Gordon Ramsay’s curry meatballs recipe drops beef meatballs into a fragrant coconut broth made with lemongrass, coriander seeds, cardamom, turmeric, cinnamon, ginger, and a squeeze of lime at the end. I watched him make this on the Ultimate Cookery Course and he adds the whole spices to the centre of the pan while the meatballs are still browning, which seemed reckless until I tried it and the spices toasted perfectly in the hot fat.
The recipe is on page 180 of his Home Cooking book and there is a YouTube video where he walks through the whole thing. Meatballs in coconut broth sounds like the strangest entry in my curry recipes with whatever is left in the cupboard, but it actually works because the meatball curry lemongrass broth is more like a Thai soup than a heavy sauce, and the meatballs soak it up.
Try More Curry Recipes:
Why Ramsay Toasts the Spices Around the Meatballs
In the video, Gordon pushes the meatballs to the edges and drops the whole spices into the hot oil in the centre. They toast in the fat the meatballs released, which gives them a deeper flavour than dry-toasting in a separate pan.
I was worried the spices would burn, but they only need 30 seconds before the stock and coconut milk go in. The liquid stops the cooking immediately and carries all that toasted flavour into the broth.
Meatball Ingredients
- 450g (1 lb) beef mince
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1 tsp chilli flakes
- 40g (1.5 oz) breadcrumbs
- 3 tbsp milk
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Olive oil, for frying
Coconut Broth Ingredients
- 2 tsp coriander seeds
- 4 cardamom pods, lightly crushed
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- 2 tsp dried chilli flakes
- 2 lemongrass stalks, trimmed, bashed, and cut into batons
- 5cm (2-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled and sliced
- 400ml (1.75 cups) chicken stock
- 400ml (1.75 cups) coconut milk
- 1 lime, zested and juiced
How To Make Gordon Ramsay Curry Meatballs
- Cook the Onion: Heat a glug of olive oil in a frying pan. Add the onion and garlic with salt and pepper, cook for 5 minutes until soft. Add the chilli flakes, cook 1 more minute, then set aside to cool.
- Make the Meatballs: Put the mince in a large bowl and season. Soak the breadcrumbs in the milk until they form a soft paste. Mix the breadcrumb paste and cooled onion mixture into the mince. Shape into golf-ball-sized meatballs and chill for 30 minutes.
- Brown the Meatballs: Heat olive oil in a clean frying pan over medium-high heat. Brown the meatballs for 4-5 minutes, turning frequently until coloured on all sides.
- Toast the Spices: Push the meatballs to the edges. Add the coriander seeds, cardamom, turmeric, cinnamon, chilli flakes, lemongrass, and ginger to the centre of the pan. Stir for 30 seconds until aromatic.
- Add Broth: Pour in the chicken stock and coconut milk. Bring to a gentle simmer, season, and cook for 8-12 minutes until the meatballs are cooked through and the broth has thickened slightly.
- Finish and Serve: Add the lime zest and juice. Serve the meatballs in bowls with the broth ladled over, with jasmine rice or noodles.
What to Serve With Curry Meatballs
Jasmine rice or rice noodles, because the broth is thin and fragrant, more soup than sauce. I tried it with egg noodles once and it was like a Thai-Italian crossover that had no right to taste as good as it did.
For a full spread, a Thai red curry or a prawn curry on the side gives you two bowls with completely different textures.
Keeping Curry Meatballs
Fridge for 2 days, freezer for a month. The broth freezes brilliantly and the meatballs hold their shape after defrosting.
One blogger I read said she makes a double batch of raw meatballs, freezes them on a tray, then vacuum seals them for future use. I started doing the same thing and it makes this a 15-minute dinner when you already have meatballs ready.
FAQs
- Where is this recipe from? Gordon Ramsay’s Home Cooking book (page 180) and his Ultimate Cookery Course on YouTube. He calls it “Meatballs in Fragrant Coconut Broth” and makes it as part of an episode showing four different meatball recipes.
- Can I use turkey or pork mince? Turkey works but the meatballs are drier without the beef fat. Pork is a better swap because it has enough fat to stay juicy in the broth.
- Do I have to chill the meatballs? Ramsay chills them for 30 minutes so they hold together when you brown them. I have skipped this when I was in a rush and two of them fell apart in the pan. Worth the wait.
More Recipes To Try:
Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)
- Calories: 420 kcal
- Total Fat: 28g
- Protein: 28g
- Total Carbohydrate: 14g
Gordon Ramsay Curry Meatballs Recipe
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minutesGordon Ramsay’s curry meatballs recipe drops beef meatballs into a fragrant coconut broth made with lemongrass, coriander seeds, cardamom, turmeric, cinnamon, ginger, and a squeeze of lime at the end. I watched him make this on the Ultimate Cookery Course and he adds the whole spices to the centre of the pan while the meatballs are still browning, which seemed reckless until I tried it and the spices toasted perfectly in the hot fat.
The recipe is on page 180 of his Home Cooking book and there is a YouTube video where he walks through the whole thing. Meatballs in coconut broth sounds like something you would invent at midnight with whatever is left in the cupboard, but it actually works because the meatball curry lemongrass broth is more like a Thai soup than a heavy sauce, and the meatballs soak it up.
Ingredients
450g (1 lb) beef mince
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 tsp chilli flakes
40g (1.5 oz) breadcrumbs
3 tbsp milk
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Olive oil, for frying
2 tsp coriander seeds
4 cardamom pods, lightly crushed
1 tsp ground turmeric
½ tsp ground cinnamon
2 tsp dried chilli flakes
2 lemongrass stalks, trimmed, bashed, and cut into batons
5cm (2-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled and sliced
400ml (1.75 cups) chicken stock
400ml (1.75 cups) coconut milk
1 lime, zested and juiced
Directions
- Cook the Onion: Heat a glug of olive oil in a frying pan. Add the onion and garlic with salt and pepper, cook for 5 minutes until soft. Add the chilli flakes, cook 1 more minute, then set aside to cool.
- Make the Meatballs: Put the mince in a large bowl and season. Soak the breadcrumbs in the milk until they form a soft paste. Mix the breadcrumb paste and cooled onion mixture into the mince. Shape into golf-ball-sized meatballs and chill for 30 minutes.
- Brown the Meatballs: Heat olive oil in a clean frying pan over medium-high heat. Brown the meatballs for 4-5 minutes, turning frequently until coloured on all sides.
- Toast the Spices: Push the meatballs to the edges. Add the coriander seeds, cardamom, turmeric, cinnamon, chilli flakes, lemongrass, and ginger to the centre of the pan. Stir for 30 seconds until aromatic.
- Add Broth: Pour in the chicken stock and coconut milk. Bring to a gentle simmer, season, and cook for 8-12 minutes until the meatballs are cooked through and the broth has thickened slightly.
- Finish and Serve: Add the lime zest and juice. Serve the meatballs in bowls with the broth ladled over, with jasmine rice or noodles.
