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Baked Coconut-Curry Meatballs

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baked coconut curry meatballs recipe
Tieghan Gerard/Half Baked Harvest Super Simple

Half Baked Harvest blogger Tieghan Gerard knows a thing or two about photo-worthy, mouthwatering dinners. But her just-released second cookbook, Half Baked Harvest Super Simple, takes that concept one step further, proving that beautiful meals can be as easy to make as they are delicious. On the menu tonight? Baked coconut-curry meatballs.

“Lamb curry is something you might not think to make at home,” Gerard writes, “but transforming the dish into a quick-cooking meatball curry makes it approachable any night of the week. By using ground meat, you cut down on the cooking time and can have this dish ready to eat in 30 minutes or less.” Take that, takeout. 

“I always bake meatballs in the oven as opposed to pan-frying them,” she continues. “I don’t know about you, but I have zero interest in standing at the stove and tending to meatballs for half an hour. No thanks! Plus, I’ve also found that baking helps meatballs hold their shape and keeps them from drying out. This curry is extra saucy, so serve it over couscous or rice and with fresh naan for dipping.”

Is dinner at your place or ours?

Reprinted from Half Baked Harvest Super Simple. Copyright © 2019 by Tieghan Gerard. Photographs copyright © 2019 by Tieghan Gerard. Published by Clarkson Potter, an imprint of Penguin Random House, LLC.


Ingredients

1 pound lean ground beef or lamb

2 tablespoons full-fat plain Greek yogurt

2 scallions, chopped

1½ teaspoons chipotle chili powder

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 small yellow onion, chopped

4 garlic cloves, minced or grated

One 1-inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and grated

1 tablespoon yellow curry powder

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

One 14-ounce can full-fat unsweetened coconut milk

Juice of 1 lemon

⅓ cup fresh cilantro, roughly chopped

Steamed white or brown rice and naan, for serving

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 450°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. Make the Meatballs: In a medium bowl, place the ground beef, yogurt, scallions, ½ teaspoon of the chipotle chili powder and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Using your hands, mix well until combined. Grease your hands with a bit of olive oil and roll the mixture into 15 to 20 balls, about 2 tablespoons each. Place the meatballs on the prepared baking sheet and bake until they are crisp on the outside and cooked through, 13 to 15 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, Make the Sauce: Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. When the oil shimmers, add the onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and ginger and cook until fragrant, about 5 minutes more. Stir in the remaining 1 teaspoon chili powder, the curry powder and the cinnamon and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in the coconut milk and ½ cup water, increase the heat to medium-high and bring the sauce to a boil. Cook until the sauce thickens slightly, about 5 minutes. Stir in the lemon juice.

4. Add the meatballs and cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens further, about 5 minutes more. Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in the cilantro. Serve the meatballs and sauce with rice and naan. Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days.

Nutrition Facts
  • 387 calories

  • 34g fat

  • 7g carbs

  • 16g protein

  • 1g sugars

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Note: The information shown is Edamam's estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist's advice.

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