These Thai Meatballs are made with ground turkey and full of garlic, ginger and curry flavors. These sweet, savory, and spicy meatballs are ready in one skillet, in under 45 minutes.
These Thai meatballs is one of the oldest recipes on my website dating back to 2013. It’s very popular, so today I am bringing it to your attention once again!
Much like my slow cooker porcupine meatballs and sweet and sour meatballs, Thai turkey meatballs can be eaten as a main dish with a side of rice or quinoa. Or with a toothpick for an appetizer like cranberry turkey meatballs.
It’s amazing healthy dinner or healthy appetizer!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Signature Thai flavors: That everyone loves and rival any Thai restaurant dish!
- Easy recipe: Despite lengthy list of ingredients, meatballs are made in one skillet. Just combine, sear, and cook in the sauce.
- No eggs or breadcrumbs: And still moist meatballs. If you use certified gluten free fish sauce, these meatballs are gluten free! Dairy free too because we’re using coconut milk.
- Healthier than your typical meatballs: Added zucchini for moisture which means every bite has some veggie in it.
Ingredients for Thai Turkey Meatballs
- Ground turkey: On its own ground turkey is quite dry but it works with this recipe because of the creamy sauce. You can also use ground beef, pork or chicken.
- Zucchini: Grated and squeezed of excess moisture, this is a key player in keeping moisture locked in.
- Fish sauce: A lovely salty condiment that is a popular ingredient in many Asian dishes. Will be used in the meatballs, as well as the sauce.
- Green onion: Finely chopped, adds the fresh vibrant onion flavor without overpowering.
- Basil: Finely chopped basil adds a freshness like the green onions however without the pungence.
- Ginger: Grated. Add it to the complex flavor combination of these ingredients and they all work in harmony.
- Garlic: Grated fresh garlic goes hand in hand with the ginger.
- Red curry paste: A spicy, sour, and salty flavorful paste, delicious addition to both meatballs and the sauce.
- Coconut milk: Use full fat milk or even coconut cream for a thicker, richer sauce. I like Thai Kitchen coconut milk because it is creamy and doesn’t separate.
- Red pepper flakes: To kick up the heat a notch. The amount can be adjusted to your preference. You can also use chili paste or sriracha sauce.
- Cooking spray: I use Misto because it’s essentially olive oil which is a healthier option.
- Tomato paste: Helps to thicken up the sauce and add tomato flavor.
- Kaffir lime leaves: An optional ingredient you can buy in International foods aisle or on Amazon. They are sold dry and last forever, but they’re completely optional.
How to Make Thai Meatballs
- Make the meatballs: In a medium bowl, combine meatball ingredients, mix and shape 28 meatballs. Set aside.
- Make the sauce: In another medium bowl, whisk together ingredients for the sauce and set aside.
- Brown: Preheat large ceramic non-stick skillet on medium-high heat and spray with cooking spray. Cook meatballs until brown or for 2-3 minutes, turning a few times. No need to cook meatballs through as they will continue to cook in the sauce.
- Simmer: Add the sauce, reduce heat to medium and simmer for 15 minutes, uncovered.
Tips for Best Results
- Squeeze zucchini: Make sure to squeeze all of the excess water out of the zucchini. While it does help with adding moisture, too much liquid can cause problems in keeping the meatball intact, since there are no breadcrumbs to absorb it.
- Wet your hands: To avoid the meatball mixture sticking to your hands, wet them a little before rolling into balls.
- Use cold meat: The colder your meat, the easier it is to maintain its meatball structure.
- For same size balls: I like to use a trigger ice cream scoop.
Serving
There are 2 ways to serve these Thai meatballs. Serve meatballs warm with garnishes like fresh cilantro and green onion alongside these side dishes:
- Instant Pot brown rice
- Cooked quinoa
- Rice noodles
- Cauliflower rice
- Instant Pot steamed vegetables
- Zucchini noodles
- Spaghetti squash noodles
Or serve them as an appetizer on a platter with toothpicks, and some naan bread or pita bread for dipping into the sauce.
How to Store and Reheat
Store: Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
Freeze: Fully cook, cool completely and freeze in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight.
Reheat: Simmer on a stovetop while covered on low heat until heated through. Or use good old microwave and reheat in 1 minute increments until warm.
FAQs
Use cold meat straight out of the fridge. Squeeze excess liquid out of the zucchini and don’t overpower the meatball ingredients with too many “bigger” ingredients. You want to leave the meat as the main portion of the meatball, so when it says “finely chop or grated” follow that direction!
Yes, you can. It does add a delicious taste, but you can omit it or replace it with soy sauce, tamari, Worcestershire sauce, or coconut aminos instead.
These Thai meatballs are mild. If you would like to make them less spicy, omit the red pepper flakes in both meatballs and the sauce.
Yes. Combine meatball ingredients, shape into balls and then, also combine sauce ingredients, store covered separately in the refrigerator up to 24 hours. On the day you plan to cook them, proceed with recipe instructions.
More Meatballs Recipes to Try
Thai Meatballs
Equipment
Ingredients
For Thai Meatballs:
- 2 pounds ground turkey pork or chicken
- 1 cup zucchini shredded & liquid squeezed out
- 1/4 cup green onion finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons basil finely chopped
- 2 teaspoons ginger grated
- 2 garlic cloves grated
- 1 teaspoon red curry paste
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
- 2 tablespoons coconut milk light (canned)
- 1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- Cooking spray I use Misto
For the Sauce:
- 1 1/2 cups coconut milk light (canned)
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon red curry paste
- 1 teaspoon fish sauce
- 1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes more to taste
- 5-6 dried kaffir lime leaves optional**
Instructions
- To make meatballs: In a medium bowl, combine ground turkey, zucchini, green onion, basil, ginger, garlic, red curry paste, fish sauce, coconut milk and red pepper flakes. Mix well.
- Make 28 meatballs by spooning heaping 1 tablespoon of mixture and rolling between your hands. Lay on a cutting board or plate. Set aside.
- To make sauce: In a small bowl, whisk together coconut milk, tomato paste, red curry paste, fish sauce, red pepper flakes and kaffir lime leaves. Set aside.
- Preheat large ceramic non-stick skillet on medium-high heat and spray with cooking spray. Add meatballs and cook until brown or for 2-3 minutes, turning a few times. No need to cook the meatballs through.
- Add the sauce, reduce heat to medium and simmer for 15 minutes, uncovered.
- Serve warm with brown rice or brown rice noodles. Add garnish like fresh cilantro and green onions.
Notes
- Make ahead: Make meatballs and sauce up to 24 hours in advance. Store covered separately in the fridge.
- Store: Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
- Freeze: Fully cook, cool completely and freeze in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw on a stovetop covered on low.
- Kaffir lime leaves: You can buy kaffir lime leaves in any Asian store or online. They are sold dried and last forever in a sealed container. If you don’t have any, omit.
Just made your Clean Thai Turkey Zucchini Meatballs, and they are superb. Flavorful and healthful. Can’t beat that! I was a bit concerned when I read the reviewer who wrote that these were bland, but when I saw the ingredient list, I couldn’t help but wonder what he left out. Thanks for a great recipe!
You are welcome, Irene!:)
I’m excited to try these tonight! Can I substitute almond milk for coconut milk? We have so much of it on hand that my kids drink and I didn’t know if I had to out and get the other too?
Hi Nicole. Unfortunately that wouldn’t work. I know what you mean but you need to go and buy a can of light coconut milk. Canned and carton coconut (almond) milk are 2 different things. Canned one is thick and carton one is made with water.
Does the fish sauce give the meatballs a fishy taste? I don’t eat fish or any seafood but I really want to try this recipe. I was concerned about omitting the fish sauce from your comment saying the meatballs won’t be the same.
No it doesn’t. You will be fine. It marries all ingredients nicely.
I just made this recipe for Thai Turkey Meatballs and it was really tasty. The prep takes some time but it was worth it.
Awesome. Yeah, a bit of chopping and piling up all ingredients together. Second time it is faster.
This is one of my family’s favorites!! I’m making it again for dinner tonight!! So so delicious!!
Oh, yay, Alaina. I can’t believe how popular this recipe is…I remember whipping it up o na dreary rainy winter day and thinking pictures are not OK and recipe not sure what people will think of such a twist LOL
Just tried this recipe today- so easy! And more importantly – it’s sooo good! I put it over quinoa in a bowl – perfect! And the house smells amazing 🙂
Glad to hear, Glenna. 😀
Great recipe! Was very surprised how well the zucchini minded all of the ingredients together. I substituted the green onions for sweet onions just because of personal preference. I was a little bit thrown off that there is no salt to be added to the dish, so i definitely had to add to both the sauce and the meatballs. Overall great dish!
Hi Magda. Awesome! Salt is definitely a personal taste. I find fish sauce is salty enough but we do not eat a lot of salt so our tastebuds are different.
Shocked… First of all that they stayed together with no eggs or breadcrumbs. And second that my daughter who eats nothing (and I mean nothing) had seconds. She has literally never had seconds in her life. Then she said,”Can you make them again because I loved them.” Haha, I almost started crying. These were the best meatballs I have ever had. I can’t believe they were so healthy and tasted like that. Just followed you on Pinterest, and am looking forward to more of your recipes. Thanks!!!!!
That i the best compliment to hear. Glad it worked, Deborah. Now I have to deliver lol.
Hello! I’m going to make these tonight. Just wondered if I can use unsweetened almond milk in sub of the coconut milk? Thanks!
Hi Amy. No. And you have to use canned coconut milk not from the carton. Those are two very different things. Good you have a day to run to the store.
Hi! Do you think it is alright to skip the fish sauce? I am doing a Whole30 and the only fish sauce that I can find without sugar is only available online (and expensive)…. but I really had my hopes on making these meatballs!
Hi Andrea. Meatballs won’t be the same without the fish sauce. I just checked the label and considering sugar is listed last and nutritional info states 0g sugar I bet you will consume a ridiculous few grains of sugar.