Rice Free Apple & Sage Beef Meatballs
These meatballs are a genuinely exciting weeknight dinner ā warmly spiced with sage, ginger, turmeric, and Ceylon cinnamon, with grated apple folded right into the meat for a subtle sweetness that plays beautifully against the savory beef. Cassava flour and arrowroot starch do all the binding and thickening work here, so there's no grain or rice-based filler hiding anywhere in the recipe. The technique of squeezing the grated apple dry before mixing is a small but brilliant step that keeps the texture tight and satisfying rather than soft and dense. A hard sear in coconut oil builds a deep, caramelized crust on every meatball before they get finished in a glossy pan sauce made from unsweetened apple cider and bone broth. That sauce comes together in minutes and clings to each meatball in a way that feels far more impressive than the effort involved. Whether you're navigating a specific grain-free approach or just looking for something different from the usual weeknight rotation, this one delivers on flavor, texture, and simplicity all at once.
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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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