Thai Turkey Meatballs

Make these Thai Turkey Meatballs for your next party! They’re loaded with flavor and a cinch to make!

These Thai Turkey Meatballs are packed with flavor and a great healthy appetizer!

As much as I like to cook, there are still a few aspects of the job I don’t totally enjoy. Like any job or hobby, there are the things we love and the things we could do without. For me, one of those things I could do without is mincing garlic and ginger. It annoys me for several reasons. First, I’m terribly slow at it. In general, I’m not a very quick prep cook, but I seem to be especially slow at this task. What probably takes a normal person a minute or two (and Rachael Ray 30 seconds) takes me about 10.

And then there’s the issue of the work to reward ratio. All that peeling and ferocious mincing and what am I left with? A scant teaspoon of garlic or ginger. It’s just not nearly as satisfying as chopping up a big yellow onion.

Finally, there’s the “I’m probably going to lose a finger and/or mince my knuckle meat while doing this” issue. Am I the only one that feels like my appendages are in peril every time I mince a knob of ginger?

These Thai Turkey Meatballs loaded with ginger, garlic, cilantro, and chili pepper pack just the right amount of heat.

Of course, these two ingredients are some of the best for adding pungent, warm, spicy flavor to dishes. They also happen to be very important in Asian dishes, which is one of my favorite cuisines to make (and eat). Though not complicated to make, Asian dishes often have a long list of herbs and aromatics–garlic, ginger, chili, cilantro, lemongrass–one look and you might be tempted toย move along. After all, most of us don’t have a lot of timeย (or knuckle skin) to spare.

That’s why I love Gourmet Garden’s stir in pastes and lightly dried herbs. I’ve used their garlic, ginger, and basilย pastes in recipes like this Slow Cooker Asian Honey Sesame Beef and Garlic and Herb Roasted Turkey, but I’m a recent convert to their Thai seasoning. This single paste, which is a blend of ginger, chili, cilantro, and lemongrass, has everything you need to make killer Thai cuisine with just a squeeze.

Make these Thai Turkey Meatballs for your next party! They're easy and so flavorful!

We’re in that weird time of year where we’re supposed to be dieting, but it’s cold outside and we want ALL THE COMFORT FOODS.ย These Thai Turkey Meatballs fit right into that sweet spot.ย Packed with flavor, easy on the waistline, and a cinch to make and eat, these definitely deserve a spot on your January dinner rotation AND your Super Bowl spread. I pair them with a sweet and tangy dipping sauce for a great appetizer, or you can serve them over noodles or rice as a main dish. Either way, you’ll love these sweet and spicy Thai meatballs!

Thai Meatballs

Yield: 24
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 lb. ground turkey
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • 1/3 cup breadcrumbs
  • 1/4 cup chopped green onions
  • 2 Tablespoons Gourmet Garden Thai seasoning paste
  • 1 teaspoon Gourmet Garden garlic paste
  • 1 Tablespoon soy sauce
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

For the dipping sauce:

  • 1 teaspoon Gourmet Garden garlic paste
  • 3 Tablespoons tamari or soy sauce
  • 4 tablespoons rice vinegar
  • 2 Tablespoons light brown sugar
  • 2 Tablespoons Gourmet Garden cilantro
  • 1 teaspoon Gourmet Garden red chili pepper paste

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a bowl, mix together the ground turkey, egg, breadcrumbs, green onions, thai paste, garlic paste soy sauce, and salt. Shape the mixture into 20-25 balls. Place in a 9 x 13 inch baking sheet. Bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes or until cooked through. Serve with dipping sauce, either as a dip or poured over top of the meatballs.
  • For the dipping sauce:

    1. Place the garlic, fish sauce, rice vinegar, brown sugar, cilantro, and chili paste in a well sealed jar. Close it up tight and shake until sugar is dissolved. Serve with the meatballs.

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    This post was developed in partnership with the lovely people at Gourmet Garden. As always, all opinions are my own.ย 

    8 Comments

    1. SAME HERE. Especially ginger. I just can’t with it. As much as love cooking, I can’t love mincing ginger. Gourmet Garden is truly a sanity savor in that regard.

      Also – you’ve made turkey meatballs about as flavorful as they will ever be! Love these!

    2. I’m pretty quick with the chopping and mincing but doesn’t mean I always feel like doing it. GG is just easier, especially when it comes to meatballs and it all gets mixed together anyway! Love the flavor combinations going on here!

    3. I love the flavor combo you’ve got here and now I feel like I seriously need to step up my meatball game!

    4. I hear you on peeling ginger and garlic! I love that GG makes it so much easier. Can’t wait to try out these meatballs!

    5. These look wonderful! I am new to the meatball world and wondering if you have any suggestions, or if it can be done, for making them ahead or a double batch and freezing them? If that is possible, when in the process should I freeze and what should be don’t after they defrost to get ready to eat? Thanks!

      1. Hey Sara,

        I haven’t done these with this particular kind of meatball, but I think it would work just fine. I would go ahead and assemble and cook the meatballs completely. Then place them on a parchment lined baking sheet that will fit in your freezer. Freeze until solid, then remove from the tray and toss in a freezer safe bag (this keeps them from freezing together). When you’re ready to eat, you can thaw them overnight in the fridge and then bake as usual. I may recommend adding some of the dipping sauce to the meatballs as they bake the second time to keep them nice and moist. You could also drop them into an Asian soup and cook that way. Good luck!

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