables. I prefer olive oil in this recipe, but other vegetable oils or coconut oil will also work.
- Lime - Fresh lime juice will be stirred into the curry at the end and several lime wedges will be served alongside the curry.
- Toppings - Fresh herbs and optional chilies will be added to the curry upon serving.
How to Make Thai Fish Curry
Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a shallow frying pan over medium heat. Pat the fish dry and sprinkle 1 teaspoon of salt and ½ teaspoon black pepper across the fish.
Cook the fish in the frying pan for 3 to 4 minutes on each side, until the fish gently flakes. Set the fish aside.
Meanwhile, heat the remaining tablespoon of olive oil in a Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the garlic, ginger, and shallot and sauté for 1 minute.
Add the zucchini and bell pepper and sauté for another 3 minutes.
Add in the red curry paste and stir continuously for 30 seconds, then pour in the coconut milk. Stir till the curry paste has dissolved.
Increase the heat and bring the mixture to a low boil, reduce the heat and allow to simmer for 10 minutes.
Turn off the heat and stir in the lime juice.
Flake the white fish apart into several large 2-inch pieces. Add the pieces to the curry and stir to combine.
Top with fresh basil leaves and serve immediately.
You can serve with white or brown rice and top (if desired) with sliced chiles.
Substitutions & Variations
If zucchini is not available, you can substitute it for snow peas, snap peas, green beans, bok choy, or asparagus.
You can substitute red curry paste for green curry paste if you'd like a less spicy and sweeter curry!
What to Serve with Thai Coconut Fish Curry
You can serve fish curry alongside Jasmine rice, brown rice, or cauliflower rice.
Fish curry is great when topped with fresh herbs and sliced red or green chiles. If you want to give it a little kick, add some fish sauce.
More Delicious Fish Recipes to Try
If you love seafood, you've got to try some of our other favorite fish recipes!
- Baked Sockeye Salmon in Foil - This tender salmon is topped with lemon butter for a delicious main course.
- Coconut Crusted Tilapia - Coconut crusted tilapia is richly flavorful, wonderfully spiced, and the best way to cook tilapia!
- Crispy Baked Haddock - The panko and parmesan crust on this fish is perfection. And it takes just minutes to make!
- Barramundi with Mango Slaw - This barramundi has a mild, buttery flavor that pairs extremely well with the crunchy, juicy slaw.
If you try this fish curry recipe, let us know! Connect with us on Instagram and share your photos, or leave us a rating.
Thai Fish Curry
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil divided
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt divided
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 pound mahi mahi or other white fish*
- 2 cloves garlic minced or grated
- 1- inch fresh ginger minced or grated
- 1 shallot sliced
- 2 medium zucchini chopped into ½ inch pieces
- 1 red or orange bell pepper chopped into ½ inch pieces
- 3 tablespoons Thai red curry paste
- 1 14.5 ounces can coconut milk
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 1 lime sliced
- ½ cup chopped basil or other soft herbs parsley, Thai basil, cilantro
- Optional - serve with rice and top with sliced red chiles
Instructions
- Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a shallow frying pan over medium heat. Pat the fish dry and sprinkle 1 teaspoon of salt and ½ teaspoon black pepper across the fish.
- Cook the fish in the frying pan for 3 to 4 minutes on each side, until the fish gently flakes. Set the fish aside.
- Meanwhile, heat the remaining tablespoon of olive oil in a dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the garlic, ginger, and shallot and sauté for 1 minute.
- Add the zucchini and bell pepper and sauté for another 3 minutes.
- Add in the red curry paste and stir continuously for 30 seconds, then pour in the coconut milk. Stir till the curry paste has dissolved.
- Increase the heat and bring the mixture to a low boil, reduce the heat and allow to simmer for 10 minutes.
- Turn off the heat and stir in the lime juice.
- Flake the white fish apart into several large 2-inch pieces. Add the pieces to the curry and stir to combine. Top with fresh basil leaves and serve immediately.
- Optional - serve with white or brown rice and top (if desired) with sliced chiles.
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