Italian Sheet-Pan Bison Meatballs with Spaghetti

Gluten-free almond flour is the trick to keeping these bison meatballs tender and juicy. This riff on spaghetti and meatballs gets a healthy makeover with simple ingredient swaps. With familiar flavors, it’s great for cooks looking to try bison or buffalo for the first time.

This recipe originally appeared on alive.com as “Italian Sheet-Pan Bison Meatballs with Spaghetti.”

Italian Sheet-Pan Bison Meatballs with Spaghetti

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Servings

6

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Ingredients

Meatballs

• 1/2 cup almond flour
• 1/2 cup buffalo milk
• 1 large organic egg
• 2 tsp sea salt
• 2 lbs lean ground bison or buffalo
• 1 clove garlic peeled and minced
• 1 tsp finely chopped fresh rosemary
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp dried basil
• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
• 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
• olive oil for baking sheet

Sauce

• 2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic peeled and minced
• 24 oz jar tomato passata
• 28 oz can diced tomatoes
• 1/4 tsp sea salt

Serving

• 1 lb sliced whole grain or gluten-free bread

Ingredients Meatballs 1/2 cup almond flour 1/2 cup buffalo milk 1 large organic egg 2 tsp sea salt 2 lbs lean ground bison or buffalo 1 clove garlic peeled and minced 1 tsp finely chopped fresh rosemary 1 tsp dried oregano 1/2 tsp dried basil 1/2 tsp ground black pepper 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg olive oil for baking sheet Sauce 2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil 2 cloves garlic peeled and minced 24 oz jar tomato passata 28 oz can diced tomatoes 1/4 tsp sea salt Serving 1 lb sliced whole grain or gluten-free bread

Servings 6 Print Recipe

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 450 F.
2. Bring large pot of water to boil for pasta.
3. In large bowl, mix almond flour, milk, egg, and salt until combined. Mix in bison followed by remaining meatball ingredients. Make sure mixture is uniformly combined.
4. Drizzle olive oil on large baking sheet and spread to coat. Hand-roll meatball mixture into 2 to 3 Tbsp-sized balls and line up evenly on baking sheet, making sure meatballs aren’t touching. Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes, flip, and bake for 7 to 10 minutes longer, until browned and cooked through.
5. Meanwhile, make sauce and cook pasta. In large Dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium heat and add garlic, sautéing for a few seconds, until sizzling, being careful not to burn it. Quickly add tomato passata, diced tomatoes, and salt, and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, partially cover, and cook for 20 to 30 minutes. Cook pasta according to package directions and drain.
6. Add meatballs into sauce and warm through. Toss some of the tomato sauce with cooked pasta and add to bowls. Top with a few meatballs and more sauce. Serve immediately.