This simple and delicious turkey meatball curry is made with budget-friendly ingredients, most of which you probably have in your pantry. It’s one of those easy curry meatballs you can make with ground turkey, chicken or pork. Serve with rice or cauliflower rice and some extra greens on the side.
My Easy Curry Meatballs
This recipe for curry meatballs or meatball curry, if you will, is really easy and uses very accessible ingredients. I often make it mid-week when I want something hearty and nutritious yet affordable. This particular version uses ground turkey meatballs but you can switch it up with chicken or pork meat.
The meatballs are juicy and fluffy, flavoured with ginger, garlic and mild curry spice. The creamy red curry sauce is coconut based with a simple combination of ginger, garlic, curry spice and turmeric as the main flavours. I love using the fish sauce for salt as it adds more umami taste.
With a few simple veggies like carrots and red peppers thrown in for good measure, this meatball curry is nutritious, tasty and budget-friendly. It’s mild so should be kid-friendly too.
Serve curry meatballs over rice or cauliflower rice so you can soak up all that delicious creamy sauce.
Ingredients For Curry Meatballs
Ground turkey – this is a healthy option for ground meat or mince as it’s leaner and is quite flavoursome. You can also use ground chicken mince or pork for these meatballs.
Curry spices – this is a Southeast Asian inspired curry but instead of using a curry paste, I am only using mild curry spice and turmeric as well as garlic and ginger as the main flavours.
Coconut milk – full-fat canned coconut milk, make sure to shake the can before using. You could also use coconut cream, which is the thickened part of the coconut milk and add some water or stock to dilute it.
Veggies – onions, carrots and red peppers are what I used by you could swap those with whatever is in season.
Others – fish sauce, lime juice, a little brown sugar (which can be omitted or replaced with coconut sugar or regular white), and tomato paste are also used to flavour the curry sauce. The fish sauce can be replaced with 1 teaspoon of salt.
How To Make Curry Meatballs
The full recipe card with ingredients and a nutritional breakdown is below. Here are some step-by-step photos and video to guide you along.
Step 1. Combine the meatball ingredients and use your hands to fold the mixture until everything is well incorporated.
Step 2. Roll small meatballs, about tablespoon and a half of meat or so per ball. Set aside.
Step 3. Heat a large skillet/pan over medium-high heat. Once sizzling hot, add 2 tablespoons of oil. Place the meatballs in the pan, and squash them slightly with your fingers. Cook for 5 minutes on each side, until browned. Remove from the pan. If using the same pan, give it a wash first.
Step 4. Make the curry sauce. Heat the pan over medium-high and add 2 tbsp olive oil or coconut oil. Add the onions, carrots and red peppers and cook for 2-3 minutes.
Step 5. Then add the garlic and ginger and cook for a minute or two, stirring a few times. You can add another drizzle of oil if it gets dry.
Step 6. Stir in the curry powder, turmeric, and brown sugar and stir. Then pour in the coconut milk, fish sauce and lime juice and stir to combine. Cook for 2-3 minutes on medium-low heat, stirring a couple of times.
Step 7. Add back the meatballs and stir through the sauce. Cook for 1-2 minutes and finish by topping with fresh coriander.
Serve over rice with a side of broccoli or broccoli or other Asian greens and extra cilantro/coriander on top.
More Curry Recipes
Full Recipe
Find the full list of ingredients, instructions, and a nutritional breakdown below. If you have questions or cook this recipe, please let me know in the comments, and make sure to rate this recipe so it’s easy for others to find.
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Curry Meatballs With Ground Turkey
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
- Category: Main
- Method: Pan-Fried
- Cuisine: Asian
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
Learn how to make easy, delicious and budget-friendly curry meatballs with ground turkey meat and creamy red coconut sauce. You can use ground chicken or pork mince instead of turkey in this recipe.
Ingredients
For the meatballs
500 g / 1 lb ground turkey mince
1/3 medium onion, peeled and grated (can also be very finely diced but the juice from the grated onion adds more flavour to the meat and keeps it quite moist)
2 cloves of garlic, minced or grated
1 tablespoon grated ginger (thumb-sized knob)
2 teaspoons mild curry powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 tsp white or black pepper
2/3 cup bread crumbs, I used gluten-free ones
1 tablespoon olive oil
Extra oil for cooking (about 2 tablespoons)
For the curry sauce
2 tablespoons olive or coconut oil
1/2 medium onion, very finely diced
2 cloves garlic, grated or finely diced
1 tablespoon of grated or diced ginger
1 small carrot, diced
1/2 red bell pepper, cut into short strips
2 tablespoons mild curry powder
1 teaspoon turmeric powder
1 teaspoon brown sugar (can be omitted)
1 can (400 ml) coconut milk (full-fat), shaken well
2.5 tablespoons fish sauce
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 tablespoon tomato paste
To finish
1/2 cup chopped coriander/cilantro
Instructions
- Combine the meatball ingredients and use your hands to fold the mixture until everything is well incorporated.
- Roll small meatballs, about tablespoon and a half of meat or so per ball. Set aside.
- Heat a large skillet/pan over medium-high heat. Once sizzling hot, add 2 tablespoons of oil. Place the meatballs in the pan, squash them slightly with your fingers. Cook for 5 minutes on each side, until browned. Remove from the pan.
- If using the same pan, give it a wash first.
- Make the curry sauce. Heat the pan over medium-high and add 2 tbsp olive oil or coconut oil. Add the onions, carrots and red peppers and cook for 2-3 minutes.
- Then add the garlic and ginger and cook for a minute or two, stirring a few times. You can add another drizzle of oil if it gets dry.
- Stir in the curry powder, turmeric, and brown sugar and stir. Then pour in the coconut milk, fish sauce and lime juice and stir to combine. Cook for 2-3 minutes on medium-low heat, stirring a couple of times.
- Add back the meatballs and stir through the sauce. Cook for 1-2 minutes and finish by topping with fresh coriander.
- Serve over rice with a side of broccoli or broccoli or other Asian greens and extra cilantro/coriander on top.
Notes
Storing leftovers: Leftover curry meatballs can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days in an airtight container. When reheating, you can either microwave the meatballs in the sauce or reheat them on the stovetop. If using the stovetop, heat the sauce and meatballs in a saucepan over medium heat until heated through. Make sure to stir the meatballs occasionally to prevent them from sticking to the bottom of the pan. If the sauce is too thick, you can add a little water or coconut milk to thin it out.
Freezing: These meatballs and the sauce freeze well, for up to 3 months.
Paleo/Whole30 version: swap breadcrumbs for almond meal and a little tapioca flour, omit the brown sugar and either add coconut sugar/honey or go without. Coconut milk should be sweet enough anyway.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 180244
- Calories: 658
- Sugar: 5.5 g
- Sodium: 1695.4 mg
- Fat: 46.4 g
- Carbohydrates: 35 g
- Fiber: 5.9 g
- Protein: 30.6 g
- Cholesterol: 96.2 mg
Keywords: Curry Meatballs, Meatball Curry, Turkey Meatball Curry, curry turkey meatballs, Asian Recipes, Curry Recipes, Budget-Friendly
Hi,
Your Turkey Meatball Curry is gonna be great for a weeknight meal! Thanks for sharing!
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These were so easy to make, and I love the curry flavors. Thank you!
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This looks so hearty and flavorful!! I love all of the spices you added to this recipe – can’t wait to make it soon!
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We love anything curry in this house! Definitely adding this recipe to my dinner rotation this week. 🙂
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Omg these meatballs are juicy and that curry sauce is creamy, flavorful, and definitely the best part of the dish. Great recipe!
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