Red Coconut Curry Meatballs

A bowl full of rice and coconut curry meatballs on a black table with a lace doily.

5 from 1 vote

This easy coconut curry meatball recipe is made with turkey, spinach, red pepper and store-bought Thai red curry paste, so we don’t need dozens of spices to make this delicious meal!

Prep Time20

Cook Time40

Total Time1

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: International

Servings: servings

Calories: 459kcal

Author: Genevieve Morrison

Equipment

cutting board and sharp knife
large frying pan
large mixing bowl and spoon
foil-lined baking sheet
8 oz. (236 mL.) measuring up - or larger
spatula

Ingredients

2 pounds ground turkey
1 cup chicken stock
3 large green onions - stems sliced and bulbs minced
1 medium red onion - chopped
1 red bell pepper - sliced
1 jalapeño pepper - finely diced
1 cup fresh spinach - chopped
1 tsp. ginger - grated
2 tbsp. garlic - minced
½ cup panko bread crumbs
2 tbsp. Bragg's Liquid Aminos - or soy sauce
3 tbsp. red curry paste
14 oz. can of unsweetened, full-fat coconut milk
3 tbsp. olive oil
½ tsp. cayenne pepper
1 tbsp. curry powder
1 tbsp. flour
pepper - just a sprinkle
1 tsp. red pepper flakes - optional

Instructions

Finely slice the stems of 3 large green onions, and mince the white bulbs. You’ll use the minced bulbs in the meatballs and the sliced stems in the sauce.
Mince 2 tbsp. of garlic and finely chop 1 jalapeño pepper. You’ll use 1 tbsp. of garlic for the meatballs, and 1 tbsp. for the sauce.
Add 1 tsp. of olive oil to a pan and sauté 1 tbsp. minced garlic until brown. About 2-3 minutes.
In a large mixing bowl, add 2 pounds of ground turkey, sliced green onion stems, 1 tbsp. sautéed garlic, finely chopped jalapeño, ½ cup panko breadcrumbs, 1 tsp. red pepper flakes (optional) and 2 tbsp. Bragg’s Liquid Aminos (or soy sauce), and a good sprinkling of fresh pepper. Combine thoroughly.
Preheat oven to 400 F. (204 C.). Roll your balls and place them on a foil-lined baking sheet. You should have between 25-30 balls. Bake for 20 minutes.
NOTE: If the meatballs release liquid, remove the pan after 10 minutes and carefully pour out the liquid, otherwise, they’ll just steam instead of nicely brown. Return them to the pan and continue baking for another 10 minutes.
While the meatballs bake, make the sauce. Chop 1 medium red onion, slice 1 red bell pepper, grate 1 tsp. fresh ginger and chop a packed, overflowing cup of fresh spinach.
Add 2 tbsp. of olive oil to the pan. Sauté chopped red onion and sliced red pepper until they’re lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Move onions and peppers to one side of the pan, and add sliced green onion stems, grated ginger and remaining 1 tbsp. garlic. Sauté for about 2-3 minutes before combining with the onions and peppers. Place spinach on top of the other vegetables and allow it to wilt down until fully cooked.
Add ½ tsp. cayenne pepper, 1 tbsp. powdered curry, and 3 tbsp. red curry paste and mix. Then, add 1 cup chicken stock and 1 14 ounce can of full-fat coconut milk to the vegetables and allow to simmer for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
If you would like a thicker sauce, mix 1 tbsp. of flour in ¼ cup of chicken stock or water, then pour it into the sauce and stir. Add meatballs and allow them to simmer in the sauce for about 5 minutes. Salt and pepper to taste. Serve over rice.

Notes

They’ll stay fresh for about a week when refrigerated in a tight container, but they can be frozen for months.

To freeze this recipe, it’s best to separate out into portions of 5-6 meatballs per serving. Simply thaw over night in the fridge, and reheat for 2-3 minutes in a microwave.

This recipe is “medium spicy,” but spiciness really is a matter of opinion (and tastebuds). If you’re a little concerned about the level of spiciness, start with less than the recipe calls for and give it a taste test before adding any more.

See post for detailed instructions with photos of the process.

Nutrition information is an estimate.

Nutrition