Walnut Free Cassava Flour Sweet and Sour Meatballs
These meatballs hit every note you want from a sweet and sour dish — juicy, caramelized, tangy, and just a little bit tropical. The sauce gets its body from sweet potato purée and pineapple juice rather than any bottled condiment, so you know exactly what's going into it. Fresh ginger and coconut aminos layer in a savory depth that makes the whole thing taste far more complex than the ingredient list suggests. Cassava flour binds the beef beautifully without weighing the meatballs down, keeping them tender through the sear and the oven finish. The arrowroot slurry pulls the sauce together into a glossy, clingy coating that hugs every meatball — no gummy or starchy aftertaste, just clean flavor. Warm pineapple chunks stirred in at the end add little bursts of sweetness that balance the apple cider vinegar perfectly. This is the kind of weeknight dinner that feels special enough to serve to guests without any extra effort.
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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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