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    Home » Recipes » Low-Carb Keto Curry Recipes

    Low-Carb Coconut Fish Curry (Dairy-Free)

    Published: Aug 22, 2014· Modified: Jul 15, 2022· By Libby Jenkinson May contain affiliate links.

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    5-INGREDIENTS COOKBOOK STARTER PACK JUMP TO RECIPE
    a pottery bowl of fish curry on a table with grey linen cloth
    a pottery bowl of fish curry on a table with grey linen cloth
    a pottery bowl of fish curry with a spoon and blue linen cloth
    a pottery bowl of fish curry with a spoon and blue linen cloth
    A bowl of low carb fish curry with coconut and spinach on a blue cloth

    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.

    a pottery bowl of fish curry with a spoon and blue linen cloth
    CREAMY and spicy low-carb coconut fish curry with spinach.

    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.

    Jump to:
    • Ingredients
    • Substitutions
    • How to make fish curry
    • Best curry side dishes
    • Recipe FAQ
    • More low-carb keto curry recipes
    • 📖 Recipe
    • 💬 Comments

    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.
    a pottery bowl of fish curry on a table with grey linen cloth
    Homemade coconut fish curry (Thai curry).
    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.

    a pottery bowl of fish curry with a spoon and blue linen cloth
    One-pot low-carb fish curry

    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.

    Keto naan bread wrapped in a towel to keep warm.
    Keto garlic naan bread
    A close up of cauliflower rice
    Simple cauliflower rice
    A bowl of curried cauliflower rice with water and antique cutlery
    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.

    a pottery bowl of fish curry on a table with grey linen cloth
    Coconut fish curry with bok choy and fresh chillis

    Recipe FAQ

    Is curry paste keto?

    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.

    How to lower the fat and calories in a curry?

    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.

    Can I use frozen cauliflower rice?

    Yes, frozen cauliflower rice is a wonderfully quick and cheap alternative to fresh cauliflower, especially when cauliflower is not in season.

    More low-carb keto curry recipes

    If you love easy fish dinners you might also like my keto fried-fish (flourless keto breading). The keto breading works well on chicken pieces and fish fingers too.

    • Keto garlic naan bread
    • Chicken keto curried kebabs (oven, BBQ, air fryer)
    • Low carb chicken coconut pumpkin curry (slow-cooker)
    • Lamb curry with spinach (saag gosht)
    • Lamb kebabs with coconut curry dipping sauce
    • Slow cooker Malaysian beef curry (beef rendang)
    Easy keto chicken curry kebabs with a tasty turmeric cauliflower rice served in a traditional Indian serving dish
    Chicken curry kebabs
    beef rendang served with cauliflower rice in a blue and white dish
    Keto beef rendang
    keto chicken curry served with spinach being served with a wooden spoon
    Chicken and pumpkin coconut curry

    📖 Recipe

    a pottery bowl of fish curry with a spoon and blue linen cloth

    Please rate this recipe.

    4.6 from 26 votes

    Low-Carb Coconut Fish Curry with Spinach (Dairy-Free)

    CREAMY and spicy low-carb coconut fish curry with spinach is dairy-free and only needs one saucepan. It's the perfect high-protein keto-friendly dinner. Ready in 20 minutes.
    Servings: 6
    NET carbs: 4.4g
    Author: Libby Jenkinson
    Prep Time 5 minutes
    Cook Time 20 minutes
    Total Time 25 minutes
    Category: Dinner
    Diet: Diabetic. Gluten Free. Low Lactose
    Dairy Free. Egg free. Gluten Free. Grain free. Keto. LCHF. Low Carb. No Sugars. Paleo. Wheat Free
    Review Recipe Print Pin Email

    Recipe Video

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    Ingredients

    • 1 kg (2.2 lb) firm white fish cut into cubes
    • 2-4 tablespoon (2 tablespoon) curry paste/powder of choice
    • 400 ml (1 ⅔ cups) coconut cream
    • 400 ml (1 ⅔ cups) water
    • 500 g (1.1 lb) spinach washed and sliced

    Equipment

    • Measuring cups and spoons

    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.
    © Copyright Ditch The Carbs

    Notes

    Be sure to check the nutrition labels for your coconut cream, to ensure there are no added starches or thickeners.

    5-INGREDIENTS COOKBOOK

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    Nutrition Facts
    Low-Carb Coconut Fish Curry with Spinach (Dairy-Free)
    Serving Size
     
    1 serve ( serves 6)
    Amount per Serving
    NET carbs
     
    4.4
    g
    Total Carbohydrates
     
    7.9
    g
    3
    %
    Fiber
     
    3.5
    g
    15
    %
    Sugar
     
    0.7
    g
    1
    %
    Protein
     
    38.3
    g
    77
    %
    Fat
     
    26.6
    g
    41
    %
    Sodium
     
    158.6
    mg
    7
    %
    Potassium
     
    1185
    mg
    34
    %
    Vitamin A
     
    8613
    IU
    172
    %
    Vitamin B1
     
    0.2
    mg
    13
    %
    Vitamin B6
     
    0.5
    mg
    25
    %
    Vitamin B12
     
    2.6
    µg
    43
    %
    Vitamin C
     
    25.7
    mg
    31
    %
    Vitamin D
     
    5.2
    µg
    35
    %
    Vitamin E
     
    2.4
    mg
    16
    %
    Vitamin K
     
    404.8
    µg
    386
    %
    Calcium
     
    115.6
    mg
    12
    %
    Folate
     
    217
    µg
    54
    %
    Iron
     
    4.8
    mg
    27
    %
    Magnesium
     
    130.2
    mg
    33
    %
    Selenium
     
    70.5
    µg
    101
    %
    Zinc
     
    1.6
    mg
    11
    %
    % Daily Value*
    -
    Calories
    405
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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    Approximate nutrition information is provided for convenience and as a courtesy only. For the most accurate nutritional data, use the actual ingredients and brands you used in your preferred nutrition calculator.

    More ... The Best Low-Carb Keto Curry Recipes

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    • Easy Keto Roti (Coconut Flour Recipe)
    • The Best Keto Butter Chicken Recipe (+ Keto Naan Bread)
    • Easy Garlic Keto Naan Bread Recipe (Almond Flour)
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    Libby Jenkinson in her garden

    I'm Libby Jenkinson MPS. A registered pharmacist, Health Coach, Cert.Adv Nutrition, mother of 3 and founder of Ditch The Carbs and Low-Carb Practitioners.

    Learn more about me →

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    1. Kirti

      October 26, 2019 at 10:51 am

      Can i use salmon?

      Reply
      • Libby www.ditchthecarbs.com

        October 28, 2019 at 7:06 am

        Yes but the curry flavour is strong so would dominate the subtle flavours that salmon has.

        Reply
    2. Abhinav

      March 08, 2019 at 7:53 pm

      5 stars
      Hello,
      Such a wonderful fish curry recipe. I can use coconut milk instead of using coconut cream.

      Reply
    3. Shaun Tull

      August 21, 2018 at 10:25 am

      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

      Reply
    4. Heidi

      May 21, 2018 at 8:49 pm

      This was delish! I used barramundi and yellow curry paste
      I used coconut milk and halved the water!

      Reply
      • Libby www.ditchthecarbs.com

        May 22, 2018 at 4:22 pm

        Yummmmmmmm

        Reply
    5. Shona

      March 28, 2018 at 9:14 am

      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!

      Reply
    6. Sharon Young

      July 06, 2017 at 7:18 am

      How much and whqt oil do you use?

      Reply
      • Libby www.ditchthecarbs.com

        July 06, 2017 at 4:43 pm

        I generally use coconut oil.

        Reply
    7. djnikkik

      December 01, 2016 at 11:11 pm

      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.

      Reply
    8. Andrea Richey

      March 24, 2016 at 8:01 pm

      Hi Libby,

      What brand of coconut cream or milk do you find the best?

      Thanks
      Andrea

      Reply
      • Libby www.ditchthecarbs.com

        March 29, 2016 at 9:57 am

        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.

        Reply
    9. lowcarbdiabetic

      August 25, 2014 at 1:03 am

      Another simply super low carb recipe.

      Looks delicious ..... I will be trying this out.

      All the best Jan

      Reply
      • Libby www.ditchthecarbs.com

        August 25, 2014 at 11:52 am

        Thanks Jan. x

        Reply

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