Beef Free Apple-Sage Turkey Meatballs
Ground turkey gets a serious flavor upgrade here, with freshly grated apple, sage, ginger, turmeric, and a whisper of Ceylon cinnamon working together in every bite. The trick of squeezing the grated apple nearly dry before mixing it in is what keeps these meatballs tender and light rather than dense — a small step that makes a big difference. After a hard sear in coconut oil, they finish simmering in an apple cider and bone broth pan sauce that reduces into something glossy, savory, and just slightly sweet. Arrowroot starch does double duty here, binding the meatballs and thickening the sauce without any grain-based ingredients. For anyone navigating a beef-free kitchen, this kind of recipe proves you don't have to sacrifice depth or satisfaction — the layers of aromatics and that pan sauce do all the heavy lifting. Spoon everything over your favorite side and finish with a few fresh sage leaves for a dinner that looks and tastes far more involved than it actually is.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
For the meatballs
- 1 ½ lb ground turkey
- 1 medium apple (such as honeycrisp or fuji), peeled and finely grated
- 2 tbsp fresh sage leaves, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- ¼ cup green onions (green tops only), thinly sliced
- 1 tsp fresh ginger, finely grated
- ½ tsp ground turmeric
- ¼ tsp ceylon cinnamon
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp arrowroot starch
For searing
- 2 tbsp coconut oil
For the pan sauce
- 1 cup apple cider (unsweetened, unfiltered)
- ½ cup bone broth (homemade or aip-compliant brand)
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
- 1 tsp arrowroot starch, mixed with 1 tbsp cold water
- 1 tbsp cold water (for arrowroot slurry)
For serving
- fresh sage leaves, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Grate the apple on the large holes of a box grater, then squeeze the grated apple firmly in a clean kitchen towel or several layers of paper towel to remove as much liquid as possible — the apple should feel nearly dry. This keeps the meatballs from becoming dense or wet.
- 2
In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground turkey, squeezed grated apple, sage, garlic, green onion tops, ginger, turmeric, Ceylon cinnamon, salt, and arrowroot starch. Mix with your hands until just combined and uniform — do not overwork the mixture.
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