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Sweet, tender sea scallops work beautifully in this spicy, fragrant, creamy green curry for an easy, flavorful dinner recipe.

Spicy green curry paste, creamy coconut, and tender sea scallops make this a dish you’ll find yourself craving nonstop.

This recipe for green curry scallops is so easy to make and features sweet scallops bathed in an irresistible creamy green curry. It gets its vibrant green color thanks to the addition of spinach and cilantro that I blend into the curry with an immersion blender. You can skip that step if you don’t feel like fussing with an extra tool on a weeknight!

Speaking of busy weeknights, this recipe makes use of store-bought Thai green curry paste, meaning this recipe comes together super fast.

How to make this easy green curry scallop recipe

What you need

Aromatics: The curry starts with a quick sauté of a sliced onion and freshly minced ginger.
Green curry paste: I love the spiciness of green curry paste, but if you prefer a milder paste, you can use red or yellow curry paste instead.
Coconut milk: Use full-fat coconut milk for the best texture!
Rice syrup: I used a toasted rice syrup, but any rice syrup is great for this. It adds a nice, nutty sweetness to the curry. If you don’t have rice syrup, brown sugar, or coconut sugar works just fine.
Fish sauce: I boost the umami of the curry with a little extra fish sauce.
Spinach and cilantro: I finish the curry with spinach and cilantro for a more vibrant green color, extra flavor, and a little extra boost of veggies!
Sea scallops: I recommend dry-packed large sea scallops. Bay scallops work fine, too, but you’ll need to adjust the cooking time. You can also make this with shrimp or 4-ounce portions of cod; just be sure to adjust the cooking time as needed.

How to make it

Step 1: Sauté the onion and ginger.
Step 2: Add the green curry paste to the aromatics and let it sizzle in the pot briefly.
Step 3: Add the hardened layer of fat from the can of coconut and let it fry in the pot until the oil begins to separate from the milk.
Step 4: Add the rest of the liquid from the can of coconut milk and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and add the rice syrup and fish sauce. Simmer for 10 minutes.
Step 5: Add the chopped spinach and cilantro. Simmer for 5 minutes. If desired, blend the curry with an immersion blender until smooth.
Step 6: Pat the scallops dry and season with salt. Arrange them in an even layer in the curry and cover the pot. Simmer for 5 to 7 minutes, depending on the size of the scallop. Continue simmering until opaque. Turn off the heat when the scallops reach 120ºF when pierced with an instant-read thermometer, as they will continue cooking off the heat.

You’re ready to dig in. Serve the green curry scallops with cooked white rice, crispy shallots, minced cilantro, and a lime wedge.

Easy Green Curry Scallops

Sweet, tender sea scallops work beautifully in this spicy, fragrant, creamy green curry for an easy, flavorful dinner recipe.

4.80 from 10 votes

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Prep Time: 15

Cook Time: 30

Total Time: 45

Servings:

Calories: 351kcal

Equipment

Wide pot

Ingredients

1 tablespoon neutral oil
1 yellow onion (peeled and sliced into half moons)
1-inch piece fresh ginger (peeled and finely minced)
4-ounce can green curry paste (see Note 1)
15-ounce can full-fat coconut milk
1 tablespoon rice syrup (or brown sugar; see Note 2)
2 teaspoons fish sauce
3 ounces baby spinach (roughly chopped)
½ cup cilantro (loosely packed; roughly chopped)
1¼ pound sea scallops (dry-packed; side muscle removed)
1 teaspoon kosher salt (plus more to taste)

For serving:

Instructions

Cook the aromatics:

Heat 1 tablespoon neutral oil in a wide pot over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until it begins to soften, about 5 to 7 minutes.
Add the ginger and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.

Cook the green curry paste:

Add the green curry paste to the pot and lightly mash it into the onions. Cook for 2 minutes until it deepens in color and becomes fragrant.
Scoop out the hardened fat layer from the can of coconut milk. Add it to the curry paste. Cook over medium heat for 5 to 6 minutes until it begins to bubble vigorously and you see oil separating from the coconut milk.

Simmer the curry:

Pour the rest of the liquid from the can of coconut milk into the pot and stir until smooth. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low. Add the brown sugar and fish sauce. Taste and add salt if needed. Simmer over low heat for 10 minutes.

Finish the curry:

Add the chopped spinach and cilantro to the pot and simmer for 4 to 5 minutes until the spinach wilts. If desired, use an immersion blender to blend until completely smooth.

Cook the scallops:

Pat the scallops dry and season with 1 teaspoon kosher salt. Using tongs, place the scallops in an even layer in the curry. Cover and cook for 5 to 7 minutes or until the scallops are opaque but not overcooked. See Note 3.
Once the scallops are cooked through, turn off the heat.

To serve:

Ladle the scallops and curry over cooked white rice. Serve with lime wedges, crispy shallots, and more minced cilantro if desired. Enjoy!

Notes

Note 1: Green curry paste can be quite spicy depending on the brand. Taste the paste and use as much as you like according to your heat tolerance. You may wish to use only 1 to 2 tablespoons or the entire can. Alternatively, you can use a milder curry paste like red curry paste or yellow curry paste.

Note 2: I used a toasted rice syrup, but brown sugar or coconut sugar works just fine in this recipe.

Note 3: Adjust the cooking time according to the size of your scallops. Smaller scallops may need 4 to 5 minutes, while larger, U10 scallops may need 6 to 7 minutes. Scallops are done when they register 125ºF on an instant-read thermometer. As a note, USDA recommends 145ºF for sea scallops; however, for the best taste and texture, I recommend cooking to 125ºF as they continue to cook off the heat. This ensures that the scallops won’t be rubbery or overcooked.

Nutrition

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Easy Green Curry Scallops

Spicy green curry paste, creamy coconut, and tender sea scallops make this a dish you’ll find yourself craving nonstop.