Bison and Chanterelle Meat Sauce

Name: Bison and Chanterelle Meat Sauce
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 65 min
Total time: 70 min
Ingredients: 1 tablespoon olive oil; 1 pound ground bison; 1 medium red onion (chopped); 3 cloves garlic (minced); 1 can diced tomatoes (28 fl oz./796 mL); 1 can tomato paste (5.5 fl oz./156 mL); 1 ½ cups chanterelle mushrooms (chopped (or oyster mushrooms)); 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning; 2 tablespoons agave nectar (or to taste); ¼ cup fresh basil leaves (thinly sliced); salt and pepper (to taste)

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Smother your pasta with a rich, savory bison and chanterelle meat sauce. Ground meat and diced mushrooms simmer in a thick tomato sauce flavored with chopped vegetables and fresh herbs. A dash of agave nectar provides just a hint of sweetness.

This ground bison recipe is sure to please the whole family. Refresh your old Italian dishes by substituting this recipe for regular spaghetti sauce. I make an extra large batch of it for my family every 2 weeks. It’s filling and delicious and leftovers taste great.

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🥘Ingredients
📖Substitutes
🔪How to Make it
🍽Serving Suggestions
🌡️Storage
❓Frequently Asked Questions
❤️More Bison Recipes You Will Love
📋Recipe

🥘Ingredients

olive oil - you can use regular olive oil (no need for extra virgin as we are cooking with it)
ground bison - contrary to popular belief, bison doesn't have a gamey taste and actually tastes much like beef
diced tomatoes - canned
chanterelle mushrooms - see notes about chanterelles below
Italian seasoning - Italian seasoning is usually a blend of marjoram, thyme, rosemary, savory herb, sage, oregano and basil
agave nectar - you can omit this or swap it with regular white sugar

*Check recipe card for full ingredients and amounts.

Chanterelle Mushrooms:

(pictured above: fresh chanterelle mushrooms)

Soft and tender, chanterelle mushrooms complement the lean bison with a mildly sweet, peppery flavor.

Where to find them: Not all grocery stores sell chanterelles, and even specialty stores might not have them year round. You can check specialty stores or farmers' markets periodically. I buy them frozen from the local food store when they are available.

They grow wild in the prairies where I live (they grow smaller here because of the unique climate). This gives them a more concentrated flavor and vibrant color. They are known worldwide for these qualities. You can find them all over continental US, especially in harwood forests near water.

📖Substitutes

Full Disclosure: Chanterelles were not in stock at the time of taking pictures for the recipe and I just ran out of the frozen ones so I used the next best thing:

In a pinch, substitute the chanterelles with oyster mushrooms (as seen in ingredients photo). They have a similar texture and milder taste, offering a blank palette for the sauce. They are also more readily available.

(pictured above: dried chanterelles)

It is also possible to find dried chanterelles. All you need to do is soak the dried mushrooms in warm water for about 30 minutes so that they absorb water/rehydrate, and then drain and rinse them before adding to the sauce. Let them simmer in the sauce.

Some people do add them dry, straight into the sauce, but they might not be cleaned properly.

🔪How to Make it

Step 1: Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the ground bison and onions. Brown and crumble the bison, about 5 minutes. Season with some salt and pepper.

Bison ground meat in a pan and a garlic press in hand.

Step 2: Add the garlic and cook for 30 more seconds.

Bison meat sauce with mushrooms in a pan.

Step 3: Add the diced tomatoes, tomato paste, mushrooms, Italian seasoning and agave nectar. Stir it all together and bring to a boil.

Step 4: Lower the heat and gently simmer for 60 minutes, partially covered with the lid.

Bison meat sauce in pan on portable cooktop.

Step 5: Check the seasoning and add salt and pepper, to taste. Stir in the fresh basil.

Bison meat sauce over spaghetti in a bowl.

Step 6: Serve over spaghetti noodles.

🍽Serving Suggestions

Pick a pasta: Spaghetti, penne, tortellini, shells, fusilli and other noodle types add their own texture and dimension to the dish.
Garnish your pasta with grated parmesan or hunks of fresh mozzarella.
Serve with homemade garlic bread so that you and your guests can sop up all of the delicious sauce. For something more unique try this pumpkin garlic naan bread.
It goes great with this tomato burrata salad on the side.
Afterwards, serve it with a rustic, fruity dessert like this raspberry galette or strawberry crumble.

🌡️Storage

Bison meat sauce in a jar with a wooden spoon.

Fridge: Eat leftovers within 4 days. Store in an airtight container in the fridge.
Freezer: If you plan your meals ahead, cover well and freeze for up to 6 months for best quality. Thaw in the fridge overnight.
Reheat: Reheat in a pot on the stove over medium heat or in the microwave.

❓Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between Bolognese and meat sauce?

Bolognese (Italian) is also a meat sauce but it has the addition of milk and white wine and is slowly-cooked to a very thick consistency.

Which type of pasta goes best with meat sauce?

If you're looking for something that will hold some of the meat sauce in each bite, serve it with shells, Orecchiette or rigatoni. If you're looking for something more traditional, you could go with tagliatelle, which is a long, flat, ribbon noodle.

How do you thicken a meat sauce?

If you want a thicker meat sauce, continue to simmer it over low heat until most of the liquid is reduced.

❤️More Bison Recipes You Will Love

If you tried this Bison and Chanterelle Meat Sauce Recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. And please share the recipe!