Eggless Apple-Sage Turkey Meatballs
These meatballs are the kind of cozy, weeknight-worthy dish that feels far more impressive than the effort involved. Ground turkey gets lifted by fresh sage, warm Ceylon cinnamon, a hint of ginger, and finely grated apple — which melts into the mixture and keeps everything moist without adding any eggy binder. Arrowroot starch does the binding work instead, making this a genuinely satisfying option for anyone avoiding eggs without sacrificing that tender, cohesive texture you want in a great meatball. The sear in coconut oil builds a gorgeous golden crust, and then the apple cider pan sauce — brightened with apple cider vinegar, bone broth, and fresh thyme — pulls it all together into something deeply savory and just slightly sweet. That glossy sauce gets thickened with another arrowroot slurry, so every drop clings to the meatballs the way it should. Serve them straight from the skillet with a few fresh sage leaves on top and watch them disappear fast.
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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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