Bison Casserole: Comfort Food of the West

When hosting my book club recently, I prepared and served a bison casserole because we were discussing a book recounting the history of the Pony Express, which paid brave riders to travel day and night through the wilds of buffalo country, and I thought this fit with our theme. Not only was the recipe easy to follow, but it was true comfort food, the type that’s enticing on cold winter nights. It’s also a savory dish to bring to potluck dinners.

Ingredients:

6 ounces dried penne pasta

1 lb. ground bison

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 (15 oz.) can black beans, rinsed and drained

1 (14.5 oz.) can diced tomatoes, undrained

¾ cup salsa

1 tsp. dried oregano

1 tsp. ground cumin

1 tsp. chili powder

1-2 cups crushed tortilla chips

1-2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese

1 cup sliced green onion

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Cook pasta according to package directions; drain. Cover and keep warm.

Meanwhile, cook ground bison and garlic over medium heat in a large skillet until meat is brown. Drain off fat.

Stir cooked pasta into the cooked, drained ground bison in the skillet. Stir in beans, undrained tomatoes, salsa, oregano, cumin, and chili powder.

Transfer mixture to an ungreased 9”x13” casserole dish. Bake, uncovered, for 30 minutes or until heated through.

Sprinkle with shredded cheese and top with crushed tortilla chips. Bake, uncovered, for five more minutes or until cheese is melted. Sprinkle with chopped green onion and serve.

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