Thai Red Curry Prawns in One Skillet in Under 30 Minutes

Imagine a cast-iron skillet of coconut red curry, glossy and fragrant, with prawns turning pink as you stir. This one-pan Thai red curry prawn dinner comes together in about 25 minutes, with crisp-tender peppers, snap peas, a bright finish of fresh basil and sliced red chili, and a light sprinkle of grated hard cheese for richness.

Thai red curry prawns are a fast, satisfying dinner built on a simple idea: a spoonful of red curry paste bloomed in a skillet, a can of coconut milk turned into a silky sauce, and prawns cooked gently until they are tender and opaque. The method keeps every element in one pan, so there is very little to wash up afterward.

Fresh red and green bell peppers add sweetness and crunch, snap peas bring a fresh bite, and the basil and chili added at the end give the dish its lively aroma. Because the prawns cook quickly, the whole recipe moves from prep to plate in well under an hour, which makes it practical for a weeknight. Serve it with steamed jasmine rice to catch the sauce.

Ingredients

Why this recipe works

The sauce is the heart of this dish, and it comes together in the skillet itself. Frying the curry paste briefly in the pan with the vegetables wakes up its aromatics, so the flavor is deeper than if the paste were simply stirred into liquid.

Adding the coconut milk then lets the sauce simmer and reduce gently, which thickens it and gives it the glossy, reddish-orange color you see when the dish is finished.

Prawns cook in only a few minutes, so they go in once the sauce is already bubbling. Their proteins set as the heat rises, turning them pink and opaque while they stay tender. Adding them late prevents the shellfish from becoming tough, and it keeps the sauce from overcooking. The fresh basil and sliced chili go on last so they keep their color and perfume instead of cooking away.

Notes and substitutions

Choose raw prawns with shells on if you can; the shells add flavor to the stock and make the prawns easy to peel. Peel and devein them before cooking, and pat them dry so the sauce clings to each one.

Thai red curry paste varies in heat from brand to brand, so start with one tablespoon and add more only if you want a spicier dish. Full-fat coconut milk gives the richest, most glossy sauce, and light coconut milk works but yields a thinner result.

This recipe needs only one pan. A 12-inch cast-iron skillet holds the vegetables, prawns and sauce comfortably and holds heat well for a steady simmer. A chef's knife and a cutting board are needed for the peppers and chili, and a box grater is used for the hard cheese.

Use a wooden spoon for stirring so the prawns stay whole, and tongs to turn them at the end. If you do not have cast iron, use any heavy skillet with a lid so the sauce simmers evenly.

• Thai red curry paste: Thai red curry paste with a little extra for a spicier sauce, or a mild red curry paste for a gentler dish
• raw prawns: raw shrimp of similar size, peeled and deveined
• hard cheese: Parmesan or Pecorino Romano, grated

Equipment

• 12-inch cast-iron skillet
• Chef's knife
• Cutting board
• Box grater
• Wooden spoon
• Tongs