Bison Marinara Sauce

We have done this recipe with ground turkey and ground beef, but by far our favorite is using ground bison! As a lean yet flavorful red meat, this is frequent family favorite we enjoy the added flavor.

Feel free to substitute in any ground meat (or meat-alternative) to this versatile recipe, however. You can also saute up some finely diced veggies to this (leftover sauteed veggies work great too!).

 
 

Ingredients:

  • 2-3 cloves garlic, crushed
  • ½ cup diced onions
  • Olive oil
  • 2 lbs bison meat*
  • 3 jars (25 oz size) favorite spaghetti sauce*
  • 1 can (6 oz size) tomato paste
  • Diced veggies, optional (our favorites are finely diced mushrooms, zucchini, and bell peppers)
  • Olive oil

Instructions:

To Prepare: 

  1. In large pan, sauté onions and garlic in olive oil. When translucent, add bison meat. Brown evenly and break into small crumbles of meat. Cook thoroughly. Remove from heat and drain any excess fat or liquid. Place cooked meat in a bowl on the side.
  2. Return pan to cooktop. If adding veggies, saute them here. After they are cooked, add the meat back to the pan and turn down the heat to low.
  3. Add spaghetti sauce and tomato pasta. Simmer on low for flavors to combine, or about 30-60 minutes.
  4. Serve hot with freshly boiled whole-grain noodles, or store in refrigerator an/or freezer (see below).

To Freeze:

  1. Label 3-4 quart-sized Ziplocks with name, date, and cooking instructions.

  2. Add 2-4 cups of spaghetti sauce to each Ziplock, depending on the amount of sauce desired each meal. Remove as much air as possible and seal.

  3. Use one batch with weekly meal plan. Store the remaining Ziplock(s) in freezer flat for up to three months.

Notes:

*My favorite brands of tomato sauce are Silver Palate, Muir Glen, and Trader Joe’s Tomato Basil. Look for those with <6 g of sugar per serving (on the nutrition facts label) and/or no added sugar in the ingredients list.

Ashley Smith