Eggless Bison and Apple Meatballs
Ground bison brings a rich, slightly sweet depth that pairs beautifully with grated Honeycrisp or Fuji apple, and the combination here is genuinely surprising in the best way. The apple does double duty — adding subtle sweetness and keeping the meat tender — while a warm blend of ginger, turmeric, and Ceylon cinnamon gives every bite a cozy, aromatic complexity. Cassava flour steps in as the binder, so there's no need for eggs to hold everything together, and it works seamlessly without changing the texture or flavor of the finished meatball. A quick sear in coconut oil builds a golden crust before the oven finishes the job, locking in all that juiciness. The real showstopper is the pan sauce — unsweetened apple cider, bone broth, and a splash of apple cider vinegar reduce into something glossy and savory-sweet, thickened with a simple arrowroot slurry. It's the kind of sauce you'll want to spoon over everything on the plate. Whether you're cooking for a crowd or just treating yourself to something a little special on a weeknight, these meatballs deliver serious flavor with a surprisingly clean, straightforward ingredient list.
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Learn more →Ingredients
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
- ½ tsp ground ginger
- ¼ tsp ground turmeric
- ¼ tsp ground ceylon cinnamon
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp coconut oil
For the pan sauce
- 1 cup apple cider (unsweetened, no additives)
- ½ 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 400°F (205°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 — 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 — do not overwork the mixture.
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