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Thai Red Curry Meatballs with Coconut Curry Sauce

Serve these Thai red curry meatballs on a bed of rice, with a bowl of rice noodles, or in a hoagie and don't forget the sauce!
Author: Amy Kim | kimchi MOM

Ingredients

  • For the meatballs:
  • 3 scallions sliced thin
  • 1/2 small red bell pepper finely chopped
  • Olive oil
  • 4 teaspoons of minced garlic about 4 cloves
  • 1 tablespoon of minced ginger root
  • 2 tablespoons red Thai curry paste
  • 1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
  • 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh cilantro plus more for serving
  • 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh basil
  • 1 egg
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 pound ground beef 90/10 ratio of beef to fat
  • For the sauce:
  • 2 teaspoons minced garlic
  • 2 teaspoons minced ginger
  • 1/4 cup red Thai curry paste
  • 2 tablespoons fish sauce
  • 1 14- ounce can of coconut milk
  • 1/2 cup chicken broth
  • 4-5 ounces fresh spinach or baby kale

Instructions

  • In a large non-stick skillet, heat a couple of tablespoons of oil over medium meat. Add the scallions, and red bell pepper and cook until the scallions turn a vibrant green, about 1-2 minutes. Spoon into a large mixing bowl. Don't put away the skillet just yet.
  • In the same large mixing bowl, add the garlic, ginger, red curry paste, bread crumbs, cilantro, basil, and egg. Mix to combine. Then add the ground beef, black pepper, and salt. Use your hands or a wooden spoon to thoroughly mix all the ingredients. Try not to overwork the meat.
  • Spoon out a couple of tablespoons of beef mixture and form into a 1-inch meatball and place on a large plate or baking sheet. Continue forming meatballs with the remaining beef mixture. You will have about 28-30 meatballs.
  • In the previously used skillet, heat a couple of tablespoons of oil over medium heat. Brown the meatballs on all sides and placed browned meatballs on a clean plate. Do not overcrowd the skillet and work in batches until all the meatballs are browned. They do not have to be cooked through at this point.
  • To the skillet, add the the garlic, ginger, red curry paste, 1/4 cup of the coconut milk and cook for about 30 seconds, stirring the mixture to combine. Add the remaining coconut milk, chicken broth, and fish sauce. Bring sauce to a simmer. If you'd like a thinner sauce, add about 1/4-1/2 cup more chicken broth.
  • Gently place the meatballs into the sauce. Cover and simmer for about 25-30 minutes, until the meatballs are cooked through.
  • Stir in the greens and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes or until the greens are wilted. Remove the pan from the heat.
  • Serve immediately over basmati rice, noodles, or on a hoagie roll.

Notes

Recipe inspired by the kitchn.