30 Minute Clean Thai Turkey Zucchini Meatballs
Try this 30 Minute Clean Thai Turkey Zucchini Meatballs recipe
Try this 30 Minute Clean Thai Turkey Zucchini Meatballs recipe
- 1 tbsp fish sauce
- 1 tsp fish sauce
- 2 tsp ginger grated
- cooking spray (i use misto)
- 2 lbs ground turkey extra lean
- 1 cup zucchini shredded & liquid squeezed out
- 1/4 cup green onions finely chopped
- 2 tbsp basil finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves grated
- 1 tsp red curry paste
- 2 tbsp coconut milk light (canned)
- 1/8 tsp hot pepper chill flakes
- 1 + 1/2 cup coconut milk light (canned)
- 3 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tsp red curry paste
- 1/8 tsp hot pepper chili flakes or to taste
- 5-6 kaffir lime leaves (optional)
- Carbohydrate 13.8580124889091 g
- Cholesterol 589.670081 mg
- Fat 32.7963910626417 g
- Fiber 3.57102497483945 g
- Protein 202.047462897072 g
- Saturated Fat 14.1075415297706 g
- Serving Size 1 1 recipe (1019g)
- Sodium 2542.82832077499 mg
- Sugar 10.2869875140697 g
- Trans Fat 4.8437770276491 g
- Calories 1200 calories
Step-by-step
- In a medium bowl, combine ingredients for meatballs, mix with your hands thoroughly.
- Make 28 meatballs by spooning heaping 1 tbsp of mixture and rolling between your hands.
- Lay on a cutting board or plate. Set aside.
- In a small bowl, whisk together sauce ingredients and set aside.
- Preheat large, 12" or larger, skillet on high, spray with cooking spray.
- Add meatballs and cook until brown, for about 2-3 minutes.
- No need to cook the meatballs through.
- Add the sauce, reduce heat to medium and simmer for 15 minutes, uncovered.
- Serve warm with brown rice or brown rice noodles.
- Add garnish like fresh cilantro and green onions.
Squeezing every drop of moisture from the shredded zucchini is the single most critical step for structural integrity, because excess water prevents ground meat proteins from binding properly. Fresh aromatics like grated ginger and minced garlic introduce volatile oils that vaporize quickly upon heat contact, contrasting sharply with preserved items like red curry paste and canned fish sauce, which rely on concentrated umami and stable capsaicinoids that hold their intensity throughout extended simmering.
- Shred the zucchini using the large holes of a box grater, salt it lightly, and press it firmly in a clean kitchen towel until completely dry.
- Preheat a 12-inch or larger skillet on high heat to sear the meatball exteriors rapidly without fully cooking the interior during the initial 2-to-3-minute window.
- Reduce the burner setting to medium once the sauce components enter the pan to prevent the coconut milk solids from scorching during the 15-minute simmer.
- Substitute fresh lemongrass stalks pound-for-pound with prepared curry paste if adjusting the herbal profile.
Proper sequencing keeps the cooking process smooth while balancing the divergent water content of fresh produce versus canned liquids. Simmering the skillet uncovered allows excess moisture to evaporate so the sauce achieves a clinging consistency.
