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overhead picture of a pan full of bison meatballs covered in a red sauce
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Bison Meatballs

These gluten free bison meatballs are a healthy yet tasty comfort meal that can be ready in 40 minutes for a quick weeknight dinner!
Course Main Dish
Cuisine American
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Servings 6 people (3 meatballs each)
Calories 377kcal

Ingredients

Instructions

  • In a medium sized bowl, whisk egg with a fork for about a minute.
  • Add bison, pork, almond flour, salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, garlic, shallot, half of the basil and half of the parsley.
  • Use your hands to work mix everything together. Mix until everything is well combined but don’t over-mix or the meatballs will be have a denser texture.
  • Use your hands to shape the meatballs into 1 ½ inch balls (should make about 18).
  • Heat a large rimmed skillet over medium-high heat and add oil once the pan is hot. Use a spatula to spread the oil evenly throughout the pan.
  • Place the meatballs into the oiled hot skillet and let them sear for 2-3 minutes. Flip each meatball over and sear the other side as well.
  • Once meatballs have browned, reduce the heat to low and add the marinara sauce. You may want to move the pan off the heat when you do this and pour it in slowly to reduce the risk of it splattering everywhere.
  • Cover and let the meatballs cook at a low simmer for another 6-7 minutes until cooked through.
  • Remove the lid and roll meatballs around to cover in sauce. Let them continue simmering with the lid off for 4-5 minutes to reduce and thicken the sauce. Be careful because the sauce can cook down too much if you leave it simmering for more than 10 minutes.
  • Sprinkle with reserved chopped parsley and basil and serve immediately over pasta, spaghetti squash, zucchini noodles or whatever you prefer. Keep leftovers in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Notes

  • To bake meatballs on their own without sauce: bake spaced out on a rimmed baking sheet 400°F (205°C) for 15-20 minutes. If you're baking frozen meatballs, reduce the temperature to 375°F (190°C) and bake for about 35 minutes.
  • Use a big enough pan so that the meatballs can all fit with room between them. Don't over work the meat or the meatballs will be tough.
  • Use good marinara sauce and enough of it. I use Rao's 24oz. jars. You can sub with your favorite sauce but note that marinara sauces come in various sizes so make sure yours is 24 ounces. A little extra sauce is better than not having enough.
  • Don't let the sauce simmer uncovered too long if you're planning on serving over noodles, spaghetti sauce or anything else or the sauce to meatball ratio will be off. If you plan to serve the meatballs on their own without much sauce accompanying them, then you can definitely cook down an extra 5 minutes to further reduce.
  • Making ahead: Bison meatballs can be prepared ahead of time and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
  • Freezing meatballs: spread them out on a baking sheet or plate and place in the freezer for at least 2 hours and not more than 2 days. Once frozen, take the meatballs and place them in a freezer safe bag or tightly sealing container. Keep in the freezer for up to 3 months.
    • To cook thawed (preferred method): Thaw before using, overnight in the refrigerator is best. Then cook the rest of the recipe as written.
    • To cook frozen: To cook still frozen, follow directions as written but in Step 8, simmer covered in the sauce for 4-5 minutes longer (10-11 minutes total) to thaw the meatballs all of the way through. Meatballs will continue cooking for 5 minutes after removing the lid. At that point, you can cut one open or check the internal temperature to make sure the meatballs are fully cooked at 160° F (71°) if you'd like to make sure they're cooked through.
  • Baking the meatballs: to bake them on their own and skip the sauce, bake spaced out on a rimmed baking sheet at 400°F (205°C) for about 15 minutes until the internal temperature reaches 160° F (71°). If you're baking frozen meatballs, reduce the temperature to 375° (190° C) and bake for about 20-25 minutes. Once baked, you can serve them on their own or with whatever sauce you'd like.

Nutrition

Calories: 377kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 25g | Fat: 26g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 107mg | Sodium: 1000mg | Potassium: 856mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 1225IU | Vitamin C: 18mg | Calcium: 83mg | Iron: 5mg