Thai Curry Turkey Tofu Meatballs are melt in mouth tender bites of low carb awesomeness with a creamy green coconut curry sauce. On your table in under 30 minutes.
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Hold the Carbs!
Thai Curry Turkey Tofu Meatballs are made with ground turkey and tofu instead of bread crumbs. Can you believe there are about 38 grams of carbohydrates in ½ cup of bread crumbs compared to just 5 grams of carbohydrates in ½ cup of tofu. That is a win win situation for all of us on a low carb diet or diabetic diet. However, the best part about these meatballs is how moist they are with the addition of tofu. They literally melt in your mouth.
Do Not Rinse Your Pan!
Some simple additions like scallions, garlic, ginger, sesame oil and soya sauce make delectable Thai Curry Turkey Tofu Meatballs. We chose to cook the meatballs and the curry on the stove top. However, you can also bake the meatballs in the oven.
The secret is to keep all the delicious juices and brown bits at the bottom of the pan from the meatballs cooking. You can also easily do this in the oven by just cooking your meatballs in a large Dutch oven that you then can transfer to the stove top to make the green coconut curry sauce. DO NOT RINSE YOUR PAN. Keep all those delicious juices as this really takes this recipe to the next level.
Side Dishes
If you are looking for a refreshing side dish to go along with your Thai Curry Turkey Tofu Meatballs , be sure to try our Thai Pomelo Crab Salad Avocados or our layered high sesame salad to keep it low carb.. You can serve with a side of cauliflower or coconut rice or just by itself with a tossed salad.
Asian Flavors
We love Thai cuisine and flavors and this Thai Curry Turkey Tofu Meatballs fusion recipe is sure to please. It’s a little spicy from the green curry, a little aromatic from the garlic, ginger and green onions, a little sour from the fresh limes and just a tad sweet, if you like a little stevia (or sweetener of choice) to complete the dish. Optional of course.
If you are looking for more ground turkey recipe ideas, be sure to try our Ground Turkey Sweet Potato Curry and Turkey Curry Puffs.
Winter or Summer Recipe
We have a record heat wave this week and guess whose air conditioner decided to die. We have all the luck. We have been keeping cool with No Churn Dairy Free Mango Swirl Ice Cream which is the perfect ending to our Thai Curry Turkey Tofu Meatballs meal. Seriously though, be careful, drink lots of fluids and be mindful of heat stroke.
Temperature Regulation
Did you know there is even a better way to cool off in the summer and that is eating hot or spicy food. No really, allow us to explain. In hot weather, we often gravitate towards cool and refreshing foods like ice cream, Easy Coconut Iced Chai Tea, and watermelon. However, in many of the world's warmest regions such as Southeast Asia, Africa, India and in the Caribbean, the food is hot and spicy.
Eating spicy foods raises your internal temperature to match the temperature outside. When your blood circulation increases, you start sweating and once your moisture has evaporated, it cools you off. Scientists call the phenomenon “gustatory facial sweating,” because you usually start sweating in the face, forehead, scalp and neck first.
This cooling effect from the sweating may not be the most romantic or pleasant way to cool off but it certainly works and has a much longer effect than eating a popsicle (Ice Pop). In addition, eating cold food on a hot day makes the body work even harder to warm up the foods you just put in your belly and might make you rebound even hotter than you started.
Sitting over a bowl of steaming spicy soup might not seem like the best way to spend a summer day. However, foods that are hot in spice or in temperature may cool the body by increasing blood circulation and perspiration. You just sweat it out.
This is all the better reason to enjoy a delicious plate of Thai Curry Turkey Tofu Meatballs in the heat of the summer or in the winter.
More Curry Recipes
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Thai Curry Turkey Tofu Meatballs
Ingredients
Turkey Tofu Meatballs
- 1 pound Ground turkey
- 6 oz Tofu
firm - 3 Green onions
sliced thinly both white and green parts - 2 tablespoon Soy sauce (tamari Sauce)
- 1 tablespoon Sesame oil
- Salt and white pepper
to taste - 3 cloves Garlic
peeled and minced - 1 inch Ginger
knob peeled and grated - 1 tablespoon Oil we used coconut oil 1 tablespoon but use any oil you wish for pan frying
Sauce
- Scrappings from pan
- 13 oz Coconut cream canned.( we used “Thai Kitchen” brand. You can also use coconut milk but the sauce will need a couple more minutes to reduce and thicken slightly.)
- 1 tablespoon Green Thai Curry paste
(we used “Mae Ploy Green Curry Paste but you can make your own or use whatever brand you enjoy) - 1 tablespoon Fish Sauce we used a gluten- free brand
- 1 teaspoon Stevia or sweetener of choice - optional
- 2 tablespoon Lime or juice of one lime upon serving
- Salt and white pepper
to taste
Instructions
- In a large bowl combine ground turkey, tofu, green onions, soy sauce (tamari), sesame oil, salt and pepper to taste, ginger and garlic and mix well. Form into 1..5 inch balls. Set aside.
Stove Top Method
- Preheat pan with coconut oil or oil of choice and fry turkey tofu meatballs for about 3 minutes on all sides or until no longer pink – about 15 minutes. Turning every few minutes. Set aside. Do not wash your pan!!!!
- Remove your turkey meatballs for the pan and keep warm. Add the coconut cream, green curry paste, fish sauce, stevia or sweetener of choice and salt and pepper to taste and heat until well combined. If you want to use coconut milk, instead of coconut cream, just allow the curry sauce to cook and reduce a little longer ( about 5 minutes) before adding the meatballs back into the pan. Place your meatballs back in the pan and cover and turn the meatballs in the delicious coconut green curry cream sauce.
Oven Method
- Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees F or (190 C)
- Drizzle oil on the bottom of your Dutch oven or pan that can go from oven to stove top. Place your meatballs about 2 inches apart and bake for about 15-20 minutes until no longer pink inside. Set aside. Do not wash your pan!!!! Remove tour meatballs from the pan, keep warm, set aside. Add coconut cream to the pan juices alone with green curry paste, salt and pepper and stevia or sweetener of choice, if desired, and mix well. If you want to use coconut milk, instead of coconut cream, just allow the curry sauce to cook and reduce a little longer ( about 5 minutes) before adding the meatballs back into the pan. Add your meatballs back into the pan and toss in the coconut green curry sauce.
- Drizzle lime juice over your Thai Curry Turkey Tofu Meatballs.
- Enjoy!
Christina Ammenti says
Husband said it was the best turkey meatballs I’ve ever made, and I make great turkey meatballs!
HWC Magazine says
Thanks so much Christina! Delighted to hear that our curried meatballs were a big hit with the family. The tofu makes them very tender. Stay well and take care
Dana says
Not a big fan of ground turkey, but these sound delish