These Ground Bison Tacos are an easy and satisfying dinner. Juicy bison is cooked with onions and taco seasoning, then topped with a simple, fresh blueberry avocado salsa.
And they’re naturally gluten-free, dairy-free, keto, Paleo and Whole30 friendly.
(As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Some of the links on this page may be affiliate links. If you purchase a product through an affiliate link, I’ll automatically receive a small commission at no additional cost to you.)
Why this recipe works
Ground bison tacos are a hearty and satisfying meal, whether it’s for a weeknight dinner, game day parties or any other special occasion.
If you’ve never had bison, it’s similar to beef, another red meat. Common ground bison recipes include tacos, chilis, soups, burgers and more. Nutritionally, bison tends to be lower in fat and calories than beef. Both are good sources of protein, zinc, iron and other nutrients.
Mixing ground beef with onions and taco seasoning is an easy way to add a lot of flavor. And because bison is fairly lean, simmering the mixture in beef broth helps keep it extra juicy.
You can serve it with any tortillas you like. I like to use grain-free tortillas such as these from Siete to keep the recipe low carb, keto, paleo and Whole30 friendly.
And I also like to whip together a fast and easy blueberry avocado salsa to spoon on top. You just need avocados, blueberries, poblano peppers, green onions, cilantro, lime juice and salt. The creamy avocado, sweet/tart berries and crunchy peppers are perfectly balanced with the ground bison mixture.
If you’re looking for recipes for ground bison meat, you’ve come to the right place!
What you need
Ingredients for the ground bison tacos:
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil or olive oil
- 1 pound ground bison
- 1/2 medium red, yellow or white onion
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon arrowroot powder – this will help thicken the ground bison mixture (see FAQ below for substitutions)
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon ground chipotle powder or chipotle flakes – this adds a nice smokiness and a touch of heat
- 1/4 cup beef broth
- for serving:
- tortillas – I like the grain-free tortillas by Siete (not an ad, I just like them); for Whole30, choose a compatible tortilla such as jicama wraps
- limes, quartered (plus extra for the salsa, see recipe below)
- blueberry avocado salsa (recipe below) or your favorite salsa and/or guacamole
Ingredients for the blueberry avocado salsa:
- 1 large poblano pepper
- 1 cup blueberries
- 2 large green onions
- 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
- 2 ripe avocados – You can tell they’re ripe when they’re mostly firm but the top part by the stem is just a little squishy
- 1 teaspoon lime juice, plus more if necessary
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt, plus more if necessary
Equipment for the tacos:
- a large skillet (12″)
- a heat-proof spatula
- measuring spoons
- a small mixing bowl
- a measuring glass
Equipment for the salsa:
How to make Ground Bison Tacos
Step 1
Peel and chop the onion. Set aside.
Step 2
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and ground bison to the skillet. Break up the meat and stir the onions with a heat-proof spatula as they cook, until the meat is mostly browned (about 5-8 minutes).
Step 3
In a medium bowl, mix together the chili powder, cumin, arrowroot, thyme, salt, garlic powder, onion powder and chipotle powder.
Step 4
Once the meat is mostly browned and the onions are soft, stir in the seasonings until absorbed.
Step 5
Stir in the beef broth. Turn the heat up to medium high to bring the mixture to a simmer. Let it simmer, stirring occasionally, until the liquid is reduced and thickened, about 3-4 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary. Take the pan off the heat.
Step 6
Make the salsa: De-seed and chop the pepper. Thinly slice the scallions (use the white and light green parts and as much of the dark green part as looks fresh.) Add the pepper, scallions, blueberries and chopped cilantro to a medium bowl.
Step 7
Halve the avocados, remove the pits, slice the flesh into cubes and use a spoon to scoop it all out into the bowl. Add the lime juice and salt and stir everything together. Taste and add more salt or lime juice, if needed.
Step 8
Assemble the tacos by scooping the bison mixture onto tortillas, spoon the salsa over the top and squeeze fresh lime juice over everything, if desired.
Frequently Asked Questions
You can use ground beef or ground dark turkey in place of the bison.
You can use fresh garlic instead of garlic powder. Add two peeled, minced garlic cloves to the pan with the meat and onions.
You can use chicken broth in place of the beef broth.
If you want the bison mixture to be spicy, add red pepper flakes or ground cayenne powder.
You can use dried oregano or dried parsley in place of the dried thyme.
You can use tapioca flour/starch (Paleo/Whole30 friendly) or cornstarch (gluten-free but not Paleo/Whole30) in place of the arrowroot.
In the salsa, can use diced red or white onion in place of the green onions.
You can use any color bell pepper in place of the poblano pepper.
In place the blueberry blueberry salsa, you can use any salsa and/or guacamole.
The bison mixture can be made up to 5 days in advance and kept in the fridge. Reheat over medium heat in a skillet, stirring occasionally. If the mixture looks dry, stir in a bit of water or beef broth until your desired consistency.
The salsa can be made up to 3 hours in advance and stored in the fridge.
You can freeze the bison mixture for up to 3 months in an airtight container or baggie. Thaw overnight in the fridge. Reheat over medium heat in a skillet, stirring occasionally. If the mixture looks dry, stir in a bit of water or beef broth until your desired consistency.
The blueberry avocado salsa should not be frozen.
Yes. Each taco (without tortillas) has 10g of carbs and 5g of fiber, equaling 5g of net carbs. Choose a low carb tortilla (such as from Siete) to keep them keto-friendly.
Yes. The recipe as written is totally Pale friendly, free of gluten, grains, dairy, white sugar and legumes. Choose a low carb tortilla (such as from Siete) to keep them Paleo-friendly.
Yes. The recipe as written is totally Whole30 compatible, free of gluten, grains, dairy and sweeteners. Choose a compatible tortilla (such as jicama wraps) to keep them Whole30 friendly.
Other recipes you might like:
- Ground Chicken Tacos
- Slow Cooker Tacos Al Pastor
- Taco Casserole
- Paleo Taco Bowls
- Ultimate Paleo Nachos
Ground Bison Tacos (Paleo, Whole30, keto)
Ingredients
For the tacos
- ½ medium yellow, white or red onion
- 1 tablespoons avocado oil or olive oil
- 1 pound ground bison
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon arrowroot flour/starch
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- ¾ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon ground chipotle or chipotle flakes
- ¼ cup beef broth
- for serving: tortillas, quartered limes see notes
For the blueberry avocado salsa
- 1 large poblano pepper
- 2 large green onions
- 1 cup blueberries
- ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
- 2 avocados
- 1 teaspoon lime juice plus more as necessary
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt plus more as necessary
Instructions
For the tacos
- Peel and chop the onion. Set aside.
- Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and ground bison the skillet. Break up the meat and stir the onions with a heat-proof spatula as they cook, until the meat is mostly browned (about 5-8 minutes).
- In a medium bowl, mix together the chili powder, cumin, arrowroot, thyme, salt, garlic powder, onion powder and chipotle powder.
- Once the meat is mostly browned and the onions are soft, stir in the seasonings until absorbed.
- Stir in the beef broth. Turn the heat up to medium high to bring the mixture to a simmer. Let it simmer, stirring occasionally, until the liquid is reduced and thickened, about 3-4 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary. Take the pan off the heat and set aside.
- Assemble the tacos by scooping the bison mixture onto tortillas, spoon the salsa over the top and squeeze fresh lime juice over everything, if desired.
For the blueberry avocado salsa
- Make the salsa: De-seed and chop the pepper. Thinly slice the scallions (use the white and light green parts and as much of the dark green part as looks fresh.) Add the pepper, scallions, blueberries and chopped cilantro to a medium bowl.
- Halve the avocados, remove the pits, slice the flesh into cubes and use a spoon to scoop it all out into the bowl. Add the lime juice and salt and stir everything together. Taste and add more salt or lime juice, if needed.
Leave a Reply