Nitrate & Nitrite Free Cassava Flour Sweet and Sour Meatballs
Sweet, tangy, and deeply savory all at once, these meatballs hit every note you want from a classic sweet and sour dish — without a single processed shortcut in sight. The sauce gets its body from sweet potato purée and unsweetened pineapple juice rather than ketchup or canned concentrates, which is exactly where hidden preservatives and curing agents tend to sneak in. Coconut aminos stand in for soy sauce throughout, delivering that umami depth while keeping the ingredient list completely clean. Fresh ginger and garlic in both the meatballs and the sauce mean the flavor is bright and layered, not flat, and the arrowroot slurry pulls the whole sauce together into something glossy and restaurant-worthy. Searing the meatballs before finishing them in the oven gives you a beautifully browned crust with a juicy center — a small extra step that makes a big difference. Fresh pineapple chunks stirred in at the end add little bursts of sweetness that feel vibrant rather than cloying. Serve these over rice or on their own with scallions scattered on top and watch them 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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