Green Curry Meatballs Recipe
Introduction
These Green Curry Meatballs offer a flavorful twist on traditional meatballs with aromatic Thai spices and a creamy coconut curry sauce. Perfect for a weeknight dinner, they combine tender meatballs with a rich and fragrant sauce served over jasmine rice.
Ingredients
- 1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats (or panko breadcrumbs)
- 1 large egg
- 1/4 cup milk
- 1 1/2 pounds lean ground turkey, chicken, pork, or beef
- 2 teaspoons freshly grated ginger
- 2 teaspoons green curry paste
- 2 teaspoons fish sauce (optional)
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 1/2 cup onion, diced
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon green curry paste
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 (15-ounce) cans canned unsweetened coconut milk
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 2 teaspoons light brown sugar
- 1 lime, juiced
- 1 teaspoon fish sauce
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
- 4-5 cups cooked jasmine rice, brown rice, white rice, or basmati rice, for serving
Instructions
- Step 1: In a large mixing bowl, combine oats, egg, and milk. Mix well and let sit for 10 minutes to allow oats to soften.
- Step 2: Add ground meat, grated ginger, green curry paste, fish sauce (if using), sugar, salt, minced garlic, and diced onion to the oat mixture. Mix thoroughly to combine.
- Step 3: Shape the mixture into meatballs slightly smaller than golf-ball size.
- Step 4: Heat olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Brown the meatballs in batches, turning occasionally to brown all sides. They do not need to be fully cooked at this stage. Remove browned meatballs and set aside. Discard excess grease if necessary.
- Step 5: In the same pan, add 1 tablespoon green curry paste and minced garlic. Sauté for about 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Step 6: Pour in one can of coconut milk, scraping up any browned bits. In a separate bowl, stir cornstarch into the second can of coconut milk, then add this mixture to the pan.
- Step 7: Add brown sugar, lime juice, fish sauce, and chopped cilantro. Stir to combine and bring to a gentle simmer.
- Step 8: Return the meatballs to the pan, cover, and simmer for about 10 minutes until the meatballs are cooked through and the sauce has thickened slightly. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Step 9: Serve the green curry meatballs over hot cooked rice and garnish with extra cilantro if desired.
Tips & Variations
- For extra tenderness, soak the oats in milk longer before adding the meat.
- Substitute ground chicken or pork for turkey to change up the flavor profile.
- Adjust the amount of green curry paste to increase or decrease spice level according to your taste.
- Use light coconut milk for a lighter sauce or full-fat for richer creaminess.
- Serve with steamed vegetables or a side salad for a balanced meal.
Storage
Store leftover meatballs and sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave until warmed through. The sauce may thicken when chilled; add a splash of water or coconut milk when reheating to loosen it.
How to Serve
Serve this delicious recipe with your favorite sides.
FAQs
Can I freeze the green curry meatballs?
Yes, you can freeze the cooked meatballs in the curry sauce for up to 2 months. Cool completely, place in a freezer-safe container, and thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
Can I make this recipe gluten-free?
Absolutely. Use gluten-free oats or gluten-free breadcrumbs and ensure your green curry paste and fish sauce do not contain gluten.
Print
Green Curry Meatballs Recipe
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 4 to 6 servings 1x
Description
This Green Curry Meatballs recipe combines tender turkey meatballs infused with vibrant Thai flavors and simmered in a creamy, aromatic green curry coconut sauce. Served over jasmine rice, it’s a deliciously comforting and exotic dish perfect for weeknight dinners or special occasions.
Ingredients
Scale
Meatballs
- 1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats (or panko breadcrumbs)
- 1 large egg
- 1/4 cup milk
- 1 1/2 pounds lean ground turkey (or chicken, pork, or beef)
- 2 teaspoons freshly grated ginger
- 2 teaspoons green curry paste
- 2 teaspoons fish sauce (optional)
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 1/2 cup onion, diced
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
Green Curry Sauce
- 1 tablespoon green curry paste
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 (15 ounce) cans canned unsweetened coconut milk
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 2 teaspoons light brown sugar
- 1 lime, juiced
- 1 teaspoon fish sauce
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
To Serve
- 4–5 cups cooked jasmine rice (or brown rice, white rice, basmati rice)
Instructions
- Prepare Meatball Mixture: In a large mixing bowl, combine rolled oats, egg, and milk. Mix well and set aside for 10 minutes to allow the oats to absorb the liquid. Add ground turkey, freshly grated ginger, green curry paste, fish sauce (if using), granulated sugar, salt, finely minced garlic, and diced onion. Mix thoroughly to combine all ingredients evenly.
- Shape Meatballs: Using a spoon or your hands, scoop and roll the meat mixture into balls slightly smaller than golf-ball size, ensuring they hold together well.
- Brown the Meatballs: Heat olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, place a single layer of meatballs in the pan, leaving space between each one. Depending on pan size, cook in batches. Brown the meatballs on all sides by turning occasionally; they don’t need to be fully cooked yet, just well browned. Remove browned meatballs to a plate. If there is excess grease in the pan, carefully remove some before proceeding.
- Make the Green Curry Sauce: In the same pan, add 1 tablespoon green curry paste and minced garlic. Cook for about 30 seconds until fragrant. Stir in one can of coconut milk, scraping up any browned bits from the pan’s bottom to incorporate flavor. In a separate bowl, mix cornstarch with the remaining can of coconut milk until smooth, then add this to the pan. Add light brown sugar, lime juice, fish sauce, and chopped cilantro, stirring to combine all elements.
- Simmer Meatballs: Return the browned meatballs to the pan with the curry sauce. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer gently for about 10 minutes, or until the meatballs are cooked through and the sauce has thickened slightly. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
- Serve: Serve the green curry meatballs hot over cooked jasmine rice or your preferred rice variety. Garnish with additional fresh cilantro if desired.
Notes
- You can substitute the ground turkey with chicken, pork, or beef depending on preference.
- If you don’t have rolled oats, panko breadcrumbs make a great alternative for meatball binder.
- Adjust green curry paste quantity to control the spice level.
- To reduce fat, you can use light coconut milk instead of full-fat.
- For a gluten-free version, ensure oats or breadcrumbs are certified gluten-free and use gluten-free soy/fish sauce.
- Leftover meatballs can be refrigerated for 3 days and reheated gently in the sauce over low heat.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Thai
Keywords: green curry meatballs, thai meatballs, turkey meatballs, green curry sauce, thai curry recipe, healthy thai dinner
