These Thai coconut curry meatballs are one of my partner Shiping’s FAVORITE THINGS I make! Paired with my favorite multigrain rice and an easy vegetable stir fry, this dish hits all the spots and comes together in just about 45 minutes.
How to Cook the Meatballs
Stovetop:
My default cooking method for meatballs are always stovetop. I love to brown the meatballs for extra flavor and texture, and the oven just doesn’t do as good of a job. It’s possible (use the broil function at the end), but I find that the stovetop method is pretty easy.
Oven:
If you love cooking meatballs in the oven, or want to try cooking them in the oven, I have a method that is also foolproof. Preheat the oven to 400F and bake on a parchment lined pan for 15 minutes, then broil for 3 minutes for a more golden top. You can add the cooked meatballs to the sauce and have a very similar result.
Ingredients and Substitutions – For the Meatballs
Ground Turkey – I always have a pack of ground turkey in my freezer. It’s a versatile meat, absorbs the flavor of whatever you pair it with, and it’s budget friendly. If you want to substitute ground turkey, feel free to use ground chicken. Both will produce a delicious Thai coconut curry meatball.
Panko Breadcrumbs – Panko is my staple ingredient to bind the meatballs together and maintain a fluffy texture.
Eggs – Eggs are also used as a binder in the meatball. Feel free to substitute 3 tablespoons of yogurt per egg or 3 tablespoons of ricotta cheese.
Cilantro & Scallions – I love adding fresh herbs to the meatball filling. Cilantro and scallions add a freshness and delicious East Asian flavor to the meatballs.
Seasonings – It’s important to season your meatball mixture, and I always use the ratio of 1 lb meat = 1 teaspoon of kosher salt as a baseline.
Thai Green Curry Paste – Just one tablespoon of curry paste into the meatball mixture packs a TON of flavor. Thai curry paste is made with traditional southeast aromatics like garlic, chiles, lemongrass, shallots, galangal (also known as Thai ginger), and spices. I like to use the Thai Kitchen brand, and always have a jar of this in my pantry. You can visit my other preferred pantry staple brands here.
Ingredients and Substitutions – For the Curry
Thai Green Curry Paste – This is the same curry paste that’s used in the meatballs and used to flavor the coconut milk and sauce as well. If you don’t have Thai curry paste, you can replace this with 1″ of grated ginger, 2 chopped shallots, 1 jalapeño, 2 cloves of minced garlic, 1 teaspoon of ground coriander, 1 teaspoon of ground cumin, and 1 tablespoon of sugar [yes this is a lot of ingredients so I highly recommend just using a curry paste 🙂 ].
Coconut Milk – This is the creamy element that makes a super cozy and comforting sauce, and enhances the Thai flavors in this dish. Feel free to substitute this with 1 cup of chicken broth and 1/2 cup half and half.
Soy Sauce – I use just a splash of soy sauce to add umami and seasoning to the sauce. Feel free to substitute with Tamari if you’re gluten free or coconut aminos if you don’t eat soy.
Lime Juice – Fresh lime juice cuts through the fat of the coconut milk and balances out all the flavors.
Video Tutorial:
Thai Coconut Curry Meatballs
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 3 servings 1x
Description
Thai flavors in a delicious, cozy meal, these Thai coconut curry meatballs are a special treat. Paired with sautéed veggies, this is a well balanced, easy weeknight dinner.
Ingredients
For the meatballs:
- 1 lb ground turkey
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
- 2 scallions, thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1 tablespoon Thai green curry paste
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 egg
- 3 fresh grounds of black pepper
For the curry:
- 2 tablespoons of Thai green curry paste
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 14 ounce can coconut milk
- 1 lime, juiced
For the rice:
- 1/2 cup jasmine rice
- 1/4 cup 7 grain multigrain rice
- 1/4 cup quinoa
- 1.75 cups water
For the veggie stir fry:
- Neutral oil
- 1 red pepper
- 6 ounces mushrooms – I used maitake but you can use any mushrooms
- 10 ounce bag of baby spinach
- Kosher salt
- black pepper
Instructions
-
Prepare the vegetables and aromatics – slice the green onions, finely chop the cilantro, slice the red pepper into thin strips, and slice or tear apart the mushrooms.
-
Make the meatball mixture – combine all the ingredients into a mixing bowl. Mix to combine well, then scoop into 1.5 tablespoon sized balls. I use an ice cream scoop, but you can also use a spoon and roll each ball with your palms (I like to wet my palms to prevent too much sticking).
-
Heat a large pan on medium high heat. Add a tablespoon of neutral oil, then lay the meatballs in an even layer. Cook the meatballs until brown on one side, about 3 minutes, flip the meatballs (once I lay all the meatballs in the pan, it’s usually time to flip the first one). Let brown for another 3 minutes. If you’re doing a double batch and can’t fit all the meatballs in the first layer, once both layers are slightly brown, feel free to stack the browned meatballs and begin to add another layer to brown the remaining meatballs.
-
Once all the meatballs are browned at least on one side, make some space in the pan (it’s ok to overlay the meatballs). Add the curry paste and toast for a few seconds. Add the coconut milk to the meatballs, soy sauce, cover, and let cook for 10 minutes. At the end of the 10 minutes, add the juice of 1 lime and taste. Adjust with additional salt or lime juice as desired.
-
In the meantime, heat another pan on high heat (I like to use my cast iron). Add a tablespoon of neutral oil and add the mushrooms. Caramelize the mushrooms until they have brown edges on one side, about 5 minutes. Push the mushrooms to the side, then add the red peppers. Cook for another 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally, then add the spinach in batches (I usually wilt ⅓ of the bag then add another 1⁄3). Remove from heat and season with kosher salt and black pepper, taste, and adjust seasoning as desired.
-
Once the meatballs are finished cooking, plate the meatballs, drizzle some sauce over top, and serve with the veggies, rice, and fresh lime.
Notes
I use a stovetop method to cook the meatballs, but feel free to bake these in the oven, then add them to the pan with the coconut milk, curry paste, soy sauce, and lime juice.
I have also made this with a double meatball recipe but the same amount of coconut curry sauce ( 2 lbs of meat and just 1 can of coconut milk, 2 tablespoons curry paste, 1 tablespoon of soy sauce), and there was still plenty of sauce for my liking. You can also double the curry, but it’s not necessary.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Asian
Other Easy WEeknight Dinner Ideas
- Greek Meatballs and Oregano Rice Pilaf with Lemon, Peas, and Kale
- Coconut Curry Steamed Salmon
- Easy Lemongrass Thai Chicken with Blistered Cabbage and Cucumber Avocado Salad
Leave a Reply