Oats Free Apple & Sage Beef Meatballs
These savory-sweet meatballs are the kind of weeknight dinner that feels a little fancy without demanding much from you. Grated Honeycrisp or Fuji apple works right into the meat mixture, adding subtle sweetness and moisture, while fresh sage, ginger, turmeric, and Ceylon cinnamon layer in a warmth that's genuinely surprising. Cassava flour stands in as the binder here, which means there's no grain or gluten involved ā and absolutely nothing derived from oats hiding in the mix. The technique of squeezing the grated apple dry before combining is a small but smart step that keeps the meatballs firm and beautifully browned rather than steamy and dense. A pan sauce built from unsweetened apple cider and bone broth, thickened with arrowroot, pulls everything together into a glossy glaze that clings to every meatball. It's the kind of recipe that tastes like it came from a restaurant kitchen but relies entirely on clean, straightforward ingredients you can feel confident about.
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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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