Thai-Style Red Curry Meatballs (Easy, Creamy & Full of Flavor)

These Thai-style red curry meatballs are flavorful, versatile, and easy to make your own. Whether you’re team air fryer, baked, or pan-seared, they’ll turn out tender and delicious every time. It’s the kind of dish that warms you up, fills you up, and impresses anyone at the table.
Recipe
A black bowl with rice topped with flavorful meatballs in Thai-style red curry sauce, garnished with chopped green herbs and pine nuts. A lime wedge is on the rice. Lime slices are on the side, along with a patterned napkin and utensils. Fresh basil leaves rest nearby on a marble surface.

About this recipe

Craving something cozy, spicy, and packed with flavor? These Thai-style red curry meatballs are your answer. Simmered in a creamy coconut curry sauce with garlic, ginger, and Thai red curry paste, they’re the perfect weeknight dinner—comforting, satisfying, and ready in under 40 minutes.

Whether using ground chicken, turkey, or a plant-based meat alternative, this recipe delivers bold flavor in every bite. Serve over jasmine rice, rice noodles, or your favorite grain for a complete meal that feels like takeout—but better (and healthier!).

Raw ground meat on a white plate awaits transformation into flavorful meatballs, surrounded by small dishes of tomato paste, breadcrumbs, chopped garlic, sliced green onions, and grated ginger. A small bowl of soy sauce enhances this Thai-style red curry setup on the wooden cutting board.

Ingredient Notes

  • Serrano pepper: Swap with jalapeño for milder heat or omit for a kid-friendly version.
  • Red curry paste: Store-bought is great, but check labels for vegan options if needed. Yellow or green curry paste also works great here.
  • Water: You can use vegetable broth or chicken broth to boost flavor.
  • Make-ahead: Meatballs can be cooked in advance and reheated in the sauce.
Meatballs in a creamy, Thai-style red curry sauce simmer in a black skillet, garnished with fresh green basil leaves. The dish is sprinkled with ground spices, adding a touch of red to the sauce. The rich visuals suggest a flavorful, aromatic meal ready to be served.

How to Make the Red Curry Sauce

  • Add garlic and ginger; sauté for 1 minute until fragrant.
  • Stir in red curry paste and cook for 30 seconds. Add coconut milk, water, soy sauce, sugar, and lime juice.
  • Stir to combine and bring to a simmer. Add cooked meatballs to the sauce.
  • Simmer for 5–10 minutes to let flavors meld.

To Serve

  • Jasmine or long-grain white rice. I also like to serve it over my coconut rice recipe.
  • Rice noodles or glass noodles. These are mainly used for Korean food, but they would also work beautifully here.
  • Cauliflower rice (for a low-carb option)
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A black bowl with rice topped with flavorful meatballs in Thai-style red curry sauce, garnished with chopped green herbs and pine nuts. A lime wedge is on the rice. Lime slices are on the side, along with a patterned napkin and utensils. Fresh basil leaves rest nearby on a marble surface.

Thai-Style Red Curry Meatballs

Alejandra Graf
These Thai-style red curry meatballs are flavorful, versatile, and easy to make your own. Whether you’re team air fryer, baked, or pan-seared, they’ll turn out tender and delicious every time. It’s the kind of dish that warms you up, fills you up, and impresses anyone at the table.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Course Main
Cuisine Thai
Servings 4 servings
Calories 268 kcal

Equipment

Ingredients
  

For the Meatballs:

  • 1 lb ground chicken or turkey or plant-based alternative
  • 1/4 cup panko breadcrumbs
  • 1 serrano pepper minced
  • 2 cloves garlic grated
  • 1- inch piece fresh ginger grated
  • 1 green onion finely chopped
  • 1 tbsp Thai red curry paste
  • 1 tsp soy sauce
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 tbsp oil for cooking

For the Coconut Curry Sauce:

  • 1 tbsp oil
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 1- inch piece fresh ginger grated
  • 2 tbsp Thai red curry paste
  • 1 can 13.5 oz full-fat coconut milk
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 tbsp soy sauce or tamari
  • 1/2 tsp brown sugar or maple syrup
  • 1/2 tbsp fresh lime juice

For serving

  • Zest of 1 lime
  • Chopped peanuts
  • Fresh cilantro and Thai basil
  • Lime juice

Instructions
 

Mix the Meatballs

  • In a bowl, mix the ground meat, breadcrumbs, serrano, garlic, ginger, green onion, curry paste, soy sauce, and salt until well combined. Form into 1-inch meatballs.
  • Air Fryer: Preheat air fryer to 400°F (200°C).Lightly grease the basket and air fry meatballs for 10–12 minutes, shaking halfway through, until golden and cooked through.
  • Brown the Meatballs: Heat 1 tbsp oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Sear the meatballs on all sides for 2–3 minutes until golden. Remove and set aside (they’ll finish cooking in the sauce).
  • Baked: Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C).Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place meatballs on the sheet and bake for 18–20 minutes, flipping halfway through, until browned and cooked through.

Build the Sauce

  • In the same skillet, add another tbsp of oil. Sauté the garlic and ginger for 1 minute. Stir in the red curry paste and cook for another 30 seconds until fragrant.
  • Pour in the coconut milk, water, soy sauce, brown sugar, lime juice, and lime zest. Stir to combine and bring to a simmer.
  • Return the meatballs to the skillet. Simmer gently for 10–12 minutes, or until cooked through and tender.

Garnish and Serve

  • Top with chopped peanuts, fresh cilantro, and Thai basil. Serve over steamed jasmine rice or noodles.

Notes

  • Don’t overmix the meatball mixture — combine just until everything is incorporated. Overmixing can make the meatballs dense or tough.
  • Avoid overcooking. Whether pan-searing, baking, or air-frying, cook just until the meatballs are golden and firm. When simmered in the sauce, they’ll continue to cook slightly, keeping them tender and juicy.
  • Store in the fridge for 3 days, and reheat in the microwave. Adjust the seasoning before eating.
  • Add more veggies to the sauce: Add more vegetables to the sauce, broccoli, zucchini, snap peas or carrots will be great.

Nutrition

Serving: 1servingCalories: 268kcalCarbohydrates: 7gProtein: 21gFat: 17gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 4gMonounsaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 98mgSodium: 726mgPotassium: 654mgFiber: 1gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 1817IUVitamin C: 4mgCalcium: 42mgIron: 2mg
Keyword curry

information

Nutritional information of this recipe is only an estimate, the accuracy for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.

Did you make this recipe?Tag @piloncilloyvainilla on Instagram and hashtag it #alecooks so we can all see your creations.
Alejandra Graf
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