• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Fed by the Farm
  • Home
  • Recipes
    • Dessert
    • Dinner
    • Ferments & Pickles
    • Sauces & Gravy
    • Side Dishes
  • Learn
  • About
Home » Farm to Table Recipes » Dinner » Easy Ground Bison Recipes that are Healthy & Delicious

Easy Ground Bison Recipes that are Healthy & Delicious

September 19, 2023 by Sara @ Fed by the Farm

These delicious ground bison recipes will inspire you for dinner this week. Keep reading to learn what’s to love about bison meat and why you may want to try it in your journey to being more connected to where your food comes from.

Easy Ground Bison Recipes that are Healthy & Delicious

Roam Ranch is the inspiration behind this ground bison recipe roundup. If you haven’t read their story I highly recommend taking a detour, then coming back here.

I first learned about Roam Ranch through an interview that the co-founder gave on one of my favorite podcasts. In 2017, Taylor and Katie Collins bought 450 acres of land in Texas that had been desecrated by industrial farming.

The soil was devoid of nutrients as a result of over tilling and wide spread chemical and pesticide use. It was considered “unsalvageable”. The founders set out to restore the land by introducing wild bison, rabbits, deer and other animals to emulate the natural biodiversity of the land. It is a resounding success.

Table of Contents:

  • What Does Bison Taste Like?
  • Delicious Ground Bison Recipes
  • Where to Buy 100% Grass-Fed Bison
  • FAQ: Bison Meat

What Does Bison Taste Like?

Bison meat tastes similar to lean ground beef. It’s a little lighter and it has a perceptibly sweet flavor that you don’t get in beef.

Some consider ground bison to be a healthier alternative to ground beef because it’s a lean meat. But 100% grass-fed and pasture raised beef is also lean. In my opinion, field-raised bison is comparable to pasture-raised regenerative beef in terms of the quality of the product.

Truth be told, any recipe you have that’s made with ground beef can also be made with ground bison. You can make bison shepherd’s pie, bison chili, bison hamburger and macaroni…the options are endless.

Simply sub out the other ground meat and replace with ground bison. Suddenly you have a whole slew of easy ground bison recipes to try.

Ground bison is a great way to mix it up and try something new.

Delicious Ground Bison Recipes

1. Whole30 Shepherd’s Pie with Ground Bison

Shepherd's Pie Made with Ground Bison (Whole30)
Photo source: Kaleena’s Kitchen (used with permission)

This shepherd’s pie recipe is Whole30 and paleo friendly. It’s made with ground bison, nut milk, grass-fed ghee and coconut aminos. (Yes, all types of potatoes are Whole30 compliant.)

2. Ground Bison Pasta

Bowl of ground bison pasta
Photo Credit: Seanna’s Kitchen (used with permission)

This simple homemade pasta sauce is super easy to make and flavorful too! Or sub out the ground beef in your favorite pasta sauce recipe and you have bison pasta.

3. Ground Bison and Cauliflower Bowl

Ground Bison and Cauliflower Bowl
Photo credit: Clean Eating Kitchen (used with permission)

This healthy meal is perfect for paleo and low carb diets. Lean bison meat and cauliflower rice combine with yellow onion, kale and spices for this delicious recipe.

4. Bison Italian Meatballs

Bison Italian Meatballs
Photo source: Slow the Cook Down (used with permission)

Combine ground bison with Italian seasoning, Worcestershire sauce and egg to make these delicious meat balls that pair perfectly with marinara sauce. Serve them over pasta, white rice, cauliflower rice or on their own as an appetizer.

5. Bison Meatballs (with Air Fryer Option)

Bison Meatballs (with Air Fryer Option)
Photo credit: Babaganosh (used with permission)

A healthy bison meatball recipe with simple ingredients and variations to try. Includes a recipe for Italian style bison meatballs served with marinara sauce and Asian-style with garlic, ginger and soy sauce. Yum! These meatballs can be cooked in the air fryer or baked in the oven – instructions are provided for each.

6. Gorgonzola Buffalo Burgers

Gorgonzola Buffalo Burgers
Photo credit: xoxoBella (used with permission)

Ground bison, red onion and gorgonzola blue cheese come together to make a mouth-watering bison burger. Serve this juicy burger with a side of roasted sweet potatoes as the ideal entree for a cookout.

7. Bison Burgers

Bison Burgers
Photo credit: In the Kitch (used with permission)

Don’t like blue cheese? Here is a bison burger recipe that’s topped with caramelized onions in balsamic vinegar, and cheddar cheese. Sun-dried tomatoes add a unique flavor to this burger recipe, but can be omitted if you’re not a fan.

8. Bison Chili

Bison Chili
Photo credit: Kaleena’s Kitchen (used with permission)

Here is a chili recipe made with ground bison and 2 types of beans. Instructions are provided to cook it on the stovetop in your dutch oven, or in a slow cooker.

9. Bison Meatloaf

Bison Meatloaf
Photo credit: In the Kitch (used with permission)

An easy meatloaf made with ground bison meat and topped with your favorite marina sauce. This ground bison recipe is gluten-free, dairy free and keto! It’s made with cremini mushrooms, red bell peppers, onion and fresh parsley.

10. Stuffed Peppers with Ground Bison

Stuffed Peppers with Ground Bison
Photo credit: Sava’s Kitchen (used with permission)

Stuffed peppers in a rich tomato sauce is a staple dish in Ukranian culture. This traditional recipe is made with a variety of fresh and dried pantry spices mixed with cooked rice.

11. Curry Bison Meatballs

Curry Bison Meatballs
Photo credit: My Chefs Apron (used with permission)

Another variation on homemade meatballs made with lean ground bison, onion powder, black pepper and almond flour. Topped with a delicious homemade curry sauce.

12. Tacos with Seasoned Bison

Tacos with Seasoned Bison
Photo credit: A Food Blog for Carnivores (used with permission)

These tacos are made with a homemade chili powder seasoning and can be topped with black beans, sour cream and diced tomatoes. What really makes this recipe unique is the use of a homemade Navajo frybread, but you can also use regular taco shells if you prefer.

For more easy ground bison recipes, check out my round up of grass-fed ground beef recipes and sub in ground bison instead.

Where to Buy 100% Grass-Fed Bison

I’ve curated this list of where to buy bison meat online so that it only includes 100% grass-fed and pasture-raised bison.

These farms and ranchers leave their bison to graze naturally on the land for the duration of their lifetime.

– Force of Nature

Force of Nature is co-owned by the husband and wife team behind Roam Ranch. They are the inspiration behind this ground bison recipe round up.

Force of Nature works with a limited number of specially selected ranchers who practice regenerative agriculture and raise 100% grass-fed bison on the land they steward.

The price of ground bison is currently $13.99 through Force of Nature. Shipping price varies based on the amount of your order.

– North Star Bison

Like the other companies in this list that sell bison meat online, North Star Bison partners with bison farms in the Unites States to source their meat. I like that their network is small (just 10 farms) and they closely monitor the practices of each farm.

North Star Bison sells 100% grass-fed bison that are raised regeneratively on the land and field-harvested. There are no feedlots here. Their ground bison is $15.95 per pound plus shipping.

– The Honest Bison

The Honest Bison partners with 777 Bison Ranch in South Dakota to source their regeneratively raised 100% grass fed bison. (100% grass fed bison is grass-fed and grass-finished.)

And there are no feedlots – the Bison graze on natural grassland. The price of ground bison is currently $15.99 a pound through The Honest Bison. Shipping price varies based on the amount of your order.

– Grocery Store

You can also find ground bison in the meat department of your local grocery store.

Great Range Premium Bison is one of those brands that is commonly found in grocery stores across the country. Great Range purchases their bison from American ranchers. The bison are then transported to their facility where they are slaughtered and processed into ground bison and other cuts of bison meat.

No matter what brand of bison you buy at a grocery store, be sure to read the packaging and make sure it’s 100% grass-fed and raised on the land. Feedlot bison is less common than feedlot beef, but it does still exist.

How the American Bison Restores the Land

Bison meat comes from bison, also known as the American buffalo.

At one time, tens of millions of American bison roamed the Great Plains and were an invaluable part of the ecosystem before overhunting nearly drove them to extinction. Today this majestic animal is making a comeback on private and public grassland.

  • Bison’s natural behaviors create depressions in the soil that rainwater settles in. This provides habitat for amphibians and drinking water for other animals.
  • Bison feed almost exclusively on grasses. Because grasses grow quickly they can take over lands and drown out other plants. As the bison eat grass, this creates openings for other plants to flourish – improving the biodiversity of the soil.
  • Certain birds actually use bison droppings as camouflage and use bison fur to build their nests.
  • Bison’s massive heads and shoulders literally plow through the snow creating paths for smaller animals such as elk and antelope. They also open up spaces to grasses underneath the snow for other animals to graze.
  • Bison waste, that they excrete while roaming over the land, provides valuable fertilizer to the soil.

FAQ: Bison Meat

How healthy is bison meat?

Bison meat has a comparable nutrient profile to grass-fed beef.

A 100-gram serving of grass-fed ground bison meat provides 20 grams of protein, 146 calories and 7 grams of fats (source). Whereas a 100-gram serving of grass-fed ground beef provides 19 grams of protein, 198 calories and 13 grams of total fat (source).

You might have heard that bison meat contains less saturated fat than beef. This is accurate, even when comparing grass-fed ground bison meat (3 grams of saturated fat) to grass-fed ground beef (5.3 grams of saturated fat).

Does bison meat contain hormones?

The U.S. government prohibits the use of growth hormones in bison.

Why is bison meat so expensive?

It’s true, bison meat is more expensive than beef and even 100% grass-fed beef. The reason bison meat is more expensive is because there is less supply. Raising bison also requires a great deal more land than raising cattle, especially feedlot cattle.

In the United States we have about 400,000 bison, of which 70,000 are harvested per year. On the other hand, the US beef industry comprises 90 million head of cattle and slaughters about 125,000 per day.

  • Conventional grain-fed beef: $5 to $8 per pound
  • Grass-fed ground beef: $10 to $12 per pound
  • Grass-fed bison: $13 to $16 per pound
Pin ItYummlyX TweetFacebook

You May Also Like...

Grass-fed cows grazing on a fieldHow to find 100% Grass-Fed Beef Near You Pasture Raised Eggs: Everything You Need to KnowPasture Raised Eggs: Everything You Need to Know Photo of grass-fed beef and grain-fed beef overlaid with the text: Grass-Fed Beef vs. Grain-Fed Beef Pros and ConsGrass-Fed Beef vs. Grain-Fed Beef Pros and Cons

Filed Under: Dinner Tagged With: Pasture Raised Eggs & Meat

Previous Post: « How to Cook Delicata Squash (Easy Roasted Method)
Next Post: Homemade Vegetable Bouillon Powder Recipe (Vegan) »

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Primary Sidebar

HI! I’M SARA

Photo of Sara @ Fed by the Farm My mission is to inspire you to be more connected to the food you eat and where it comes from. Join me as I shop small farms and farmers markets, prepare simple farm-to-table meals and show you how to do the same! Here's the story about how I went from being fed by the grocery store, to being fed by small farms.

Follow Along…

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS

Never Miss an Update

Subscribe to get new recipes and content in your inbox. Unsubscribe anytime.

Farm-to-Table Recipes

Best Gluten Free Dressing Recipe for Thanksgiving

Best Gluten Free Dressing Recipe for Thanksgiving

Classic Beef Stew with Red Wine (Slow Cooker Recipe)

Classic Beef Stew with Red Wine (Slow Cooker Recipe)

Healthy Butternut Squash and Carrot Soup (Vegan)

Healthy Butternut Squash & Carrot Soup Recipe (Vegan)

Beef Meatballs with Creamy Mushroom Sauce and Garlic

Beef Meatballs with Creamy Mushroom Sauce and Garlic

Stir-Fried Beef Liver and Onions with Balsamic Glaze

Stir-Fried Beef Liver and Onions with Balsamic Glaze

Easy Slow Cooker Whole Chicken (Pasture Raised)

Easy Slow Cooker Whole Chicken (Pasture Raised)

Learn

How to Save Money at the Farmers Market (Insider Tips)

How to Save Money at the Farmers Market (Insider Tips)

How to Eat Local During Winter

How to Eat Local During Winter

What is a Whole Food Diet - Whole Foods Explained

What is a Whole Food Diet? (Whole Foods Explained)

How to Host a Farm-to-Table Thanksgiving Dinner

How to Host a Farm-to-Table Thanksgiving Dinner

Footer

HI! I’M SARA

Photo of Sara @ Fed by the Farm My mission is to inspire you to be more connected to the food you eat and where it comes from. Join me as I shop local farms and farmers markets, prepare simple farm-to-table meals and show you how to do the same! Here's how I went from being fed by the grocery store, to being fed by small farms.

Follow Me

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS

Fresh Farm-to-Table Recipes

Best Gluten Free Dressing Recipe for Thanksgiving
Classic Beef Stew with Red Wine (Slow Cooker Recipe)
Healthy Butternut Squash and Carrot Soup (Vegan)
>

Copyright © 2025 Bonfire Creative - Website Design for Farms | Say Hello

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.