Low Carb Turkey Meatballs in Green Curry Sauce
A Thai Green Curry inspired low carb meatball recipe that is keto, lchf, low carb, Paleo, and Atkins Diet friendly.
A Thai Green Curry inspired low carb meatball recipe that is keto, lchf, low carb, Paleo, and Atkins Diet friendly.
- 1 egg
- 2 cups water
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tbsp coconut oil
- 1/3 cup almond flour
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp minced ginger
- 1 tbsp fresh cilantro chopped
- 1.25 lbs ground turkey
- 1/4 cup dessicated coconut see example
- 1/2 tbsp granulated sugar substitute (splenda swerve, ideal, etc.)
- 3 tbsp green curry paste see example
- 3 tbsp granulated sugar substitute
- 2 tbsp fish sauce see example
- 6 tbsp powdered coconut milk see example
- Carbohydrate 6.42487286023454 g
- Cholesterol 61.4239667708333 mg
- Fat 7.55592906916667 g
- Fiber 0.658108322938283 g
- Protein 21.8334835830191 g
- Saturated Fat 3.054339128125 g
- Serving Size 1 1 serving (188g)
- Sodium 170.226176877671 mg
- Sugar 5.76676453729625 g
- Trans Fat 0.721798414375001 g
- Calories 184 calories
Step-by-step
- Combine all of the meatball ingredients in a medium bowl and mix well.
- Form into 18 meatballs and place on a parchment lined baking sheet.
- Bake at 375 degrees (F) for 15 minutes.
- Combine the coconut oil and curry paste in a medium saucepan and cook over medium heat for about 2 minutes or until fragrant.
- Add the rest of the ingredients and whisk until smooth.
- Heat on low for about 10 minutes, or until hot and simmering.
- Don't boil or the sauce could separate.
- Remove the meatballs from the oven and add to the sauce.
- Simmer for about 5 minutes before serving.
- Shown served over cauliflower rice.
Fish sauce performs the heaviest lifting in this recipe by supplying concentrated glutamates that mimic the savory depth usually built from long-simmered stocks. Unlike synthetic flavor enhancers, fermented anchovy extract relies on natural protein breakdown to generate umami rapidly. When combined with ground turkey, which has a relatively neutral baseline flavor compared to red meat, these compounds bind effectively to the lean muscle proteins during the mixing phase.
Fresh Aromatics Versus Jarred Pastes
Green curry paste typically contains dried or powdered versions of lemongrass, galangal, and kaffir lime leaves for shelf stability. Fresh versions of these roots and leaves contain volatile aromatic oils that degrade quickly upon exposure to air and heat. Cooking the paste in coconut oil for exactly two minutes forces fat-soluble flavor molecules to bloom, releasing aromatics that water-based simmering misses entirely. Powders lack the cellular water content of fresh produce, meaning they require gentle initial frying to hydrate properly without scorching.
- Boiling the coconut milk and curry base causes the emulsion to break, resulting in an oily surface film; keep the heat at a gentle low simmer.
- Overmixing the turkey and almond flour creates a dense, rubbery meatball texture rather than a tender bite.
- Baking the meatballs at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 15 minutes firms the exterior proteins just enough to prevent them from dissolving in the liquid.
