Indonesian Meatballs

These spicy chicken Indonesian Meatballs come complete in a creamy coconut curry sauce that really is quite easy to prepare and are out of bounds delicious!

Indonesian Meatballs

I love experimenting with different cuisines and using the spices and herbs that are commonly used in different areas, so today we’re travelling to Indonesia with these Bali Balls as I like to call them. The main flavor punches in this recipe are the lemongrass and Kaffir lime leaves. They really make this dish and give the meatballs their wonderful aroma and flavor.

I decided to go with a chicken meatball here but beef or pork is great as well. The sauce is to die for, a creamy coconut sauce made with red chili paste, curry powder and of course infused with lots of flavor from the lime leaves and lemongrass. I could put that sauce on everything and drink it out of a glass, it’s so good.

Is This Recipe Traditional?

Did you know that meatballs hold their own little special place in Indonesian cuisine? It seems that every country has their own little twist on the meaty morsel! Bakso is a super common street food in Indonesia so I thought I’d do my own little Jo Cooks riff on that today. This recipe is by no means traditional, consider it instead inspired by a beautiful country with a lovely cuisine.

Kaffir Leaves? Lemongrass?

I know that at home in Canada at least, these are two ingredients that aren’t cooked with all that often, which is a shame because they are such beautiful flavorful additions!

Kaffir

Kaffir lime leaves can be found in the produce section of your grocery store near the lemongrass. If you can’t find any, just use regular lime juice. If you have any Asian markets nearby, you can always find them there.

Lemongrass

Lemongrass is a stiff grass native to India and is usually used as a herb in Asian Cuisine. It’s citrusy with a lemony flavor and it tastes like a mix of lemon and lemon mint. Lemongrass is also very fragrant. You’ll want to remove it before eating the dish.

Ingredients In Indonesian Meatballs

Detailed measurements and instructions can be found on the printable recipe card at the bottom of the page.

Meatballs

• Meat – We’re using ground chicken today for some nice light meatballs.
• Breadcrumbs – I used panko today as it gives us a nice moist finished product. If you want to use a gluten free substitute for the panko breadcrumbs, substitute with 1/3 cup potato starch, also called potato flour.
• Chili – I chopped up a fresh chili pepper to give this dish lots of heat. You can omit this ingredient if you’d prefer.
• Garlic – Fresh minced up nice and fine. If jarred is all you have on hand just keep in mind that 1 1/2 teaspoons equals 1 fresh clove.
• Spices – Nutmeg and garam masala. Garam masala is an Indian spice blend that gives these meatballs tons of dimension.
• Red curry paste – We’re really bringing a ton of South East Asian influence to our dish today and this paste adds a touch of heat, color, and flavor.
• Herbs – Chopped fresh cilantro and chopped green onion.
• Seasoning – Salt and pepper.
• Egg – The binder of our humble little meatballs!
• Oil – I used peanut oil for frying these up, feel free to use any neutral tasting high smoke point oil you prefer.

Sauce

• Lemongrass – 2 stalks, removed before serving.
• Kaffir lime leaves – 5 of them fresh. I never use up all the ones I buy in one recipe so I store the rest in the freezer.
• Broth – Chicken broth low sodium.
• Red curry paste – We want to ensure that our curry paste flavor makes its way through all elements of this dish.
• Coconut milk – Unsweetened, whichever fat percentage you prefer.
• Coconut – Sweetened and shredded, totally optional but completely delicious.
• Seasoning – Salt and pepper to taste.
• Spices – Just curry powder for this part of the dish.
• Cilantro – Cut up fresh. Feel free to omit this ingredient if you’re not a fan of the taste.

How To Make Indonesian Meatballs

Detailed measurements and instructions can be found on the printable recipe card at the bottom of the page.

Meatballs

1. Combine the meatballs: In a large bowl add all the meatball ingredients, except the peanut oil, and mix well using your clean hands. Shape the meat mixture into 1 inch meatballs. You should get around 40 meatballs.
2. Fry the meatballs: In a skillet heat the peanut oil over medium heat. Add the meatballs and fry until golden all around, should take about 7 minutes. If your skillet isn’t large enough you may need to do this in a couple batches. Transfer the meatballs to a plate and set aside

Sauce

1. Prepare the lemongrass: Trim the top and base of the lemongrass stalks and peel off any dry or tough outer layers. Using a meat mallet, pound the lemongrass stalks until well bruised to release the flavor.
2. Combine the sauce: In the same skillet that was used to fry the meatballs add the chicken broth, red curry paste, unsweetened coconut milk, curry powder, salt, pepper, Kaffir lime leaves and lemongrass. Stir everything together and bring to a boil.
3. Incorporate the meatballs: Add the meatballs back to the skillet, toss them around to cover them in the sauce, then cook for another 8 to 10 minutes, uncovered over medium-low heat. Remove the lemongrass and lime leaves from the sauce.
4. Finish the dish: If you’re adding the shredded coconut, add it now and stir. I added this for a bit of sweetness to the sauce, but this is totally optional. You could also add a tsp or so of brown sugar. Garnish with cilantro and serve over cooked rice.

Other Ways To Cook Indonesian Meatballs

In the oven

If you’d prefer to bake these little meatballs I won’t stop you! Preheat your oven to 400 F degrees and line them up on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake them for 30 – 40 minutes while you make the sauce. Incorporate them into the sauce and toss to cover fully.

Slow cooker

Follow the instructions for forming the meatballs but place in your slow cooker instead. Cover with the sauce and cook on low for 6 – 8 hours.

Pressure cooker

Add your sauce to the pot first, followed by the meatballs. Cook on the manual setting on high for 7 minutes. Allow the pressure to release naturally before removing the lid, this step takes about 10 minutes.

How To Serve Indonesian Meatballs

I prefer to serve these sauce morsels over white rice but they’re also delicious over rice noodles!

• Mashed Potatoes
• Creamy Polenta
• Coconut Rice
• Rice noodles – cooked according to package instructions.

Tips For Making The Best Indonesian Meatballs

1. You can use ground lamb, ground veal, ground pork, or ground beef instead of chicken for this recipe. You can even use an equal combination of all of the above!
2. Fresh breadcrumbs will really set this dish off so feel free to go in this direction if you’d like. This page is a great guide for making your own.
3. If you find your meatballs are a bit dry, try cubing up some bread nice and small and soaking in a bit of milk before incorporating into the meatballs. This is a traditionally Italian way of ensuring moisture.
4. Don’t crowd your pan when frying these up, this is to ensure that your Indonesian Meatballs brown properly.
5. If you’re still having trouble with your meatballs, try referencing this page to trouble shoot what exactly is going wrong.

Want To Make This Recipe Ahead?

This dish can be made ahead of time if that’s what you’re into! Both the sauce and the meatballs themselves are perfect for the fridge or freezer.

Fridge

These meatballs can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 – 4 days.

Freezer

This recipe also freezes quite well so just be sure to separate the balls from the sauce in airtight containers and store. Each should last around 3 months frozen. Just allow them to thaw in the fridge overnight and reheat on the stove top when ready to eat!

Craving More Meatballs? Try These Delicious Recipes:

• Stout Meatballs With BBQ Sauce
• Salisbury Steak Meatballs with Gravy and Mashed Potatoes
• Moroccan Meatballs
• Meatballs with Mushroom Sauce
• Porcupine Meatballs
• Thai Meatball Lettuce Wraps
• Cheesy Chicken Meatball Rolls