Spicy, Creamy Salmon Curry in Under 30 Minutes
This red Thai salmon curry is one of the easiest Thai curries you can make. Salmon needs no advance preparation, it cooks quickly in the sauce, and its natural richness sits beautifully against the heat of red curry paste. The whole dish is on the table in under 30 minutes.
I use skinless salmon, so everything goes straight into the wok with no extra steps. Baby corn and sugar snaps keep it light and add a satisfying crunch alongside the tender fish.
At a glance
Ready in: under 30 minutes
Heat: spicy. Mae Jum Red Curry Paste is 3/5, and this recipe uses 35g with 200ml coconut milk
Key ingredients: red curry paste, salmon, coconut milk, baby corn, sugar snaps, Thai basil
Milder version: use 300ml coconut milk and a little less paste
Serve with: steamed jasmine rice
What is Thai Red Curry?
In Thailand, red curry is called gaeng phet (เนเธเธเนเธเนเธ), which literally means โspicy curryโ. It comes from the cooking of central Thailand and is now one of the countryโs best-known dishes worldwide.
Thai curries are quite different from Indian curries. Indian curries are usually built on dried spice blends, while Thai curries start with a fresh paste, traditionally pounded in a pestle and mortar. Red curry paste gets its colour from red chillies, blended with aromatics like lemongrass, galangal and makrut lime. The moment it hits a hot pan, it releases its aromatic oils and fills the kitchen. Coconut milk then gives the curry its creamy body, softening the heat and carrying the flavour. Read our guide to choosing the best coconut milk.
Red curry works with chicken, prawns and tofu, and, as this recipe proves, salmon. For a white-fish version, try our Thai Red Fish Curry.
Why Salmon Works So Well in a Thai Curry
Salmon isn't a traditional Thai ingredient. In Thailand, a Thai red curry with fish usually uses leaner local fish, such as sea bass or tilapia. But salmon has become a popular choice for a salmon Thai curry in UK kitchens, and once you cook it this way, it's easy to see why.
Salmon is an oily fish, with more natural fat than white fish. That fat keeps it moist, even if it sits in the sauce for a few extra minutes. Its richness also complements the coconut milk rather than competing with it. The flavour is bold enough to hold its own against a deeply spiced red curry paste, but not so strong that it fights the other ingredients. It soaks up the warmth of the chilli and the fragrance of the lemongrass while still tasting unmistakably of salmon.
Cut the salmon into even 5cm chunks. Pieces of the same size cook at the same rate, and keeping them generous means they hold their shape in the sauce instead of breaking apart.
Key Ingredients
Mae Jum Thai Red Curry Paste: The heart of this recipe. Stone-ground in Southern Thailand, it delivers a depth of flavour that would take hours to build from scratch. This recipe uses nearly half a pack or 35g with only 200ml of coconut milk, so expect a curry with real heat.
Coconut Milk: Gives the sauce its silky texture and tempers the heat. At 200ml, this salmon coconut curry stays on the spicy side. For a milder, creamier curry, use 300ml and slightly less paste.
Baby corn and sugar snaps: Add crunch, freshness and colour. Baby corn goes in first, as it needs a little longer. Sugar snaps go in with the salmon and only need a few minutes to stay crisp.
Thai sweet basil and fresh red chilli: Added off the heat at the very end. Both lose their fragrance quickly at high temperatures, and the curry's residual warmth is enough to release their aroma.
Fish sauce and palm sugar: Season the sauce. Fish sauce brings savoury depth and palm sugar rounds out the heat, giving you that classic Thai balance of salty, sweet and spicy.
Cooking Tips
Don't rush the paste: Fry it for two minutes before any liquid goes in. This releases its aromas and builds the base of the sauce. Rush it and the curry will taste flat and raw, however well you cook everything else.
Use the cream from the top of the tin: Don't shake the coconut milk. The thick layer at the top is richer than the liquid below. Frying a spoonful with the paste helps it come together into a smooth, glossy base before the rest of the coconut milk goes in.
Don't overcook the salmon: For 5cm chunks, 5 to 7 minutes of gentle simmering is enough. It's ready when it's opaque all the way through and flakes easily when pressed. Stir gently, or the pieces will break up.
Keep it at a gentle simmer: A little coconut oil rising to the surface is a good sign. It means you're using quality coconut milk and it's carrying the paste's flavour. A hard, rolling boil is what to avoid: it can make the sauce grainy and break up the salmon.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does salmon take to cook in curry?
For 5cm chunks, 5โ7 minutes at a gentle simmer. Itโs ready when itโs opaque all the way through and flakes easily.
What else can I make with red curry paste?
Red curry paste works with chicken, prawns, tofu and fish. Try our Thai Red Fish Curry or the Pad Phed Moo stir-fry.
Is Thai red curry salmon spicy?
Yes. This version uses 35g of paste with 200ml coconut milk, so it has real heat. For a milder curry, add 300ml coconut milk and a little less paste.
Can I use salmon with skin?
Yes, but remove the skin before cutting it into chunks. It turns soft and chewy in the sauce.
From Jumโs Kitchen
When I first made this curry for friends in London, I watched their faces light up the moment the paste hit the pan. That aroma of lemongrass, galangal and dried red chillies, all releasing at once, fills a kitchen in a way that tells you something real is happening.
This isnโt a curry you have to wait for. Thereโs no slow cooking and no hours of tending. Itโs ready in about the time it takes to lay the table and cook the rice, which is perhaps why it has travelled so well beyond Thailand.
But what makes it worth cooking again and again is that speed doesnโt mean shortcuts. Stone-ground paste carries all the depth of real ingredients and proper technique. Coconut milk softens the heat without drowning the spices. And salmon, oily and rich, doesnโt fight the sauce. It soaks it all up.
In Southern Thailand, we believe the best meals come together with care but without fuss. This curry is exactly that: the kind of dish you can make on a Tuesday evening and have on the table before anyoneโs hungry enough to complain. Keep a pack of Mae Jum red curry paste in the cupboard, and youโre never far from something that tastes like it was made with love.
Salmon Thai Red Curry with Baby Corn and Sugar Snaps
- 300 g Salmon
- 2 tbsp Mae Jum Thai Red Curry Paste
- 200 ml Coconut milk
- 100 g Baby corn
- 120 g Sugar Snaps
- 1 tsp Fish sauce
- 1 tsp Palm sugar
- 100 ml water
- 1 sweet chilli
- โ Sweet Thai basil
Thai Red Curry Paste
