Thai Coconut Curry Meatballs {Paleo, Whole30}

These Thai Coconut Curry Meatballs are a long time favorite and slowly perfected meal at my house. Our one year old is absolutely LOVING this nutrient dense dinner right now! The meatballs are packed full of protein, hidden zucchini, & red curry paste.  You are going to love the creamy coconut curry sauce. Yum! 

These Thai Coconut Curry Meatballs have been around our house for almost decade. They started as a low fat turkey meatball with reduced fat coconut milk back in the day when the whole low fat/high protein diet was popular.

To be honest, this meal is ohhhhh sooooo much better with full fat coconut milk! Its up to you what kind of meat you would like to use; lately I’ve been using grass-fed ground beef that I get from a local rancher because my kids are little red meat addicts.

A few years back I gave this recipe to a friend and she said it takes her hours to make. No, no, no! Can’t have that. What busy Mom has time to spend hours slaving at the stovetop?! So here is my 30 minute method:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees Farenheight
• Throw meatball ingredients together, scoop meat using Medium Scoop on to a Large Stone Bar Pan or any other baking dish
• Bake meatballs x 20 minutes
• Meanwhile, make the sauce in a big pot (my favorite is the RockCrok) and get it simmering
• Pull the meatballs out of the oven, add them to the simmering sauce, give a little stir, & DONE
• Eat as is, serve over zucchini noodles, sprouted rice, or our latest favorite: Lotus Foods Organic Rice Raman

And mama … if you are going to the work to make dinner, please make a double batch of this meal. Freeze half for later and you’ll save yourself dishes & have peace of mind that you have something to pull out of the freezer when you’ve just had “one of those days.”

I frequently make a double batch of our favorite meals and later use the freezer meal for the nights I work as a Registered Nurse in the Emergency Department. My husband loves not having to cook while I’m gone and being able to just have a night to play with the kids. And I love that there is no rushing around trying to get dinner ready before my shift!

What makes these Thai Coconut Curry Meatballs {Paleo, Whole30} nutrient dense?

• Grass-fed ground beef or free-range organic chicken/turkey: no antibiotics, hormones, or soy/corn filled animal feed. Learn How to Buy Grass-fed Beef.
• Full fat coconut milk: many benefits, just one of these is that it contains a large amount of lauric acid which helps lower bad cholesterol (LDL) & raise good cholesterol (HDL) plus its full of medium chain triglycerides which maintain a healthy weight.
• Shredded zucchini: hidden vegetables in the meatballs!
• Immune boosting spices such as ginger, red curry paste, & hot pepper chili flakes
• Chicken bone broth in the sauce: great for all connective tissue, healing the gut lining, and more.
• Tapioca starch: used to thicken the sauce, tapioca is a root vegetable which makes it Paleo/Whole30 compliant

Enjoy! -Rashele, BSN, RN, CEN

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Thai Coconut Curry Meatballs {Paleo, Whole30}

These Thai Coconut Curry Meatballs are a long time favorite and slowly perfected meal at my house. Our one year old is absolutely LOVING this nutrient dense dinner right now! The meatballs are packed full of protein, hidden zucchini, & red curry paste.  And you are going to love the creamy coconut curry sauce. Yum! 

Course Main Dish

Cuisine Thai

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 30 minutes

Servings 6 people

Calories 403 kcal

Author Rashele Birmingham

Ingredients

Meatballs

• 1.5 lbs grass-fed ground beef or free-range organic turkey/chicken
• 1 cup zucchini shredded
• 1/4 cup green onions chopped
• 2 Tbsp dried basil
• 2 tsp dried ginger or 1 Tbsp fresh
• 2 Tbsp red curry paste
• 1/8 tsp hot pepper chili flakes

Sauce

• 2 cups coconut milk 13.5 oz can, full fat
• 1 1/2 cups chicken bone broth or regular broth/stock
• 1/2 cup tomato paste 8 oz can
• 1 Tbsp curry powder or more curry paste
• 1 Tbsp tapioca starch

Instructions

Meatballs

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Farenheight. Grease 9 x 13 baking dish or use un-greased Large Stone Bar Pan. 

2. Mix all ingredients for meatballs together. Scoop out using Medium Scoop onto baking dish. 

3. Bake x 20 minutes. 

Sauce

1. Meanwhile, put all ingredients for sauce in a large pot (such as the RockCrok). Whisk to combine over medium heat until bubbling and beginning to thicken.

2. Decrease heat to low and let the sauce simmer. 

   
   

3. Add meatballs to sauce when they are done and either eat immediately or continue to simmer until ready to enjoy dinner together. 

4. Serve over zucchini noodles, cauliflower rice, sprouted rice, or Lotus Foods Organic Rice Raman. 

Recipe Notes

This meal freezes well! I highly recommend making a double batch and freezing half for an easy meal later. Saves on dishes and time. 

Tools used to make this recipe (click photo or link to shop):

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References: