Sesame Free Bison and Apple Meatballs
Ground bison is a naturally lean, rich protein, and pairing it with grated Honeycrisp or Fuji apple gives these meatballs a subtle sweetness and incredible moisture without weighing them down. The warm spice blend — ginger, turmeric, and Ceylon cinnamon — adds depth that feels almost autumnal, while fresh thyme and parsley keep everything bright and herbaceous. Cassava flour holds the mixture together beautifully, making this a great option for anyone navigating multiple ingredient sensitivities at once, since there's nothing hidden or ambiguous in this lineup. 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. Arrowroot starch thickens that sauce into something silky and restaurant-worthy in under a minute. Store-bought meatballs and sauces are notorious for sneaking in unexpected ingredients, so making this from scratch means you stay in full control of every component. It's the kind of cozy, impressive dinner that looks like you spent all day on it — but the whole process is genuinely straightforward.
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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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