Baked Italian Bison Meatballs
An Italian bison meatball recipe made with lean ground bison, fresh herbs, and a simple seasoning blend. Ready in 20 minutes and is both gluten-free and dairy-free.
Ground bison is a leaner red meat with a lighter, more delicate flavor than ground beef. These flavorful bison meatballs are seared in a skillet on the stovetop and then baked to perfection in the oven.
Serve them with your favorite sauce: marinara, tomato sauce, bbq sauce, red pesto, green pesto, etc.
Ingredients
These Italian meatballs are made with only a few simple ingredients. Here’s what you’ll need:
- Ground bison – opt for grass-fed bison if you have the option for the best flavor.
- Gluten-free breadcrumbs – help prevent the meatballs from becoming too dry.
- Fresh parsley – adds a fresh component.
- Egg – helps bind the meatballs together.
- Worcestershire sauce – enhances the flavor of the meat and adds a savory flavor. I like this gluten-free brand.
- Simple seasoning: Italian seasoning, onion powder, garlic powder, kosher salt, and black pepper.
See the recipe card for the full list of ingredients and quantities.
How to Make Bison Meatballs
Step 1. Preheat your oven to 425ÂşF.
Step 2. Add the ground bison, gluten-free bread crumbs, fresh parsley, beaten egg, Worcestershire sauce, Italian seasoning, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper to a large bowl. Mix ingredients with slightly wet hands until combined.
Step 3. Use a 1.5-inch cookie scoop to scoop out the raw meat mixture and then use your hands to further shape them into more uniform balls. You should have about 18 meatballs.
Step 4. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large oven-safe skillet over medium heat. Cook the meatballs on each side for 2 minutes until golden brown then transfer to your preheated oven. Bake for 4-5 minutes, until cooked through.
Make It Your Way: Substitutions & Variations
Please remember that recipes are just a starting point.
How can you make these ground bison meatballs using what you already have? Here are some ideas…Â
- No bison? – use another type of ground meat such as ground beef, ground turkey, or ground chicken.
- No gluten-free breadcrumbs? – use ground-up crackers, or regular breadcrumbs if not gluten-free.
- No fresh parsley? – use fresh basil instead.
- Add-ins – smoked paprika, red pepper flakes, minced garlic cloves, tomato paste.
How To Store
Let cool to room temperature before storing leftover meatballs in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
How To Serve
Serve these easy bison meatballs with a vegetable side dish such as sweet potato mash, sauteed green beans, Italian green bean salad, or dairy free cauliflower mash.
You can also serve them on top of pasta noodles, zucchini noodles, creamy polenta, or spaghetti arrabbiatta. Enjoy with dairy free tomato soup, dipped in roasted red pepper hummus, or make a meatball sub. The options are endless.
Baked Italian Bison Meatballs
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground bison
- â…“ cup gluten free breadcrumbs or regular if not gluten-free
- ÂĽ cup minced fresh parsley
- 1 large egg, beaten
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon diamond crystal kosher salt reduce to ½ teaspoon if using anything else
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 425ÂşF.
- Add the ground bison, gluten-free bread crumbs, fresh parsley, beaten egg, Worcestershire sauce, Italian seasoning, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper to a large bowl. Mix ingredients with slightly wet hands until combined.
- Use a 1.5-inch cookie scoop to scoop out the raw meat mixture and then use your hands to further shape them into more uniform balls. You should have about 18 meatballs.
- Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large oven-safe skillet over medium heat. Cook the meatballs on each side for 2 minutes until golden brown then transfer to your preheated oven. Bake for 4-5 minutes, until cooked through.