Easy Bison Meatloaf Recipe

Are you ready to cook up a healthy alternative to ground beef? Then my Easy Bison Meatloaf Recipe is perfect for you!

This recipe is packed with Italian flavors, real ingredients and is great for any night of the week.

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Ingredients needed for this Bison Meatloaf

• ground bison
• organic ketchup 
• gluten free breadcrumbs  (or any seasoned breadcrumbs if you don’t need it to be gluten free)
• white onion small
• garlic cloves
• egg and egg white
• Italian truffle cheese (or any shredded soft cheese such as mozzarella, pepper jack or provolone)
• fresh basil 
• spices such ground thyme, paprika, oregano, dried parsley
• kosher salt 
• olive oil 
• fresh parsley optional, garnish

How to prepare this Easy Bison Meatloaf

1. Start with preheating the oven at 350 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, add the bison along with the bread crumbs, 1/2 cup of ketchup, onions, garlic, egg and egg white, seasonings, basil and cheese.
2. Mix together with your hands(using gloves is optional) and season with more salt if you desire. 
3. Coat your meatloaf pan with the olive oil. Take the bison mixture and shape it into the meatloaf pan.
4. Place the meatloaf on top of a sheet pan and put it in the oven to bake for about 1 hour. Half way through cooking, add the additional ketchup on top.
5. Bison should reach 160 degrees internal temperature. You will want to use a meat thermometer or instant read themometer for accuracy. Be sure to place the thermometer in the middle of the loaf when temping.
6. When done, carefully remove the bison meatloaf from the oven and sprinkle top with fresh parsley if desired. Let the meatloaf cool before cutting into it.
7. Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2-3 days.

What Kind of Cheese is in This Easy BisonMeatloaf Recipe

I use Italian Truffle Cheese(sounds pretty fancy I know) from Trader Joe’s. It comes in a block and can be easily shredded with a cheese grater. You can substitute this with a soft shreddable cheese such as provolone, mozzarella or pepper jack. Parmesan cheese could work too, but I like the texture the soft cheese gives in the meatloaf.

Other substitutions

I use gluten free breadcrumbs in this dish. However any type of breadcrumbs will work if you do not need it to be gluten free.

Regular ketchup can be used.

The flavors in the meatloaf will also taste good with ground turkey or ground beef or pork.

What is the Difference Between Bison and Beef

Bison comes from buffalo whereas beef comes from cows. Bison is a great way to switch up your proteins. Also it is lower in fat.

What Are Other Ways to Cook Bison

There are many ways to enjoy Bison meat! I like to use it as hamburger meat, chili, tacos and meatballs. Basically anything you would normally eat ground beef in, you can replace it with bison.

And after many years of cooking bison, it’s all about how you season it. You can mix buffalo with lots of different spices and sauces.

Helpful tools for preparing Easy Bison Meatloaf Recipe

For starters you will want to use a loaf pan so that you can have a nice oval shape. But you can also use a small casserole dish and form the meatloaf into as you would in a loaf pan.

I highly recommend using a baking sheet pan underneath your loaf pan so that you can prevent any juice spillage into your oven.

A food processor is handy for chopping the onion and garlic. It also helps with releasing all that juice which will flavor up the meatloaf even more.

To make it easier to lift out the meatloaf from the pan, you can line it with parchment paper. Another alternative is to coat with oil or spray your loaf pan.

Make sure to have a large bowl ready for mixing all of your ingredients and also a pair of food safe rubber gloves if you don’t want to get your hands dirty!

What Do I Eat This Meatloaf Recipe With

Meatloaf is the ultimate comfort food! You can enjoy this with regular mash potatoes, or if you want to keep it light, cauliflower mash potatoes and green beans or another vegetable of your choice.

Leftovers are great for making a cold meatloaf sandwich! Oh you heard me right! A little bit of mayo, a slice of American cheese, touch of sprouts and some good white bread and your meatloaf slice just got reinvented.

At What Temperature is Bison Considered Cooked

You will want to cook your meatloaf until the center-most part reaches the internal temperature of 160 degrees.

Looking for more dinner recipes? Definitely check out:

Easy Rosemary Shaved Beef Recipe

30 Minute Healthy Sloppy Joe’s

Where Can I Purchase Ground Bison

You can find bison at your local grocery store. I find Costco to have the best prices on ground bison meat. It comes in a 2 pack package.

Why I Created This Specific Recipe

I have been making meatloaf for years and I have created many different recipes and variations. I used to use Manwich as my secret weapon and regular breadcrumbs like Progresso. But I wanted to revamp this classic and turn it into how I eat today.

This recipe uses real ingredients and is gluten free.

You can use my Gluten Free bread crumbs recipe or you can sub out with another kind. I also use organic ketchup. There are a few on the market and I have bounced between brands. But I like the affordability of Woodstock Foods. (This is not sponsored, I just really love their organic ketchup)

Heinz also makes organic ketchup. You can always use regular ketchup as well.

Are you Ready to Give This New Recipe a Try

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Want to serve this with a gluten free side dish? Check out my Cumin Sweet Potatoes!

Let’s Make This Easy Bison Meatloaf Recipe!

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