MSG Free Apple & Sage Beef Meatballs
These meatballs are a genuinely exciting weeknight dinner ā tender, warmly spiced, and finished in a glossy apple cider pan sauce that feels far more special than the effort involved. Grated Honeycrisp or Fuji apple gets worked right into the beef mixture, adding a subtle sweetness and keeping every bite incredibly moist without any fillers or flavor enhancers. Fresh sage, ginger, turmeric, and Ceylon cinnamon do all the heavy lifting here, building deep, complex flavor from real ingredients alone ā no seasoning packets, no bouillon cubes, no shortcuts that sneak in hidden additives. For anyone navigating MSG sensitivities, the ingredient list is refreshingly clean: every component is whole, identifiable, and easy to source. The pan sauce is where things get really good ā unsweetened apple cider and bone broth deglaze all those caramelized bits from the skillet, and a touch of arrowroot starch pulls it into a silky glaze that coats each meatball beautifully. Cassava flour binds everything together without wheat, making this a recipe that works across multiple dietary needs at once. Serve them straight from the skillet with a scatter of fresh sage and watch them disappear.
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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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