• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

In the Kitch

menu icon
go to homepage
  • Patriotic Recipes
  • Recipe Index
  • Guides
  • Tutorials
  • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • search icon
    Homepage link
    • Patriotic Recipes
    • Recipe Index
    • Guides
    • Tutorials
    • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • ×
    In the Kitch » Recipes » Appetizers

    Updated: Dec 14, 2024 · Published: Mar 16, 2022 by Joss Dyckson · This post may contain affiliate links ·

    Bison Meatballs

    Jump to Recipe
    Images of bison meatballs on plate with text overlay that says 'bison meatballs.

    These spiced-up bison meatballs are egg and dairy free but they really deliver on flavor! Serve them up as an appetizer with a homemade, smoky BBQ sauce or as a main dish in only 30 minutes.

    Bison meatballs with BBQ sauce and parsley on white plate.

    These meatballs are baked in the oven, allowing you to avoid adding oil in the cooking process.

    Without the barbecue sauce, these meatballs are low-carb/keto because I don't use breadcrumbs as a filler. So if that is the kind of diet you follow, ditch the sauce and eat them on their own. They have enough spice and flavor to enjoy them that way. Bison meat is also paleo-friendly.

    The bison I cook with in our home comes from a local farmer. This is a good way to support local if you can! Check out more of my ground bison recipes.

    Jump to:
    • Bison vs. Beef
    • Ingredients
    • How to Make Bison Meatballs
    • Joss' Tips
    • Storage & Reheating
    • Bison Meatballs FAQs
    • More Ground Bison Recipes to Try
    • 📋Recipe

    Bison vs. Beef

    Lower calories. Ground bison is an alternative to ground beef that is lower in fat and calories, but provides similar nutrients.

    More protein. As an added bonus, ground bison is actually slightly higher in protein than beef and tastes amazing in recipes where beef is usually the star like in bison burgers, bison meatloaf and these bison meatballs.

    Both have protein that is high in quality and provides all nine essential amino acids that our bodies need, making it a complete protein.

    Similar flavor. As for flavor, they are said to be very similar, but I personally like the taste and texture of bison more.

    Ingredients

    Bison meatball ingredients prepped and labeled.
    • ground bison meat - Ground bison meat is naturally lean and can be found in grocery stores and farmers' markets.
    • Worcestershire sauce - A popular addition to ground beef recipes, which also works great in bison. It has a complex flavor from its unique blend of ingredients: including vinegar, molasses, anchovies, and spices.
    • ketchup - The sauce starts with a ketchup base—a bit of a shortcut, but it works beautifully.
    • apple cider vinegar - To add flavor and tang to the sauce as well as help extend shelf life.
    • brown sugar - Adds deeper flavor and sweetness to the sauce and balances out the flavors.
    • honey - Honey is a popular ingredient in barbecue sauce for its natural sweetness and improved texture.
    • garlic and onion powder - Not pictured.
    • liquid smoke - It's a condensed version of smoke produced through the burning of wood. It adds nice, smoky flavor to the BBQ sauce.

    *Check ingredient amounts in recipe card.

    Chef's Note: If you aren’t following a keto diet, I highly recommend making this easy, zippy barbecue sauce to go with! This recipe makes plenty of it, so you can slather it on and refrigerate the leftovers for another meal. The liquid smoke gives it amazing flavor, so try to pick some up if you can!

    How to Make Bison Meatballs

    For the Meatballs

    Raw bison meatballs on parchment lined baking sheet.

    Step 1. Form the Ground Bison Meatballs. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with foil or parchment paper. Combine all of the meatball ingredients in a large bowl. Loosely form 1-inch balls with the ground meat and transfer them to the lined baking sheet.

    Bison meatballs on white plate with BBQ sauce pouring over.

    Step 2. Bake. Bake the bison meatballs for 15 minutes in the preheated oven or until fully cooked.

    For the Homemade BBQ Sauce

    BBQ sauce ingredients in saucepan.

    Step 1. Whisk Sauce Ingredients. Whisk the barbecue sauce ingredients together in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer.

    BBQ sauce ingredients simmering in saucepan on stove.

    Step 2. Simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 10 minutes, whisking occasionally.

    Bison meatballs with BBQ sauce on white plate.

    Step 3. Serve. Serve the bison meatballs with the barbecue sauce.

    Joss' Tips

    • Avoid Over-Mixing: Make sure not to overmix the raw meatball mixture. The less you handle the meat, the more tender they will be.
    • Rest Before Cooking: Let the shaped, raw bison meatballs chill in the fridge for 15–30 minutes. This helps them hold their shape during cooking.
    • Nail the Shape: Use a small scoop or wet hands to create evenly-sized balls for even cooking and appearance.

    Storage & Reheating

    • Leftover barbecue sauce can be refrigerated in an airtight container or squeeze bottle for up to two weeks.
    • Leftover bison meatballs can be refrigerated for up to 3 to 4 days. Meatballs are also freezer friendly. They can be frozen for up to 2 months for best results.
    • The raw bison meatballs can also be frozen for up to 2 months.
    • Thaw in the refrigerator and reheat on the stove, in the oven or in the microwave.

    Bison Meatballs FAQs

    Where can you find bison?

    Although there are still some bison grazing in the wild, you will mainly find them on farms in North America. In the US, eastern Montana and the western Dakotas are considered to be the bison heartland. In Canada, you will find a large portion of the herd in Saskatchewan.

    What can you serve bison meatballs with?

    If you're serving them as an appetizer, you can try different sauces, such as white BBQ sauce. As a main dish, they can be served with rice, over spaghetti, in a pasta or rice bowl or with vegetable side dishes such as this tomato burrata salad.

    Bison meatballs in dish with freshly chopped parsley and homemade BBQ sauce.

    More Ground Bison Recipes to Try

    • Bison chanterelle mushroom meat sauce in jar.
      Bison and Chanterelle Meat Sauce
    • Baked bison sliders in white casserole dish.
      Baked Bison Sliders
    • Bison chili with toppings in cast iron dish.
      Slow Cooker Bison Chili
    • Bison Tacos

    If you tried this Bison Meatballs 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!

    📋Recipe

    Bison meatballs with BBQ sauce and parsley.

    Bison Meatballs

    Joss Dyckson
    These spiced-up bison meatballs are egg and dairy free with a homemade smoky BBQ sauce! Serve them up as an appetizer or main dish.
    5 from 4 votes
    Prevent your screen from going dark
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save Recipe Saved!
    Prep Time 15 minutes mins
    Cook Time 15 minutes mins
    Total Time 30 minutes mins
    Course Appetizer, Main Course
    Cuisine American, Canadian, Italian
    Servings 30 meatballs
    Calories 36 kcal

    Ingredients
     
     

    For the Meatballs

    • 1 pound ground bison meat
    • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
    • ½ cup yellow onion - diced
    • ¼ cup red bell pepper - diced
    • 3 garlic cloves - minced
    • 2 teaspoons thyme leaves - dried
    • 2 tablespoons fresh parsley - finely chopped
    • ¾ teaspoon salt
    • ½ teaspoon pepper

    For the BBQ Sauce

    • 2 cups ketchup
    • ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
    • 2 tablespoons brown sugar
    • 2 tablespoons honey
    • 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
    • 2 teaspoons liquid smoke
    • ½ teaspoon onion powder
    • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
    • ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves

    Instructions
     

    For the Meatballs

    • Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with foil or parchment paper.
    • Combine all of the meatball ingredients in a large bowl. Do not overmix.
    • Loosely form 1-inch balls with the ground meat and transfer them to the lined baking sheet.
    • Bake for 15 minutes in the preheated oven or until fully cooked.

    Barbecue Sauce

    • Meanwhile, whisk the barbecue sauce ingredients together in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer.
    • Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 10 minutes, whisking occasionally.
    • Serve the meatballs with the BBQ sauce.

    Equipment

    • Saucepan
    • Baking sheet

    Notes

    • Note on nutrition info: The nutrition information is for the meatballs and does not include the barbecue sauce.
    • BBQ sauce storage: Leftover barbecue sauce can be refrigerated in an airtight container or squeeze bottle for up to two weeks.
    • Meatball storage: Leftover meatballs can be refrigerated for up to 3 to 4 days. They can be frozen for up to 2 months for best results. Thaw in the refrigerator and reheat on the stove, in the oven or in the microwave.
    • Raw meatball freezer option: The raw meatballs can also be frozen for up to 2 months.
    • Low carb/keto option: Without the barbecue sauce, these meatballs are low-carb/keto because we aren’t using breadcrumbs as a filler. So if that is the kind of diet you follow, ditch the sauce and eat them on their own. They have enough spice and flavor to enjoy them that way. Bison meat is also paleo-friendly.
    • Tips:
      • Avoid Over-Mixing: Make sure not to overmix the raw meatball mixture. The less you handle the meat, the more tender they will be.
      • Rest Before Cooking: Let the shaped, raw bison meatballs chill in the fridge for 15–30 minutes. This helps them hold their shape during cooking.
      • Nail the Shape: Use a small scoop or wet hands to create evenly-sized balls for even cooking and appearance.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 36kcalCarbohydrates: 1gProtein: 3gFat: 2gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 11mgSodium: 74mgPotassium: 61mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 68IUVitamin C: 3mgCalcium: 5mgIron: 1mg

    Nutrition information on In the Kitch is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. It may not include toppings and/or sauces.

    Want to see our recipes in action?Subscribe to our channel on Youtube!

    More Easy & Delicious Appetizer Recipes

    • Easy Homemade Pickled Sausage
    • Veggie nachos on plate.
      Electric Skillet Veggie Nachos
    • Bison brisket nachos in cast iron pan.
      Bison Brisket Nachos
    • Grilled cubed mango on wooden skewers.
      Grilled Mango Skewers
    312 shares
    • Share58
    • Tweet
    • Email
    • Bluesky
    • Reddit

    Reader Interactions

    5 from 4 votes (4 ratings without comment)

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    Joss D author image.

    Hi, I'm Joss!

    I am the creator and editor of In the Kitch. I am inviting you on this food journey with me to learn, grow and bring out that inner chef in you. I hope to inspire you to get creative in your own kitchen!

    More about me →

    Patriotic Recipes

    • 4th of July themed charcuterie board on red plate with red, white and blue stars.
      4th of July Charcuterie Board
    • 4th of July pulled pork sliders on parchment lined serving tray.
      4th of July Pulled Pork Sliders
    • Blueberry mojito mocktail with fresh mint in cocktail glass.
      Blueberry Mojito Mocktail
    • Canada Day raspberry cheesecake in jars with red and white spoons.
      Raspberry Cheesecake in a Jar (Canada Day Dessert)
    • Bison burger with toothpick on cutting board.
      Bison Burgers
    • Strawberry crumble in tart dish with vanilla ice cream and spoon.
      Easy Strawberry Crumble

    Popular

    • Strawberry slushy margarita with mint leaves.
      How to Make a Slushy Margarita
    • Cake pop frosting in bowl with spatula.
      Cake Pop Frosting & Coating
    • Sliced candied limes on wooden counter.
      How to Candy Limes
    • Hamburger scrambled eggs in cast iron pan.
      Hamburger Scrambled Eggs
    • Electric skillet fried chicken in a dish.
      Electric Skillet Fried Chicken
    • Electric skillet pot roast with vegetables on serving tray.
      Electric Skillet Pot Roast

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    In the Kitch

    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms & Conditions
    • Disclaimer
    • Accessibility Statement

    About

    • About
    • The Team

    Contact

    • Contact

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2025 In the Kitch

    Rate This Recipe

    Your vote:




    A rating is required
    A name is required
    An email is required

    Recipe Ratings without Comment

    Something went wrong. Please try again.