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Prep 15 minutesmins
Cook 30 minutesmins
Total 45 minutesmins
Let’s make a spicy, bold, and delicious Thai-Italian fusion shrimp risotto. This Thai green curry risotto is made with jumbo shrimp, green coconut curry, and creamy arborio rice.
Elevate your weeknight dinners with this Thai green curry risotto with juicy shrimp. Thai curry risotto is a perfect blend of bold, aromatic Thai flavors and classic Italian cooking.
This Thai green curry risotto features a warm broth made with chicken broth, coconut milk, fish sauce, palm sugar, and lime leaves slowly cooked with green curry paste and arborio rice for a spicy, creamy, and delicious risotto. Making risotto is much easier than you think especially with my step-by-step photo instructions and expert tips section!
Green curry risotto is a Thai-Italian fusion dish that takes the spicy, aromatic Thai flavors and mixes them with Italian techniques. The risotto base is made with Arborio rice which is naturally starchy and thickens the broth to give the dish its creamy consistency. The Thai flavors in the broth include green curry paste, coconut milk, palm sugar, lime leaves, shallots, garlic, and ginger.
The warm green curry broth is slowly incorporated into the rice to create a unique and flavorful fusion dish. If you are looking for more Asian fusion risotto inspiration, check out our miso mushroom risotto recipe.
Ingredients
You can find all the ingredients to make this creamy green curry risotto recipe at your local Asian grocery store. I’ve linked everything that I used below in the recipe card.
Low-Sodium Chicken Broth: is the base of the broth. Make sure to use low sodium to be able to adjust the salt levels.
Coconut Milk: use full-fat coconut milk for the best flavor and texture. My favorite brand is Chef’s Choice.
Fish Sauce: adds a hint of salty umami flavor that brightens the dish.
Palm Sugar: adds a caramel-like subtle sweetness.
Lime Leaves: adds a citrus, herbal, and floral aroma to the broth.
Shrimp: the protein for this green curry risotto.
Salt and Pepper: to season the shrimp
Olive Oil: to saute the aromatics
Shallots, garlic, and ginger: are the main aromatics that add fragrant flavor notes.
Thai Green Curry Paste: is made with green chilis, shrimp paste, garlic, shallots, lemongrass, peppercorns, limes, cumin seeds, and other spices. It is very spicy so add more or less to taste.
Arborio Rice: is an Italian short-grain rice that is most commonly used for risotto. It creates a firm, creamy, and slightly chewy texture when cooked.
Lime, Cilantro, Thai chili: for garnish.
Substitutions and Additions
Substitutions
Protein: instead of shrimp, you can alternatively choose your protein of choice like chicken, beef, pork, or tofu.
Broth: you can alternatively use vegetable, dashi, or fish broth.
Red Curry Paste: can be an alternative to the green curry paste.
Rice: instead of arborio, you can use any other type of short or medium-grain rice sushi rice.
Additions
Spice: for added heat and a kick of flavor, add chili flakes or Thai chilis into your broth.
Vegetables: for more nutrients, add sauteed vegetables such as bok choy, broccoli, carrots, baby corn, peas, mushrooms, etc.
How to Make Green Curry Risotto
Here are the step-by-step photo instructions for this green curry risotto recipe. See the recipe card below for full measurements and detailed instructions.
In a saucepan, add the chicken broth, coconut milk, Kaffir lime leaves, palm sugar and fish sauce. Bring to a simmer and stir until combined. Simmer for 10 minutes and then remove the Kaffir leaves.
Season the shrimp with salt and pepper. In a medium skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of cooking oil over medium-high heat. Add the shrimp and cook for 2 minutes on each side until pink.
In a deep large skillet over medium heat, add the shallots, garlic, and ginger and saute until the shallots are translucent about 2 minutes. Then add the Thai green curry paste and cook for 1 minute. Then add the arborio and toss to combine for 1 minute.
Add the broth 1 cup at a time stirring constantly about every 30 seconds and bring to a low simmer until all the liquid has absorbed. Repeat until all the stock has been absorbed by the rice.
Expert Tips
Use warm broth. Warm broth prevents the rice from overcooking. Adding cold stock will take twice as long for the rice to absorb and over time will yield mushy results.
Use a wide pan with high walls. The wide base of the pan allows more arborio to come into contact with the heat while the high walls allow you to stir without it falling out of the pan.
Add broth in increments. Add the broth 1 cup at a time and wait until the rice has absorbed most of the liquid before adding more. This allows the arborio rice to cook evenly and have that perfectly creamy yet still al dente texture.
Stir continuously. Make sure to stir the green curry risotto continuously to prevent the rice from burning at the bottom of the pan.
Storage Instructions
The green curry risotto recipe is best served immediately as it can thicken over time. However, you can store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Reheating: to reheat, add a little more broth or water to a saucepan and heat over medium heat until warm.
Freeze: Freezing is not recommended because it will dry the rice and become gritty.
Pairing Suggestions
This curry risotto can be served as a main dish, but you can also serve it with the following suggestions for a well-rounded meal.
Although green curry may be high in fat from coconut milk, it also has beneficial antioxidants, nutrients, protein, and minerals. Curry is known to have natural anti-inflammatory properties. To make green curry healthier, opt for adding more vegetables to the dish.
Does this curry risotto have dairy?
No! This green curry risotto gets its rich creaminess from the coconut milk. This recipe is safe for those who are lactose intolerant.
How do I make the perfect texture for risotto?
The key to making a perfect risotto is adding warmed stock gradually in increments and stirring continuously. Using a cold stock will make the cooking process last longer and risk having mushy rice.
Let’s make a spicy, bold, and delicious Thai-Italian fusion shrimp risotto. This Thai green curry risotto is made with jumbo shrimp, green coconut curry, and creamy arborio rice.
Cook broth. In a saucepan, add the chicken broth, coconut milk, lime leaves, palm sugar, and fish sauce. Bring to a simmer and stir until combined. Simmer for 10 minutes and then remove the Kaffir leaves. Remove from heat, cover, and set aside.
Cook shrimp. In a small mixing bowl, season the shrimp with salt and pepper. In a separate skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of cooking oil over medium-high heat. Add the shrimp and cook for 2 minutes on each side until pink. Set aside.
Saute aromatics and green curry paste. In a deep large skillet over medium heat, add the shallots, garlic, and ginger and saute until the shallots are translucent about 2 minutes. Then add the Thai green curry paste and cook for 1 minute. Then add the arborio and toss to combine for 1 minute.
Add the broth. Add the broth 1 cup at a time stirring constantly about every 30 seconds and bring to a low simmer until all the liquid has absorbed. Repeat until all the stock has been absorbed by the rice. It should take about 2-3 minutes for each addition to be absorbed.
Serve. Serve in individual bowls and garnish with cilantro, a lime wedge, and sliced red chili peppers. Enjoy!
Notes
See the Expert Tips section above for more guidance.
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