Low Calorie Thai Green Curry Turkey Meatballs

WW Recipe of the Day: Low Calorie Thai Green Curry Turkey Meatballs

Thai green curry is one of my all-time favorite dishes and Quick and Easy Thai: 70 Everyday Recipes (affiliate link) by Nancie McDermott is my go to Thai cookbook. When I came across a recipe by Casey Barber that referenced them both, I just knew this would be a winner.

Thai Green Curry Turkey Meatballs

Where the original recipe called for ground beef, I opted to substitute ground turkey to lower the fat and calories. To lighten things up a little more, I tossed in shredded zucchini and fresh lime juice.

These cocktail size meatballs are extremely versatile and can be frozen and reheated. In our house we use them as a protein-packed quick and easy snack food. They can be warmed in the microwave (affiliate link) for 30 seconds or even eaten cold.

To make them Paleo and gluten-free, just replace the breadcrumbs with additional shredded zucchini.

This recipe calls for Thai Green Curry Paste.

What is Thai Green Curry Paste?

It’s a puree of green chili peppers and other aromatic ingredients that can include green birds eye chilis, galangal, garlic, shallots, lemongrass, kaffir lime peel or leaves and cilantro stems. With so many ingredients it is highly preferable to buy a pre-made paste, which you will find in the Asian area of most well-stocked markets.

If you don't have Thai Green Curry Paste, feel free to make a substitute, though the flavor will be different.

Possible Thai Green Curry Paste Substitutes

Curry Powder
The flavor will be quite different, but curry powder can usually do the trick. As a general rule of thumb substitute 1 teaspoon curry powder for 1 tablespoon curry paste. If you prefer milder curries, start with less and add to taste. It's easy to add more, but difficult to fix a curry that's too hot!

Other Curry Pastes
Thai red and green curry pastes can be used interchangeably. The flavor will be different but not necessarily in a bad way. Other Thai/Malaysian curry pastes such as, yellow curry, laksa or Massaman also work well as substitutes. Indian curry pastes including madras, korma and vindaloo can also be used. Just be careful of the heat intensity. Start with less than the recipe calls for and taste and add as needed.

How Many Calories and WW Points in Green Curry Meatballs?

According to my calculations each serving has 195 calories and

4 *SmartPoints (Green plan)
4 *SmartPoints (Blue plan)
4 *SmartPoints (Purple plan)
5 *PointsPlus (Old plan)

To see your WW PersonalPoints for this recipe and track it in the WW app or site, Click here!

Recipe Notes

Use a box grater (affiliate link) or food processor (affiliate link) to shred the zucchini. Then use a dry dishtowel to squeeze out as much water as possible.

Using Food Processor (affiliate link) to Shred Zucchini

If you don't care for cilantro, you can use basil instead. Fresh herbs should be used for the best flavor, but if necessary half the amount of dried herbs can be substituted.

Preparing Ingredients for Thai Turkey Meatballs

I used a small cookie scooper (approximately a tablespoon size), to form the meatballs which really speeds up the process and eliminates the need to roll them.

Green Curry Thai Turkey Meatballs on Baking Sheet (affiliate link)

Sprinkle with chopped fresh herbs and coconut for a pretty presentation.

Serving Suggestions

• Add curry meatballs to an Asian cabbage salad in place of plain chicken
• Serve meatballs alongside rice and steamed or fresh spinach
• Add to a lettuce leaf with carrots and cucumbers for a tasty low-calorie wrap

Ways to Use Leftovers

• Make a Thai-inspired soup by adding them to chicken broth with ramen, or any other noodle, and fresh spinach
• Slice several curry meatballs and add them to an omelet
• Make a sauce with 1 can unsweetened coconut milk, 1-2 tablespoons green curry paste, 1 teaspoon fish sauce and 1 teaspoon brown sugar. Add meatballs and serve over rice, or keep it low carb and serve over cauliflower rice
• Add green curry meatballs to a crockpot with your favorite jarred Thai simmer sauce and bring to your next potluck

If you've made this Thai Curry Turkey Meatballs, please give the recipe a star rating below and leave a comment letting me know how you liked it. And stay in touch on Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for the latest updates.

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5 from 4 votes

Low Calorie Green Curry Turkey Meatballs Recipe

Enjoy the dazzling flavors of Thai food any night of the week with this quick and easy healthy low calorie meatball recipe.

Prep Time20 minutes mins

Cook Time20 minutes mins

Total Time40 minutes mins

Servings (adjustable): 11

Calories: 195

Author: Brenda Garrison | Simple Nourished Living

Ingredients

• ▢ 2 pounds ground turkey
• ▢ ½ cup plain bread crumbs (gluten-free or regular)
• ▢ ¼ cup cilantro, chopped (or use basil, if you prefer)
• ▢ ¼ cup mint, chopped (optional)
• ▢ ½ cup zucchini, shredded (water squeezed out)
• ▢ 1 serrano or jalapeño pepper, diced (optional)
• ▢ 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• ▢ 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• ▢ ½ teaspoon ground ginger
• ▢ 1 tablespoon green curry paste
• ▢ ½ lime, juiced
• ▢ 2 teaspoons fish sauce
• ▢ 1 egg, beaten

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350F degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or lightly grease pans.
• Add ground turkey to a large mixing bowl. Add breadcrumbs, cilantro, mint, zucchini, garlic, cumin and ginger to bowl with turkey.
• In a separate small bowl add curry paste, lime juice, fish sauce and egg. Whisk until the egg is well beaten and mixture blended.
• Add curry paste mixture to the turkey bowl.
• Use your hands to gently fold all ingredients together until blended.
• Use a small cookie scoop or shape a tablespoon of turkey into meatballs.
• Place approximately 22 meatballs per prepared sheet pan.
• Cook for 15-20 minutes until meatballs are golden brown.

Equipment

Cookie Sheet

Mixing Bowls

Dinner Plates

Recipe Notes

Serving size: 4 meatballs

Click here to see your WW PersonalPoints for this recipe and track it in the WW app or site.

4 *SmartPoints (Green plan)

4 *SmartPoints (Blue plan)

4 *SmartPoints (Purple plan)

5 *PointsPlus (Old plan)

Nutrition Facts

Low Calorie Green Curry Turkey Meatballs Recipe

Amount Per Serving (4 meatballs)

Calories 195 Calories from Fat 91

% Daily Value*

Fat 10.1g16%

Carbohydrates 4.9g2%

Fiber 0.5g2%

Protein 24g48%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Course: Appetizer, Main Course, Snack

Cuisine: Asian

Keyword: Thai green curry meatballs, Thai turkey meatballs

Did you make this recipe?Mention @simplenourishedliving on Instagram and tag #simplenourishedliving - we love to see your creations!

Recipe source: Adapted from GoodFoodStories.com

*Points® calculated by WW. *PointsPlus® and SmartPoints® calculated by Simple Nourished Living; Not endorsed by Weight Watchers International, Inc. All recipe ingredients except optional items included in determining nutritional estimates. SmartPoints® values calculated WITHOUT each plan's ZeroPoint Foods (Green plan, Blue plan, Purple plan) using the WW Recipe Builder.

More WW Friendly Asian-Inspired Recipes

• Thai Basil Chicken (SkinnyTaste)
• Crunchy Thai Chicken Salad (SlenderKitchen)
• Thai Chicken Skewers with Peanut Sauce (EmilyBites)
• Spicy Thai No-Cook Stir Fry

More Low Calorie Meatball Recipes

• Easy Slow Cooker French Onion Meatballs
• Easy Slow Cooker Sweet & Sour BBQ Meatballs
• 5-Ingredient Slow Cooker Hawaiian Meatballs

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