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This Indian-inspired kofta curry aka meatballs in curry sauce need nothing else but plain basmati rice and a big spoon! Tender and moist and packed with incredible flavour, these are meatballs taken to the next level!
Serve this flavour packed meal with our simple and easy flatbread!
I’ve always been a firm believer that food should be fun, easy (most of the time), and off the scale flavourful. These meatballs in curry sauce combine all three!
I make curries often, and usually with chicken breasts or chickpeas and butternut squash. This time I wanted to change things up.
Kofta Curry Recipe
Fun fact. Meatballs are called “kofta” in India, and they are shaped more like mini sausages than our meatballs.
The recipe I am sharing today was adapted from one of my favourite writers, the very inspirational Madhur Jaffrey. I did take some liberties with the original, and I might’ve inadvertently combined two different regions of India in one recipe.
When my creative juices start flowing, I get carried away. It’s okay, we love unity, right?!
What is pretty special about this recipe are the meatballs themselves. They are spiced with an array of warm Indian spices like cumin, coriander, cloves, ginger, cinnamon etc. Flavour galore.
I am talking flavour here, not heat. That’s the curry’s job!
The sauce is all about the thoughtful spices and BOLD flavour notes. I also finished it off with just a splash of single cream to tame the heat just a little.
I also added in a bunch of chopped kale for some extra nutrition and colour! Feel free to use spinach, peas, green beans…anything you like!
Recipe Tips and Notes
- If you getting nervous here about your ability to pull off a real Indian taste, don’t be. I will teach you how to cheat! I use Patak’s curry pastes in most of my curries. It’s my favourite brand and no, I am not working for them. However, if you can’t find it or have another brand you love, go for it. Using a paste means you don’t have to keep a wide array of spices at hand when get the urge to make a curry.
- For this recipe I used Madras Spice Paste, which is quite hot. So if you are not a fan of spicy food, I would recommend finding a mild curry like Tikka Masala. For an easy homemade curry recipe, take a look at my Simplified Cauliflower and Potato Curry.
- I used ground pork for my version of the kofta curry as it is readily available but using ground lamb would be more authentic. To ensure your meatballs are as flavourful as they should be, check that your spices are up to date!
- If you prefer to keep this curry dairy free, substitute cream with coconut cream. Delicious!
Serving suggestions
As I mentioned earlier, this kofta curry is perfect with plain basmati rice or cauliflower rice if you want to keep it low carb. Naan or any flatbread will be also delicious.
I personally love making this Nepalese Red Lentil Dhal or my Perfectly Spiced Baby Potatoes (Aloo Chat) and serve it alongside the meatballs.
Storage and leftovers
As good as a curry is when fresh from the stove, it might be even better the next day. The extra time gives flavours the chance to meld and intensify, making the whole thing even more of a delight.
Store leftovers in an This is an affiliate link.airtight container for up to 3 days. You can either reheat gently on the stovetop or in the oven at 160C/320F for 15 minutes covered with a lid or foil.
Due to the cream in this meatball curry, I wouldn’t freeze it. Dishes made with dairy products have the tendency to become grainy and water after thawing, which alters the texture of the dish.
Favourite Indian Curries to Try
- Butter Chicken (Video Included)
- Chicken Korma
- Chickpea and Butternut Squash Curry
- Indian Mulligatawny Soup
Indian Spiced Meatballs in Curry Sauce
Ingredients
For the meatballs
- 1kg/2 lbs lean ground pork, or lamb
- 1 tbsp fresh ginger, peeled and grated or 1 tsp dried ginger
- 1 tbsp cumin
- 1 tbsp coriander
- 1/4 tsp ground cloves
- 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/8 tsp This is an affiliate link.nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp plain yogurt
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
For the curry sauce
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tbsp fresh ginger, peeled and grated
- 2 tbsp cilantro stalks, chopped
- 3 tbsp Indian curry paste, not sauce
- 400g/14 oz This is an affiliate link.canned chopped tomatoes
- 250ml/ 1 cup water
- 10g/1 cup black kale/cavolo nero or spinach, chopped
- 125ml/1/2 cup light cream/single cream, or coconut milk
- 1 tsp This is an affiliate link.garam masala, optional
- 2 tbsp cilantro leaves, chopped
Instructions
- In a large bowl combine pork, ginger, cumin, coriander, cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg, black pepper, cayenne pepper, salt and plain yogurt.
- Roll into golf ball-sized meatballs and brown in 1 tbsp of vegetable oil until golden but not cooked all the way through. Remove to a plate and set aside.
- Discard excessive fat but leave approximately 1 tbsp in the pan. Add onions, garlic, ginger and chopped cilantro stalks and cook over low heat without browning for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add curry paste and stir for a minute, then add canned tomatoes and water, stir to combine, return the meatballs to the pan, and spoon some curry sauce on them to coat them, then turn the heat up and bring to a boil, then turn the heat to low, cover with a lid and simmer for 20 minutes.
- Add chopped kale and any other vegetables if using and cook uncovered for 10 minutes longer, stirring once in a while to avoid burning. In the last few minutes add light cream and taste for salt, add more if necessary. (I add no salt to this sauce as Patak’s curry pastes are quite salty already!)
- Sprinkle with garam masala and chopped cilantro leaves. Serve with basmati rice, naan and/or lentil dhal for a low carb version.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
With all the spices, it was very boring. I wasted $50 trying this recipe.
No number of spices can make up for the lack of cooking skill, Beth.
Are there any downsides to using ground beef instead of pork or lamb?
There is no downside if that’s what you prefer. Indian recipes don’t use beef but you absolutely can do that.
This is the best we have ever had. Thank you
Made this for dinner tonight and it was a hit with everyone in my family. Thanks so much for sharing the recipe!
My pleasure, Manisha, so pleased you enjoyed it!
Hi
I don’t use shop bought pastes or sauces as I don’t like all the preservatives etc. What are your thoughts on à substitute made fresh?
Aside from that it sounds a really lovely recipe and I’d go for the minced lamb. Looking forward to trying it
Hi Paul, you are definitely more than welcome to make your own curry from scratch or use this recipe as a guide.
Made these 29/07/2022 not sure why one person said the recipe was rubbish and watery as this was not the case with mine in fact it turned out delicious I followed the instructions to the t the only thing I didn’t do was put any cream inn as I thought it tasted nice enough so why alter it but that’s my preference I didn’t cook the meatballs straight away once I mixed all the ingredients I let them stand so all the spices and meat have chance to infuse themselves together. I also did the same when added the meatballs to the sauce cooked as instructions and then turned the heat off and again left the dish to stand for half hour again this is my preference. Served with basmati rice and flat bread with garlic butter on my son really enjoyed it too. Thank you for sharing this recipe I will definitely be adding to my favourites list and making it on a regular basis 😊😊😊😊
Thank you so much for your feedback, Bev. It’s greatly appreciated.
Rubbish recipe, wayyy to watery. Either two much water or not lobg enough to cook down. Colour was terrible. Much better just using another curry recipe but with koftas instead of meat.
I try a new recipe every Sunday night and this was the one I chose for last night and it was incredible! I followed the recipe exactly, used ground lamb & Pataks garam masala paste. The flavors of the meatballs & curry were so yummy. Served with bamati rice. Can’t wait to have it for dinner again tonight. Thank you, Julia for another great recipe!!
Thrilled with this outcome, Janice! Thank you so much for your comment.
We made these meatballs to pair with a tomato chutney we bought from a local Indian food vendor. Even without the curry sauce, the meatballs are heavenly. Next time, we’ll make the curry sauce 🙂
What a great idea to serve these with a chutney! Thrilled to hear you enjoyed the meatballs!
Can I make this a day or two ahead of time? Thank you
Absolutely, Joann, this curry will taste even better the following day.
Hi! Which flavor of patak’s curry paste do you use? There are several options when I search, like byrani or vindaloo. Is yours “original hot”?
Thanks!
Hi Lisa, I actually wrote about what paste I used in Recipe Tips. So if you scroll up, you can see all kinds of useful information related to this recipe and nothing about my personal life I promise!
Can I cook this in a slow cooker?
Hi Helen, I haven’t tested this recipe in a slow cooker but I am sure it could be adapted to it.
Near the top of my 5 best curries. I made a few tweaks (not improvements, just tweaks). A few tablespoons of Panko breadcrumbs to the meat ball mix,Pataks Madras paste, 2x tbsps crunchy peanut butter, 5x taps sugar. A really top notch recipe and my Great grandson (8 yrs) absolutely loved it and is pestering me for it again! Thank you
What a brilliant review, Martyn! Thank you
Delicious! Going on the meal rotation 🙂
Thank you so much, Kim! I am thrilled you enjoyed this curry!
Fantastic curry dish. We are huge curry fans but my husband is not fond of cilantro. However, using the stems cut finely in this recipe, the taste is very distinctive and he loved. Our favourite go to quick curry dish.
I am so pleased, Marjorie!! Thank you for this lovely review.
Also meant to mention, I use ground lamb and the flavours are outstanding
Lamb would be so tasty in this recipe. Great call, Marjorie!
We made this today and it was DELICIOUS! It was the first time my fiance has ever voluntarily eaten kale and that was HUGE for him. We took your advice and made it with the side of Nepalese red lentil dhal. The red lentils were also wonderful and different. This is actually one of our lunch meal preps for the week. I can’t wait to try more of your recipes.
Comments like yours are the inspiration behind the reason why I blog, Stella! I absolutely love seeing people discover new things and enjoy them. Welcome to Vikalinka! 🙂
My family are big fans of Indian cuisine and absolutely LOVED this recipe. They raved about the sauce. I followed the directions as written except I substituted fresh spinach that I had on hand for the kale and used Patak’s Tikka Masala curry paste as I couldn’t find their Madras curry paste at either of my local grocery stores. It was easy to make, and tasted even better. It is supposed to feed 6-8 but my family of four adults could not resist and ate it all in one dinner. Highly recommend!
Thank you so much for such a lovely review, Lori! So pleased you enjoyed it!
Can this recipe be made using the instant pot?
I am sure you can do it but I haven’t tested it myself, Ashley. If you do, let me know!
Used this recipe base last night for a delicious meal.
Made my curry paste, and used butternut squash instead of kale. Slow-cooked everything longer and used heavy cream at the end.
Making curry is fun…. sooo many spices!
Btw, the meatballs were a bomb…!
Happy you enjoyed it!
This recipe is amazing! This has become a family favorite. Thank you!
Thank you for a wonderful review, Carolyn!
Made this dairy free by substituting the yoghurt for an egg in the meatballs and using a bit of coconut cream instead of cream. It was really delicious, I would make it again.
Sounds delicious, Keely. My son recently went dairy free, so I am making similar substitutes lately!
I don’t live where i can find this curry paste, what can ve jsed to replace it?
Hi Marwa, you can make a simple curry paste from scratch using this recipe for Cauliflower and Potato Curry Aloo Gobi.
Thanks for ur instant help and reply. To my surprise i did find the one u use here in the supermarket! Trying this for dinner tonight. Yay!! Will post later after trying it.
Excellent dish! Enjoyed immensely. It is one to keep!
Thanks so much for a great review, Gianfranco.
I am cooking this meal for a friend who cannot have garlic or cilantro. Will this still be tasty if I have to omit those? Thank you!
I haven’t made this recipe without garlic or cilantro, so cannot tell definitely but I assume it will still taste good since there are many more spices involved.
Excellent recipe, loved it. I used spinach instead of the kale. I found the pataks curry paste and I think next time I will up it a notch with another tablespoon. This recipe is definitely a keeper. I also think it would be great with lamb as well.
Thank you so much for your feedback, Alana!
I appreciated the ease and simplicity of this recipe.
Great news! Thanks, David!
Why did my meatballs went dry , is it because I baked them in the oven for 15 minutes instead of frying them ,
oh but the sauce was out of this world.
Hi Maria, that could be the reason. They are only briefly browned on the outside and then cooked through in the sauce, so the cooking time is not as long.
My meatballs fell apart. What did I do wrong?
Hi Jamie, I’ve never had this issue, so I am not really sure what exactly happened since I wasn’t in the kitchen with you. If you followed the recipe, it shouldn’t happen. I guess you can add an egg next time to hold them together better and use a non-stick pan to make sure they don’t stick to the pan when being fried.
My meatballs fell apart as well…and I did follow the recipe. It still tasted amazing tho!
Add a teaspoon of cornflour,it helps in binding the meat
I’m cleaning out my freezer today and found 2 pounds of lean ground pork. I’m making these this afternoon! They sound delicious and we adore curry. Yum! I’ll probably add minced onion and garlic to the meatball mixture, just because I love those flavors.
Oh yes, that recipe is such a keeper. I hope you make it more than once, Shelley!
This recipe was a great success. Only thing I changed and would highly recommend is I used ground lamb for the meatballs. Fantastic flavour. Making again for grandkids this weekend with homemade naan bread.
Ground lamb sounds delicious, Marjorie. I am so glad you enjoyed the recipe. Best, Julia
Wonderfully flavorful recipe. I added more fresh cilantro when serving. Thank you for sharing. I wii certainly make this again.
Thanks for your feedback, Lisa! I love it with extra cilantro as well!
Enjoyed the sauce but meatballs were bland and dry.
Hi Nance, there are only two reasons why meatballs with 8 different spices could be bland; either your spices are out of date and need to be replaced or one of the most common reasons your meatball mixture was undersalted. Yogurt in the recipe adds moisture to the meatballs, so if yours were dry, try to increase the amount of yogurt next time you make them. Best, Julia
Inlibe the idea of shredded cabbage instead of the kale.
Question – I made a restaurant style curry base (found in Pinterest) which was amazing, and I froze the extra servings for future use , as recommended. It is a great idea for a short cut, but Inwant to try a different recipe like this one. Can I substitute that for the Patek paste? My base is liquidy, so i am worri rd about consistency. Thanks in advance.
If you love the taste of the paste you made, I would definitely give it a go. It doesn’t matter that it’s liquidy, just turn the heat up and cook it down towards the end of cooking time for desired consistency. I hope this helps.
~Julia
I’m cooking for 25. Three different proteins. Planning to convert this to a crock pot recipe, any recommendations or concerns? I think the meatballs will hold up and will add the cream at the last minute. Other thoughts?
Hi Jolene, I have never made any type of curry in a slow cooker, only in a pressure cooker and it’s pretty straightforward. In my experience with slow cookers is that they generate a lot of liquid, so maybe reduce the amount of liquid you use, and I agree with you about adding the cream at the end. Good luck and let me know how it goes if you get a chance! Best, Julia
The meatballs are moist and tender, this is a wonderful recipe that my entire family loved. I only had tandoori paste and it worked really well as an alternative
Thank you for a wonderful review, Tash!
This is spectacular! My husband and I ate till we could hardly move! Thank you for a wonderful recipe!
My pleasure, Lisa! Thrilled you enjoyed it so much!
These were AMAZING! I wanted to make them exactly as written but had to make some changes based on what I had on hand: Mixture of beef and pork, sour cream instead of yogurt, coconut milk instead of cream, and added shredded cabbage in addition to kale. SOOO good!!
I love what you did to the recipe, Christina! And I am sure that adding cabbage is more authentic to Indian food than kale. Thank you for sharing! Best, Julia
You can get it in Superstore or Sobey’s. I’ve bought Patak’s many times in Fort McMurray.
This looks amazing.. and I’m definitely gonna try this. I was just hoping if you could help me with the Indian curry paste. I don’t think I’ll find the pathak’s curry paste here. Is there a substitute curry paste some thing which I can make at home itself?
Hi Amrita, thanks for stopping by. I don’t have a recipe for a homemade curry paste on my blog unfortunately, but there are many on the internet if you Google ‘simple homemade curry’ or something similar. Alternatively, you can make the spiced meatballs and serve them with the Nepalese Dhal, the link for which is in the post. I hope this helps. Best, Julia
Why the kale? And is there a substitute? I’m allergic to it, unfortunately
Why the kale? It’s a personal preference. I don’t like curly kale but I love cavolo nero, which is delicious and incredibly nutritious. You can substitute it with spinach or skip it altogether. None of my recipes are prescriptive, so feel free to adjust it to your taste.
I would like to know if Pataks curry paste is availbale in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. this is first time I heard of Pataks curry paste
Pataks is available in Canada in most supermarkets. I left Canada almost 7 years ago and it was available then and is available now. Here is their Canadian website. https://www.pataks.ca/products
You can buy at superstore or any Indian grocery store on 34ave
Sounds really lovely but I don’t eat meat so can you make the meatball with quorn mince instead.thank
Hi Wendy, I think it can work but I have no personal experience with quorn, so can’t be certain. I do however cooked quite a few recipes using Macsween vegetarian haggis and I can tell you it’s delicious!
I made these last week and they were SO delicious, they are going to become a regular for us for sure! I did make a couple of tweaks to make it a little bit healthier – I used extra lean ground chicken, and instead of cream I just used some Silk coconut milk (from the carton) and it was still sooo good. They reheat really well too! Thanks for sharing! Have you ever tried freezing? Wondering how it would fare and if I could freeze in the sauce.
Sounds amazing!! Thanks for your feedback.