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    Home » Main Meals » Pasta

    Ground Bison Pasta

    Last Updated: Sep 17, 2021 by Seanna Borrows · This post may contain affiliate links. · As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. · 26 Comments

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    Jump to Recipe - Print Recipe

    Bison Pasta - Easy weeknight dinner coming your way! This tasty recipe is made with ground bison, tomato sauce, onion, and Italian seasonings. So Good!

    Ground Bison is a tasty, low fat protein that is an excellent substitute for ground beef in any recipe. Be sure to check out our Ground Bison Chili or Instant Pot Mexican Casserole for inspiration.

    Easy weeknight dinner of Ground Bison Pasta made with rotini pictured in a white bowl, topped with freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano.
    Easy Weeknight Dinner option! This Bison Pasta Recipe will hit the spot!

    Bison Pasta

    Recently, we were craving pasta and needed an easy weeknight dinner option. So, I pulled out a frozen brick of ground bison and made this quick and easy pasta recipe with a few simple ingredients.  Super easy and tasty! Have dinner on the table in 30 minutes!

    Jump to:
    • Bison Pasta
    • Here's What You Need
    • Notes on Ingredients
    • Making the Sauce
    • Tasty Tip: Have the pasta water ready before you begin making the sauce.
    • Why Bison?
    • Protein Substitutions
    • Make Ahead Meal Prep
    • Watch How to Make this Recipe
    • Substitute Ground Bison in These Tasty Recipes
    • More Bison Recipes
    • 📖 Recipe
    • 💬 Comments

    Here's What You Need

    Image showing Ingredient List for Ground Bison Pasta.
    1 Tablespoon Olive Oil, 1 Small Onion, Diced, 1 lb Ground Bison, 1 Teaspoon Table Salt, ¼ Teaspoon Pepper, 32 Oz Tomato Sauce, 1 Teaspoon Italian Seasoning, 2 Tablespoons Butter, 1 lb Pasta

    Notes on Ingredients

    • Ground Bison - Usually sold in vacuum sealed package in the meat section of the grocery store.
    • Tomato Sauce - Choose the best tomato sauce without added additional flavors.
    • Italian Seasoning - We use our Homemade Italian Seasoning Recipe for here! It's super tasty and easy to make. Give it a try!

    Making the Sauce

    Ground Bison Pasta made with rotini pictured in off white Le Creuset dutch oven with wooden spoon gently lifting up some of the pasta.
    Easy Weeknight Dinner option! This Bison Pasta Recipe will hit the spot!

    Tasty Tip: Have the pasta water ready before you begin making the sauce.

    Bison Pasta is super quick and easy to make.  So, make sure you have your well-salted (should taste salty like the sea) pasta water heated to a low boil before you start.  I usually put in a palm full of kosher salt into 8 quarts of water.  You'll begin cooking the pasta once the sauce has started simmering.

    Why Bison?

    Is Bison better for you than beef?

    Bison meat is leaner than beef. It has fewer calories, more protein when compared with beef, making it a frequent choice of athletes and health conscious consumers.

    What does Ground Bison taste like?

    Bison tastes very much like beef, but milder and somewhat sweeter, making it an easy substitution in recipes calling for beef.

    What spices go well with Bison?

    Bison is really versatile and goes well with many of the common seasonings you have on hand like Parsley, Oregano, Thyme, or Rosemary. Good rule of thumb: If you would use a spice with ground beef, then give it a try with Bison as well. You might like it!

    Protein Substitutions

    This recipe will work well with any other ground protein that suits your preference, like the following:

    • Beef
    • Turkey
    • Venison - for the hunters out there!
    • Pork
    • Italian Sausage

    Make Ahead Meal Prep

    Ground Bison Pasta is a great meal prep idea you can make ahead and freeze to pull out later for that easy weeknight dinner. We love to use these convenient Restaurant Storage Containers.

    Ground Bison Pasta made with rotini divided into 4 rectangular black meal prep containers for easy weeknight dinners.

    We hope you enjoy our super simple, super tasty ground bison recipe for Bison Pasta. Try it and let us know how you like it in the comments below. We'd love to hear from you!

    xo ~ Seanna

    Image of Rotini pasta dish. Easy dinner option made with ground bison and red tomato sauce. Served with grated Parmigiano-Reggiano.
    Bison Pasta. This tasty pasta dish is an easy to make weeknight meal. So Good! Healthy recipe made with ground bison, tomato sauce, onion, and Italian seasonings.

    Watch How to Make this Recipe

    Substitute Ground Bison in These Tasty Recipes

    • Beef and Cabbage Soup
    • Oma's Spaghetti
    • Instant Pot Mexican Casserole
    • Ground Bison Chili

    More Bison Recipes

    • 10 Best Ground Bison Recipes - Check out this Bison Recipe Roundup from InsanelyGoodRecipes.com.
    • Bison Meatloaf - from Food.com.
    • Best Ever Bison Burger - from Delish.com.

    Hungry for More? Subscribe to my newsletter and follow along on Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram for all of the latest recipes.

    📖 Recipe

    Easy weeknight dinner of Ground Bison Pasta made with rotini pictured in a white bowl, topped with freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano.

    Ground Bison Pasta Recipe

    Bison Pasta - Easy weeknight dinner coming your way! This tasty Ground Bison Pasta Recipe is made with ground bison, tomato sauce, onion, and Italian seasonings.
    |www.seannaskitchen.com
    5 from 12 votes
    Print Pin Rate Add to Shopping ListGo to Shopping List
    Course: Pasta
    Cuisine: Italian
    Prep Time: 10 minutes
    Cook Time: 20 minutes
    Total Time: 30 minutes
    Servings: 6 Servings
    Calories: 548kcal
    Author: Seanna | Seanna's Kitchen

    Equipment

    • Frying Pan
    • Stock Pot
    • Wooden Spoon
    • Colander

    Ingredients

    • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
    • 1 small onion diced
    • 1 lb ground bison
    • 1 teaspoon salt
    • ¼ teaspoon ground pepper
    • 32 oz tomato sauce
    • 1 teaspoon Italian Seasoning
    • 2 tablespoons salted butter cold
    • 1 lb pasta
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions

    • Have the Pasta Water Simmering Before You Begin.  Bison Pasta is super quick and easy to make.  So, make sure you have your well-salted (should taste salty like the sea) pasta water heated to a low boil before you start.  I usually put in a palm full of kosher salt into 8 quarts of water.  You'll begin cooking the pasta once the sauce has started simmering.
    • Dice and Sauté Onion:
      Dice a small onion and sauté it in a pan with 1 tablespoon of olive oil until just translucent.
    • Add Ground Bison and Brown. 
      Next, add 1 pound ground bison, along with 1 teaspoon kosher salt and ¼ teaspoon ground pepper.  Break up the meat and mix it in with the sautéed onions until meat is browned.  Taste the meat at this point to make sure that it is well seasoned.  It should be tasty!
    • Add Tomato Sauce, Seasonings and Simmer. 
      Now, stir in the tomato sauce and
      and let the sauce simmer for 10 minutes.
    • Cook The Pasta.  Toss the pasta into the water right after you have the sauce simmering.  Cook the pasta according to the instructions on the package.  Approximately 8-10 minutes.  Try to time the pasta so that you don't have to drain it when it's done.  Ideally, it's best to transfer the pasta directly from the water to the sauce using a slotted spoon.
    • Taste Test and Adjust Seasonings.  After the sauce has simmered for 10 minutes, it's time for another taste test and to adjust the seasonings as necessary.
    • Add the Cooked Pasta to the Sauce. 
      When the pasta is ready, use a slotted spoon to transfer it directly from the water into the simmering sauce, bringing with it some of the starchy pasta water. The starchy pasta water is the secret flavor booster for Italian sauces!  It's also a great way to loosen a sauce that is too thick.   So, always reserve a cup just in case it comes in handy!
    • Finish the Sauce. 
      Final step is to turn off the heat and stir in 2 tablespoons of butter. Finishing a red sauce with cold butter will reduce the acidity of the tomatoes and smooth out the texture of the sauce.
    • Serve Immediately or Save for Later. 
      Enjoy this easy weeknight meal right away, or separate into meal-prep containers and freeze.

    Notes

    Serving Suggestion

    Serve with plenty of grated Parmigiano-Reggiano.

    Storage Suggestion

    Bison Pasta freezes and reheats easily, making it an easy weeknight dinner option.

    Protein Substitutions

    Beef, turkey, venison, pork, Italian sausage

    Nutrition

    Calories: 548kcal | Carbohydrates: 66g | Protein: 26g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 63mg | Sodium: 1190mg | Potassium: 883mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 778IU | Vitamin C: 12mg | Calcium: 57mg | Iron: 5mg
    DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?Mention @SeannasKitchen and tag #seannaskitchen!

    More Pasta

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    Reader Interactions

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    1. Kate U

      February 08, 2022 at 5:11 pm

      The Bison Pasta dish was a HUGE hit with my son-in-law and his hockey teammates! Definitely a winner!

      Reply
      • Seanna

        February 09, 2022 at 8:24 am

        Awesome to hear! Bison is a great lean protein choice for athletes. Easy recipe for the guys to make, too!

        Reply
    2. Kristen Greazel

      May 10, 2021 at 9:25 am

      5 stars
      I had some bison in the freezer and this pasta was a great recipe!

      Reply
      • Seanna

        May 10, 2021 at 1:09 pm

        Thank you! So glad you liked it!

        Reply
    3. Kristina

      May 09, 2021 at 8:40 am

      5 stars
      This was amazing! My family loved it.

      Reply
      • Seanna

        May 10, 2021 at 1:10 pm

        Thanks Kristina! I'm so happy to hear!

        Reply
    4. Natalie

      May 08, 2021 at 2:44 pm

      5 stars
      Great dinner idea. I'm going to try this next week. I bet my family would love this pasta. Thanks!

      Reply
      • Seanna

        May 10, 2021 at 1:11 pm

        Thanks Natalie. I hope its a hit!

        Reply
    5. Pam Greer

      May 07, 2021 at 3:18 pm

      5 stars
      I love this leaner, healthier option!

      Reply
      • Seanna

        May 07, 2021 at 7:01 pm

        Thanks Pam!

        Reply
    « Older Comments

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    Seanna Borrows.

    Welcome to Seanna's Kitchen!

    Hi, I'm Seanna, a home cook and food blogger, sharing favorite recipes inspired by the people and places I love.
    Food is love. And here you can expect to find the recipes and stories that bring us together.
    Good food…made with love…for the people you love…Now, that's a great recipe!

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