Legume Free Cassava Flour Sweet and Sour Meatballs
Sweet, tangy, and deeply savory all at once, these meatballs deliver the kind of bold flavor that makes you go back for a third helping before you've even finished your second. The sauce is genuinely clever — sweet potato purée gives it body and a subtle earthiness, while pineapple juice and apple cider vinegar bring that signature bright punch without a single drop of anything that comes from a legume. Coconut aminos stand in for soy sauce throughout, keeping the umami rich and the ingredient list completely clean. Cassava flour binds the meatballs beautifully, so they hold together through searing and baking without any bean-based fillers or chickpea flour workarounds that can sneak into store-bought or restaurant versions. The two-step cooking method — a quick sear for color, then a finish in the oven — means you get a proper browned crust and a juicy center every time. Fresh pineapple chunks stirred in at the end keep things bright and a little tropical, making this feel festive enough for a dinner party but easy enough for a weeknight. Finish with sliced scallions and serve straight from the skillet while the sauce is still glossy and clinging to every meatball.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
For the meatballs
- 1 lb ground beef (80/20)
- 2 tbsp cassava flour
- 2 tbsp coconut aminos
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp fresh ginger, grated
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp ground turmeric
- 1 tbsp coconut oil
For the sauce
- 1 cup pineapple juice (unsweetened)
- ⅓ cup sweet potato purée
- 3 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 3 tbsp coconut aminos
- 2 tbsp honey
- 1 tsp fresh ginger, grated
- 1 tsp arrowroot starch
- 1 tbsp cold water
- 1 cup fresh pineapple chunks (about 1-inch pieces)
For serving
- 2 scallions, thinly sliced (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Preheat the oven to 400°F (205°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- 2
In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground beef, cassava flour, 2 tbsp coconut aminos, garlic, 1 tsp grated ginger, salt, and turmeric. Mix with your hands until just combined — do not overwork the meat. Roll into balls about 1½ inches in diameter (roughly 20–22 meatballs) and arrange on the prepared baking sheet.
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