Red Duck Curry

Name: Duck Curry
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 17 min
Total time: 32 min
Ingredients: 1/2 pound duck breast (sliced); 1 tablespoon coconut oil; 1/2 onion (diced); 2 garlic cloves (minced); 4 ounces red curry paste; 1 tablespoon fish sauce; 1 tablespoon coconut sugar (substitute brown sugar); 1 red bell pepper (chopped); 1 cup pineapple chunks; 1-15 ounce can coconut milk; 2 limes (for serving); 1/2 cup fresh cilantro (for serving); Steamed jasmine rice (for serving)

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Duck Curry is a sweet and spicy curry with sliced duck breast, red curry paste, coconut milk and chunks of pineapple. It’s a restaurant quality meal that’s surprisingly quick and easy to make!

I’m not kidding when I say this flavorful curry is quick and easy. With about 15 minutes prep time and less than 20 minutes cooking time, this curry is ready in just over half an hour.

Overhead view of a bowl of duck curry with rice.

It’s no secret that we love quick curry recipes. Some of our favorites include this pineapple chicken curry, fish head curry and egg curry.

If you have a little more time to spare, I highly recommend this massaman lamb curry.

But, for a simple curry with flavor that tastes like it has been simmering for hours, this rich duck curry is the best! Just serve it with some coconut jasmine rice and dinner is ready.

Why this recipe works

You only need 10 ingredients for this curry and it’s ready in just over 30 minutes!
The duck breast cooks quickly but stays meaty and tender. It’s easy to overcook or undercook duck breast, but this recipe strikes the perfect balance.
Duck breast can be a little pricey. Using it in this curry recipe ensures it’s cooked in the most delicious way and it goes a long way too!
The sweet chunks of pineapple balance out the richness of the duck and spiciness of the red curry paste.

Ingredients

For a full list of ingredients and quantities used, check out the recipe card at the end of this post.

You’ll need ½ pound of duck breast for this recipe. Make sure to cut it into slices so it cooks quickly.

The most common duck breast you’ll find at the grocery store is likely white pekin, followed by muscovy. The white pekin duck is milder in flavor than the slightly larger muscovy. You can use either type for this recipe.

For a savory, umami flavor, 1 tablespoon of fish sauce is added to the curry. (This is just a sauce made from anchovies fermented in salt). If you don’t have any, I definitely recommend picking some up to have on hand. I use it in a lot of recipes!

To add a spicy kick, the recipe calls for 4 ounces of red curry paste. You can use another type of Thai curry paste like green or yellow, but the curry will have a different and milder flavor.

To create the creamy curry broth, you’ll need 1-15 ounce can of coconut milk. For the creamiest curry, I recommend using full fat coconut milk as the light versions tend to make curries too watery.

To tame the spiciness of the curry, 1 cup of pineapple chunks are added to the recipe. While I used canned pineapple, you can use fresh if you prefer.

For some veggies, I liked to add 1 chopped red bell pepper. You can also use orange, yellow or even green pepper.

To add a hint of sweetness, which also helps balance the spicy and savory flavor of this curry, I normally add 1 tablespoon of coconut sugar. You can also use brown sugar if that’s what you have available to you.

Step by step instructions

Heat the coconut oil in a large, high-sided skillet over medium heat.

Add the onions and garlic and sauté for 3 minutes, until softened.

Add the curry paste, fish sauce and coconut sugar and sauté for 2 minutes, stirring constantly to ensure it doesn't burn.

Onion, curry paste and other ingredients sautéing in a skillet on the stovetop.

Add the red pepper and pineapple and cook for 1 minute.

Ingredients for duck curry being sautéed in a skillet.

Add the coconut milk and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 3-5 minutes.

Duck curry in a skillet with a wooden spoon inserted into it.

Add the sliced duck and LIGHTLY simmer for 3-5 minutes, until the duck is cooked through. **Be careful not to boil or the duck will become tough.

Serve over jasmine rice garnished with fresh limes and cilantro.

Expert tips

Since everything cooks in the one pan, use a high-sided skillet so there is room for all the ingredients and it doesn’t simmer over the pan and make a mess on your stovetop.
This curry recipe cooks quickly, so make sure you have all of your ingredients prepped and ready to go.
For even cooking, make sure your duck breast is cut into even slices. Thicker slices will take longer to cook.
Be careful not to boil the duck as it cooks in the curry broth. You just want it to simmer so it doesn’t overcook and get tough.
Keep a close eye on the curry as it cooks to ensure none of the ingredients start to burn or the coconut milk doesn’t start to boil.
For a thick and creamy curry, you’ll want to use full fat coconut milk instead of light. You can also use coconut cream for an even thicker curry.

Close up view of duck curry and rice in a white bowl.

Common questions

Is this duck curry spicy?

Red curry paste is on the spicy side, so I would say this duck curry is moderately spicy. (The other ingredients balance the spiciness of the red curry paste, in my opinion).

Do you need to remove the skin from the duck breast?

While a little bit of skin will add some flavor, I try to remove as much as I can while slicing the duck breast. You don’t want too much fat rendered in the curry.

Do you need to slice the duck breast before adding it to the curry?

Yes, you’ll need to cut the duck breast into slices so it cooks quickly (in just 3-5 minutes). If you add the entire breast to the curry, it will take much longer to cook through.

How do you thicken curry?

The curry will thicken when you add the coconut milk. Just give it some time to simmer. If you’d like it thicker, simmer the mixture a little longer before adding the duck breast.

How do you serve duck curry?

We normally pair it with steamed jasmine rice and garnished with fresh lime wedges and cilantro. You can also serve it with some flatbread or naan bread and some Instant Pot jasmine rice or Instant Pot basmati rice.

Overhead view of a bowl of duck curry with lime wedges on top and a spoon inserted into it.

Storage and reheating

If stored in an airtight container in the fridge, this curry should last 3-4 days.

To reheat, just warm the curry in a skillet on the stovetop. Be careful not to warm it too long as you don’t want to over cook the duck.

I don’t recommend freezing this curry as the duck may not have the same texture once frozen and reheated, and the coconut milk in the curry may separate once defrosted.