If there’s ever a food I will never have enough of, it’s meatballs. It does not matter which type or how their seasoned. If there is a plate of meatballs, I’m there. They are a universal party/entertaining food. We’ve been watching the NFL playoffs and I’ve been experimenting with some appetizers to make for the SuperBowl. When I made these Dutch Oven Curried Meatballs, they were an absolute hit!
Ok so curry and meatballs don’t seem like a combo that should work. But it totally does. This curry is tomato based, so think of it as an indian version of the meatballs your grandma used to make. And if you still can’t get past the curry, I’ll just dare you to try them. No wait! Even better, a triple dog dare to try them. You can’t get out of that dare my friend.
You can use whatever kind of unseasoned meatballs you’d like for this dish. Beef meatballs, turkey, gluten free, mini, tofu, etc, they will all work with this sauce. One of the great reasons to cook in a sauce is that they will absorb the flavor of the sauce as they cook. One of the reasons why I used a dutch oven for this recipe is that with the lid on, it will keep in the moisture and cook them faster. And thus trapping more of the flavor into the meatballs.
I can go on and on about how much I love cooking with dutch ovens. They are an investment piece for your kitchen but are SO worth it! I use Le Creuset and they have a lifetime guarantee for their dutch ovens. While you don’t need to shell out tons of money for a good dutch oven, make sure that you buy a quality one. It should be cast iron with an enamel, meaning it will weigh a lot! But the cast iron will give it even heat and it will retain heat as well. There are some other cheaper brands to go for such as Lodge and Cuisinart, but make sure to stay away from the no name dollar store variety. You do get what you pay for in most cases.
So whether you are cooking for the big game, to entertain or just to try something new for your family, be sure to try my Dutch Oven Curried Meatballs. They won’t disappoint!

Dutch Oven Curried Meatballs
Ingredients
- 28 Oz Frozen Meatballs Unseasoned or Turkey
- 1/4 Cup Vegetable Oil
- 4 Onions, Chopped
- 10 Garlic Cloves, Smashed
- 1/2 Tbsp Ginger Powder
- 4 Tsp Curry Powder
- 4 Tsp Cumin
- 4 Tsp Turmeric
- 1/2 Cup Cilantro
- 14.5 Oz Canned Crushed Tomatoes
- 1 Bay Leaf
- Salt
- Pepper
- 1 Tbsp Lemon Juice
- 1 Tsp Cayenne Pepper
Instructions
- Heat oil in a dutch oven on medium-high heat. Add onions and garlic and cook until onions have softened and turned translucent.
- Stir in ginger powder, curry powder, cumin, turmeric and cilantro. Then mix in the crushed tomatoes.
- Add the bay leaf then season with salt and pepper to taste. Stir in lemon juice and cayenne pepper.
- Let simmer for 5 minutes uncovered.
- Remove bay leaf. Then use an immersion blender to puree sauce. Sauce should be smooth.
- Add meatballs and stir to coat. Bring to a simmer, then place the lid on the dutch oven and let cook for 20 minutes. Garnish with fresh cilantro to serve, enjoy!
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