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One-Pan Turkey Meatballs with Coconut Rice

By Jessica Rudolph

Published on April 20, 2020

Time

1¾ hours

Yield

Serves 4

One-Pan Turkey Meatballs with Coconut Rice

Ingredients

1 pound ground turkey ½ cup panko bread crumbs 6 scallions, sliced thin, divided½ cup chopped fresh cilantro, divided1 large egg, lightly beaten2 tablespoons Asian chili-garlic sauce, plus extra for serving2 tablespoons fish sauce, divided1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger 1 teaspoon table salt, divided2 tablespoons vegetable oil 2 red bell peppers, stemmed, seeded, and sliced into ¼-inch-thick strips (2 cups)1 cup long-grain white rice, rinsed1 ½ cups water ⅔ cup canned coconut milk ½ cup frozen peas, thawed¼ cup dry-roasted peanuts, chopped coarseLime wedge

Before You Begin

Do not use 99 percent lean ground turkey; it will make dry meatballs. We like the flavor of jasmine rice here, though any long-grain white rice will work. Rinse the rice in a fine-mesh strainer under running water until the water runs almost clear, about 1½ minutes, agitating the rice a few times with your hand. We developed this recipe with Aroy-D Coconut Milk. A 12-inch nonstick skillet with a tight-fitting lid is essential. Turn the meatballs gently in step 2 so that they won't break.

Instructions

  1. Combine turkey, panko, two-thirds of scallions, ¼ cup cilantro, egg, chili-garlic sauce, 1 tablespoon fish sauce, ginger, and ½ teaspoon salt in bowl and mix with your hands until thoroughly combined. Divide mixture into 20 portions, about 2 tablespoons each. Roll portions between your wet hands to form meatballs. Transfer meatballs to plate and refrigerate for 15 minutes.
  2. Heat oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add meatballs and cook until well browned all over, 5 to 7 minutes. Return meatballs to plate, leaving fat in skillet.
  3. Add bell peppers to now-empty skillet; cook until beginning to brown, about 2 minutes. Add rice and cook, stirring frequently, until edges of grains begin to turn translucent, about 1 minute. Stir in water, coconut milk, remaining 1 tablespoon fish sauce, and remaining ½ teaspoon salt and bring to boil.
  4. Return meatballs to skillet. Cover, reduce heat to low, and cook for 20 minutes.
  5. Without removing lid, remove skillet from heat and let sit, covered, for 10 minutes. Gently stir peas into rice. Sprinkle with peanuts, remaining one-third of scallions, and remaining ¼ cup cilantro. Serve with lime wedges and extra chili-garlic sauce.
One-Pan Turkey Meatballs with Coconut Rice
Photography by Steve Klise. Styling by Elle Simone.

One-Pan Turkey Meatballs with Coconut Rice

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Time

1¾ hours

Yield

Serves 4

Ingredients

1 pound ground turkey
½ cup panko bread crumbs
6 scallions, sliced thin, divided
½ cup chopped fresh cilantro, divided
1 large egg, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons Asian chili-garlic sauce, plus extra for serving
2 tablespoons fish sauce, divided
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
1 teaspoon table salt, divided
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 red bell peppers, stemmed, seeded, and sliced into ¼-inch-thick strips (2 cups)
1 cup long-grain white rice, rinsed
1 ½ cups water
⅔ cup canned coconut milk
½ cup frozen peas, thawed
¼ cup dry-roasted peanuts, chopped coarse
Lime wedge

Test Kitchen Techniques

Ingredients

1 pound ground turkey
½ cup panko bread crumbs
6 scallions, sliced thin, divided
½ cup chopped fresh cilantro, divided
1 large egg, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons Asian chili-garlic sauce, plus extra for serving
2 tablespoons fish sauce, divided
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
1 teaspoon table salt, divided
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 red bell peppers, stemmed, seeded, and sliced into ¼-inch-thick strips (2 cups)
1 cup long-grain white rice, rinsed
1 ½ cups water
⅔ cup canned coconut milk
½ cup frozen peas, thawed
¼ cup dry-roasted peanuts, chopped coarse
Lime wedge

Test Kitchen Techniques

Ingredients

1 pound ground turkey
½ cup panko bread crumbs
6 scallions, sliced thin, divided
½ cup chopped fresh cilantro, divided
1 large egg, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons Asian chili-garlic sauce, plus extra for serving
2 tablespoons fish sauce, divided
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
1 teaspoon table salt, divided
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 red bell peppers, stemmed, seeded, and sliced into ¼-inch-thick strips (2 cups)
1 cup long-grain white rice, rinsed
1 ½ cups water
⅔ cup canned coconut milk
½ cup frozen peas, thawed
¼ cup dry-roasted peanuts, chopped coarse
Lime wedge

Test Kitchen Techniques

Why This Recipe Works

Boldly flavored turkey meatballs cook up perfectly juicy and tender nestled in a skillet of creamy coconut rice in this quick and easy one-pan meal. We packed the meatballs with cilantro, scallions, and ginger for fresh brightness and added chili-garlic sauce and fish sauce for heat and savory depth. We bound the mixture together and kept the meatballs moist with an egg and some panko bread crumbs. After browning the meatballs, we sautéed red bell pepper strips, and then we added rice and cooked it until the greens were translucent around the edges (a step that added nutty flavor and prevented future clumping). To cook the rice, we swapped out one-third of the water for coconut milk—just enough for a noticeable coconut sweetness but not so much that the finished dish was stodgy. The meatballs and rice finished cooking together in the covered skillet, and then we rounded out the meal by stirring in thawed frozen peas. We finished the dish with more fresh cilantro and scallions, a squeeze of lime juice, and some chopped peanuts for a welcome crunch.

Before You Begin

Do not use 99 percent lean ground turkey; it will make dry meatballs. We like the flavor of jasmine rice here, though any long-grain white rice will work. Rinse the rice in a fine-mesh strainer under running water until the water runs almost clear, about 1½ minutes, agitating the rice a few times with your hand. We developed this recipe with Aroy-D Coconut Milk. A 12-inch nonstick skillet with a tight-fitting lid is essential. Turn the meatballs gently in step 2 so that they won't break.

Instructions

  1. Combine turkey, panko, two-thirds of scallions, ¼ cup cilantro, egg, chili-garlic sauce, 1 tablespoon fish sauce, ginger, and ½ teaspoon salt in bowl and mix with your hands until thoroughly combined. Divide mixture into 20 portions, about 2 tablespoons each. Roll portions between your wet hands to form meatballs. Transfer meatballs to plate and refrigerate for 15 minutes.
  2. Heat oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add meatballs and cook until well browned all over, 5 to 7 minutes. Return meatballs to plate, leaving fat in skillet.
  3. Add bell peppers to now-empty skillet; cook until beginning to brown, about 2 minutes. Add rice and cook, stirring frequently, until edges of grains begin to turn translucent, about 1 minute. Stir in water, coconut milk, remaining 1 tablespoon fish sauce, and remaining ½ teaspoon salt and bring to boil.
  4. Return meatballs to skillet. Cover, reduce heat to low, and cook for 20 minutes.
  5. Without removing lid, remove skillet from heat and let sit, covered, for 10 minutes. Gently stir peas into rice. Sprinkle with peanuts, remaining one-third of scallions, and remaining ¼ cup cilantro. Serve with lime wedges and extra chili-garlic sauce.

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