Name: Thai Turkey Meatballs with Peanut Sauce
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Thai - American
Ingredients: 1 pound ground turkey; 2 cloves garlic, peeled and finely minced; 1 1/2 tsp fresh grated ginger, about an inch piece; 2 tbsp. Thai green curry paste; 1 tbsp fish sauce; zest and juice of 1 lime; 1 tsp sea salt or kosher salt; 1/2 thai red chili pepper, finely diced (WEAR GLOVES); 1 small bunch cilantro, chopped - 3 tbsp for meatballs, reserve the remainder for later; 2 tbsp canola oil; 1 bunch scallions, chopped - 3 tbsp for meatballs, reserve the remainder; 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter; 1 can full-fat, unsweetened coconut milk (13.5oz); 1/8 cup 6 tbsp soy sauce - check labels if gluten-intolerant; 2 tbsp. sambal oelek; 2 tbsp. rice vinegar

Thai turkey meatballs are an easy weeknight dinner. This 30 minute meal is just the slightest bit spicy and full of flavor. Tender, juicy turkey meatballs flavored with green curry, ginger and garlic served with peanut sauce for a delicious midweek meal. They are also really tasty on top of soba noodles with stir fried vegetables.

Ground turkey is a staple in our house, so these are always just 30 minutes away. This recipe is also perfect for meal-prepping, so make a double batch.

Thai Turkey Meatballs

Meatballs have so many variations. The possibilities are nearly endless.

Whether your preference is straight-up old school, swimming in marinara or thrown in a slow cooker with some BBQ sauce, meatballs are always a crowd-pleaser. These are no exception.

I have a certain client who repeatedly sends me glowing text messages about my meatballs. Yep, this is my life. It’s not so bad.

This particular client told me that he basically “drank that peanut sauce”. So, if you needed any motivation to make these, there you have it.

Thai turkey meatballs with peanut sauce

We eat some variation of these at least once a month. When I am prepping our meals, I usually make double or even triple batches of our favorites. Then, they get sealed and stored in the freezer for nights when I’m running on empty.

On occasion, I even remember to take it out of the freezer before 5:00.

My go-to for serving these is rice, but I’ve also served them with soba noodles or rice noodles when I didn’t feel like having rice.

Sometimes, I omit the peanut sauce and make a quick green curry sauce with coconut milk instead. That is super simple: Combine a can of coconut milk with a tablespoon of two (depending on how spicy you like it) of green curry paste.

Add in a teaspoon of ginger and garlic, a squeeze of lime and a splash of fish sauce. Another easy sauce that comes together in minutes. It will keep in the fridge for 2 weeks. If fresh ginger and garlic aren’t available, substitute granulated garlic and ginger powder in the turkey mince meatballs to taste.

Start with a teaspoon of dried spices in the mix. Pinch off a small piece and fry it in a pan. Taste it and make any adjustments for you personal preference.

If you don’t have coconut milk, or you have an allergy (or you just don’t like it), you can omit the coconut milk and thin the sauce with a little water instead. You might want to add a teaspoon of brown sugar to balance the salt.

If you don’t feel like making a sauce, these meatballs are delicious on their own. Basically, you can’t go wrong.

One last thing, if you want to learn how to make the curly scallions in the photo, pop over to Instagram and watch me make them. It’s super easy and fun to do with older kids.

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Yield: 4

Thai Turkey Meatballs with Peanut Sauce

Tender, juicy turkey meatballs flavored with green curry, ginger and garlic served with peanut sauce for a delicious midweek meal.

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 30 minutes

Ingredients

Meatballs

1 pound ground turkey
2 cloves garlic, peeled and finely minced
1 1/2 tsp fresh grated ginger, about an inch piece
2 tbsp. Thai green curry paste
1 tbsp fish sauce
zest and juice of 1 lime
1 tsp sea salt or kosher salt
1/2 thai red chili pepper, finely diced (WEAR GLOVES)
1 small bunch cilantro, chopped - 3 tbsp for meatballs, reserve the remainder for later
2 tbsp canola oil
1 bunch scallions, chopped - 3 tbsp for meatballs, reserve the remainder

Sauce

1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1 can full-fat, unsweetened coconut milk (13.5oz)
1/8 cup 6 tbsp soy sauce - check labels if gluten-intolerant
2 tbsp. sambal oelek
2 tbsp. rice vinegar

Instructions

Make the Sauce

Combine all the ingredients in a small sauce pot over medium heat and whisk until mixture is smooth. Set aside to cool slightly.

Make the Meatballs

Combine all ingredients and mix gently until completely combined. Shape into small balls, I use a small cookie scoop to make sure they are uniform.
Heat oil in a large skillet and add meatballs. Brown in batches and continue cooking, covered, for an additional 20 minutes.
Garnish with cilantro and/or scallions. Serve with rice and peanut sauce.

Notes

Chef's Notes:
- I serve this with coconut rice. Basmati or jasmine rice, rinsed thoroughly, then cooked according to package directions. Substitute 1 can of coconut milk for the same amount of water.
- Meatballs can also be baked in the oven, which I often do because I make large quantities at a time. 350°F for about 20 - 24 minutes.
- Ground chicken can be subbed for turkey