Gut Friendly Bison and Apple Meatballs
Ground bison is a lean, nutrient-dense protein that pairs beautifully with the natural sweetness of grated apple, and together they create meatballs that are tender, juicy, and genuinely exciting to eat. The trick of squeezing excess moisture from the apple before mixing keeps the texture perfectly firm rather than soggy ā a small step that makes a big difference. Cassava flour binds everything together without any grains or gluten, while warming spices like ginger, turmeric, and Ceylon cinnamon add depth that feels almost aromatic and cozy rather than heavy. The pan sauce is where things really come together: unsweetened apple cider, bone broth, and a splash of apple cider vinegar reduce into something glossy and bright, thickened with arrowroot for a clean finish that won't weigh you down. Bone broth brings its own quiet benefits to the sauce, and every ingredient here is chosen with a sensitive gut in mind ā no fillers, no mystery additives, just whole, recognizable foods. These meatballs work beautifully over roasted vegetables or cauliflower rice, or honestly just straight from the skillet with a fork and a little extra parsley on top.
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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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