Pork and Turkey Thai Veggie Meatballs

This yummy Pork and Turkey Thai Veggie Meatballs recipe was kindly shared by Judy Converse! See more of Judy's recipes AND blogs on Nutrition Care for Children.

Sounds like a mouthful of a combination, but boy does it work. Ground turkey, ground pork, shredded sweet potato and shredded carrot, lots of fresh ginger… and more. Once you’ve got all these ingredients, these meat and veggie balls are easy enough. Serve over whatever works – gluten free noodles, basmati rice, or as a slider on a Paleo bun.  Another grain free option is to make buns with Chebe mix – perhaps not precisely Paleo, but tasty and easy. With the sauce, this is a great meal. Kids who like spicy will go for these, and you can dial up or down the heat according to your family’s palate.

The History of Meatballs

The Chinese recipe of “Four Joy Meatballs” (四喜丸子—Si Xi Wanzi) is derived from Lu Cuisine, also called Shandong Cuisine. It is originated from the native cooking styles of East China's Shandong province. Its history can date back to Qin Dynasty (221 BC to 207 BC).

Early recipes included in some of the earliest known Arabic cookbooks, generally concern seasoned lamb rolled into orange-sized balls, and glazed with egg yolk and sometimes saffron. This method was taken to the West and is referred to as gilding, or endoring. Many regional variations exist, notable among them the unusually large Azerbaijan (Iran) Tabriz kuftesi, having an average diameter of 20 cm, (8 in).

The ancient Roman cookbook Apicius included many meatball-type recipes. (source)

Here is a spicy twist on the usual meatball, with a savory blend of turkey and pork.

Pork and Turkey Thai Veggie Meatballs

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Prep Time 25 minutes mins

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr

Course Main Courses

Servings 6 people

Ingredients

  

For The Meatballs...

• 1 large Sweet Potato
• 3 Carrots
• 1 Tbsp Fresh Ginger Root peeled, minced, or ground
• 2 cloves Garlic
• 1 pound Ground Pork
• 12-16 ounces Ground Turkey
• 1 teaspoon Sesame oil toasted or regular
• 1 tablespoon Curry Powder
• 1/2 teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes
• 1 teaspoon himalayan sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon Ground Black Pepper
• 2 tablespoons Chopped Fresh Basil

For The Sauce

• 14 ounce can Unsweetened Coconut Milk
• 1/4 cup Sunflower Butter
• 1 tablesoon Gluten Free Tamari
• 1 tablespoon Thai Red Curry Paste
• 1 teaspoon Sesame
• 1 teaspoon Raw Local Honey
• 2 tablespoons Curry Powder
• 1/2 teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes
• pinch Sea Salt

Garnish

• 2-3 Green Onions minced or chopped
• 2 tablespoons Cilantro minced or chopped

Instructions

 

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• For the meatballs: Peel the sweet potato and wash and peel the carrots. Using a shredder attachment on a food processor, shred both. You can also use a grater to shred by hand.
• Place shredded veggies with the rest of the meatball ingredients in a large bowl. Use your hands or a potato masher to combine.
• Heat a large oven safe saucepan or skillet to medium high heat (an iron skillet is perfect for this!). Place in it 1-2 teaspoons coconut oil or sesame oil. Using an ice cream scoop or large spoon, shape meatballs. You will have 12-15 large meatballs. Brown them on all sides.
• While these are cooking, in a medium bowl, blend all sauce ingredients together with a wire whisk, until evenly combined. When meatballs are browned, remove from heat, and pour the sauce over them.
• Place the meatballs in sauce, in the saucepan, in the preheated oven for 15-20 minutes, or until cooked through. Garnish with chopped cilantro and green onions.