Almond Free Bison and Apple Meatballs
Ground bison brings a rich, slightly sweet depth that pairs beautifully with grated Honeycrisp or Fuji apple, and the combination makes for meatballs that are tender, juicy, and genuinely interesting to eat. Warm spices like Ceylon cinnamon, ginger, and turmeric weave through every bite, while fresh thyme and parsley keep things bright and herbaceous. Cassava flour binds everything together without any nut-based flours in sight, so there's zero concern about almond flour or almond meal sneaking into the mix ā a real win when so many grain-free recipes default to them. The sear-then-bake method builds a gorgeous crust before the oven finishes the job, and then the pan drippings become the base for a glossy apple cider and bone broth sauce that you'll want to spoon over everything. A quick arrowroot slurry thickens that sauce to a silky, restaurant-worthy consistency in under a minute. These meatballs work just as well as a cozy weeknight dinner as they do as an impressive appetizer for a crowd.
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Learn more āIngredients
4 servings
For the meatballs
- 1 lb ground bison
- 1 medium apple (such as honeycrisp or fuji), peeled and grated
- 2 tbsp cassava flour
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped
- 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
- Ā½ tsp ground ginger
- Ā¼ tsp ground turmeric
- Ā¼ tsp ground ceylon cinnamon
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp coconut oil
For the pan sauce
- 1 cup apple cider (unsweetened, no additives)
- Ā½ cup bone broth (homemade or aip-compliant brand)
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tsp fresh rosemary, finely chopped
- 1 tsp arrowroot starch
- 1 tbsp cold water
For serving
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley, roughly chopped (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Preheat the oven to 400Ā°F (205Ā°C). Grate the apple on the large holes of a box grater, then squeeze the grated apple firmly in your hands 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 bison, squeezed grated apple, cassava flour, garlic, parsley, thyme, ginger, turmeric, Ceylon cinnamon, and salt. Mix with your hands until just combined and uniform ā do not overwork the mixture.
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