Spicy Curried Meatballs with Veggies and Rice

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These Spicy Curried Meatballs make a hearty weeknight meal that’s easy to pull together in a flash. The sauce is filled with peppers and carrots and the whole dish is served over a coconut curry rice. It’s a vibrant meal filled with color, herbs, and spices.

Ingredients

Here’s everything you’ll need to make these delicious Spicy Curried Meatballs:

• 85/15 ground beef (grass fed and finished)
• Whole milk Greek yogurt
• Shallot
• Chili powder
• Brown rice
• Full fat coconut milk
• Curry powder blend
• Coconut oil
• Red onion
• Garlic
• Fresh ginger
• Carrots
• Bell pepper
• Cinnamon
• Lemon
• Cilantro
• Celtic sea salt and pepper

Pasture-Raised Meat

When selecting beef, for these Spicy Curried Meatballs try to find some that is certified by the American Grassfed Association. They require that ruminant animals are raised unconfined and fed only grass and forage. They are never treated with antibiotics or hormones and come from American family farms.

There are plenty of “grass-fed” beef products on the market, but that does not mean they were only fed grass. More often than not, these animals finish their life in an overcrowded feedlot, eating grain to gain weight quickly. That’s the difference between “grass-fed” and “grass-fed and finished”.

Why does it even matter? Aside from the environmental and animal welfare arguments for pasture raised beef, cattle raised on pasture produce a more nutritious product. Overall, 100% grass-fed and finished beef contains more of the saturated fats that lower cholesterol and less of the ones that raise it. There are also more antioxidants and vitamins such as the building blocks the body needs to make fat-soluble vitamins A and E (Daley et al.).

How to make Spicy Curried Meatballs

Start by preheating the oven to 450°F and lining a baking sheet with foil. In a medium bowl, place the beef, yogurt, shallots, chili powder, salt, and pepper.

Mix all the ingredients together and take two tablespoon quantities and form them into balls. I always recommend wearing disposable gloves for this step to lower the risk of foodborne illness from raw meat.

As they are ready, place the meatballs on the baking sheet and bake for about 15 minutes. The tops should be slightly browned and the internal temperature of each meatball should be at least 145°F.

How to Make Curried Coconut Rice

If you have time, soak the rice for six to eight hours before cooking. To do this, rinse the rice and transfer it to a bowl with a cup of water and a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar. Cover with a clean dish towel and leave at room temperature. The soak will improve nutrient bioavailability and digestibility of the rice.

If you don’t have time for soaking, just rinse the rice and place it in a medium sauce pan straight away. If you did soak it, drain and rinse it one more time before placing in the pan. Then add the water, coconut milk, curry powder, and a pinch of Celtic sea salt.

Cover the pot and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, covered, for about 45 minutes. Stir every ten minutes to make sure it’s not sticking to the bottom of the pot.

When the rice is ready, it should be soft and fluffy with all the water absorbed. If there is no water left and it is still chewy, add a bit more water and continue cooking until it is ready.

How to Make the Veggie Sauce

Heat a cast iron skillet on medium-low heat and add the coconut oil. When the oil is melted, add the diced onion and saute until it is soft and translucent, about five minutes. Then add the garlic and ginger and continue cooking for another minute, stirring often to prevent burning.

Add the carrots, pepper, curry powder and cinnamon. Mix well so that the spices are well distributed over the veggies. Cook for another five to ten minutes until the carrots are tender. Add the coconut milk and if you prefer a thinner sauce, add water–up to half a cup.

Increase heat to medium-high and bring to a boil. Continue cooking another five minutes until the sauce starts to thicken slightly. Then add the lemon juice and zest along with the meatballs. Cook for about five more minutes to heat the meatballs again.

Remove from the burner and stir in cilantro. Serve over curried coconut rice. Enjoy!

I hope you enjoy these Spicy Curried Meatballs with veggies and rice. Be sure to leave a rating below and share your thoughts in the comments below. I’d also love to see any photos of your creations, so tag @roots_and_rosemary in any Instagram photos!

More Recipes to Try

• Spinach & Sweet Potato Curry
• Herbal Chickpea Stew with Coconut Rice
• Vegetarian Tikka Masala
• Curried Squash & Couscous Salad

References

Daley, Cynthia A et al. “A review of fatty acid profiles and antioxidant content in grass-fed and grain-fed beef.” Nutrition journal vol. 9 10. 10 Mar. 2010, doi:10.1186/1475-2891-9-10