Hazelnut Free Bison and Apple Meatballs
Ground bison is a leaner, richer alternative to beef, and pairing it with grated Honeycrisp or Fuji apple gives these meatballs a subtle natural sweetness that makes the whole dish feel a little unexpected in the best way. The apple also keeps the texture tender without any dairy or egg binders — cassava flour does the heavy lifting there, holding everything together beautifully. Warm spices like Ceylon cinnamon, turmeric, and ginger weave through every bite, and the pan sauce — built from apple cider, bone broth, and a splash of apple cider vinegar — pulls it all into something genuinely craveable. Searing the meatballs first in coconut oil builds a golden crust before the oven finishes them off, so you get that satisfying browned exterior with a juicy center. The arrowroot-thickened sauce turns glossy and rich without any flour or cream, making this a recipe that works for a lot of different eating styles without feeling like it's missing anything. It's the kind of weeknight dinner that looks and tastes like you put in way more effort than you actually did.
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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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