Flavorful Thai-inspired red curry meatballs in a creamy red curry sauce with plenty of fresh garlic, ginger, and tender red peppers. This quick 30 minute recipe is perfect for an easy weeknight meal.
Delicious Thai Inspired Red Curry Meatballs
When I think of quick weeknight meals, this meatball recipe is one of my go-tos. These turkey meatballs are quick, filling, and the recipe makes more than enough so that you have plenty for a delicious lunch the next day.
These Thai-inspired Red Curry Meatballs are gluten free, dairy free, and Whole30 compliant. Keep reading to learn how to make them!
Watch How to Make This Recipe
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Ingredients for Perfectly Flavorful Curry Meatballs
I am a big believer that every single layer of a dish needs to have flavor which is why this recipe doesn’t just rely upon the sauce for all the flavor. These meatballs are packed full of gingery, garlicky flavor and honestly delicious all on their own.
Ground Turkey: Ground turkey works so well in this recipe and is my personal favorite protein to make these meatballs. I prefer to use dark meat because it has a bit more flavor and a little more fat for a juicier meatball. If you prefer, you could use ground chicken instead of ground turkey and these would still turn out delicious. If you do use ground chicken, I would still opt for dark meat.
Garlic: Plenty of fresh garlic is a MUST in these meatballs. It adds so much flavor and it takes the meatballs from “really good” to GREAT. Also, I know that peeling and mincing fresh garlic can be a pain…do it anyway. Seriously, there is nothing like using fresh garlic in your cooking.
Fresh ginger: Ok, I don’t mean to sound like a broken record but fresh ginger is another must-have in this recipe. If you are having trouble, the easiest way to peel ginger is with a spoon. Then use a sharp knife to mince it up.
Green onion: Another way to add great flavor to these meatballs is by using fresh green onion or scallion. It adds a mild onion flavor that works well with the red curry.
Red pepper flakes: Feel free to omit this if you don’t like heat, but a small amount of red pepper flakes adds a little extra flavor and spice.
Fish sauce: Last, but certainly not least, is fish sauce. Fish sauce is one of those ingredients that I always have in my fridge. It adds incredible umami to dishes, especially curries like this one. If you don’t have fish sauce add an extra pinch of salt.
A Creamy and Delicious Coconut Red Curry Sauce
Now that we’ve got the meatballs in order, it’s time to chat about this creamy dreamy coconut red curry sauce that they are swimming in. This red curry sauce is super simple to make and uses just a few ingredients. Here is the basic list:
- A few tablespoons of red curry paste
- Canned coconut milk for that creamy consistency
- Lime juice for tang
- Fish sauce for a little saltiness
- And coconut aminos for a little sweetness and umami flavor
If you have never used red curry paste in cooking before it is absolutely delicious and one of my favorite ingredients to keep in my pantry. Red curry paste is made up of red pepper, garlic, lemongrass, galangal (Thai ginger), and lime leaves. It is also made up of several spices like coriander, turmeric, black peppercorn, and cumin.
You can use red curry paste to whip a quick curry with protein and veggies or try making this Red Curry Chicken Soup for an easy meal.
Helpful Kitchen Tools
How to Make Thai-Inspired Red Curry Meatballs
Step 1: Make your meatballs and then brown them in a little avocado oil in a large skillet. Once they are brown, remove the meatballs from the skillet and set aside.
Step 2: Now, it’s time to make the red curry sauce. Just add the sliced peppers and onions to the skillet and saute for a few minutes until tender. Next, add in the red curry paste, coconut milk, lime juice, coconut aminos, and fish sauce and stir until well combined.
Step 3: Add the meatballs to the red curry sauce and let everything simmer for 15-20 minutes. Once everything is done simmering, finish the meatballs with fresh cilantro and green onion before serving!
How to Serve this Meatball Recipe
My favorite way to serve these meatballs and the sauce is over basmati rice with a side of roasted veggies. Roasted green beans or roasted broccoli are great options here. While these meatballs make the perfect weeknight dinner, the leftovers are perfect for lunch. Just pack some away after dinner for a quick lunch the next day!
More Recipes to Love
- Thai Red Curry Chicken Soup
- Thai Inspired Green Curry with Chicken and Vegetables
- Chopped Thai-Inspired Chicken Salad
- Thai Green Curry with Chicken and Veggies
- Red Curry Chicken Wings
- Greek Curry Chicken Salad
I hope you give these flavorful Red Curry Meatballs a try!
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Thai Inspired Red Curry Meatballs
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 6 1x
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Thai
- Diet: Gluten Free
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 6 1x
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Thai
- Diet: Gluten Free
Ingredients
For the meatballs
- 2 pounds ground turkey
- 1 tablespoon fresh minced ginger
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1/4 cup sliced green onions
- 1/2 teaspoon fish sauce
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
For the red curry sauce
- 1/2 yellow onion, thinly sliced
- 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
- 2–3 tablespoons red curry paste
- 1 – 15oz can light coconut milk
- 1 teaspoon fish sauce
- 2 tablespoons coconut aminos
- 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
- 1/4 cup cilantro, for garnish
- 1/4 cup sliced green onion, for garnish
- jasmine rice, for serving
Method
- Make the Meatballs: Add all of the meatball ingredients to a large mixing bowl and mix until well combined. Next, use a cookie dough scoop or tablespoon to scoop the ground turkey mixture and use your hands to form meatballs.
- Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add the avocado oil and then cook the meatballs for 3-4 minutes on each side until brown. Once the meatballs are brown, remove them from the skillet and set aside.
- Make the red curry sauce: Add the sliced peppers and onions to the skillet and saute for a few minutes until tender. Next, add the red curry paste, coconut milk, lime juice, coconut aminos, and fish sauce to the skillet and stir until well combined.
- Add the meatballs back to the red curry sauce and bring them to a simmer. Let the meatballs simmer for 15-20 minutes and then finish the dish with fresh cilantro and green onion. Serve the meatballs over jasmine rice and enjoy!
