Bison Pasta - Easy weeknight dinner coming your way! This tasty recipe is made with ground bison, tomato sauce, onion, and Italian seasonings. So Good!
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!
Here's What You Need
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
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?
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.
Bison tastes very much like beef, but milder and somewhat sweeter, making it an easy substitution in recipes calling for beef.
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
Our Other Recipes where Ground Bison Could Be Substituted
More Easy Weeknight Dinners Made with Ground Bison
Best-Ever Bison Burger | Makinze Gore, Delish
Easy Meatball Recipe (with Ground Bison) | Charbel, My Latina Table
Watch How to Make this Recipe
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Easy Bison Pasta Recipe
- Prep Time: 10 Minutes
- Cook Time: 20 Minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 6 Servings 1x
Description
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.
Ingredients
- 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
- 1 Small Onion, Diced
- 1 lb Ground Bison
- 1 Teaspoon Salt
- ¼ Teaspoon Pepper
- 32 Oz Tomato Sauce
- 1 Teaspoon Italian Seasoning
- 2 Tablespoons Butter
- 1 lb Pasta
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 Saute 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 Italian Seasoning 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 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. Enjoy!
Storage Suggestion: Bison Pasta freezes and reheats easily, making it an easy weeknight dinner option.
Protein Substitutions: Beef, Turkey, Venison, Pork, Italian Sausage
- Category: Pasta
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
Keywords: Bison Pasta, Bison Pasta Recipe, Easy Weeknight Dinner
Paul Crosby
Really good! Everyone really liked it.
★★★★★
Seanna
Thank you so much! I'm so glad to hear!
Misha
made this tonight and it was so easy and delicious! thank you for this recipe
★★★★★
Seanna
Thanks Misha. Glad you enjoyed it!