Pork Apple Sage Meatballs (Print Version)

Juicy pork meatballs flavored with apple and sage, served atop creamy sweet potatoes and topped with crispy sage.

# Ingredients:

→ Sweet Potatoes

01 - 3 tablespoons salted butter, divided
02 - 12 fresh sage leaves
03 - 1.1 kilograms sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
04 - 120 millilitres heavy cream
05 - 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
06 - 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
07 - 240 millilitres water

→ Meatballs

08 - 680 grams ground pork
09 - 70 grams panko breadcrumbs
10 - 1/2 medium Granny Smith apple, peeled and grated
11 - 1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage
12 - 1 clove garlic, grated
13 - 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
14 - 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
15 - 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
16 - 1 large egg

# Steps:

01 - Heat 2 tablespoons of salted butter in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add sage leaves and fry for 1 minute until crisp, then transfer to a paper towel-lined plate.
02 - In the same pan, add sweet potatoes, water, heavy cream, and 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes until potatoes are completely tender.
03 - Mash the cooked sweet potatoes with remaining 1 tablespoon salted butter and season with 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Adjust salt to taste if needed.
04 - While potatoes cook, preheat oven to 230°C. Line a baking sheet with foil.
05 - In a large bowl, gently combine ground pork, panko, grated apple, chopped sage, garlic, salt, black pepper, allspice, and egg until just incorporated. Do not overmix to preserve tenderness.
06 - Shape mixture into 24 equal meatballs and arrange evenly on prepared baking sheet. Bake for 15–18 minutes until cooked through.
07 - Broil meatballs for 2 minutes to achieve a nicely browned top.
08 - Plate the mashed sweet potatoes, top with meatballs, and garnish with crispy sage leaves.

# Notes:

01 - Avoid overmixing the meatball mixture to maintain a moist, tender texture.
02 - A box grater efficiently incorporates apples for balanced sweetness and moisture.
03 - Crispy sage provides both visual appeal and a delightful earthy crunch.
04 - This dish highlights seasonal autumn flavors.

Back