Artificial Food Coloring Free Apple & Sage Beef Meatballs
These meatballs are the kind of cozy, deeply flavored dinner that makes you forget you're eating something completely clean. Grated Honeycrisp or Fuji apple gets worked right into the beef mixture, adding a subtle natural sweetness that plays beautifully against the earthy sage and warm Ceylon cinnamon. A hard sear in coconut oil builds a gorgeous crust, and then an apple cider and bone broth pan sauce ā thickened with arrowroot ā pulls everything together into a glossy, restaurant-worthy glaze. Every single ingredient here is whole and recognizable, which means none of the synthetic dyes that sneak into store-bought sauces, broths, or pre-seasoned meat products. The arrowroot and cassava flour keep the texture light and tender without any of the processed binders that often carry hidden additives. Fresh ginger and turmeric round out the spice profile with real, vibrant color that comes entirely from the ingredients themselves. This is the kind of recipe that proves eating without artificial dyes doesn't mean sacrificing bold flavor or a satisfying, saucy finish.
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Learn more āIngredients
4 servings
For the meatballs
- 1 Ā½ lb ground beef (85% lean)
- 1 medium apple (such as honeycrisp or fuji), peeled and finely grated
- 3 tbsp cassava flour
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tbsp fresh sage, finely chopped
- 1 tsp fresh ginger, finely grated
- Ā½ tsp ground turmeric
- Ā½ tsp ceylon cinnamon
- 1 tsp fine sea salt
For searing
- 2 tbsp coconut oil
For the pan sauce
- Ā¾ cup apple cider (unsweetened)
- Ā¾ cup bone broth (homemade or aip-compliant brand)
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tsp arrowroot starch
For serving
- 1 tbsp fresh sage leaves, thinly sliced (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Grate the apple on the fine side of a box grater, then squeeze the grated apple firmly in your hand or in a clean kitchen towel over the sink to remove as much liquid as possible ā this keeps the meatballs from becoming dense and wet.
- 2
In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground beef, squeezed grated apple, cassava flour, garlic, chopped sage, ginger, turmeric, Ceylon cinnamon, and salt. Mix with your hands until just combined and uniform ā do not overwork the meat.
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