I am thrilled to share one of my favorite recipes from my new cookbook, The Paleo Foodie with the Food Renegades! Like most of the recipes in the book, these meatballs are gourmet, yet simple to make. They can be served as part of a weeknight dinner, or you can impress your dinner guests with a fun twist on the traditional meatball appetizer. I like to make these weekly and keep them in the fridge for a quick and flavorful Paleo-friendly protein snack.
Thai flavors are some of my favorite. They are unique, vibrant and refreshing. Typical Thai dishes combine the 4 flavors of salty, sweet, sour and spicy. For the spicy aspect, this recipe calls for Thai chili peppers. They are sometimes hard to come by. If you can’t find some, serrano peppers make a good substitute.
These Paleo Bangkok Meatballs also employ a shallow-frying method in a wok. If you don’t have a wok, place 1⁄4 cup of coconut oil in a skillet. Keep turning your meatballs until they are browned on all sides.
Paleo Bangkok Meatballs
The Players
- 4 scallions, chopped
- 1 inch fresh ginger, peeled and chopped
- 1 stalk lemongrass (the pale yellow parts only), chopped
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce (where to buy a Paleo-friendly fish sauce)
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
- 6 Thai basil leaves (can sub regular basil)
- 2 Thai chili peppers, chopped
- 2 lbs. ground turkey
- 2 teaspoons raw honey (where to buy organic, raw honey)
- 1 egg, lightly whisked
- 1 teaspoon sea salt (where to buy real sea salt)
- 1⁄2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon arrowroot starch (where to buy arrowroot starch)
- coconut oil for frying (where to buy a good coconut oil)
The How-To
- Place scallions, ginger, lemongrass, fish sauce, lime juice, basil leaves and chili peppers in a food processor until the mixture forms a paste.
- Add it to the meat and combine, but do not over mix.
- Whisk the honey into the eggs. Add the egg and honey mixture to the meat. Add salt and pepper.
- Sprinkle the mixture with arrowroot; fold it in until it disappears.
- Using a tablespoon, scoop up some of the meatball mixture and shape it into a ball.
- Heat a wok over medium heat. Add enough coconut oil to cover half of the meatballs. Drop the meatballs into the wok to fry.
- Using a spoon, turn the meatballs to fry the other side. Cook until the meatballs are browned on all sides, about 10 minutes. The meatballs will have to be cooked in batches.
- Move to a plate lined with paper towels to drain.
For more delicious recipes similar to this one (grain-free and dairy-free), I highly recommend the Paleo Eats Cookbook.
Written by a Cordon Bleu trained chef, this book is packed with hundreds of recipes to get you started on your journey to ancestral eating. Recipes are grain-free, dairy-free, soy-free, sugar-free, and use healthy fats. They’re also super easy to follow and can be prepared in 30 minutes or less!
At the moment, the printed version of this cookbook is 100% free to Food Renegade readers. You just cover shipping & handling.
AS ALWAYS, ENJOY!
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My mouth is watering reading this recipe! I do have one question: What do you think would be the best use for the leftover coconut oil?
That is a great question, Helena. Unfortunately, the coconut oil gets quite dirty with this recipe. I have usually tossed it after making a couple of rounds of these. You can always try straining it and then using it to saute or fry, just about anything. Hope that helps!
These look delicious… I can’t wait to try them! Do you have any suggestions for Paleo side dishes that pair well with these?
Hi Terra! I think a side of stir-fry vegetables (broccoli, peppers, onions) sauteed with some coconut oil or sesame oil and drizzled with a little bit of coconut aminos would be great.
I also saw this bok choy recipe the other day and I thought it would pair well. For a strict Paleo version, substitute the soy sauce for coconut aminos. I use rice vinegar from time to time, but if you don’t include it in your diet, you can substitute a different vinegar, like coconut vinegar
– http://thepigandquill.com/2014/01/19/steam-grilled-baby-bok-choy-with-sesame-soy-vinaigrette-vegan-gf/
This recipe sounds delicious, I will be making it. But is arrowroot not a grain? And what does it do in the recipe.
Love your website. I have been eating paleo for 8 months now and could never go back to my old way of eating. Thanks
Hi Evelyn! That is a great question. Arrowroot is actually a starch made from the root of some tropical plants. It is not a grain. It is used as a binder in this recipe, as the mixture is really sticky and needs a little extra binding. Glad to hear that the Paleo diet is working so well for you!
What is the advantage of frying them vs. baking them?
Yes! I was looking for a good meatball recipe for an even I’m attending next weekend (we need “finger foods”). I will definitely try these out 🙂
Great! Hope you enjoyed the recipe!
Paleo meatballs? Trying this now. 🙂 Thanks for the recipe!
Nice! Hope you liked the recipe!
In my experience when meatballs are fried, they get more crunchy, while staying juicy and tender. With that said, frying is much messier, so I think their is an advantage to baking too. You can do either method for these meatballs.
Winner winner chicken (or in this case turkey) dinner! I’ve had this on my “to make” list for a while, and *finally* was able to get to a Thai market for some of the more unusual ingredients (thai basil and chilies are surprisingly difficult to find, even in LA). We had these last night and they were divine! Turkey can be a little dry, but with the frying method they were crispy on the outside and moist on the inside. These were screaming for a dipping sauce, so we made a yummy one with rice wine vinegar, soy sauce, honey and red pepper flakes. Trader Joe’s sweet chile sauce would work too. Both my husband and I loved these and we will definitely be making them again! Even with some of the ingredients being tricky to find, the end result is so worth it!
I am so glad that you enjoyed the recipe, Ginny!
Could these be baked instead of fried?
These sound good but I’ll use my grassfed beef. Yum
Not getting anything but many many pages of ads!!
These are very delicious made with ground chicken! Thanks for the recipe, I originally got it out of your cookbook.