This simple 1-minute shrimp curry is so full of flavor! It’s easy to make, perfectly spiced, and absolutely delicious.
I’m calling this “1 minute Shrimp Curry” because if you make this in an instant pot, you set the cook time to 1 minute. Now you should know that it takes a couple of minutes for the instant pot to reach pressure before it begins the 1-minute countdown. Still, this dish takes basically no time at all and is super duper simple to make. It’s a “dump and cook” type of recipe.
This recipe is part of my Indian Onion Masala Series, where I share recipes that call for exact amounts of onion masala. Click on the graphic below to find out how to make onion masala, store it, and find other recipes that call for it. Making this masala in advance will make it SO easy for you to prep tasty Indian meals throughout the week.
I have to admit something. I have been a bit against cooking seafood in an instant pot. I mean, seafood cooks so quickly as it is, right? When I shared my recipe for instant pot shrimp biryani, I thought that it would be a one-time thing. Well, I was wrong. It actually is faster to cook seafood in an instant pot IF you’re cooking the seafood from frozen. And while that really only saves a few minutes – more than that – it’s very convenient.
It doesn’t get easier than tossing ingredients into a pot and pressing a button. However, I have included instructions on making this on the stovetop for those who don’t want to use or don’t have an instant pot.
You will notice that in this recipe I say the 2 tablespoons of heavy cream/coconut milk is optional. That’s because this shrimp curry is so good on its own – but I will say, we like it even better with a bit of cream.
I hope you love this simple and flavorful shrimp curry. It’s delicious! You can serve it with instant pot basmati rice or serve it with my instant pot pea pulao.
1 Minute Shrimp Curry (Instant Pot and Stovetop)
1 Minute Shrimp Curry (Instant Pot and Stovetop)
Ingredients
- 1 pound frozen large raw shrimp
- ¾ cup frozen onion masala
- ½ cup water
- ½ teaspoon garam masala
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon cayenne adjust to taste
Add Later:
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream or full-fat coconut milk optional
- Cilantro garnish
Instructions
Instant Pot Directions:
- Add all of the ingredients to the Instant Pot.
- Secure the lid, close the pressure valve and set the time for 1 minute at high pressure.
- Quick release.
- Stir in the heavy cream or coconut milk if using, garnish with cilantro and serve.
Stovetop Directions:
- Add all of the ingredients to a pot over medium heat and cook until the shrimp is cooked through.
- Stir in the cream and garnish with cilantro.
Notes
- This recipe is part of my onion masala series – be sure to check it out!
- Use frozen shrimp in this recipe if you're making this in an instant pot - otherwise there is a chance that they may overcook.
Curious says
Hi,
When you say large, what count/pound do you typically buy?
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Hi, medium to large is fine – I buy shrimp from either Costco or Trader Joes, not sure about the count as it can vary. As long as it’s not tiny shrimp it shouldn’t overcook.
Kaajal says
This curry was absolutely delicious! So much flavour and super quick to prepare.
Do you think it would work if I substituted shrimp for crab?
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Kaajal, so happy to hear that, thank you! I haven’t tried this with crab, but I think it’ll work – let me know how it goes if you try!
Marianne says
Hi Ashley,
Do you peel the tail off the shrimp or can it be with tail on? Thank you!
I’ve used the onion masala in several dishes now (Chicken Bhuna, Chicken Saag and the Moong Bean Dal) and I LOVE how quickly the meals come together.
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Hi Marianne, I usually peel shrimp beforehand so I don’t have to do it afterward, but either way works. I’m so happy to hear you’ve used the onion masala in so many other dishes! 🙂
Vera says
The flavor is so good! I used previously frozen shrimp that are not thawed all the way but rinsed, which I think made the sauce watery. If I make it again with frozen shrimps I’ll omit the water called for in the recipe. Thank you, Ashley for such an easy recipe!
Vera says
After reading all the comments now, I think I’ll try to place a trivet next time on top of the shrimp masala to do a PIP of steamed vegetables to go with it! Thank you for the recipe, Ashley!
My Heart Beets says
Vera, I’m so glad you liked it!
Vini D'Sa says
I just made a fresh batch of onion masala as I had depleted my previous stock a few weeks ago. I’d like to make the shrimp curry tonight but the recipe calls for frozen onion masala. Is it a problem to use a fresh (never been frozen) portion?
Thanks.
My Heart Beets says
Hi Vini, I’m sorry for the late reply! You can use fresh masala in this – just stir well before you start pressure cooking 🙂
Anu says
Just had this for dinner tonight! Delicious and so easy! Felt good to get a payoff on my investment in the onion masala. I did feel that the gravy was a bit watery (likely because my onion masala was on the liquid side before I froze it) so I fished out the shrimp and reduced the sauce a bit on saute before adding the cream and shrimp back in. The shrimp were perfect and not overcooked at all. Both my husband and I loved this.
My Heart Beets says
Anu, I’m so happy to hear that! Yes, the onion masala is totally worth the effort! I’m glad you and your hubby enjoyed this 🙂
Bj says
Hi!! So, first off— I usually love all your recipes. You are the mother of all instapot recipes! However,
i tried this on a stovetop and it came out too watery. I used frozen shrimp in the pot. Also, i doubled the recipe as i had a 2 lb bag of shrimp.
1) can you use fresh onion masala in the instapot?
2)Are we supposed to thaw the shrimp before for STOVETOP?
☹️
3) can this recipe be doubled??
On a positive note, this does taste good when done in instapot. The stovetop method was not as successful.
My Heart Beets says
Thank you for the kind words! Did the shrimp have a lot of frozen ice on it? I haven’t tried doubling the recipe though would think it’d be fine – the only caveat being that because you’re doubling the ingredients, you’d likely need to cook the curry on the stovetop longer to reduce the volume of the curry. You can also add less water to the stovetop next time – the thing about the stovetop is that pot sizes can vary as can temperature and so it’s not quite as exact as an instant pot.
SK says
As a single guy that can’t cook that well outside of the instant pot and eggs, this website (primarily the onion masala and related recipes) has been so amazing for me to build a routine and learn how flavors work together.
Thank you for putting this together and please keep new recipes coming. It would also be nice if you can add optional ingredients that might work well in each recipe. For example, I’m going to experiment with frozen bellpeppers with this shrimp recipe to add some veggies/veg broth and make it healthier.
I have referred this site to many others and they love it as well. Keep up the great work!!
My Heart Beets says
This makes me so happy to read! Thanks for letting me know how the onion masala series is helping you 🙂 Love that you’re experimenting – I bet bell peppers will be a great addition to this! I’ll keep that in mind, thanks for the feedback!
Lawrence says
My wife is moaning with pleasure. She has just finished a bowl of this with basmati. I added green beans to appease her need for green. I think my stock has risen!
My Heart Beets says
Lawrence, so glad you and your wife liked this curry! Thanks for letting me know how it turned out for you 🙂
Shilpa says
I am excited to try this! Can you provide approximate measurements for the onion masala if making it stove-top?
And would you still use frozen shrimp? Thank you!