Thai Fish Curry
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
Thai fish curry is a 20 minute dinner recipe that tastes like a special treat. The fish is gently poached in a flavorful, coconut curry sauce that's bursting with delicious Thai flavors. You'll love it!
Put on a pot of rice or make some cauliflower rice and the meal is complete. And if you love Thai curries, also try our Thai peanut curry and our Thai beef curry
Thai fish curry
This Thai fish curry is so flavorful and cozy that it's hard to believe it's a simple recipe.
The coconut milk curry sauce with garlic, ginger, and curry paste is creamy and flavorful. And ever so gently simmering the fish keeps it tender and delicate.
How to make this Thai fish curry recipe
Thai fish curry is so easy to make! Here's what you're going to do:
- Saute onions, garlic, and ginger for big-time flavor.
- Now create the sauce by adding coconut milk, curry paste, fish sauce (stinky but tasty!), a little coconut sugar.
- Now some chopped veggies go into the pot to cook for a few minutes.
- Add the fish last as it cooks very quickly.
That's it! You've just made Thai fish curry!
Can I use a different curry paste?
Yes! Any kind of Thai curry paste will work in this recipe. While the flavor will change slightly depending on whether you choose green, yellow, or red curry paste, the fish will be delicious no matter what.
But if you're after a Thai flavored meal, avoid using curry powder, which is a blend of Indian spices and would dramatically change the flavor of this recipe.
What kind of fish is best for fish curry?
Any kind of white fish works great in this recipe. We like lingcod, which is in the pictures, but there are many different kinds that work well. Here are a few others to choose from:
- Cod
- Tilapia
- Haddock
- Grouper
- Rockfish
- Sole
How long does Thai fish curry last?
Fish curry will keep for 2 days in your fridge. Be very careful when reheating it and don't let it come to a boil. You only want to warm the fish, not cook it more.
Can I freeze this recipe?
Cooked fish does not freeze very well as it becomes tough when reheated. While it is possible to freeze fish curry, it won't be as good as it is fresh.
Only freeze fish curry in a pinch, or if you don't mind fish that's a bit tough.
Thai Fish Curry Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 Ā½ lb white fish
- 3 tablespoons red Thai curry paste (divided)
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil
- Ā½ medium onion (finely minced)
- 2 tablespoons finely minced ginger
- 3 cloves garlic (finely minced)
- 15 ounce can coconut milk
- Ā½ cup water
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
- 1 tablespoon coconut or brown sugar
- 4 cups chopped veggies (pictured are green beans, carrots, and red bell peppers)
- Minced cilantro and lime juice (to serve)
Instructions
- Cut the fish into pieces about 2-inches wide. Dry the fish with a paper towel then rub 1 tablespoon of the curry paste over the pieces.1 Ā½ lb white fish
- Heat the oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. (See notes.) Add the onion, ginger, and garlic and cook until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of curry paste, coconut milk, water, fish sauce, and sugar. Add the veggies and bring the pot to a boil.2 tablespoons coconut oil, Ā½ medium onion, 2 tablespoons finely minced ginger, 3 cloves garlic, 15 ounce can coconut milk, Ā½ cup water, 1 tablespoon fish sauce, 1 tablespoon coconut or brown sugar, 4 cups chopped veggies
- Reduce the heat to medium-low and add the fish. Cover the pot and cook for 5 minutes, or until the fish is no longer opaque. If your fish is quite thick, you may need to flip the pieces over and cook for 1-2 minutes more.
- Serve with a little minced cilantro and a squeeze of lime juice.Minced cilantro and lime juice
Video
Notes
Nutrition
We have thoroughly tested this recipe for accuracy. However, individual results may vary. See our full recipe disclosure here.
For more inspiration, check out all of our Thai recipes!
So easy to make and the result is ABSOLUTELY FABULOUS! A new family favourite.
Yay! I’m so happy you enjoyed it!
How spicy is it with 3 tablespoons curry paste?
That really depends on the curry paste you use – some is pretty mild and others are very spicy. If you’re concerned about the heat, start with less (say 1 tablespoon) and stir in more at the end if you think it needs it.
Add a dash of chicken bullion for a more robust flavor.
Great recipe simple to follow and tastes fantastic
Muy buenas las recetas
My husband will only eat fish and chips unless I tell him the fish is red snapper, and tuna salad but for some reason he will eat red snapper.
Hey Ladies, i tricked
him into eating talapia once. It had some red in it so he thought it was really red snapper. š š¤£ š on him.
Do you think I could get away with sautƩing him a piece of chicken breast and put in the sauce while the fish is cooking. Will the sauce taste too fishy that he will know the real recipe? This recipe really sounds good?
I’ll have to keep a lid on it.
I don’t think that the sauce tastes fishy, but if he’s really sensitive to the flavor you might want to omit the fish sauce. If you add chicken, make sure to add it first and let it cook until it’s almost done before adding the fish.
Do you used light or full fat coconut milk in this recipe?
I prefer full fat as it makes the curry creamier, but you can sub light if you’d to cut calories and are ok with a less creamy curry.
This recipe is easy to make and also makes you look like a Pro! I’ve been making this dish with Sockeye Salmon (which has a strong flavor); goes very well with the spices in this recipe. Sharp knife, slice off skin from the Salmon, as part of your prep.
Tasty and quick! I made it even faster by using frozen garlic and frozen ginger cubes. As others said, no water needed for me personally. I also did not bother rubbing down the raw fish with curry as the final sauce is so flavorful. I served this topped with crispy potatoes for a nice textural contrast. Will deff make again.
Great recipe. I used 2 tbsp of curry paste, should have used 3. The curry paste at stop & shop isn’t that strong.
A great recipe! Once all ingredients are prepped, the meal comes together very quickly. Based on other reviews, I omitted the water and the consistency was perfect. I decreased the quantity of curry paste by 1/3 tbsp so as not to overpower the fish (tilapia). Wonderful flavours of both coconut and curry. Will definitely make again.
This is an easy, fast dinner recipe. We really enjoyed the flavors and will make it again! Can’t wait to look around and make some more of your recipes! Thank you!