These green curry meatballs are made with homemade fragrant pork meatballs cooked in a creamy green curry sauce with vegetables. Serve over rice with an extra squeeze of lime for an easy and flavourful dairy free weeknight dinner.
This recipe was based on my Thai red curry with baked chicken meatballs recipe so make sure to try that one next!
This recipe has to be one of my favourites. I’ve made it quite a few times, adjusting to get the balance just right and every time I make it I love it so much. It’s an easy meal to put together on a weeknight but the meatballs just make it something I’m really excited to eat and my husband cheers when I serve it up.
These meatballs are absolutely bursting with flavour! They are rich and salty and spicy and just so delicious coated in a simple Thai-style green curry sauce.
This recipe is a great way to use a store-bought curry paste and really elevate it into a delicious homemade meal. If you love a Thai green curry, then you have to try this variation!
Key Ingredients
Don’t let the length of the ingredient list intimidate you as we’re using mostly the same handful of ingredients to flavour the meatballs themselves and to make the curry sauce. If you make Asian inspired recipes at home often, it’s likely most of these ingredients will already be in your pantry.
Note all ingredients and their quantities are laid out in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Lean pork mince – I love this recipe using pork, but you can also use chicken mince or turkey mince in this recipe if you prefer.
- Garlic and ginger – to add a bold flavour to both the meatballs and the curry sauce. You can use fresh or you can use jarred (just make sure it doesn’t contain any unwanted additives!).
- Soy sauce – adding umami and saltiness to both the meatballs themselves and enhancing the flavour of the curry sauce.
- Fish sauce – I know it does stink, but it adds so much extra flavour, especially to the curry sauce. I highly recommend trying it!
- Chilli flakes – adds a little kick and extra flavour to the meatballs but if you’d prefer them to be milder, simply omit.
- Sesame oil – for flavour and to add moisture to the meatballs as chicken is quite lean.
- Breadcrumbs – I always use panko breadcrumbs but you can also use homemade if you prefer. These help to hold moisture in the meatballs preventing them from becoming dry.
- Thai green curry paste – use a good quality brand that you like for the best flavour. I like the Ayam brand which you can get at Coles or Woolworths. It has a mild spice level.
- Coconut milk – use a full fat canned coconut milk to ensure a thick, rich curry sauce.
- Lime – cuts through the spiciness of the curry and adds freshness.
- Veggies – I like to keep it simple with some sliced carrots and green beans but you can use any vegetables you like.
Step-By-Step Instructions
I love this recipe because it’s such a simple weeknight dinner but it’s so incredibly flavourful.
Start by making your meatballs. In a large bowl, mix together the pork mince, garlic, ginger, lime zest, lime juice, soy sauce, fish sauce, chilli flakes, sesame oil, and breadcrumbs. You can mix this together using a wooden spoon but I find using your hands is just much quicker and more efficient.
From here, roll the mixture into small meatballs. To do this, I actually use my cookie scoop as it makes it much easier to get even size balls.
Heat some oil in a large frying pan with taller sides, and cook the meatballs in batches if needed, turning occasionally until they are browned on all sides and pretty much cooked through. If they are still a little raw that’s ok as they can finish cooking in the sauce. Remove the meatballs from the pan and set them aside.
👉 Want a more hands off approach? You can instead bake the meatballs in a 180C/350F oven on a baking tray for 20 minutes. Once done, add to the finished curry sauce. This method works really well, you just don’t get the crispy browned bits on the meatballs that you would get when pan frying.
To the pan, add a little more oil and then the curry paste along with the additional garlic and ginger. Sauté for a couple of minutes or until nice and fragrant.
Add the coconut milk and stir to combine with the curry paste. Add the vegetables to the curry and cook for about 5-7 minutes until the vegetables are tender. Add back the meatballs and continue to cook for about 5 minutes until the curry starts to thicken. If it gets a little too thick, add some water to get your desired consistency.
Season the curry with extra soy sauce, fish sauce and lime juice to taste.
Serve the meatballs and curry over rice with extra lime wedges. I also had some roti in the freezer which is very much not traditional but was an amazing accompaniment to this curry, helping to soak up all of that delicious sauce.
Recipe FAQs
Yes! I recommend using either chicken mince or turkey mince as a replacement in this recipe.
The heat level completely depends on the brand of Thai green curry paste as they can vary a lot. If you prefer a milder spice level, omit the chilli flakes from the meatballs, and start with 2 tablespoons of curry paste instead of 3.
Absolutely! You can make and shape the meatballs ahead of time and store them in the fridge for up to 24 hours before cooking. You can also freeze the uncooked meatballs on a tray, then transfer them to a sealed bag once solid. Thaw them in the fridge overnight before cooking.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat gently on the stove or in the microwave, adding a splash of coconut milk or water if the sauce thickens too much.
If you do make this recipe, please be sure to leave a comment and ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating below! And tag any of your creations on Instagram with @eightforestlane as I would love to see.
More dairy free dinner ideas:
Easy Beef and Broccoli
20 Minute Hoisin Chicken Stir Fry
Chicken Satay Noodles
Healthy Honey Garlic Chicken Stir Fry
Sausage and Spinach Orecchiette
Green Curry Meatballs
Equipment
Ingredients
For the meatballs:
- 500 grams lean pork mince
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- ½ teaspoon ginger minced
- Zest of ½ lime
- Juice of ½ lime
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon fish sauce
- ½ teaspoon chilli flakes
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- ¼ cup breadcrumbs
For the green curry:
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 garlic clove minced
- ½ teaspoon ginger minced
- 3 tablespoon Thai green curry paste
- 1 x 400ml can coconut milk
- 1 medium carrot peeled and sliced
- 1 cup chopped green beans
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1-2 teaspoon fish sauce
- Juice of ½ lime
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the pork mince, garlic, ginger, lime zest, lime juice, soy sauce, fish sauce, chilli flakes, sesame oil, and breadcrumbs. Mix until well combined. Roll the mixture into small meatballs, about 1 tablespoon in size.
- Heat a non-stick frying pan over medium heat and lightly oil the surface. Cook the meatballs in batches, turning occasionally until browned on all sides and cooked through, about 8-10 minutes. Remove from the pan and set aside.
- In the same pan, heat the vegetable oil over medium heat. Add the garlic, ginger, and Thai green curry paste, cooking for 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
- Pour in the coconut milk, stirring well to combine with the curry paste. Bring to a simmer. Add the sliced carrot and green beans, and cook for 5-7 minutes until the vegetables are tender.
- Stir in the soy sauce, fish sauce, and lime juice. Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed. Return the meatballs to the pan and let them simmer in the sauce for 3-5 minutes to absorb the flavours.
- Serve the green curry meatballs over rice, with extra lime wedges on the side for squeezing.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is provided as a guide only and is calculated using automated online tools, therefore we cannot guarantee the accuracy. We encourage you to make your own calculations based on the actual ingredients used in your recipe.
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