Easy Thai Coconut Sauce Recipe (with Wild Halibut & More)

This easy, delicious Coconut Sauce recipe pairs perfectly with fish or other protein, veggies, and your choice of rice. It’s easy to prepare and makes any dish flavorful and satisfying. It’s so good you’ll want to make a double batch! 

Why You’ll Love This Coconut Sauce

Thai food is one of my favorite cuisines.  I love Thai flavors — salty, sweet, pungent, sometimes a little spicy, but always light and fresh. And because I’ve never been to Thailand, I really have no idea if you can expect to eat fish with this unbelievably tasty coconut-ginger sauce. The Coconut Sauce is truly the best part.  It is so good, that I am always mad that I didn’t double it to cover rice and veggies (make sure you do!).

My protein of choice is legumes or seafood, but you can always use this sauce for chicken breasts if that’s your preference. I don’t know what I would do if my family didn’t enjoy fish. They especially like white fish like halibut, but this sauce will go with anything.  You’ll need a handful of ingredients, and there’s very little prep involved, making this such an easy recipe to whip up.

If you want to make some of this ahead, I would make the sauce but don’t reduce it too much because it will thicken as it sits.  Then all you have to do is broil the fish and you’re done.  Great for a weeknight or for entertaining.

I hope you love this recipe — it was a huge hit when I taught it in my class!

Ingredient Notes

• full-fat coconut milk: You’ll need a can of unsweetened coconut milk (not coconut cream or cream of coconut). There are many coconut milk brands. Feel free to use your favorite. Thai Kitchen makes a great one and it’s easy to find. 
• fish stock, chicken stock or bottled clam juice
• fresh lime juice
• fresh ginger
• garlic cloves
• fish sauce
• a little heat: A pinch of crushed red pepper, minced fresh chili pepper, or a little Siracha sauce. Adjust to your preferred spice level. 
• fresh cilantro leaves and tender stems
• green onions
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• wild halibut fillets: Or mahi-mahi or true cod fillets

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Prepare a broiler pan or place a metal rack inside a baking sheet. (You can also grill the fish.)
2. In a large skillet, combine coconut milk, stock, lime juice, ginger, garlic, fish sauce, and chili peppers. Bring to a boil over high heat and cook until sauce has thickened slightly and equals about 1 cup to 1 ¼ cup, about 10 minutes. If you use a smaller skillet, it will take longer; a larger skillet, less time. Stir in half the cilantro and half the green onions. Season with sea salt and black pepper.
3. Position an oven rack on the second level from the top. Preheat the broiler to medium heat or medium-high heat. Brush each piece of fish all over with 1 Tablespoon of the sweet coconut sauce and season with a pinch of salt and pepper to taste. Cover sauce to keep warm.
4. Broil fish until it starts to flake and is opaque in the center, about 3-5 minutes on each side, depending on the thickness of the fish. Divide fish and sauce among 6 plates. Sprinkle with remaining cilantro and green onions. Serve.

Recipe Tips

• I buy fish stock in the freezer section of Whole Foods. Some markets make it in-house and you might find it frozen in the seafood department or with other frozen stocks in the freezer section.
• There are times when I don’t have the exact ingredients. It’s ok to substitute!  Rice vinegar can sometimes work for fresh lime juice, soy sauce, or tamari for fish sauce (definitely not the same, but it’s fine in a pinch), omit the cilantro if you dislike it, and sub mint or fresh basil. 
• I love this dish over jasmine rice or cauliflower rice with a simple green vegetable on the site, like snap peas or asparagus. You use your favorite rice (any white rice, brown rice, or quinoa would work) and your favorite roasted veggies. 

Serving & Storage Tips

Serve your protein drizzled with extra coconut sauce and garnish with cilantro, basil, and lime wedges if you’d like. Double the recipe if you want more for dipping or to pour over your rice and veggies. If you have leftovers, store the sauce in an airtight container for up to a week.

If you have leftover halibut (or another protein) store it in an airtight container (separate from the sauce) for up to 3-4 days. Reheat in the air fryer or stovetop for 2-3 minutes until warmed through and serve with the sauce. 

More Delicious Recipe Ideas

• Easy Salmoriglio Sauce with Grilled Seafood
• Collard Wraps with Homemade Peanut Sauce
• Vodka Sauce Chicken Parmesan Sliders
• Roasted Vegetables with Carrot Romesco Sauce

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4.50 from 6 votes

Easy Thai Coconut Sauce Recipe (with Wild Halibut & More)

By Pamela

This easy, delicious Coconut Sauce recipe pairs perfectly with fish or other protein, veggies, and your choice of rice. It’s easy to prepare and makes any dish flavorful and satisfying. It’s so good you’ll want to make a double batch!

Servings: 6

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Ingredients 

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• ▢ 1 ½ cups full-fat coconut milk, usually a full can’s worth
• ▢ ¾ cup fish stock, chicken stock or bottled clam juice
• ▢ 3 Tablespoons fresh lime juice
• ▢ 2 Tablespoons minced peeled fresh ginger
• ▢ 3 cloves of garlic, minced
• ▢ 1 ½ teaspoons fish sauce
• ▢ a little heat: a pinch of crushed red pepper, 1 Tablespoon of minced fresh chili pepper or a little Siracha sauce
• ▢ 6 Tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves and tender stems, divided
• ▢ 6 Tablespoons finely chopped green onions, divided
• ▢ Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• ▢ 6 wild halibut fillets, about 4-6 ounces each (or mahi-mahi or true cod fillets)

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Instructions 

• Prepare a broiler pan or place a metal rack inside a baking sheet. (You can also grill the fish.)
• In a large skillet, combine coconut milk, stock, lime juice, ginger, garlic, fish sauce and chili peppers. Bring to a boil over high heat and cook until sauce has thickened slightly and equals about 1 cup to 1 ¼ cup, about 10 minutes. If you use a smaller skillet, it will take longer; a larger skillet, less time. Stir in half the cilantro and half the green onions. Season with sea salt and pepper.
• Position an oven rack on the second level from the top. Preheat broiler to medium or medium-high. Brush each piece of fish all over with 1 Tablespoon of sauce and season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover sauce to keep warm.
• Broil fish until it starts to flake and is opaque in center, about 3-5 minutes on each side, depending on thickness of the fish. Divide fish and sauce among 6 plates. Sprinkle with remaining cilantro and green onions. Serve.

Notes

Recipe Tips
-I buy fish stock in the freezer section of Whole Foods. Some markets make it in-house and you might find it frozen in the seafood department or with other frozen stocks in the freezer section.

-There are times when I don't have the exact ingredients. It's ok to substitute! Rice vinegar can sometimes work for fresh lime juice, soy sauce, or tamari for fish sauce (definitely not the same, but it's fine in a pinch), omit the cilantro if you dislike it, and sub mint or fresh basil.

-I love this dish over jasmine rice or cauliflower rice with a simple green vegetable on the site, like snap peas or asparagus. You use your favorite rice (any white rice, brown rice, or quinoa would work) and your favorite roasted veggies.

Serving & Storage Tips
-Serve your protein drizzled with extra coconut sauce and garnish with cilantro, basil, and lime wedges if you’d like. Double the recipe if you want more for dipping or to pour over your rice and veggies. If you have leftovers, store the sauce in an airtight container for up to a week.

-If you have leftover halibut (or another protein) store it in an airtight container (separate from the sauce) for up to 3-4 days. Reheat in the air fryer or stovetop for 2-3 minutes until warmed through and serve with the sauce.

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