Cost Breakdown

Recipe Making Process:

Smart Ingredient Choices

All the ingredients are easy to find at any grocery store. I used lean ground turkey – which is a great source of lean protein and usually cheaper than beef. The lite coconut milk and curry paste add a ton of flavor without being too expensive.

Most of the produce — like onion, red bell pepper, and broccoli — is affordable year-round. I chose fresh broccoli instead of frozen because it keeps a brighter color and a crisp, tender texture when steamed. It adds that perfect crunch to balance the soft rice and meatballs. If you’re cooking on a budget, fresh broccoli is still a great choice, and it makes a noticeable difference in the freshness of the meal. If pineapple is in season, adding it on the side gives a nice, sweet contrast to the spicy curry.

Budget and Nutrition Tips
Cooking meals like this at home is one of the best ways to save money and eat more protein. One pound of ground turkey makes several servings, and the rice stretches the meal even further.

This recipe checks a lot of boxes nutritionally — lean protein from the turkey, complex carbs from the rice, and vitamins and fiber from the vegetables. The coconut milk adds healthy fats that keep you full for longer, so it’s a balanced, nutrient-dense meal.

Cooking Prep Made Easy
Before cooking, I chopped the onions and peppers, measured the ingredients, and got my pans ready.

Friendly Tip: Coconut Rice
While cooking the coconut rice, the rice tends to peak up the sides of the pot. Checking on the rice halfway through the cooking process and evening it out can help the rice cook evenly.

Bringing It All Together
When everything’s ready, you’ve got a plate that’s full of color and texture — white rice, golden-brown turkey meatballs, bright red peppers, green broccoli, and a rich yellow from the curry sauce and pineapple. The flavor is bold and spicy with a hint of coconut to balance it out.

Reflection
This meal taught me that eating healthy and high protein doesn’t have to be expensive or complicated. It’s all about planning ahead and using affordable ingredients!

Simple ingredients, solid flavor, and no stress — that’s my kind of college meal!

High Protein, Budget Friendly, Curry Meatballs with Coconut Rice

Author: Camilla Moscon Cooking Method:Steam Simmer Bake Cuisine:Indian Courses:Lunch, Dinner

Easy :BeginnerPrep time: 10 minutesCook time: 30 minutesTotal time: 40 minutesServings:6 servingsEstimated Cost:4.21 $Calories:554 kcal Best Season:Available

Description

A budget-friendly, high-protein meal featuring tender turkey meatballs simmered in a creamy yellow curry sauce, served over coconut rice with fresh steamed broccoli and sweet pineapple on the side.

Ingredients

Meatballs

• 16 oz Jennie O’ Lean Ground Turkey (90/202)
• 1 Cup Plain Breadcrumbs
• 1/4 Cup Yellow Onion
• 2 tsp Fresh Ground Ginger
• 3 Tbsp Ketchup
• 1 1/2 tsp Mae Ploy Yellow Curry Paste

Coconut Rice

• 1 Cup Jasmine White Rice
• 1 Cup Thai Kitchen Lite Coconut Milk
• 1 Tbsp Better Than Bullion – Low Sodium

Yellow Curry Sauce

• 1 Cup Thai Kitchen Lite Coconut Milk
• 1/2 Cup Milk (1%)
• 1/4 Cup Mae Ploy Yellow Curry Paste
• 1 Whole Red Bell Pepper
• 1/2 Lime (Juiced)

Sides

• 1 Bag Frozen Broccoli
• 1 Whole Pineapple

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease your cookie sheet.
2. Mix the Jennie O turkey burger, breadcrumbs, yellow onion, ground ginger, ketchup, and Mea Ploy yellow curry paste in a bowl.
3. Once combined, form your micture into even ping pong sized balls and begin to line your cookie sheet.
4. Spray your meatballs with a nonstick cooking spray and place in the preheated oven for 15 minutes.
5. While your meatballs are cooking, add water, Thai Kitchen lite coconut milk, and better than bullion to a pot, mix, and bring to
   a boil.
6. Rinse your rice in cold water, drain, and add to boiling pot mixture. Turn the stove to low and cover with a lid. Let simmer for 25 minutes or until cooked with no moisture left at the bottom.
7. Once your meatballs have finished cooking for 15 minutes, remove from the oven, flip and put back into the oven for 10 more minutes.
8. Small dice red bell pepper (¼ in x ¼ in). Add bell pepper and Mae Ploy yellow curry paste into a small pot and mix.
9. Once mixed, add the Thai Kitchen lite coconut milk and 1% milk into the pot and stir on med-low heat. Squeeze in your lime and let it simmer until it is time to serve.
10. Steam fresh broccoli for 5-10 minutes or until al-dente.
11. While broccoli steams, cut your pineapple.
12. Drain and lightly salt your broccoli, remove your meatballs from the oven and fluff your rice.
13. Plate and enjoy.

Keywords:Bold and Flavorful, Budget friendly, College-Friendly, Fresh Veggies, High Protein, Minimal Cleanup, nutritious, Quick and Easy, Spicy and Sweet