Say hello to one of the most popular recipes on Well Seasoned, and for good reason: Thai turkey meatballs!
Easy to prep, packed full of flavor, healthy, and crazy delicious with the homemade coconut curry sauce. It’s weeknight dinner perfection!
How To Make Turkey Meatballs
Main flavor profile here is Thai. Super pumped about that. Combine the following in a large bowl:
Ground (dark meat) turkey, ginger marinade, an egg, ginger paste, kosher salt, breadcrumbs, and scallions.
- Ground (dark meat) turkey – Any ground meat will work, but ground turkey or ground chicken will offer a subtle flavor that doesn’t overpower the marinade, red curry sauce, or other ingredients
- Ginger marinade – I love this ginger sesame marinade for getting lots of flavor in a short amount of time! Super clean ingredients too.
- 1 egg – To bind the thai meatballs together
- Ginger paste – For a slight bit of heat, and a flavor that is zesty, sweet, and warm
- Kosher salt – To season the entire dish
- Breadcrumbs – For meatballs, I always recommend traditional dried or homemade breadcrumbs, not panko. The texture of panko is too coarse!
- Scallions – Adds a subtle onion flavor without changing the texture of the Thai curry meatballs much
We recommend combining all the wet ingredients in the bottom of the bowl first, which helps ensure you never overmix or over work the ground meat in meatballs. Next, add in the dry ingredients and blend until just combined.
Note: you can substitute ground turkey with ground chicken, beef, pork, or veal. Just don’t use lean chicken or turkey meat or the meatballs will dry out!
Pro Tip: Form Meatballs With a Cookie Scoop!
No, we’re not making cookies, but yes we still use a cookie scoop to create uniform sized meatballs.
Scoop the meat out onto a rimmed baking sheet, then use your hands to gently roll into round balls. Easy!
These meatballs are about 2″ round.
Cook Time For Thai Turkey Meatballs
If you’ve been here a while, you know that we are big fans of baking meatballs. We hate standing over an oven and flipping meatballs endlessly, getting the stovetop greasy and messy. We recommend baking or broiling homemade meatballs.
Place a rack about 3″ away from the top of your oven, then preheat broil to high. Turkey and chicken need to be cooked to an internal temperature of 165F to be safe to eat.
Cook Thai turkey meatballs on high for 6 minutes, flip once, then cook 6 minutes more. Perfect meatballs every time!
Side note: beef, lamb, veal, and pork meatballs all cook in slightly less time. About 10 minutes total, depending on the size of the meatballs (I usually make them about 1 ½ – 2″ round).
Coconut Red Curry Sauce
Let’s talk coconut curry sauce. Don’t be intimidated! One can of coconut milk is combined with red curry paste (an absolute must in our fridge at all times!!), ginger paste, and turmeric. Add a squeeze of half a fresh lime if you’ve got one!
This homemade red curry sauce is vibrant, healthy, flavorful, and bold in the best way. But like, it doesn’t require 20 different ingredients, which we appreciate.
Finish the curry sauce with about 2 cups of baby spinach or whatever tender greens you’ve got on hand waiting to be used up. Let them wilt just a bit, then serve!
Toppings
We like to keep the toppings in our rice bowls simple. Lots of fresh herbs — cilantro, scallions, basil — fresh lime juice, sesame seeds (black or white, either is great!), and that’s it.
If you are craving something crunchy, a handful of chopped or crushed peanuts would be stellar.
And yes, you could absolutely use brown rice or cauliflower rice, but we keep things easy around here. Good ol’ white rice it is!
We rarely serve anything alongside this — meatballs! rice! red curry sauce! it’s a complete meal! — but if you’re looking for a fun side salad? Thai noodle salad with peanut sauce looks bomb!
Honestly, such an easy weeknight dinner! The turkey meatballs cook up in no time, the sauce takes actual minutes to throw together. Perfect, simple dinner recipe after a busy day.
Bonus? Each component can be made ahead of time! Meatballs can be frozen either before baking of after (I always keep baked meatballs in the freezer, such a lifesaver during weeks that are hectic!).
To defrost frozen meatballs: place on a microwave safe plate then heat for 30 seconds to 1 minute until warmed through.
Alternatively, you could allow meatballs to thaw overnight in a refrigerator, slice in half, then heat cut side down in a skillet with a tablespoon of olive oil. Flip after 1-2 minutes, cook 1 minute more. The meatballs get super crispy — the best ever!
This is the type of cozy, comforting meal our family longs for. Packed with flavor, simple to prep and execute, and healthy! This Thai turkey meatball recipe is the shake up your weeknight dinner routine has been longing for!
If you make our Thai Turkey Meatballs recipe with Coconut Curry, please let us know by leaving a rating and review below.
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For more simple weeknight dinners, check out of the following recipes:
- 7-minute eggs marinated in soy sauce (shoyu tamago)
- Easy chicken milanese with fennel
- Crispy skin salmon with lemon parmesan sauce
- Easy stuffed portobello mushrooms with fontina
- Whole30 Asian stuffed peppers
Thai Turkey Meatballs Recipe with Coconut Curry
Ingredients
For the Thai turkey meatballs
- 1 ⅓ lb ground turkey dark meat
- 1 large egg
- 3 Tbsp ginger sesame marinade
- ½ tsp ginger paste or fresh grated ginger
- ¾ cup plain breadcrumbs or seasoned breadcrumbs (NOT panko!), see note
- 2 scallions (about 3 Tbsp) thinly sliced
- 1 tsp kosher salt
To make coconut curry
- 1 (13.5 oz) can coconut milk regular or lite
- 2 Tbsp red curry paste
- 1 tsp ginger paste or fresh grated ginger
- 1 tsp turmeric
- ⅓ cup water
- 2 ½ oz baby spinach about half a bag
- ½ lime juiced
Serving suggestions
- white rice cooked
- cilantro
- scallions thinly sliced
- fresh basil
- lime wedges
- crushed peanuts optional
- sriracha optional
Instructions
To make meatballs
- In a large bowl, whisk together egg, ginger marinade, and ginger paste. Add ground turkey, breadcrumbs, scallions, and kosher salt. Use hands to mix until just combined.
- Use a cookie scoop to portion out meatballs into equal sizes. For 1 ⅓ lbs of turkey, I can get 15 meatballs approximately 2" round in size. Place meatballs about 2" apart on a rimmed baking sheet. Broil on high for 6 minutes, carefully turn each meatball over, then cook an additional 6 minutes more.
For coconut curry
- Meanwhile, add coconut milk to a large skillet or sauce pan, then bring to a slow boil over medium-high heat. Add red curry paste, ginger paste or fresh ginger, and turmeric, then whisk until dissolved. Pour in water, then simmer until meatballs are cooked. Just before serving, add baby spinach and squeeze half of a fresh lime into the sauce, then stir until spinach is wilted, about 1-2 minutes.
- Serve meatballs and coconut curry sauce over white rice (or other rice), then top with fresh cilantro, basil, and/or thinly sliced scallions. I like to use them all! Optional: sprinkle with sesame seeds, crushed peanuts and/or sriracha. Serve with lime wedges on the side.
Video
Notes
- Do not use panko breadcrumbs when making meatballs (any meatball recipe!). Use plain or seasoned breadcrumbs, which will help keep the texture of the meatballs smooth. Panko will create a coarse texture throughout.
- Meatballs can be frozen after baking. Allow to cool completely, then place in a freezer safe airtight container. To defrost: place frozen thai turkey meatballs on a microwave safe plate then heat for 30 seconds to 1 minute until warmed through.
- Alternatively, you could allow meatballs to thaw overnight in a refrigerator, slice in half, then heat cut side down in a skillet with a tablespoon of olive oil. Flip after 1-2 minutes, cook 1 minute more.
- Ground turkey: feel free to substitute turkey with ground chicken, beef, pork, or veal. Do not use extra lean meat or the meatballs will dry out.
Do you have a recipe or suggestion for the ginger sesame marinade you use for the meatballs?
Hi Lauren! So two thoughts: you could simply replace with something like teriyaki sauce if you have it on hand OR a quick google search for ‘ginger soy marinade’ came back with a ton of results that look very simple to make at home if you’ve got the ingredients on hand. These two look good depending on what you’ve got lying around the house!
Food & Wine – https://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/soy-ginger-marinade
Williams Sonoma – https://www.williams-sonoma.com/recipe/soy-ginger-marinade.html
xo, Ari
Thanks! Made them tonight and it was delicious. The curry sauce put it over the top. It’s a new regular in our house!
I am SO glad to hear this! I love how quick and versatile meatballs are. You’re right — the curry sauce is the star of the show!!! xo, Ari
Hi, I am just wondering how much spinach to use? I don’t see spinach in the ingredient list. Planning on making this soon; it sounds and looks so good!!
Hi Jolene! Thanks for pointing this out — it’s 2½ cups of fresh baby spinach (or about half a bag of packaged spinach). Added to the instructions. Please follow up with any additional questions and report back!! xo, Ari
Made these for dinner tonight. Instructions were clear And easy and the flavor was freaking fantastic! Can’t wait to make them again! Thank you!
I want to live in that curry sauce!!! So glad you enjoyed these! xo
Really flavorful. Really easy. Especially great because they go with a lot of different sides – noodles, rice, salad, Hell – scrambled eggs!! Make em, you’ll be happy!
Yes, yes, yes! I haven’t tried them with scrambled eggs yet, but I’m pretty sure that’s a genius move. Thank you, Carey! xo, Ari
Bookmarked to try – your plating is phenomenal. And please tell me where did you get those beautiful chopsticks??
Jaclyn, thank you SO much! I love styling rice bowls!! The chopsticks are (unfortunately) about 10 years old. We received them as a wedding gift as part of a larger sushi set. So sorry I don’t have more info! xo, Ari
This was such an easy to make and delicious dinner! We gobbled it up in minutes and then went back for seconds!!!!
Hooray! We are in love with these flavors and the simplicity of the dish. So glad you enjoyed! xo, Ari
I was blown away with this recipe!! Is not just easy to make, it’s so delicious that I made it two days in a row 😂😍
Perfect combination of sauce, rice and meat 👌
One of my new favourite dishes from now on ❤️
Thank you!
Irena, that is the best compliment ever! I’m so glad you love this as much as we do! Thank you for your feedback! xo, Ari
So easy and delicious. I didn’t have the marinade so I subbed more grated ginger, soy, garlic, and toasted sesame oil. It was so so good! And my 2 year old devoured it too
GREAT substitution! Yes, for anyone reading the reviews, you absolutely do not NEED a special store-bought ginger marinade — you can make your own with many of the same ingredients used in the sauce! Thank you for the feedback, Leyla!! xo, Ari
Made this tonight and it was amazing. Definitely going into our regular dinner rotation. I used ground chicken instead of turkey and added a bit extra breadcrumbs because it felt quite wet. I also used an Asian sesame salad dressing because I couldn’t find any of the ginger sesame marinade.
That’s amazing, so glad they were a hit! Sounds like you nailed it — definitely gotta make sure the texture is not too wet. Any Asian marinade is a great way to get that flavor in there. Thanks so much for your feedback! xo, Ari
Tried this tonight: DELISH!! I gambled and tripled the recipe, not knowing how we would like it, and am SO glad I did. We had yumminess for dinner and now we have meatballs in the freezer ready to go. Oh, and I used Mizuna as my green and it was a great alternate to spinach. I love your recipe adaptation feature before I printed it allowing me to increase the recipe as I desired. That was super cool, too. Thank you, Ari, for a wonderful recipe! I’ll send you a pic on insta.
Tripling a new recipe is BOLD and I like it lol! Mizuna was a great substitution — thank you for sharing! So glad you love this one! Thank you, Alicia! xo, Ari
I couldn’t get the exact same marinade but I got the closest I could and this recipe was an absolute hit in our household. Totally delicious. I wasn’t looking for a light meal in particular but this did turn out to be quite light and just perfect during the week. Hubby totally loved it too. thank you.
Such a great weeknight dinner and yes, very much loved by all the husbands lol! xo, Ari
FAVORITE WEEK NIGHT DINNER… NEVER FAILS!!! Best recipe ever! 😍😍😍😍😍😍
Lydia, AGREE!! We enjoyed this for dinner a couple nights this week and it is just so cozy and comforting. But easy! So glad you love it too! xo, Ari
I made this tonight and left out the spinach by mistake (it was sitting right on the counter and I forgot…eye roll!) and it was great! The lime at the end really added to the flavor. I made enough to have leftovers and I can’t wait to eat it again!
I have done that SO many times with so many recipes, Erin! lol! Thankfully it’s still delicious without the added spinach. Really glad you enjoyed this. And yes, the leftovers are stellar! xo, Ari
This recipe was a home run! I went with ground turkey and I added some cilantro into the meatball mixture and bumped up the fresh ginger in both the meat and the curry. Also added some sliced avocado and togarashi to garnish along with cilantro, scallions, sesame seeds and lime. We loved this so much I will be making a double batch next week. Thanks!
The avocado and togarashi sound like wonderful additions! So happy this will become a regular in your kitchen! xo, Ari
These meatballs are amazing! Super easy and delish. My husband was super enthused and asked me to make them again. So it will definitely be tossed into my dinner rotation! I tossed in red pepper strips with the spinach and plated over brown rice. I also used ground pork instead of turkey. Thanks, Ari! Fab recipe!
A total family favorite over here, as well! Love the addition of red pepper, and so happy they tasted great with pork! xo, Ari
This was absolutely amazing! Made them with chicken minced meat as turkey isn’t as easy to find here -I wish it was- . For sure making this again! Also spammed my whole family by sending the recipe because everyone has to try this! It’s just too good 😋
Thank you so much for sharing with your family!! It is so appreciated! And yes, love this with chicken too. Hooray! xo, Ari
What an incredibly delicious and flavorful dish! I made this recipe with a minor tweak because I was using very lean turkey meat (at the behest of my fiancé). After forming the meatballs, I put them in the freezer so they would retain their shape then cooked them in a sous vide at 145 degrees for 1.5 hours. Once done cooking, I broiled the meatballs for another 12 minutes in the oven to give them that beautiful oven-baked color before adding to the coconut curry sauce. I cannot brag enough about the balance of savory, spice, and gentle sweetness in this dish! We will definitely add this to a regular rotation of dinner recipes!
Love that you made these sous vide! Thanks so much for reporting back on how they turned out! This recipe can do no wrong! xo, Ari
Phenomenal!!! I’m not a cook by any stretch of the imagination, but every recipe I have made from this site has been stellar! For this recipe, I purchased ingredients and threw together last minute for a small gathering of friends with small children. My friends declared this better than their favourite, local Thai restaurant. The kids devoured it! My only feedback would be to please, please double the recipe. Trust me.
Thai turkey meatballs for life! They are so damn good!! Making another batch this week! xo, Ari
This was such a great easy meal for the whole family. It came together quickly and we were able to enjoy dinner before I had to work. The boys enjoyed the rice and meatballs while my husband and I enjoyed everything with the wonderful curry sauce.
Oh, Faith – we LOVE hearing this!! It totally comes together in minutes, but packs flavor in all the right ways. Just love these!! xo, Ari
I had been waiting to try this recipe for such a long time and it DID NOT DISAPPOINT! So easy, so delicious! I normally dread making meatballs because searing them on the stove top is a pain. Broiling them is so much easier and less greasy and messy. Who knew this Thai coconut curry was so simple? Adding this to our family’s repertoire of meals!
Agree, I totally dislike making meatballs on a stovetop, but baking them is a game changer!! We make these often! xo, Ari
10 starts! this was fantastic! will absolutely make again!
Love hearing this! So glad you enjoyed!! xo, Ari
Easy weeknight dinner and everyone loved it. For the record, panko works just fine. It has a lot less junk in it. Just look at the ingredients list on breadcrumbs and then check the panko label!
Glad you all love it! I think with Panko it comes down to preference of texture — using Panko breadrcumbs in meatballs will create a much coarser texture. Yes, it certainly works at holding the protein together, but it’s not the texture I’m aiming for with the Thai turkey meatballs. I’m glad you enjoy them! xo, Ari
Finally made these tonight and they are AMAZING. I didn’t have the marinade suggested but subbed in an easy 50/50 mix of tamari and rice vinegar, with a little extra grated ginger. I’m not very confident cooking with meat (after close to a decade of vegetarianism), and this was a great place to start!
YES — cooking is way more forgiving than baking! Use what you’ve got, and the combo of tamari and rice vinegar sounds like it worked perfectly. The marinade is super forgiving, we often just use any Asian marinade we have on hand. So so happy you loved these!! They are a family favorite here as well. xo, Ari
My sisters and I make this almost every night!!! One of the best week night dinners ever, thanks for all your amazing recipes❤️❤️❤️
We are crazy about this recipe too, Lydia! Wish I could enjoy it with you ladies!! xo, Ari
Delicious recipe. The squeeze of line at the end really makes it all pop with flavour
Yessss, wouldn’t be the same without lime juice! Thanks, Sara! xo, Ari
These are on permanent repeat at our house – eating them at least every other week. So easy and perfect every single time. I haven’t been able to find ginger sesame marinade so the Trader Joe’s sesame dressing works in a pinch.
This is amazing to hear!! They are a well loved staple for us too. That sesame dressing sounds perfect. Just want to add a little extra something to give them more flavor!! xo, Ari
What could I use to replace the turmeric ? Curry powder ? Cumin? What will match the original flavor the best?
Hi Chelsea — I know we connected on Instagram, but responding here to see how it went! Hope you loved the recipe! xo, Ari
These have become a staple for dinner in my home for my husband and I. I also always make them for my family and guests when they come to visit! Such a unique twist on meatballs and they impress every time! Thanks Ari!
Thanks, Lauren!! They’re such an easy weeknight recipe, and agree — perfect for simple entertaining!! xo, Ari
I LOVE this recipe! I just made it this week, and it is completely delicious!
Totally and completely delicious, AGREE!! xo, Ari
Made this for my boyfriend and it was phenomenal! We both had seconds. I added sautéed bok choy as a side and it was perfect. I would have broiled the meatballs just a minute less, but other than that it was absolutely divine. Looking forward to making more of your recipes Ari!
Love!! So glad it was a hit (and sautéed bok choy sounds like a fabulous addition)! xo, Ari
Love! Made these for the first time the other night for a group of my friends and they were perfect! The recipe is approachable and affordable, while still being SO delicious. Well Seasoned Studio is my go to for finding new recipes that I know will be amazing!
Agree, love that the sauce is made with so many affordable pantry-staples! Thank you for the kind words, means so much! xo, Ari
I really liked the sauce with the rice but the meatballs were just ok. I think I might like shrimp or chicken instead of turkey meatballs.
Think it would taste pretty similar if made with ground chicken, but if you prefer chicken thighs or breasts cut into small pieces, that could work great. Shrimp is a delicious addition, too!
The mix of flavors in this dish are incredible! I’ve never used dark ground turkey for meatballs but I followed your suggestion and they were perfect. Between the flavor of the meatballs and the sauce, this was exactly what I needed when feeling a bit under the weather. My fiance and I both went back for seconds! Will make again!
YES! The dark ground turkey meat definitely has more flavor and stays more moist than white meat. Such a great pick-me-up meal! xo, Ari
Made this for the 3th time and once again it’s a hit. I completely forgot how easy and fast it is to make. There are so many recipes which say they take like 15 mins and they take me 2 hours. I was prepared on being in the kitchen for 2 hours and only an hour later we already almost finished eating.
Even though it’s so foolproof, easy and fast, I still feel like it’s fancy which is why I make it as holiday food or for guests. 😁
So quick, so flavorful, and always impressive!! Agree, this is a go-to when we have guests over too. Thank you for the review!! xo, Ari
This is the first recipe I tried from your website. OMG these meatballs are my new favorite recipe! Made them earlier in the week and was amazed by how yummy they were! They were just as good heated up the next day for lunch with a little avocado and siracha on top! I will definitely be making extra next time so I can freeze some. Thank you for the recipe!
Mallory, I am SO happy this was the first recipe you tried!! It is the most popular recipe on the site, and for good reason. Takes minutes to make, tastes amazing, and YES, you can totally double it and freeze meatballs for later. We also eat them without the coconut curry sauce occasionally and instead just drizzle with sriracha. Heaven!! xo, Ari
I’ve made this recipe many times, it’s in the regular rotation. It’s so simple to make sometimes I have to double check to make sure I haven’t missed anything! It really comes out great every-time. I actually doubled the recipe when I made it yesterday so I’d have enough to eat for the week and freeze! Thanks Ari for your great recipes and the reminder you put on IG that reviews are important 🙂
Michele, thank you so much!!! We make this at least once a month and I always double it to freeze leftovers too. Appreciate you and the feedback so much! xo, Ari
Such a good meal prep recipe – paired with quinoa. This website never misses!
Oh, you are a gem. Thanks, Sophie! xo, Ari
Where is the recipe for the Sesame ginger marinade?
Hi Lee! It’s just a store-bought marinade. You can use literally any Asian marinade you like, whether it’s a similar sesame ginger flavor, a spicy Asian marinade, anything. Hope this helps! We like to try different brands, but we make these meatballs so often that we always use them up. xo, Ari
Made this dish as given….perfection! Delicious but next time I will double the sauce! Thank you for creating such excellent dishes!
Thanks, Shirley! I agree — doubling the sauce is the way to go! So glad you enjoyed! xo, Ari
Hi , can you please tell me where is the recipe for sesame ginger marinade? I know it me but I don’t see it . Thanks a bunch! Can’t wait to make this !
Maria
Hi Maria! I honestly just keep a bottle of store-bought sesame ginger marinade in my pantry at all times for this recipe. You can replace ‘sesame ginger marinade’ with literally any Asian flavored marinade (found in the ethnic aisle) — that could be a sweet chili sauce, a teriyaki sauce, a ginger lime sauce, a spicy marinade — it honestly all works! I’ve tried many. Hope this helps! xo, Ari