Epic THAI MEATBALLS!!! Made with pork or chicken, the brilliant Thai flavour of these will have everyone convinced you picked them up fromย one of those posh Thai restaurants.
Served with a Sweet Chilli Dipping Sauce, these are seriously tasty!! If youโre in the mood for a Thai Banquet, try these Thai Meatballs with a side of Chicken Satay and Thai Fried Rice!
Thai Meatballs
You can mix together mince with coriander/cilantro, garlic and a dash of soy and get away with calling that Thai. And they will be ok(ish). But if you want some Thai Meatballs that are seriously delicious, andย really truly do taste real-deal Thai, then youโre going to need the help of a few more things.
I think youโll be familiar with most of the ingredients in these meatballs, except perhaps this one โ Kaffir Lime Leaves.
Now, before you run around town trying to hunt these down in an Asian store, let me just stress this fact: yes it adds a little something-something that is so authentically posh-Thai-restauranty,ย but it isnโt mandatory!!
These are still smashing meatballs even without kaffir lime leaves. ๐
Kaffir lime leaves arenโt from normal lime trees, they are different. They smell limey but more earthy. They are plonked in whole into curries / soups / coconut rice to infuse with flavour, or finely chopped as pictured above. Cut out the stem, roll it up like a cigar, then finely slice (cause they are kind of tough, got to chop โem finely).
They cost a few dollars for 20 or so, and theyย freeze so well! I use them in a handful of recipes and Iโve linked them in the notes for you.
What goes in Thai Meatballs
In addition to the optional Kaffir lime leaves, these Thai Meatballs have all the other usual Thai-flavour suspects:
plenty of garlic, ginger, chillies
coriander/cilantro
lemongrass
fish sauce (or soy, if you really insist)
Just give them mix and you have yourself some seriously tasty meatballs.
How to cook them โย because theyโre so lovely and soft, they are kind of hard to pan fry. So I bake these. They hold their shape and are golden on the outside, and juicy on the inside!
Make a meal out of it โ serve these on the side!
Steamed Jasmine rice, Thai Fried Rice, Pineapple Fried Rice or Coconut Rice
Crunchy Asian Slaw on the side โย great all rounder Asian salad that goes with all Asian foods
Asian Sesame Dressing for any fresh saladย or steamed vegetables
Sweet Chilli Dipping sauce for Thai Meatballs
I totally cheat with the dipping sauce. I just doctor up sweet chilli sauce with some garlic and lime juice.
In case you really want to go all out, Iโve included the recipe for a homemade Sweet Chilli Dipping Sauce (which is pictured in the photo right at the top). But I donโt usually bother, if Iโm really honest. ๐
Becauseโฆ. well, want to know the truth? I figure the meatballs themselves are impressive enough as it is and people donโt really notice the dipping sauce. ๐
Make these for dinner or serve them at a party. Either way, you will be a hero! โ Nagi x
Watch how to make it
Be warned of close encounter with Baby Hands. Also โย Dozer fans โ donโt miss his little cameo at the end of the recipe video. I swear, one day a pelican is going to turn around and give him a big peck!!
ย
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Thai Meatballs
Ingredients
Meatballs:
- 500 g / 1 lb pork mince (ground pork, or chicken)
- 1 tbsp lemongrass paste (or finely chopped fresh) (Note 1)
- 1 tsp grated ginger
- 3 cloves garlic , minced
- 3 kaffir lime leaves, stem removed and very finely shredded, optional extra (Note 2)
- 3 Thai or birds eye chillies , seeds removed and finely chopped (Note 3)
- 1/4 cup coriander/cilantro , leaves and stem finely chopped (Note 4)
- 1 tsp sugar (any)
- 1 tbsp fish sauce (can sub with soy sauce if required)
- 3/4 cup panko breadcrumbs (+ extra 1/4 cup if needed)
- 1 small egg
- Oil spray
Sweet Chilli Dipping Sauce:
- 1/2 cup / 125 ml sweet chilli sauce , store bought (Note 5)
- 1 garlic clove , minced
- 2 tbsp lime juice , plus more to taste
Optional garnishes & serving:
- Coriander/cilantro leaves , finely sliced large red chillies
- Steamed jasmine rice
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 220C/430F (standard) or 200C/390F (fan / convection).
- Place a rack on a tray (optional, rack keeps balls slightly rounder).
- Place Meatball ingredients in a bowl (except oil spray), mix well with your hands. Only use extra breadcrumbs if necessary โ sometimes, chicken mince can be quite wet. Scoop up 1 slightly heaped tablespoon and roll into a ball (about 3cm / 1.25โณ diameter). (Note 6 for my way)
- Spray rack well with oil and place the meatballs on the rack.
- Spray meatballs generously with oil, then bake for 20 โ 25 minutes or until a bit browned. They should be beautifully soft โ see video!
- Serve warm with Sauce, garnished with coriander and chillies if desired.
Sauce:
- Place ingredients in a bowl and mix. Set aside for at least 10 minutes before using.
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
More Thai food recipes
Pad Thaiย and Pad See Ew
Starters โ Chicken Satayย andย Thai Fish Cakes
Browse the Thai recipe collection
Life of Dozer
Heโs really looking forward to tomorrow (Halloween).
Really.
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Kaffir leaves, go figure. Iโd have never thought of that. Must try this one. Maybe Iโll make Thai meatball skewers and giveโm a cook on the Barbie.
You know, if you guys would build a ramp from the water up to the dock, I think Dozer could nab one of those pelicans.
Pelican stewโฆ?? ๐
Silly me! I actually Googled it! Yes. recipes available . . . . Unless you want to feel sick do not look at the answers . . . . nought to do with pelican btw . . . .
๐ณ
Hi Nagi I just stumbled upon your video and recipe for thai meatballs..so wonderful.I laughed my head off at Dozer I have an English springer spaniel who is as crazy as dozer and he COUNTER SURFS THE KITCHEN TO STEAL FOOD..had a BBQ THIS SUMMER HE STOLE 3 HAMBURGERS RIGHT OFF THE BBQ TABLE we have a lot in common. Cheers and thanks for the fab recipe Gillian (from Toronto canada)
Cheeky pup!!!! At least your spaniel would cause a lot less chaos than Dozer if he counter surfed!!! N x
Making the meatballs Nov 18. with one eye on my springer Luca
๐
Hi Nagi, I recently found out I canโt eat egg (breastfeeding my bub who is allergic to egg). If I took out the egg, would the meatballs still be intact? Iโve made your rissoles recipe (with egg, before I found out about the allergy) and absolutely loved it!!
Hi Coleen! Yep it will, reduce the breadcrumbs down to 1/2 cup and mix well for 2 minutes ๐ This is the โAsianโ way to make meatballs, they are a bit firmer but still juicy inside. N x
Oh sugar, I am still laughing my head off about Dozer at the picnic! Canโt think straight enough to write sense!! But, listen boyo, most things are fair enough but not the snatch off a bubโs hot dog!! Ok?? Love the meatballs . . . wonder how some do eat the โordinaryโ ones instead . . . utterly boring . . .
I KNOW I KNOW!!! Disgraceful!! ๐
BBQ sounds BIG SUCCESS FOR ALL EACH AND EVERYONE, BIG. AND SMALL! Kids and animals know how to be happy, Bravo! Meat balls are Delicious!! Thank you. Halloween Dozer NOT SCARE AT ALLโฆ.
Success for Dozer, thatโs for sure! ๐
Dulcey is caramelised white chocolate โ and itโs as amazing as it sounds!
Valrhona produce it but Iโm sure youโll find a way of making itโฆโฆ.in fact, Iโm relying on it!
(Yeah, we love Manly & Iโm such a sucker for Coles on the Corso! ;-D)
Iโll have to keep an eye out for it! Thanks for the tip! N x
Ive been experimenting with Thai cuisine, and ironically, I just made something similar to this with leftover Dim Sum mix (shrimp and pork). I par-baked them and then simmered them in (also leftover) Tom Yum broth. The hardest ingredient to find for Thai cooking is galangal (for which ginger cannot substitute). If you have an Asian market, donโt forget to look in freezer sections for hard-to-find ingredients. Anyone who is interested in Thai instruction โ check out a food blog and YouTuber: Pailinโs Hot Thai Kitchenโฆ..and Thai food doesnโt have to be hot unless you make it that way.
Oooh that sounds AMAZING Martin! And YES to meatball Tom Yum!! N xx
Hi Nagi! I completely forgot that itโs Meatball Monday! As usual, these sound amazing! I always have sweet chili sauce on hand; I like to use it as a dipping sauce for shrimp and eggrolls and as a glaze on pork tenderloin. Great beach stories; it was 28F here this a.m. so no beach picnics in my near future!
Do you have ugg boots to stomp around in, Dorothy?? ๐
About Kaffir lime. We donโt have them fresh here but you can buy dried. Could these be ground and used as a powder? Mail from you is always a pleasure. My โNagi cookbookโ at Mastercook has now overe 400 recipes.ยจ
Eija
Hi Eija! Thanks for the question โ I popped a note in about using tired ๐ And Iโm SO FLATTERED that there are so many of my recipes in your Mastercook book!! N xx
Hi Nagi
I live in the UK & just wanted to say how much I love your blog & trust your recipes โ they always work! My current favourite is the Vietnamese caramel pork & pickled carrot side dish โ just awesome. Thai meatballs tomorrow night!
In France recently I bought some dulcey (blond) chocolate & made a fab tart with it in sweet pastry. Is dulcey available in Aus or a cheaper equivalent? Itโs an amazing ingredient but sooo expensive: ยฃ30/kg โ Aus $50. My husband & I are spending January in Manly to see our kids & friends & Iโll be stocking up on so many ingredients for when weโre back in the dark & cold English winter, pining for the colour & sun of Australia!
Thanks for the recipes & Iโll say hello if I see you & Dozer! ๐คx
Dulcey? Hmm, I donโt think Iโve ever seen it! I will keep an eye out for it, Iโd be interested to give it a go. You will LOVE Manly in January!! School holidays, itโs pumping! N xx
Nagi, you without a doubt, have the absolutely best recipes available. When I see one freshly arrived in my inbox, I have to read it before any other e-mail (unless there is one that says I won 10 million dollars!) I do enjoy your Mamaโs recipes as well, but your just hit every button for me! Your Chinese BBQ pork will forever live on in my recipe must-makes. And this Thai meatball one looks like another big winner! (dinner tonight!) Truth time: as much as I totally love your recipes, I have to admit I do scroll to see what Dozer is up to in this episode! He is such a character! I love Goldens (my sister raised them so we always had some scooting around). Dozer may not look like my Katie, who is my 85 lb pittie-lab, but the personality is on point! My Katie does not โgetโ the idea of โwalk WITH meโ โ she uses all her power (and she is amazingly powerful) to pull me to the point where to hang on to her, I am almost levitating and have crashed into not a few trees and bushes thanks to her. She, too, is a โfoodieโ and feels deprived if I do not share all of my meals with her (as long as itโs something dogs can eat!) But, I wouldnโt have her any other way! If G-d has made anything better than dogs, I wouldnโt know what that might be! Please keep the awesome recipes coming as well as photo shoots of Dozer!
โWhen I see one freshly arrived in my inbox, I have to read it before any other e-mail (unless there is one that says I won 10 million dollars!) โ <-- You just made my day, and cracked me up! โค๏ธ
And you score BIG POINTS for this โ> โI have to admit I do scroll to see what Dozer is up to in this episode! โ
Im new to tai food, can you give some ideas for side dishes? I have used many of your dishes with great successโฆWe love you ideas.
Hi Debb! Sure thing, I added a note with links to recipes! N xx
Hi Nagi! I just have to tell you that before I do my weekly shopping I plan each dayโs dinner and draw up a list of ingredients. Recipetineats is the first place I check for recipes and, without fail, one or more of your dishes ends up on my table โ and theyโre always a hit. I look forward to trying out these meatballs for one of our holiday parties!
I LOVE HEARING THAT CHERYL!!! Thank you so much for reading and trying my recipes! N xx
Can dried kaffir leaves be substituted for fresh?
HI Tracy! Thanks for the question, added directions for this ๐ Use 1 tsp crushed dried + zest of 1 lime, because dried is not as aromatic as fresh. ๐ N x
I love all your recipes Nagi, canโt wait to try these meatballs! And Dozer is adorable in his Halloween duds๐
I donโt think he agreesโฆ. ๐
Can these be made ahead and frozen?
Hi Joan! Thanks for the question, I popped a make ahead note in. Yes, freeze raw! N xx
I have the same question about these being too Spicey? Are they very hot?
By the way Dozer has a great lifeโฆHe is lucky!
HI LYN!! I have spiciness notes in Note 3 ๐ Hope it helps!!! N xx
Your โ last Monday of each monthโ meatball recipe for this week has changed my meal plans. Thai meatballs tomorrow, everything else can slip back a day. They sound so good.
I LOVE HEARING THAT! ๐
I canโt wait to try this Thai Meatball recipe. It sounds delicious. Most of your recipes include โnutrition factsโ which makes it really easy for me to research recipes and prepare meals for my nephew who is trying to watch his weight. Do you have any nutrition facts on this recipe?
Thanks,
Sandi
PS I also love your blog. Keep up the good work!!!
Thanks for the reminder Sandi, update!!! So glad you enjoy my recipes, thanks or reading! N xx
That was quick, THANK YOU!!!
Quick question Nagi. I saw those red chili peppers and winced. Are these meatballs mouth-burningly hot? If so could you recommend a mildler pepper that could be substituted. Iโm trying NOT to get the fire department involved if I serve this dish to my husband! LOL
Hi Michelle! I popped notes about the spiciness in the notes ๐ What I would do for a mild version is use 1/2 a long red chilli (larger chilli = less hot) and that would be like using 1 small fiery chilli. Because the chillis is dispersed throughout all that meat, it isnโt a concentrated heat like in a sauce or curry paste. And if youโre really concerned, skip the chilli! ๐ N x