One of my biggest temptations on Whole30 is takeout - I absolutely LOVE Thai food, and not having pad thai or drunken noodles for a month is hard, so I look for Thai flavors in Whole30 recipes to keep my noodle cravings at bay, like this coconut curry meatball recipe.
This coconut curry meatball recipe combines creamy coconut milk with a hint of red curry blends together some of my favorite Thai flavors in a Whole30-compliant dish that I can eat over zoodles or cauliflower rice whenever I'm feeling like takeout.
When you're making this dish, make sure to use Whole30-compliant fish sauce (I love Red Boat) and red curry paste (Thai Kitchen is my go-to), and check that your tomato paste doesn't include any sugar to make this coconut curry meatball recipe Whole30 compliant.
Coconut Curry Meatballs {Paleo | Whole30}
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 35 mins
- Total Time: 45 mins
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Dinner, Main
- Cuisine: Thai
Description
Creamy coconut milk combined with red curry makes these meatballs perfect for when you're craving Thai takeout!
Ingredients
For the Meatballs
- ¾ cup fresh cilantro
- 2 shallots, peeled and halved
- 1 cup diced carrots
- ¼ cup fresh basil leaves
- ½ tablespoon fresh ginger, peeled
- 1 tablespoon Whole30-compliant fish sauce
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- 2 tablespoons coconut cream
- 2 pounds ground turkey (can also use ground chicken)
For the Sauce
- 1 14-ounce can of full-fat coconut milk
- 2 tablespoons coconut cream
- 2 tablespoons red curry paste
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon Whole30-compliant fish sauce
- ¼ teaspoon ground coriander
- ½ teaspoon garam masala powder
- Pinch of salt
For Garnish
- 2 tablespoons cilantro, chopped
- 6 lime wedges
Instructions
Make the Meatballs
- Pre-heat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Blend the cilantro, shallots, carrots, basil and ginger in a food processor until finely chopped.
- Add fish sauce, salt, cumin and coconut cream to the food processor and blend until ingredients blend into a pesto-like consistency.
- Line a sheet pan with aluminum foil. Mix the meatball seasonings from the food processor with the ground turkey or ground chicken with hands until well-blended. Form 1.5-inch meatballs (about the size of a golf ball) and place on the aluminum-foil lined sheet pan (recipe will make approximately 24 meatballs).
- Bake meatballs in the oven for 20 minutes, then flip for an additional 15 minutes, or until meatballs are fully cooked.
Make the Sauce
- While the meatballs are baking, mix all of the sauce ingredients until combined in a medium pan over medium-low heat until sauce thickens and reduces slightly. Bring sauce to a low simmer and stir continuously, so as not to burn the bottom.
Assemble
- Add the cooked meatballs to the sauce, coating the meatballs with the sauce and simmer for three minutes.
- Serve warm over cauliflower rice or zucchini noodles and garnish with cilantro and a lime wedge.
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