Easy Coconut Curry Meatballs with Jasmine Rice- Ready in under 30 minutes!
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This coconut curry meatball recipe features oven-baked ground beef meatballs in a creamy coconut curry sauce over fluffy jasmine rice. Ready in under 30 minutes, this simple curry dish will be a new favorite in your meal rotation!
Table of Contents
Hey there, friends. It's me again, pretending I've traveled the globe to far-off places and eaten exotic foods when in actuality I've lived in the same rural town for 31 years.
The most exotic things about me are my flock of sassy ninja chickens and the fact that I cut my own hair (both of which are unheard of in my family).
My palate doesn't care that we live in farm country. It wants excitement. Spice. Variety.
Last week, it wanted coconut curry meatballs with jasmine rice and garlic naan, so that's precisely what it got.
Curry is one of those mysterious dishes that can be prepared in a hundred different ways and remain delicious every single time. That's great news for people like me who have never eaten curry prepared by someone who has traveled to or lived in a place where curry is a typical dish.
So, if that's you, you're in the right place. This is a great curry recipe for beginners. It's made with ingredients easily found at your local grocery store and mild enough to be kid-friendly!
why you'll love this recipe
Ready in under 30 minutes. We're all looking for a super-easy and nutritious meal to get on the table on busy weeknights. This creamy curry meatball recipe is one of those recipes!
No frying. I love a good pan-seared meatball, but that adds extra steps and time to your dinner prep. Baking ground beef meatballs in the oven puts dinner on the table faster!
Mild and kid-friendly. I think many people steer clear of curries because they can be a bit too strong for certain palates. This curry was mild enough for my toddler to eat with a smile (and lots of coconut sauce) on her face.
Versatile. You can easily substitute the ground beef meatballs with ground chicken or turkey, and add extra curry sauce and seasonings to your taste.
Meal-prep and batch-prep friendly. This recipe can easily be doubled or tripled to feed a crowd or spread over multiple nights. For meal prep, make your jasmine rice and meatballs in advance. When dinner time rolls around, all you have to do is make the sauce while your meatballs cook.
Perfect working lunch. Store leftovers in a glass container to reheat for tomorrow's lunch.
Simple recipe with a big payoff. This recipe utilizes pantry staples that come together to create big flavor!
Key ingredients
Ground beef, yogurt, and spices combine to create delicious meatballs rich in protein.
Coconut milk, aromatics, and curry powder blend into a creamy curry sauce, perfect for pouring over jasmine rice and sopping up with naan.
Lime juice and cilantro give the dish a bright, fresh flavor.
Jasmine rice and bone broth serve as a nutritious base that absorbs all the rich flavors.
Tools you may need
Dutch oven, cast iron skillet, or large saucepan
Cookie scooper (optional, but makes scooping meatballs a breeze!)
How to make creamy coconut curry meatballs with jasmine rice
For the jasmine rice:
Step 1: Bring bone broth or water to a boil in a medium saucepan.
Step 2: Rinse the jasmine rice in a fine mesh sieve until the water runs clear (about 1-2 minutes), then add it to the boiling broth.
Step 3: Cook covered for 12-15 minutes. Fluff rice with a fork and set aside.
For the meatballs:
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 450°F.
Step 2: Combine ground beef, yogurt, and seasonings in a medium-sized bowl.
Step 3: Using a cookie scooper or your hands, portion the ground beef mixture into two tablespoon-sized balls and place on a 9x13-inch baking pan.
Step 4: Bake the meatballs for 12- 15 minutes. Meanwhile, make the sauce (instructions below).
Step 5: When the meatballs are cooked through, turn on the broiler and continue cooking for 2-4 minutes, or until they have a nice crust on top.
For the sauce
Step 1: Melt two tablespoons of coconut oil over medium heat in a Dutch oven or large skillet. Add the chopped onions and cook until tender, about 5-7 minutes (for extra-soft onions, place the lid cockeyed on the pan so the heat can vent and let the onions sweat).
Step 2: Add the minced garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes.
Step 3: Add the curry powder and cinnamon to the onion mixture and cook for 1-2 minutes until the spices are fragrant.
Step 4: Stir in the coconut milk and bone broth, increase the heat to medium-high, and bring the sauce to a boil. Cook until the sauce thickens, about 5 minutes.
Step 5: Stir in lime juice and cilantro.
Step 6: Add meatballs to the coconut curry sauce and stir until well-coated.
Step 7: Serve meatballs over jasmine rice and a side of sourdough naan with roasted garlic butter!
Tips for success
Avoid overmixing or overcooking your meatballs. This will make them dry and dense.
Adjust curry heat to taste. This recipe is mild, but taste as you go and add more to your liking.
Use full-fat canned coconut milk without gums or additives for the best texture and flavor.
Don't skip the cilantro and lime! Cilantro and lime add a burst of bright flavor to the dish. If you are one of those unfortunate souls who think cilantro tastes like dish soap, swap it for fresh parsley. You can also swap the lime juice for lemon juice.
Tips for storage
Store the meatballs and curry sauce in the skillet you cooked them in or in a glass bowl with a lid. Store the rice separately. Refrigerate the rice, meatballs, and curry for 3 to 5 days.
How to reheat curry
In the oven: In separate oven-safe bowls, reheat the rice and meatball/curry mixture in a 350°F oven for 10 to 15 minutes. Add a splash of water to keep them from drying out.
On the stovetop (my favorite): Add a splash of water and reheat everything in their original cooking containers over medium heat for 5-10 minutes.
Easy Coconut Curry Meatballs with Jasmine Rice
Ingredients
For the meatballs:
- 1 pound ground beef
- 2 tbs Greek yogurt
- 1 tbs yellow curry powder
- 2 teaspoon onion powder
- 2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 tbs dried minced onion
- 1 pinch of salt
For the coconut curry sauce:
- 2 tbs coconut oil
- 1 yellow or red onion minced
- 4 cloves of garlic, minced
- 2 teaspoon yellow curry powder
- ¼ tsp cinnamon
- 1 can unsweetened coconut milk (13.5 ounces)
- I lime, juiced
- ½ cup bone broth (can sub water)
- 1 handful fresh cilantro, chopped (optional)
For the jasmine rice:
- 1 cup jasmine rice, rinsed well
- 1 ½ cups bone broth, chicken broth, or water
Instructions
For the jasmine rice:
- Bring 1 ½ cups of bone broth or water to a boil in a medium saucepan.
- Add rinsed jasmine rice. Cover the pot with a lid, reduce the heat to low, and boil for 12-15 minutes. Fluff the rice with a fork and set aside.
For the meatballs:
- Preheat oven to 450°F.
- In a large bowl, combine ground beef, Greek yogurt, and spices.
- Using a cookie scooper or your hands, portion the ground beef mixture into two tablespoon-sized balls.
- Place meatballs in a 9 x 13 baking dish and bake for 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, make the sauce (instructions below).
- When the meatballs are cooked through, switch the oven to "broil" and cook for another 2-4 minutes, until the meatballs are brown and crispy on top.
For the coconut curry sauce:
- Melt coconut oil in a large saucepan or Dutch oven.
- Sauté the onion until soft, about 5-7 minutes.
- Add the garlic and cook for another 1-2 minutes, until fragrant.
- Add curry powder and cinnamon to onion mixture and cook for 1-2 minutes until spices are fragrant.
- Stir in the coconut milk and bone broth or water. Increase the heat to medium-high and bring the sauce to a boil. Cook until the sauce thickens, about 5 minutes.
- Stir in the lime juice and cilantro.
- Add the meatballs to the coconut curry sauce and stir until they are well coated in sauce.
- Serve with rice and naan. Enjoy!
I hope your family enjoys this recipe as much as mine does! I'm a firm believer that dinner doesn't have to be (and shouldn't be) boring or bland. Don't be afraid to travel the globe around your dinner table.
If you love this recipe, I hope you'll come back and share your thoughts about it in the comments!
