A fun weeknight recipe with lots of bold flavor: thai curry meatballs with jasmine rice. Hinted with spicy chile, garlic, ginger, coconut, and lime. The recipe is pretty simple, yet packs in all of the rich tanginess you crave in a Thai-inspired dish. Crispy seared beef meatballs + creamy coconut curry sauce + fluffy jasmine rice. It’s perfect to whip up any day of the week with some simple vegetables on the side.
I’ve loved experimenting with Thai flavors over the years. The combination of coconut milk with curry paste, a little heat, lots of lime, and traditional ingredients like ginger & fish sauce is a definite favorite of mine. Perfect way to add lots of flavor to a dish, while keeping things healthy & vibrant.
And these Thai curry meatballs are no exception.
thai curry meatballs – the details
You’ll start by getting some Jasmine rice cooking on the stovetop. While that simmer, you’ll saute some shallots, red chiles, garlic, and ginger. This is the base mixture that gives both the meatballs and sauce classic Thai flavor. Half of it gets saved to mix with the ground beef, fresh breadcrumbs, and fish sauce…and half is used to start the sauce.
With a little bit of curry paste and coconut milk simmered down, you’ve got an extremely bright, silky-smooth sauce to pour over the meatballs. The beef is formed into 2-oz balls, seared on the stovetop, and then finished in the oven until nice and crispy.
Everything comes together in no time, with lots of lime juice, cilantro, and scallions as the finishing touches. It’s beyond delicious. I’d serve this with some sauteed greens and call it a night!
Looking for more thai-inspired recipes? A few favorites…
Spicy Thai Chicken & Rice Noodle Soup
Roasted Tomato Curry Noodles
Grilled Eggplant with Red Curry Sauce & Spiced Cashews
Thai Curry Meatballs with Jasmine Rice
thai-flavored beef meatballs over jasmine rice with coconut curry sauce & cilantro
2-4 servings (approximately 12 meatballs)
Ingredients
- 1 cup jasmine rice
- 2 cups water
- kosher salt
- vegetable oil
- 2 shallots, thinly sliced
- 1 red fresno chile, stemmed + minced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tbsp minced fresh ginger
- 2 tbsp red curry paste
- 1 (13.5 fl oz) can coconut milk
- 2 oz fresh bread, cubed
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 tbsp + 1 tsp fish sauce
- 2 limes, halved
- garnish: fresh cilantro, sliced scallions, and lime wedges
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Combine the rice, water, and a pinch of salt in a small pot. Bring to a boil. Turn the heat to low and cover the pot. Cook for 40 minutes (or according to your package’s instructions).
- Meanwhile, heat a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add a touch of oil. Add the shallots, red fresno chile, garlic, and ginger. Saute for a few minutes until caramelized and tender, stirring often. Transfer half of the mixture to a large mixing bowl and set aside.
- Add a little more oil, along with the red curry paste, to the saucepan. Stir well and allow the paste to cook for a minute or so. Whisk in the coconut milk. Bring the sauce to a bubble, lower the heat to medium-low, and simmer for about 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, add the bread to a food processor. Pulse until crumbs form. Add the breadcrumbs, ground beef, and 1 tablespoon of fish sauce to the shallot mixture in the mixing bowl. Mix really well to incorporate. Form the mixture into 2-oz balls.
- Heat a 12” cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Add enough oil to coat the bottom. Once hot, work in batches to sear the meatballs until browned on both sides, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer the skillet to the oven for 6 minutes, or until the meatballs are cooked through.
- When the rice is done, fluff it with a fork and stir in the juice of 1 lime. Transfer it to a serving bowl. Place the meatballs on top. Stir in the remaining fish sauce and juice of 1 lime to the curry sauce and pour over the rice + meatballs. Garnish with fresh cilantro leaves, scallions, and more lime wedges.
Notes
You could substitute ground pork or chicken into this recipe in place of the ground beef if you’d like!
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