Red Curry Turkey Meatballs

The kids are back to school and the weeknights are busy already—so long, summer!  These days call for easy meals that are versatile and easy to double (and freeze for a dinner later on), without sacrificing flavor.

These red curry meatballs fit the bill.  They are easy to make and absolutely packed with flavor!  I love to serve them with steamed jasmine rice and sautéed sugar snap peas or green beans.

Red Curry Turkey Meatballs

Serves 4 (about 15 meatballs)

Ingredients

Meatballs

1 egg

1 clove garlic, grated

1 inch piece of ginger, peeled and grated

2 tbsp avocado or olive oil

1 tsp soy sauce

½ tsp black pepper

½ cup panko breadcrumbs

¼ cup cilantro, chopped

1 lb. ground turkey (mix of white and dark meat is preferable; can also use ground chicken, pork or beef)

Curry sauce

2 tbsp avocado oil

4-5 cloves garlic, chopped

2 tbsp chopped fresh ginger

1 tsp red curry paste

1 can full-fat coconut milk

2 tbsp soy sauce

1 tbsp fish sauce

Zest and juice of ½ lime

1 tsp honey

Garnish

¼ cup chopped cilantro

Sliced chilies if you like more heat

Preparation

1. Make the meatballs.  First, combine all of the ingredients in a bowl, except for the ground turkey, and mix it well with a fork.  Then, add the ground turkey and gently mix with a fork until well combined.  Alternatively, you can use your hands, just be careful not to squeeze the meat mixture in your hands or it becomes tough.
2. Scoop the meat mixture into 2 tablespoon sized meatballs and set them aside.
3. Brown the meatballs.  Heat 2 tablespoons of avocado oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat.  While the oil is heating up, season the outside of the meatballs with salt. When the oil is hot, add the meatballs to the pan, making sure now to crowd them, and let them cook until browned on all sides.
4. Remove the meatballs from the pan (note: they are not fully cooked at this point, but will finish cooking in the sauce) and place them on a plate and set aside.
5. Start the sauce.  Lower the heat to medium and add the chopped garlic and ginger and cook for a couple of minutes.
6. Add the coconut milk and scrape the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon to release all of the browned bits into the sauce.
7. Add the soy sauce, fish sauce, zest and juice of half of a lime, and the honey.
8. Bring it to a simmer and add the meatballs back to the pan and cook gently for about 15 minutes.
9. Serve.  Remove the pan from the heat and add chopped cilantro. Serve with steamed rice and any veggies that you like!

Hello, I’m Natalie!  I’m a professionally-trained chef, culinary instructor and recipe developer living in Ann Arbor.  A career change, a trip through culinary school 20 years ago, and being a lifelong Julia Child enthusiast has led me to a career doing my very favorite thing: making food and cooking approachable to home cooks of all ages!   

My passion for creating great food experiences and getting people excited about learning and having fun in the kitchen is always at the heart of what I do. You can find my blog at NatalieMarbleCooks.com. And on social media you can find me at @NatalieMarbleCooks.  Sign up for my email newsletter here, where I share family-friendly recipes, tips & tricks, new class information, and hopefully a little inspiration!