Name: Creamy Coconut Curry Meatballs – Easy Flavor-Packed Dinner
Ingredients: 2 lbs meatballs (I use a mix of beef and pork – frozen ones work great, or make your own if you’re feeling ambitious); 2 tablespoons olive oil (if using raw meatballs); 1 large onion, diced (don’t stress about perfect cuts – rustic is fine!); 4 cloves garlic, minced (or that squeeze tube stuff – no shame); 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated (or 1 tsp ground ginger if fresh isn’t happening); 2-3 tablespoons red curry paste (start with 2 if you’re heat-sensitive, go wild with 3 if you like it spicy); 1 can (14 oz) coconut milk, full-fat (the good creamy stuff, not the watery “light” version); 1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes (fire-roasted if you can find them); 1 tablespoon brown sugar (balances out the heat perfectly); 1 tablespoon fish sauce (sounds weird, tastes amazing – trust the process); 1 tablespoon soy sauce (adds that umami depth); 1 lime, juiced (fresh is best, but bottled works); Salt and pepper to taste; 1 red bell pepper, sliced (adds sweetness and crunch); 1 cup snap peas or green beans (whatever’s in your fridge); 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves (Thai basil if you can find it, regular if you can’t); 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped (skip if you’re team “cilantro tastes like soap”); Crushed red pepper flakes (for the heat lovers); Jasmine rice (the fluffy, fragrant kind); Naan bread or crusty rolls; Extra lime wedges; More fresh herbs for sprinkling on top

Description

So I was having one of those “what’s for dinner?” panic moments last Tuesday, staring into my freezer at a bag of frozen meatballs (don’t judge, we’ve all been there). Then I spotted the can of coconut milk I bought for some recipe I never made, and BAM – inspiration struck! These Creamy Coconut Curry Meatballs happened, and now they’re basically on repeat at my house. It’s like Thai takeout met Italian comfort food and had the most delicious baby ever. Plus, the whole thing comes together in about 30 minutes, which is a miracle on busy weeknights.

Ingredients

Scale

For the Meatballs:

2 lbs meatballs (I use a mix of beef and pork – frozen ones work great, or make your own if you’re feeling ambitious)
2 tablespoons olive oil (if using raw meatballs)

For the Magical Coconut Curry Sauce:

1 large onion, diced (don’t stress about perfect cuts – rustic is fine!)
4 cloves garlic, minced (or that squeeze tube stuff – no shame)
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated (or 1 tsp ground ginger if fresh isn’t happening)
2–3 tablespoons red curry paste (start with 2 if you’re heat-sensitive, go wild with 3 if you like it spicy)
1 can (14 oz) coconut milk, full-fat (the good creamy stuff, not the watery “light” version)
1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes (fire-roasted if you can find them)
1 tablespoon brown sugar (balances out the heat perfectly)
1 tablespoon fish sauce (sounds weird, tastes amazing – trust the process)
1 tablespoon soy sauce (adds that umami depth)
1 lime, juiced (fresh is best, but bottled works)
Salt and pepper to taste

The Good Stuff to Throw In:

1 red bell pepper, sliced (adds sweetness and crunch)
1 cup snap peas or green beans (whatever’s in your fridge)
1/2 cup fresh basil leaves (Thai basil if you can find it, regular if you can’t)
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped (skip if you’re team “cilantro tastes like soap”)
Crushed red pepper flakes (for the heat lovers)

For Serving:

Jasmine rice (the fluffy, fragrant kind)
Naan bread or crusty rolls
Extra lime wedges
More fresh herbs for sprinkling on top