Thai Red Curry Turkey Meatballs

These Thai Red Curry Turkey Meatballs are one of my weeknight go-tos when I want something bright, comforting, and a little bit unexpected. Ground turkey keeps the meatballs lean, while a big, coconut-forward curry sauce gives them silkiness and warmth. The result is approachable enough for family dinners but interesting enough to bring to a casual dinner with friends.

I like that most of the hands-on work happens quickly: mix, form, bake, then finish in a fragrant red curry sauce. You get the convenience of oven-baked meatballs with the layered flavors of Thai aromatics—lemongrass, kaffir lime, ginger—without standing over the stove the whole time. Little green onion and cilantro pops lift the dish right before serving.

Ingredient Checklist

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• 1 pound ground turkey — the lean protein base; mixes easily and bakes into tender meatballs.
• 4 green onions (chopped) — aromatics for the meatball mix and garnish; reserve a little for topping.
• ¼ cup cilantro (chopped) — herbaceous brightness in the meatballs and as garnish.
• 1 tablespoon fish sauce — provides umami and depth to the meatballs.
• 1 tablespoon red curry paste — builds curry flavor directly into the meatballs.
• 1 cup breadcrumbs — binder that keeps the meatballs tender and helps them hold shape.
• 1 large egg — another binder, adds moisture and structure.
• ½ teaspoon salt (or to taste) — seasoning; starts the base seasoning for the meatballs.
• ½ teaspoon black pepper (or to taste) — background peppery lift.
• 3 tablespoons peanut oil — for cooking the sauce; imparts a clean, high-heat fat.
• 4 tablespoons red curry paste — the backbone of the sauce, gives heat and color.
• 2 teaspoons lemongrass paste (or 2 stalks of lemongrass) — citrusy, bright aromatics; stalks are listed as an equivalent option.
• 2 teaspoons fresh ginger (finely grated) — adds warm, spicy freshness to the sauce.
• 2 cloves garlic (minced) — foundational savory note.
• 1 cup chicken broth — thins the paste into a saucy base and adds savory body.
• 14 ounce coconut milk (1 can) — enriches and mellows the sauce with creaminess.
• 5 kaffir lime leaves (fresh or dried) — floral-citrus note; the ingredient can be fresh or dried as noted.
• 1 tablespoon sugar — balances acidity and heat in the sauce.

Thai Red Curry Turkey Meatballs Made Stepwise

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Chop the green onions and cilantro; set aside a small amount of the chopped green onions and cilantro for garnish.
3. In a medium bowl, combine 1 pound ground turkey, the remaining chopped green onions, the remaining chopped cilantro, 1 tablespoon fish sauce, 1 tablespoon red curry paste, 1 cup breadcrumbs, 1 large egg, ½ teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon black pepper. Mix until evenly combined, taking care not to overwork the meat.
4. Form the mixture into 1-inch meatballs (about 20–25). Place the meatballs on the prepared baking sheet, spacing them evenly.
5. Bake the meatballs for about 30 minutes, or until cooked through (internal temperature should reach 165°F / 74°C).
6. While the meatballs bake, heat 3 tablespoons peanut oil in a large skillet or braiser over medium-high heat. Add 4 tablespoons red curry paste, 2 teaspoons lemongrass paste (or the prepared equivalent from 2 stalks of lemongrass), 2 teaspoons finely grated fresh ginger, and 2 cloves minced garlic. Cook, stirring constantly, for about 2 minutes until fragrant.
7. Add 1 cup chicken broth and stir until the curry paste dissolves into the liquid. Then stir in the 14-ounce can of coconut milk, add 5 kaffir lime leaves and 1 tablespoon sugar. Bring the sauce to a gentle boil, reduce the heat, and simmer for 5 minutes. Taste and adjust with salt and black pepper as needed.
8. Add the baked meatballs to the simmering curry sauce and cook for another 5 minutes, turning occasionally so they are well coated. Remove and discard the kaffir lime leaves before serving.
9. Garnish with the reserved chopped cilantro and green onions, then serve.

Reasons to Love Thai Red Curry Turkey Meatballs

Lean turkey meets bold Thai flavors—it’s a reliable crowd-pleaser that doesn’t feel heavy. The two-stage approach (bake then simmer) gives you perfectly cooked meatballs that soak up sauce without falling apart. That means tender interior, flavorful exterior, and consistent results every time.

This dish is flexible: it works as a weeknight main over rice, a saucy topping for noodles, or even as party finger food with a shallow bowl of curry for dipping. The aromatics (lemongrass, kaffir lime, ginger) make it taste deliberate and layered, not just spicy or saucy. Lastly, it scales easily and travels well—ideal for meal prep.

Swap Guide

• Use 2 stalks of lemongrass instead of 2 teaspoons lemongrass paste — the recipe explicitly lists this equivalent option; bruise stalks and scrape the inner tender part if using fresh.
• If you prefer less heat in the meatballs, reduce the 1 tablespoon red curry paste in the mixture to ½ tablespoon, but keep the 4 tablespoons in the sauce for overall flavor balance.
• The 5 kaffir lime leaves can be fresh or dried (both are listed). If using dried, add them earlier to rehydrate; if fresh, remove them before serving as instructed.
• Adjust the ½ teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon black pepper in the meatball mix to taste—salt can be tempered if using extra fish sauce elsewhere, since fish sauce is already included.
• For sweetness control, tweak the 1 tablespoon sugar in the sauce to taste; it’s there to balance heat and bitterness from the curry paste and lime leaves.

Gear Checklist

• Baking sheet lined with parchment paper — for even baking and easy cleanup.
• Medium mixing bowl — to combine the meatball ingredients without overworking them.
• Measuring spoons and cups — accuracy matters for balance in curry and seasoning.
• Large skillet or braiser — wide enough to simmer the sauce and hold all the meatballs comfortably.
• Wooden spoon or silicone spatula — for stirring the curry paste without scratching pans.
• Meat thermometer — optional but useful to confirm meatballs reach 165°F / 74°C.

Learn from These Mistakes

• Overworking the meat. Mix until ingredients are evenly distributed, then stop. Over-mixing yields dense meatballs.
• Skipping the reserved garnish. Fresh cilantro and green onion at the end add brightness and texture contrast; without them the dish can feel flat.
• Not dissolving the curry paste. Add the chicken broth and stir first so the paste disperses; adding coconut milk into an undissolved paste can create uneven pockets of flavor.
• Forgetting to remove kaffir lime leaves. They’re aromatic, not edible—discard them before serving to avoid bitter bites.
• Crowding the baking sheet. If meatballs are too close, they steam instead of baking; leave space for even browning.

Make It Fit Your Plan

Meal prep-friendly: bake the meatballs, cool, and store them separately from the sauce. Reheat and finish in warmed sauce for fresh texture. Cooked meatballs kept in the refrigerator will hold for a few days; see Storing Tips below.

Make-ahead entertaining: assemble and bake meatballs earlier in the day, then simmer briefly in the sauce before guests arrive. Keep the sauce warm in a covered braiser or slow cooker on low for serving.

Method to the Madness

Baking the meatballs first does two things: it cooks them gently and consistently, and it limits the time they need to spend simmering in the sauce, which preserves their texture. The second pass in the curry sauce is about flavor infusion—5 minutes is enough for them to take on the coconut, kaffir lime, and lemongrass notes without getting mushy.

Red curry paste is concentrated; it needs heat and a little oil to release its aromatics. That’s why the recipe starts the sauce by frying paste, lemongrass, ginger, and garlic in oil—this blooms the flavors. Chicken broth thins the paste and carries savory notes, and coconut milk finishes the sauce with richness. Sugar and fish sauce balance sweet, salty, and umami, rounding the profile so nothing tastes one-dimensional.

Storing Tips & Timelines

• Refrigerator: Store baked meatballs and sauce together or separately in airtight containers for up to 3–4 days. If stored together, the meatballs will continue to soak up sauce—good for reheating portions.
• Freezer: Freeze cooled meatballs in a single layer on a sheet tray until firm, then transfer to a freezer bag for up to 2–3 months. Freeze sauce separately in freezer-safe containers.
• Reheating: Thaw overnight in the refrigerator if frozen. Warm the sauce gently on low, add meatballs, and simmer 5–10 minutes until heated through. Avoid high heat which can split coconut milk.

Your Questions, Answered

• Q: Can I make these spicier or milder? A: Yes. Reduce or increase the red curry paste amounts listed. The meatballs use 1 tablespoon in the mix; the sauce uses 4 tablespoons—adjust either or both.
• Q: Can I use a different protein? A: The recipe is written for 1 pound ground turkey. If you swap proteins, watch fat content and adjust cook times and binding accordingly.
• Q: Do I need a meat thermometer? A: It helps. The recipe lists 165°F / 74°C as the internal target to ensure safe, juicy turkey.
• Q: Can I make the meatballs gluten-free? A: Use a gluten-free breadcrumb substitute if needed; the recipe calls for 1 cup breadcrumbs as written.

Ready, Set, Cook

Timing snapshot: about 10–15 minutes prep, 30 minutes baking, and roughly 15 minutes to make and simmer the sauce—so plan for about an hour from start to table. Follow the stepwise method, keep an eye on seasoning, and finish with the reserved green onions and cilantro for a fresh lift. Enjoy—this one’s reliably flavorful and surprisingly simple to pull off on a busy night.

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Thai Red Curry Turkey Meatballs

Turkey meatballs baked and simmered in a creamy Thai red curry coconut sauce, finished with cilantro and green onion garnish.

Prep Time15 minutes mins

Cook Time45 minutes mins

Total Time1 hour hr

Course: Main

Cuisine: Thai

Servings: 4 servings

Ingredients

Ingredients

• 1 poundground turkey
• 4 greenonions chopped
• 1/4 cupcilantro chopped
• 1 tablespoonfish sauce
• 1 tablespoonred curry paste
• 1 cupbreadcrumbs
• 1 largeegg
• 1/2 teaspoonsalt or to taste
• 1/2 teaspoonblack pepper or to taste
• 3 tablespoonspeanut oil
• 4 tablespoonsred curry paste
• 2 teaspoonslemongrass paste or 2 stalks of lemongrass
• 2 teaspoonsfresh ginger finely grated
• 2 clovesgarlic minced
• 1 cupchicken broth
• 14 ouncecoconut milk (1 can)
• 5 kaffir lime leaves fresh or dried
• 1 tablespoonsugar

Instructions

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Chop the green onions and cilantro; set aside a small amount of the chopped green onions and cilantro for garnish.
• In a medium bowl, combine 1 pound ground turkey, the remaining chopped green onions, the remaining chopped cilantro, 1 tablespoon fish sauce, 1 tablespoon red curry paste, 1 cup breadcrumbs, 1 large egg, ½ teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon black pepper. Mix until evenly combined, taking care not to overwork the meat.
• Form the mixture into 1-inch meatballs (about 20–25). Place the meatballs on the prepared baking sheet, spacing them evenly.
• Bake the meatballs for about 30 minutes, or until cooked through (internal temperature should reach 165°F / 74°C).
• While the meatballs bake, heat 3 tablespoons peanut oil in a large skillet or braiser over medium-high heat. Add 4 tablespoons red curry paste, 2 teaspoons lemongrass paste (or the prepared equivalent from 2 stalks of lemongrass), 2 teaspoons finely grated fresh ginger, and 2 cloves minced garlic. Cook, stirring constantly, for about 2 minutes until fragrant.
• Add 1 cup chicken broth and stir until the curry paste dissolves into the liquid. Then stir in the 14-ounce can of coconut milk, add 5 kaffir lime leaves and 1 tablespoon sugar. Bring the sauce to a gentle boil, reduce the heat, and simmer for 5 minutes. Taste and adjust with salt and black pepper as needed.
• Add the baked meatballs to the simmering curry sauce and cook for another 5 minutes, turning occasionally so they are well coated. Remove and discard the kaffir lime leaves before serving.
• Garnish with the reserved chopped cilantro and green onions, then serve.

Equipment

• Baking Sheet
• Parchment Paper
• Medium Bowl
• large skillet or braiser
• Oven
• Measuring Cups
• Measuring Spoons

Notes

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 for3 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.