Mustard Free Bison and Apple Meatballs
Ground bison brings a rich, slightly sweet depth that pairs beautifully with grated apple, warm spices, and fresh herbs — and the result is a plate of meatballs that feels genuinely special without being complicated. The apple does double duty here, adding subtle sweetness and keeping the meat tender, while cassava flour binds everything together without any grain or gluten. Searing the meatballs in coconut oil before finishing them in the oven builds a gorgeous crust, and the pan sauce — built from apple cider, bone broth, and a splash of apple cider vinegar — picks up every bit of those caramelized drippings. Arrowroot starch thickens the sauce into something glossy and spoonable without relying on any of the condiments or flavor shortcuts that often sneak mustard into otherwise clean recipes. Every ingredient here is straightforward and easy to verify, which takes the guesswork out of cooking for anyone navigating that particular sensitivity. The rosemary and cinnamon round out the sauce with a warmth that makes this feel like proper cold-weather comfort food. Serve them straight from the skillet with a scatter of fresh parsley and watch them disappear fast.
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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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