Walnut Free Apple & Sage Beef Meatballs

Total time45 min

Prep time20 min

Cook time25 min

4.7

(20)

These meatballs are a genuinely exciting weeknight dinner — savory, warmly spiced, and finished in a glossy apple cider pan sauce that tastes like it took way more effort than it did. Grated Honeycrisp or Fuji apple gets worked right into the beef mixture, adding a subtle sweetness and keeping everything tender without any filler ingredients you'd need to second-guess. Fresh sage and a touch of Ceylon cinnamon give the whole thing an almost autumnal depth, while ginger and turmeric round out the flavor in the best way. The searing step is where the magic happens — letting those meatballs sit undisturbed in hot coconut oil builds a deep brown crust that locks in the juices and makes the finished dish look seriously impressive. Arrowroot starch thickens the pan sauce quickly and cleanly, so you get that glossy, spoon-coating consistency without any grain-based thickeners. Every ingredient here is straightforward and easy to source, so there's no hunting labels for hidden additives or worrying about cross-contact with tree nuts. Serve them straight from the skillet with a scatter of fresh sage and watch them disappear.

About Fig

Fig is a food discovery app that helps you find foods and recipes that fit your dietary needs. Whether you have food allergies, intolerances, or follow a specific diet, Fig makes it easy to eat with confidence.

Learn more →

Ingredients

4 servings

For the meatballs

1 ½ 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
½ tsp ground turmeric
½ tsp ceylon cinnamon
1 tsp fine sea salt

For searing

2 tbsp coconut oil

For the pan sauce

¾ cup apple cider (unsweetened)
¾ 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 — 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 — do not overwork the meat.

Want the full recipe?

Create a Fig account for step-by-step instructions, access to our full recipe library, and more!