MSG Free Cassava Flour Sweet and Sour Meatballs
Sweet, tangy, and deeply savory, these meatballs hit every note you want from a classic sweet and sour dish — without a single packet of seasoning mix or bottled sauce that might be hiding unwanted additives. The secret to the glossy, restaurant-worthy sauce is a combination of unsweetened pineapple juice, sweet potato purée, apple cider vinegar, and coconut aminos, which together build real depth and a natural umami richness. Coconut aminos does a lot of heavy lifting here, standing in for soy sauce with a slightly sweeter, mellower flavor that works beautifully in both the meatballs and the sauce. Cassava flour keeps the meatballs tender and helps them hold together through searing and baking, while arrowroot starch thickens the sauce to that perfect glossy, clingy consistency. The two-step cook — a quick sear followed by a short oven finish — gives you a browned crust and a juicy center every time. Fresh pineapple chunks stirred in at the end add bright, fruity bursts that make the whole dish feel vibrant and alive. Serve straight from the skillet with a scatter of scallions and watch it disappear fast.
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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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