CREAMY and spicy low-carb coconut fish curry with spinach is dairy-free and only needs one saucepan.
It only requires 4 simple ingredients and is the perfect high-protein keto-friendly dinner.
Low-carb fish curry with coconut and spinach is dairy-free, Paleo, and keto-friendly. It’s simple, easy, and incredibly nutritious.
It’s the perfect one-dish dinner that can be ready in 20 minutes.
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Ingredients
It’s always nice to find different ways to include more fish into your diet. Fish is a low-fat, high-protein, and zero carbs so it fits perfectly into your low-carb diet or keto diet.
There are only 4 ingredients you need for this family curry night. All quantities and instructions are in the full printable recipe card below.
- Fresh firm white fish – cut into cubes, or cooked in quarters
- Curry paste – use your favourite blend of spices such as tandoori paste, butter chicken, or a red or green Thai curry paste.
- Coconut cream – check the nutrition label to ensure there are no added starches or thickeners.
- Fresh spinach – washed and sliced. You can use frozen spinach but it must be defrosted first and have all the excess water drained and squeezed out of it.
Photo credit: Lenkas_lens as featured on Diet Doctor
Substitutions
Fish – this low-carb fish curry recipe is very adaptable and you can use any firm white fish such as hoki, cod, catfish, snapper, or sole. However, I would suggest not to use salmon because the curry spices would overpower the delicate salmon flavour.
You may also use chicken, prawns, tofu, or vegetables. If you are using chicken, you will need to boil the chicken curry until is completely cooked in the centre. Cooking time will vary according to how large/small your chicken pieces are.
Coconut cream – you may use coconut milk, however, the sauce may need thickening with xanthan gum or guar gum.
Vegetables – the recipe can be varied by adding other leafy greens such as silverbeet, kale, baby spinach, and green beans. This is a higher carb vegetable so may not fit within your daily carb limit.
Flavours and garnish – chopped pieces of fresh ginger or crushed garlic are delicious to add to the curry sauce. Garnish with dried chilli flakes, fresh coriander, and a swirl of coconut cream.
How to make fish curry
This really has to be the simplest homemade curry there is. It is the perfect one-pot recipe for a mid-week curry.
Fry the curry paste for 2-3 minutes to activate the spices. Add the coconut cream and water, and bring to a simmer.
Carefully add the fish pieces and reduce the heat for 10-15 minutes.
Add the chopped spinach and cook until the spinach has wilted.
Serve in large bowls.
Best curry side dishes
The most common side dishes for a keto curry have to be keto roti flatbread, keto garlic naan bread, basic cauliflower rice, or curried cauliflower rice.
You can quickly and easily serve your fish coconut curry by itself, or with a large bowl of cauliflower rice.
Traditional white rice, brown rice, or Basmati rice are unnecessary carbohydrates that generally bulk up the meal and bulks out the nutrition. Basmati rice, for example, is readily absorbed and will affect your blood sugars in the same way as 10 teaspoons of sugar.
My children have increased their vegetable and meat intake dramatically by stopping the high-carb side dishes such as bread, pasta, and rice. Picky children often eat the rice in a meal and leave the meat or vegetables on one side. Their diet is too low in protein and nutrients. Gently addressing what they eat will have a lifelong effect on their development.
Recipe FAQ
Yes, it can be as long as there are no added sugars, starches, or ultra-processed seed oils such as canola oil or sunflower oil.
You can use lower-fat coconut cream or medium coconut milk. You can also use fish stock or vegetable stock to dilute the curry sauce and make this into fish coconut curry soup.
Yes, frozen cauliflower rice is a wonderfully quick and cheap alternative to fresh cauliflower, especially when cauliflower is not in season.
Low-Carb Coconut Fish Curry with Spinach (Dairy-Free)
Equipment
- Measuring cups and spoons
Ingredients
- 1 kg firm white fish cut into cubes
- 2-4 tbsp curry paste/powder of choice
- 400 ml coconut cream
- 400 ml water
- 500 g spinach washed and sliced
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large saucepan, add the curry paste and fry on moderate heat for 2-3 minutes to activate the spices.
- Add the coconut cream and water, and bring to a boil.
- Carefully add the fish pieces and reduce the heat. Simmer for 10-15 minutes.
- Add the prepared spinach and cook for another 3-4 minutes, or until the spinach has wilted.
- Serve in large bowls.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
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Another simply super low carb recipe.
Looks delicious ….. I will be trying this out.
All the best Jan
Thanks Jan. x
Hi Libby,
What brand of coconut cream or milk do you find the best?
Thanks
Andrea
I buy whatever is on special in the supermarket as long as the coconut cream is roughly 25% fat. Take a look at this page which may help you.
I’ve made a ton of Thai curries over the years, usually chicken, beef or prawn, but I’ve never made a fish curry. This one is incredibly simple and easy to make and is very tasty. I usually use coconut milk in my Thai curries and was pleasantly surprised at the difference in taste and texture when using the coconut cream instead. Makes for a much thicker and creamier sauce. I used baby spinach instead of regular spinach so I could just throw it in rather than have to chop it up, to save more time. Even though I timed it I think I might have overcooked my fish though because when I mixed in the spinach my attractive fish cubes collapsed into flakes. Considering it is only 3.6g net carbs per serving, this recipe also gives very large servings which is good for those who might just be starting out low carb and haven’t regulated their appetite yet. I definitely think that Thai red curry paste is the best one to use with this recipe.
How much and whqt oil do you use?
I generally use coconut oil.
This has to be the easiest. tastiest supper dish ever! All done in 15 mins or so and as Libby says, very little clearing up afterwards. It went down a treat with everyone, even a picky teenager!
This was delish! I used barramundi and yellow curry paste
I used coconut milk and halved the water!
Yummmmmmmm
I too would use coconut oil, but it doesn’t give a measurment. Is it just enough to get the spices going…1-2 tbsp?
Thank you
Hello,
Such a wonderful fish curry recipe. I can use coconut milk instead of using coconut cream.
Can i use salmon?
Yes but the curry flavour is strong so would dominate the subtle flavours that salmon has.
Where has this actual recipe gone?!
Hi! Recipe is added in the post!