These Thai-inspired creamy coconut curry meatballs are a flavorful and easy weeknight dinner. You'll make tender meatballs and cook them to golden brown before mixing them in a creamy, coconut curry sauce.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- It's a fun way to mix up your current dinner or meal prep rotation.
- The creamy red curry sauce has so much flavor.
- The meatballs and sauce all cook in the same pan to reduce the number of dishes to clean.
- You can serve it however you like—with rice, rice noodles, zucchini noodles, etc.
- You can easily use whatever lean ground meat you have on hand.
Ingredient Notes
- Lean ground meat of choice - feel free to use lean ground turkey, ground chicken, or lean ground beef here. Our preference is chicken or ground turkey meatballs and that's how we typically make them. Lean ground pork is also an option if you enjoy pork meatballs.
- Egg
- Panko breadcrumbs - plain panko breadcrumbs help to keep moisture and flavor and prevent tough meatballs. If you need a gluten-free option, swap it with almond flour or gluten-free panko breadcrumbs.
- Salt
- Olive oil - for getting a perfect brown crust on the meatballs. Swap with avocado oil or coconut oil if you prefer.
- Red bell pepper - feel free to add 1-2 cups of any additional veggies you'd like. Green beans, onion, broccoli, and carrots would all be a great addition.
- Coconut milk - you can use light or regular canned coconut milk. Regular creamy coconut milk will result in a creamier, richer version with more coconut flavor. Don't use straight coconut cream here.
- Red curry paste - use any brand of Thai curry paste you prefer! Thai Kitchen is usually our go-to. Be sure to use a curry paste and not a curry powder. Red curry paste is our preference here, although green curry paste would probably be delicious as well.
- Maple syrup - swap with coconut sugar or brown sugar if you prefer.
- Soy sauce - you can also use tamari or coconut aminos for a gluten-free option.
- Sriracha - adjust to your spice preference. Use 2 teaspoons if you prefer a spicy curry sauce. Red pepper flakes will also work here.
- Minced garlic & ginger - fresh ginger and fresh garlic add depth to the flavor.
- Lime - don't skip this! Lime juice provides great contrast to the richness of the coconut milk.
- Cilantro & green onion - optional for topping, but fresh herbs always help finish a dish.
- Jasmine rice, rice noodles, quinoa, cauliflower rice, or zucchini noodles for serving
See the recipe card below for a complete list of ingredients and measurements.
Equipment You’ll Need
- Large pan
- Mixing bowl
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Spatula
- Cutting board and knife
- Wooden spoon
Step by Step Directions
For the full recipe instructions, scroll down to the recipe card at the bottom of the page.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground meat, egg, breadcrumbs, minced garlic, and salt to form the meatball mixture. Mix until well combined.
Using a spoon or a cookie scoop, form 18–20 “meatballs” (about 1 ounce each) and place them on the baking sheet. We prefer to shape the meatballs slightly flattened so they cook through faster.
Place a large skillet on the stove over medium heat. Once it’s hot, add the olive oil. Next, add the meatballs in a single layer, preventing them from touching. You may need to cook them in two batches depending on the size of your skillet. Let the meatballs cook for 4-5 minutes each side, or until they reach 165 degrees and are cooked through completely. Once they are cooked, set them aside on a plate.
To the same skillet, add the bell pepper, coconut milk, red curry paste, maple syrup, soy sauce, sriracha, garlic, ginger, lime, and salt. Stir occasionally until the sauce begins to boil.
Add the meatballs to the curry sauce, reduce the heat to low, and let them simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Garnish with fresh cilantro and serve with jasmine rice, if desired.
Tips & Variations
- Feel free to serve these meatballs with whatever you prefer. We love to serve it with jasmine rice, but rice noodles, quinoa, and zucchini noodles would all work well.
- Feel free to add more veggies to the dish! Onions, carrots, green beans, asparagus, and broccoli are a few ideas.
FAQ
Store the curry meatballs in an airtight container for 3-4 days.
Yes, this recipe is dairy-free. For a gluten-free option, use almond flour or gluten-free panko bread crumbs and tamari.
If you like this recipe, check out a few of our other easy dinners:
If you make these Thai coconut curry meatballs, please let us know how it turns out in the comments below and/or rate the recipe! Don’t forget to tag us on Instagram to show us your finished product—it makes our day every time we see you trying the recipes we love!
Curry Meatballs
Ingredients
For the meatballs:
- 1 lb lean ground meat of choice (turkey, chicken, or beef)
- 1 egg
- 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs (or gluten-free panko for a GF option)
- 1 tsp minced garlic
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 tsp olive oil
For the curry sauce:
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 1 red bell pepper, sliced (feel free to add 1-2 cups of additional veggies such as onion, carrot, asparagus, or green beans)
- 1, 14.5 oz can of coconut milk (light or regular)
- 1 tbsp red curry paste
- 2 tsp pure maple syrup
- 2 tsp soy sauce (or tamari for GF)
- 1-2 tsp sriracha
- 2 tsp minced garlic
- 2 tsp minced ginger
- Juice from 1 lime
- 1/4 tsp salt + more to taste
For serving:
- Jasmine rice
- Optional toppings: Chopped cilantro and green onion
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground meat, egg, breadcrumbs, minced garlic, and salt. Mix until well combined.
- Using a spoon or a cookie scoop, form 18–20 “meatballs” (about 1 ounce each) and place them on the baking sheet. We prefer to shape the meatballs slightly flattened so they cook through faster.
- Place a large skillet on the stove over medium heat. Once it’s hot, add the olive oil. Next, add the meatballs in a single layer, preventing them from touching. You may need to cook them in two batches depending on the size of your skillet. Let the meatballs cook for 4-5 minutes each side, or until they reach 165 degrees and are cooked through completely. Once they are cooked, set them aside on a plate.
- To the same skillet, add the remaining oil, bell pepper, coconut milk, red curry paste, maple syrup, soy sauce, sriracha, garlic, ginger, lime, and salt. Stir occasionally until the sauce begins to boil.
- Add the meatballs to the curry sauce, reduce the heat to low, and let them simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally until the sauce has reduced.
- Garnish with fresh cilantro, green onions, and serve with jasmine rice, if desired.
Notes
- This recipe is dairy-free. For a gluten-free option, use gluten-free panko crumbs or you can try the same amount of almond flour; use tamari instead of soy sauce.
The recipe can be found on My Fitness Pal by searching "BWB Coconut Curry Meatballs." The nutrition calculated below is for the curry meatballs only made with lean ground turkey and light coconut milk and does not include the jasmine rice.
The nutrition content provided for each recipe is an estimate created through the My Fitness Pal database. Please be aware that the nutritional content of each recipe may vary based on the products you use, the precision of your measurements, and the source you use to obtain nutrition data. While we try to provide accurate information, we give no guarantee regarding the accuracy of the nutritional information provided.
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