Keto Curry
Published April 9, 2021 • Updated February 23, 2026
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A creamy coconut curry sauce with only 5g net carbs per serving. Make it once, pour it over any protein and vegetables for easy keto dinners all week.
I keep this curry sauce in my fridge at all times. It takes 25 minutes to make, and once you have a batch ready, any combination of protein and vegetables becomes a full dinner in under 10 minutes. Pour it over pan-seared chicken thighs, toss it with creamy garlic shrimp, or ladle it over a bowl of cauliflower fried rice. The sauce does all the heavy lifting.
Most curry recipes you find online are complete meals with protein and vegetables cooked into the sauce. This recipe is different. It is a standalone curry sauce, which means you control what goes into each serving. That makes it one of the most useful recipes I have for meal prep. I make a double batch on Sunday, portion it into containers, and use it throughout the week with whatever protein I have on hand.
The Reduction Technique
The key to getting a thick, deeply flavored sauce (instead of thin, watery curry) is reducing half the coconut milk before adding the curry paste. I pour half a can into the pan and let it simmer until the fat separates and the liquid reduces. Then I stir in the curry paste and let it bloom in the concentrated coconut fat. This is where all the depth of flavor comes from. After that, I add the rest of the coconut milk to bring the sauce together. Skipping this step is the most common reason homemade curry tastes flat.
Pairing Ideas
My go-to pairings for this curry sauce include chicken stir fry vegetables (bell pepper, broccoli, mushrooms), diced chicken thighs, or shrimp. If you want a bowl-style meal, serve it over cauliflower rice with a squeeze of fresh lime. For a heartier dinner, I pair it with keto chicken katsu sliced on top. The mild heat from the curry paste works with almost any protein, and if you want something closer to Indian flavors, my keto butter chicken uses a similar coconut base with different spices.
At 5.2 grams of net carbs per serving, this curry sauce sits well within daily macros even when you add vegetables and protein on top. A typical Thai restaurant yellow curry runs 15 to 20 grams of net carbs per serving (before rice), mostly from added sugar and thickeners. This version gets its body from coconut fat and curry paste alone.
How to make keto curry
Start by reducing half the coconut milk in a pan until the fat separates. This concentrates the flavor and gives the sauce its thick, creamy texture. Stir in the curry paste and let it cook in the coconut fat for about a minute until fragrant, then pour in the remaining coconut milk. Season with fish sauce, lime juice, and salt. The whole sauce comes together in about 20 minutes. Add your favorite low-carb vegetables and protein to finish.
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Ingredients
2 (14 oz) cans unsweetened, full fat coconut milk or cream -
3 tablespoons red or green curry paste
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1 teaspoon fish sauce
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2 teaspoons lime juice
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½ teaspoon salt
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1 medium zucchini, diced
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½ red bell pepper, julienned
Step by Step Instructions
Step by Step Instructions
Reduce the coconut milk
Add one can of coconut milk to a saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, then continue cooking at a medium boil until the milk has reduced by a third to half.
Add more coconut milk
Add in the second can of coconut milk. Bring to boil and let cook until the sauce is thickened (about 5-10 minutes).
Nutrition disclaimer
The nutrition information provided is an estimate and is for informational purposes only. I am a Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.); however, this content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your physician or other qualified health provider before making any lifestyle changes or beginning a new nutrition program.
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Get My Macros + Recipes →Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use a different type of milk instead of coconut milk?
I've tested this with heavy cream and it works, but the flavor shifts away from Thai and toward a European-style cream sauce. Full fat coconut milk gives the richest texture, so that's my default. Use the same amount (two 14 oz cans) and follow the same reduction step. Avoid light coconut milk, skim milk, or almond milk because they don't have enough fat to create a thick sauce.
What vegetables can I add to this curry?
Bell peppers, broccoli, zucchini, mushrooms, and spinach are my go-to picks, and they all keep the carb count low. I add firmer vegetables (bell pepper, broccoli) when I pour in the second can of coconut milk so they soften as the sauce simmers. Delicate vegetables (spinach, bean sprouts) go in at the very end so they don't overcook. I stay away from potatoes, carrots, and sweet peas because the carbs add up fast.
How spicy is this curry?
With red curry paste, I'd call this mild to medium heat. Most of the spice comes from the paste, and 3 tablespoons spread across 6 servings keeps it manageable. For less heat, I'd start with 2 tablespoons and taste before adding more. For more kick, add an extra tablespoon of paste or stir in a teaspoon of sambal oelek at the end.
What can I use instead of fish sauce if I don't have it?
Coconut aminos is my top pick if you're out of fish sauce. Soy sauce or tamari also work. Use the same amount (1 teaspoon). The flavor won't be identical because fish sauce adds a specific briny, savory note that's hard to replicate, but the sauce still tastes great without it. I keep a bottle of fish sauce on hand because I use it in so many Asian-inspired recipes.
What protein goes best with this curry?
Chicken thighs and shrimp are my top two picks. I dice chicken thighs and pan-sear them before adding to the sauce, or toss raw shrimp directly into the simmering curry for the last 3 to 4 minutes. Ground turkey and sliced pork work well too. For a vegetarian option, I'd use extra-firm tofu pressed and pan-fried until golden. Each protein changes the overall macros, but the sauce itself stays at 5.2 grams of net carbs per serving.
Can I make this in a slow cooker or crockpot?
I've done this two ways. The best method is making the sauce on the stovetop first, then transferring it to the slow cooker with your protein and vegetables on low for 2 to 3 hours. The reduction step needs direct stovetop heat to get the fat separation right. I tried the all-in-one approach once (dumped everything into the crockpot raw) and the sauce came out thin and noticeably flatter. Make the sauce first, then let the slow cooker do the protein work.
Can I prep this as a dump-and-go freezer meal?
You can freeze the finished sauce, but I recommend making it on the stovetop first, then freezing. The reduction step (simmering the coconut milk until the fat separates) is what gives this sauce its body, and you can't get that result from a slow thaw. My approach is to make a double batch, cool it completely, and pour into freezer bags laid flat. When I'm ready, I thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat on the stove, then add fresh protein and vegetables. The sauce keeps its thick, concentrated flavor this way.
What can I serve with this besides cauliflower rice?
I rotate through a few options depending on the night. Shirataki noodles soak up the sauce well and add almost zero carbs. Steamed broccoli or roasted zucchini make it feel like a complete meal without a starch base. On busier nights, I pour it over sheet pan chicken and veggies that I already had roasting. If you want a noodle-bowl feel, spiralized zucchini is my go-to low carb swap.
Made this for a dinner we hosted Saturday, served it over cauliflower rice and kept the keto angle to myself. The coconut milk reduces into something properly thick and fragrant and two guests who eat anything they want asked what curry paste I used. Switching to Mae Ploy next time to see what changes.
Mae Ploy runs spicier and less sweet than most grocery store brands. Sauce goes darker too. Two non-keto guests asking which paste you used. That's the whole point.
This is in my cold-weather rotation now, fourth batch since January. Something I figured out on batch two: adding the lime juice at the very end (instead of with the fish sauce) keeps that brightness from cooking out, you get this fresh citrus hit underneath all that creamy coconut instead of it disappearing into the sauce. I've been spooning it over shrimp lately and it's a different dinner than the chicken version (both worth making). Double batch next time because the leftovers go fast.
Four batches since January. Lime at the end is the right call, I've been adding it early this whole time and never noticed how much it was fading. Shrimp over this is a different dinner.
If you reduce the first can of coconut milk for a full 8-10 minutes instead of just until it boils, the sauce comes out noticeably richer and the curry paste flavor concentrates in a way that really holds up to heartier proteins. I also add an extra squeeze of lime right before serving. Only reason I'm at four stars is I think the fish sauce needs to be doubled, but with those two adjustments this has been in my cold-night rotation all February.
The longer reduction is real. I keep pulling it too early out of impatience and the sauce is thinner for it. Fish sauce at 2 teaspoons, I think you're right on that.
Love this recipe!! The texture is amazing and the flavor is even better :) I can't describe how good this was. In my top 3 dishes would make again!!
Top 3 is everything. I keep a batch of this sauce in the fridge and just rotate proteins through it all week.
I’m trying to use up my red curry paste. I have about a tablespoon of this. I’m going to try a half recipe. Do you think that would work?
Thank you, Annie!
Half recipe works fine. You're slightly short on paste (half batch needs 1.5 tbsp, you've got 1), so it'll be a bit milder. Use all of it anyway.
Has anyone tried using frozen zucchini for this? I’m planning some freezer meals for my family and red curry is my fav. I was wondering if I could just pour all the ingredients in a freezer safe bag and then reheat it in a crockpot later? Or if I need to cook the coconut milk before doing that?
I haven't tried it as a dump and go recipe. I know it would work if you made the sauce first and then froze it. But if you did it as a dump and go, where you throw everything into the freezer bag, you will just have to simmer the sauce enough to reduce it.
Loved this! The spices were great and with the vegetables there was a wonderful freshness. We added diced fresh jalapeno with the vegetables and then topped with with sliced green onions and cilantro leaves. Upped the spice with some red pepper flakes, too. Thanks!
The fresh jalapeño in with the vegetables is a good call. I've done green onion on top but never cilantro leaves - trying that next time.