Kitchen notes · a little help before you start
Thai Red Curry Turkey Meatballs
Red curry sauce around tender turkey meatballs makes a generous, inviting dinner. Coconut milk softens the spice, with a fresh herbal finish over the top. A spoonful of sauce over rice or noodles is an excellent companion to a meatball on your fork.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 45 min
- Total
- 60 min
- Original yield
- Serves 4
- Ingredients
- 17 listed
Make it part of your week
Recipe categories & planning details
- Meal type
- Dinner · Lunch · Main course
- Primary protein
- Turkey
- Cuisine
- Thai · Asian
- Cooking method
- Baking · Baked & roasted
- Preparation & total time
- Prep: 15 minutes or less · Total: 31–60 minutes
- Dish type
- Curries
A few quick notes
1. Shape evenly
Make small, evenly sized meatballs so they can bake together before going into the sauce.
2. Dissolve the paste
Stir the chicken broth into the cooked aromatics until the curry paste dissolves into it.
3. Simmer before combining
Finish the coconut sauce simmer before adding the baked meatballs for their final cook.
Get to know the ingredients
Ground turkey
Mix the turkey thoroughly with the egg, breadcrumbs and other meatball ingredients before shaping.
Ginger
Finely grate the fresh ginger so it blends through the curry sauce with the garlic.
Lemongrass
Lemongrass paste is convenient here; fresh stalks are also an explicit alternative for the sauce.
Let’s make it
Choose your servings, then check things off as you go.
Original recipe: Serves 4. Original quantities shown.
Check ingredients as you prepare them. These checks stay on this page.
How to make it
0 of 6 steps completeMake room for Thai Red Curry Turkey Meatballs
Review ingredients in your pantry before anything is added. Meal plans use your household size; grocery-only additions use the servings selected above.
The last little job
Remove leaves and garnish
Remove the lime leaves, then garnish with cilantro or green onion and serve over rice or noodles.
A little more help as you go
Adjust the curry heat
Use less curry paste in the sauce if you prefer less heat, then increase according to taste.
Refrigerate sealed
Store the curry in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days.
A few questions you might have
Are the meatballs fried?
No, bake them on the prepared parchment-lined sheet before adding them to the red curry sauce.
Can I use dried lime leaves?
Yes, fresh or dried kaffir lime leaves are both options for flavoring the curry sauce.
When does the sugar go in?
Add the sugar with the lime leaves after stirring the coconut milk into the sauce.
Should I stir after adding meatballs?
Yes, stir occasionally during their final short cook in the finished red curry sauce.
Can I freeze this curry?
Yes, cool it fully before sealing in a shallow freezer container, then stir well while reheating.
Any more cooking tips?
Use more or less curry paste, depending on how spicy you like your food. I used 4 tablespoons in the sauce, for less spicy start with a couple tablespoons and increase it from there. Lemongrass paste is much more convenient to use, but you can also use fresh lemongrass stalks. If you don’t want to make this dish with meatballs, you can also just use chicken breast or chicken thighs. Curry should be safely sealed in an airtight container and refrigerated for 3 days. If you want this curry to last, my advice is to freeze it. Ensure that it is fully cooled before sealing and use a shallow container to ensure even freezing. Stir well while reheating.
Storage & reheating safety
For cooked, perishable leftovers, refrigerate within 2 hours (1 hour above 90°F), using shallow containers for prompt cooling. Keep the refrigerator at 40°F or below, use refrigerated leftovers within 3–4 days, and reheat hot leftovers to 165°F, checked with a food thermometer. Follow any shorter package limit.
These are general safety limits, not a tested storage or freezing recommendation for this particular dish. USDA leftovers guidance · Safe cooking temperatures
Recipe source: jocooks.com. Ingredient names and quantities may be adapted for the pantry.
Preparation notes follow the recipe shown here.
