Coconut Curry Lamb & Kale

If you have followed my food creations for awhile now, you know I love lamb meatballs. My OG recipe was one of the first FIVE on my blog back in 2016. Here is new take on it, one that has a delicious full-meal pairing and it’s super simple to make for a weeknight meal. If you love curry, you’ll enjoy this one. The curry spices, lamb flavor, and lightly sweet coconut sauce make the perfect trio for a go-to curry dish. It’s even LOADED with kale greens, but you’d never know since it’s such a great addition that gives this dish more body.

Enjoy it over rice or served alongside my naan recipe!

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Level: Easy/Medium

Ingredients - Serves 4

  • 1 lb ground lamb

  • 1 tsp salt

  • 2 tsp curry powder

  • 1/4 tsp white pepper (black pepper works if it’s all you have)

  • 1/4 tsp paprika

  • 2 tsp Worcester sauce

  • 1/2 white onion, diced

  • 5 cloves of garlic, minced

  • 2 tsp minced fresh ginger OR ginger pureed from tube

  • 1 tbsp cooking oil

  • 1/4 cup red curry paste

  • 2 tbsp tomato paste

  • 1 can of coconut milk (light or regular fine)

  • 1 tbsp. white sugar

  • 3 loose cups of ripped kale pieces

  • 1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

  • Extra salt and pepper for seasoning

  • Rice or Naan for serving, plus Greek Yogurt for light tangy topping

 

  1. Prep all ingredients. In a large bowl, combine the lamb, with the salt, the white pepper, curry powder, paprika, and Worcester sauce (this makes them nice an moist). Mix well with your hands, and form into 1 inch meatball. Roll so it all sticks in a ball, but don’t back too tightly to make them overly dense.

  2. In a skillet, heat up the cooking oil over a tick above medium heat for a minute or two. Add the meatballs, all spread out and let cook for a couple minutes before turning to another side. Keeping turning every few minutes until no sides are red and raw, and remove from the pan (about 6-8 minutes total). They might not be all the way cooked, but that’s ok, they will have more time to finish.

  3. Reduce that pan’s heat to a tick below medium, and add the onion. Sauté until soft, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another minute. Add the ginger, curry paste, and tomato paste. Cook together for 2 minutes.

  4. Whisk in the coconut milk until fully combined. Turn the heat up as to reach a simmer. Add the sugar, a little salt and pepper, and stir.

  5. Once simmering, add the meatballs all back in. Stir to coat. Let them simmer in the curry for at least 3 minutes, letting the sauce thicken a bit around them.

  6. Add the kale in handfuls, stirring in and letting it wilt as you do. Keep cooking down until soft, about 3 minutes.

  7. Remove from heat, and serve topped with the parsley, and optionally greek yogurt. Enjoy this over a bed or rice, or paired with naan to sop up the delicious sauce!