These flavor-packed ground bison tacos only require 8 ingredients and 20 minutes. Top them with our favorite spicy avocado sauce and dinner just became the best meal of the day!
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why you need these tacos!
Don’t get me wrong, ground beef tacos are delicious. I grew up on them and never thought to try anything different until I was introduced to Chipotle in college. But that’s when I learned that tacos can be diverse and serve as a vessel for delicious fillings.
Whether this be fish, veggies, pork, or bison; tacos are a way to enjoy the flavorful filling. But sometimes (and this is going to sound like I’m being extra), the really good fillings take too long to prepare. They require marinating, draining the grease, or other slight inconveniences to my life. Other times I just want lower-fat meat.
This is where bison comes in! When we started buying bison from a local farmer and I saw how quickly it cooked and that there was essentially no fat to drain off, I knew it would make amazing tacos! But, let me elaborate a bit more on the reasons you need bison tacos in your life.
- Lean protein: Bison contains about half as much fat as beef according to this National Library of Medicine article. This not only makes it an optimal lean protein but also means there is nearly no fat to drain off when browning it. There will be a small amount but it’s such a small amount that we usually just leave it.
- Same great texture: Bison and beef share so many similar traits. You can buy ground bison at Costco or their stores just like you can beef. The texture is the same as ground beef and their flavors are very similar, but bison does have a slightly gamier texture.
- Quick: Bison cooks very quickly. It seems to cook about 20-30% faster than ground beef. Now whether this is a true observation or just a measure of how hangry I was at the moment has yet to be determined. But it really does seem to cook much quicker than beef.
- Customizable: Tacos are awesome because everyone can top them exactly how they like. While we recommend them a certain way in this recipe, you can certainly add or subtract toppings to meet your own taste buds.
ingredients and substitutions
All substitutions are a 1:1 substitute unless otherwise noted. See recipe card for quantities.
Bison: While this is a ground bison recipe you can also use chopped-up bison steak if you like. Get our full list of ground bison recipes.
Substitutions: Lean ground beef, ground pork, ground turkey, or ground chicken can be used. If using ground beef you will just need to drain off the excess fat after it’s browned.
Taco Seasoning: I love using taco seasoning for a quick meal. It's a combination of some standard spices like garlic powder and onion powder along with chili powder. It has all the flavor but none of the extra work of combining all the spices.
Substitutions: Feel free to use any taco seasoning you like! We love spicy!
Helpful Hack: Some taco seasonings contain excess salt, preservatives, or other not-so-great additions. For a cleaner version, you can make your own homemade taco seasoning (in bulk so you can grab and go) or use a store-bought brand like Siete Foods, Primal Palate, or Just Spices.
Tomato Paste: If you look at the instructions on taco seasoning packets, they differ in whether to add tomato paste. But I think it's a must! Just a little bit of tomato paste adds so much more flavor to tacos!
Substitutions: You can use ¼ cup of red salsa or tomato sauce (plain) in place of the tomato paste in a pinch. But if doing this, don't add the water (you will have enough liquid from the sauce). This will be less flavorful than tomato paste but still quite good.
Radishes: Radishes are not native to Mexico but have quickly become a staple on tacos. These add such a great bite and great color! They’re also very cheap and leftovers can be in many different ways.
Substitutions: If you don’t have radishes, you can use cucumbers or carrots.
White Vinegar: This is to quick pickle the radishes. This gives them that great tang, making them a superior taco topping!
Substitutions: Any type of vinegar will technically work for this, but the best alternative would be rice vinegar.
Sugar: To quick pickle, you need a little bit of sugar to balance out the vinegar bite. We just use regular white sugar.
Substitutions: Any sugar type you like can be used. Cane sugar, white sugar, agave, and honey will keep the radishes mostly white while maple syrup, brown sugar, or coconut sugar will turn them slightly brown.
Spicy Avocado Sauce: This sauce is so delish! It’s spicy, tangy, delicious, and only requires a few ingredients.
Substitutions: We make our own using this spicy avocado sauce from Avocado Foodie but you can also buy a similar one like Siete Foods Creamy Jalapeno sauce. Or, top with your other favorite sauce!
Tortillas: I prefer white corn tortillas because they usually have the least ingredients.
Substitutions: You can use flour tortillas, yellow corn, grain-free, or any other tortillas you like. Taco shells or the standing hard shell tacos are also fun to use!
This recipe has not been tested with other substitutions or variations. If you replace or add any ingredients, please let us know how it turned out in the comments below!
recipe testing notes
Throughout our testing of these bison tacos, we learned some key things that worked and didn't work. Here are the key takeaways!
- Using water: Most taco seasoning mixes require water to get that really saucy and delicious taco meat. We tested this recipe with varying amounts of water and settled on enough to make the taco meat saucy while still staying in your taco shell for each bite.
- Using corn tortillas: I prefer using corn tortillas for a street taco style but using them takes a little care. To keep them from breaking you need to make sure they're heated. This can be done by heating them on the stove (either on a pan or directly on a burner) for around 15-30 seconds per side or by heating them in the microwave for 30 seconds.
Expert tip: To know if your corn tortillas are ready to go, gently touch the top of them while heating them on the stovetop. They should be hot to the touch, this means hot enough that it makes you slightly uncomfortable to handle them.
- Cutting the radish slices: We tested this recipe with both thinly sliced radish rounds, with radish strips, and with diced radish. The winner was the diced radish because you get an even amount in each bite of taco.
how to make this - step by step
Be sure to scroll to the recipe card for the full taco recipe!
Step one: brown the bison
Add the bison to a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook until browned and cooked through, while also breaking up the bison into small pieces. If you're not using a non-stick pan, it's helpful to add a little olive oil or avocado oil to the pan because bison doesn't have much fat.
Step two: make the radishes
While the bison browns, dice the radishes and add to a bowl or jar with vinegar, water, and sugar. Give it a stir and leave it in the fridge until ready to use.
Step three: add the spice
Once the bison is cooked, you can drain off the fat but we've found there's so little fat that it's not worth draining. Add the tomato paste, taco seasoning, and water to the pan and stir to combine. Cover and reduce to low heat. Cook for 10-15 minutes until thickened.
Step four: toppings
While the bison flavor develops, you can prepare any other toppings you might like. We like our spicy avocado sauce, shredded cheese, lettuce, onions, and more.
Step five: assemble
Heat your tortillas, assemble everything on the warm tortillas, and enjoy!
watch how to make this - step by step
Bison Versus Beef (and more common questions answered!)
Bison is known by a few different names, most commonly American Buffalo. Bison are not nearly as prevalent as cows so many bison farmers focus on sustainable farming.
Bison has a lower fat content than beef (source). Beyond that, it is pretty similar to beef. So if you're going for a lower-fat diet then you could make the argument that bison is slightly healthier than beef.
Bison has a very mild flavor. Most describe it as tasting like beef but with slightly sweet notes.
Bison can be cooked similarly to beef. However, you need to be careful not to cook it too long and dry it out. This is because it has less fat than beef and the fat can cook out quickly.
Ground bison is available in most grocery stores. Otherwise, you can look for a local farm that sells pasture-raised bison. Bison meat is also available for purchase online from a handful of companies.
topping ideas
Bison tacos are delicious with lots of different fresh toppings but here are some of our favorite toppings:
Dan and Mika’s go to:
- Pickled radishes
- Spicy avocado sauce
Other Ideas:
- Pepperjack cheese
- Lettuce
- Pico De Gallo
- Fajita veggies (cook them on a baking sheet with a pinch of salt, some oil, and a teaspoon ground cumin)
- Jalapenos
- Red onions
- Fresh cilantro
- Fresh lime juice
- Sour cream or Greek yogurt
- Cotija cheese
- Chipotle Sauce
- Black beans
storage tips
The taco meat in these ground bison tacos keeps great and makes awesome meal prep! Here are some tips for storing it.
Fridge: To store leftover meat in the fridge, simply place it in an air-tight container for up to 5 days in the fridge. To store the pickled radishes, store them in the vinegar mixture and in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks in the fridge.
Freezer: The radishes cannot be frozen, but the taco meat can be placed in ziplock bags or in a freezer-safe container. Store this in the freezer for up to 2 months.
Reheating: To reheat from the fridge, just add to the stove top with a little water and reheat. Or, use the microwave to heat the meat for 1 minute. If frozen, either let it defrost over night in the fridge or use the defrost setting on the microwave.
ways to use leftovers
Bison tacos can be repurposed in so many ways. Here are our favorite variations to make other ground bison recipes (these also work great as ground beef recipes!):
Bison Burrito Recipe: To make this a burrito, simply use larger tortillas and fill them with the leftover taco meat, spicy sauce, and radishes. I also like to add a little more to it by adding rice and beans to my burritos.
Taco Salad or taco bowls: A taco salad is quick and easy with leftovers. Simply make up your favorite salad with lettuce, cheese, jalapenos, tomatoes, rice, and beans, and then top with bison taco meat.
Bison and Eggs Chilaquiles: I love frying the corn tortillas to make chips and then topping them with scrambled eggs, taco meat, avocado, and radishes!
Enchilada Skillets: For a casserole-style dish, you can use the ground bison taco meat to make these Flat Enchiladas in a cast iron skillet.
recipe variations
- Flank Steak Tacos: For a beef version, try making carne asada tacos with grilled flank steak. Use the taco seasoning as a dry rub for a delicious bite!
- Bison Quesadillas: Try using this meat with pepper jack cheese to make a mouth-watering quesadilla!
fun fact
Did you know that bison can run faster than a horse? Even though the average weight for a bison is 1,500 to 2,200 pounds and a horse is only 900 to 1,200 pounds, bison can still run faster! (source)
more quick dinner ideas
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Recipe
Ground Bison Taco Recipe - 20 Minute Easy Dinner!
Ingredients
Taco Meat
- 1 pound ground bison ground beef will work too!
- 2 tablespoon tomato paste
- 3 tablespoon taco seasoning homemade or store-bought
- ½ cup water
Pickled Radishes
- 2 radishes diced
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup white vinegar
- 1 tablespoon white sugar any sweetener will work
Misc
- spicy avocado sauce homemade or store-bought
- 8 corn tortillas or 4 flour
Instructions
- Add the bison to a large pan over medium to high heat. Cook until browned and cooked through.
- While the bison browns, dice the radishes and add to a bowl or jar with vinegar, water, and sugar. Give it a stir and leave it in the fridge until ready to use.
- Once the bison is cooked, you can drain off fat but we've found there's so little fat we don't bother draining it. Add the tomato paste, taco seasoning, and water to the pan and stir to combine. Cover and reduce to low heat. Cook for 10-15 minutes until thickened.
- While the bison flavor develops, you can prepare any other toppings you like. We love our spicy avocado sauce, shredded cheese, lettuce, onion, and more! You can also heat the tortillas for about 30 seconds each in the microwave if you prefer them hot.If using corn tortillas, they must be warm them so they don't break! (1)
- Assemble everything and enjoy!
Video
Notes
- Pepperjack cheese
- Lettuce
- Pico De Gallo
- Fajita veggies (cook them on a baking sheet with a pinch of salt, some oil, and a teaspoon ground cumin)
- Jalapenos
- Red onions
- Fresh cilantro
- Fresh lime juice
- Sour cream or Greek yogurt
- Cotija cheese
- Chipotle Sauce
- Black beans
drop us a note!