This herby, bacon-wrapped bison meatloaf with sweet onions, red pepper, and a splash of hot sauce is a simple twist on a classic American dinner. Freshly-baked and super juicy, it’s the perfect comfort food with a fresh salad on the side.
Easy Bison Meatloaf Recipe
This garlicky bison meatloaf with Italian seasoning is an easy weeknight dinner for the whole family. Freshly made or frozen for later, every slice is super juicy and smokey from the bacon-wrapped exterior. Tangy hot sauce and Worcestershire also take it to the next level. Packed with sautéed veggies like onions and celery, it’s a hearty comfort food that’ll hit the spot every time.
Why This Meatloaf With Bison Works
This recipe will become a weeknight favorite once you see how easy, convenient, and mess-free this meatloaf is.
- Comfort food. Meatloaf is a classic American comfort food full of juicy meat, tender veggies, and bacon.
- Freezer-friendly. It’s perfect for lazy weeks when you don’t want to cook but still want something homemade.
- Family-friendly. Chop up the veggies even smaller if you have to (or remove them), but everyone should love the bison and smokey bacon flavor combination.
- Little oil. Most of the cooking happens in the oven, so you don’t need lots of oil.
Recipe Ingredients
Sweet onions, celery, and red bell peppers in the mixture help keep the meatloaf moist while in the oven. Scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of the post for exact amounts.
- Coconut oil – Canola, corn, vegetable, and olive oil are good swaps.
- Yellow onion – White onion works too.
- Garlic – Fresh garlic, garlic paste, and garlic powder are fine for this.
- Celery – Don’t worry if it’s not as crunchy.
- Red bell pepper – Any color of bell pepper is great.
- Ground bison – Use fresh or frozen (thawed).
- Italian seasoning – Make your own by whisking 1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder, 1 teaspoon onion powder, 3/4 teaspoon paprika, 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme, 1/4 teaspoon dried basil, and 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano.
- Salt and pepper – I prefer kosher salt and freshly-cracked black pepper.
- Eggs – Liquid eggs work too.
- Frank’s hot sauce – It adds tangy heat. Tabasco sauce can be used instead.
- Worcestershire sauce – Feel free to leave it out. There is no swap for this.
- Coconut milk – Any dairy or non-dairy milk can be added as long as it’s unsweetened.
- Italian seasoning panko – Regular panko or breadcrumbs are fine too.
- Uncured bacon – Thick-cut bacon is best.
How To Make Bison Meatloaf
Once the veggies have softened, shape the meatloaf and let it bake to juicy perfection. Scroll to the bottom of the post for the full recipe card.
- Prep the oven. Preheat it to 400F. Place the baking rack on the top rack. Line a baking sheet with foil and set it aside.
- Sautée the veggies. Heat the coconut oil in a medium-sized pan over medium heat. Add the onion, celery, and garlic. Cook them for 3 minutes, or until softened. The onion should be slightly browned. Set it aside.
- Make the meat mixture. Whisk the eggs, hot sauce, Worcestershire, salt, and pepper in a large bowl until smooth. Stir in the panko and coconut milk until well combined. Add the sautéed veggies, red pepper, bison, and Italian seasoning. Mix with your hands until well combined.
- Shape it. Transfer the meat mixture to the prepared baking sheet. Shape it into a 9×5″ loaf. Arrange the bacon on top, horizontally (from left to right), until completely covered. It’s okay if the slices overlap slightly.
- Bake it. Pop the baking sheet into the oven for 55-65 minutes. Remove it from the oven and let it cool for 10 minutes. Slice, serve, and enjoy.
Tips & Variations
Using a loaf pan will give this easy bison meatloaf the perfect shape.
- Make it melty. Shred 1/2 cup mozzarella or cheddar cheese. Place it along the center of the meatloaf when you shape it. Once out of the oven, it’ll have a melty cheese center you’ll love.
- Add veggies. Chop up 1 cup mushrooms and place them in the middle of the meatloaf. You can also add a layer of baby spinach before adding the bacon for more veggies in each bite.
- Prevent spreading. Assemble the meatloaf in a large loaf pan lined with parchment paper. Bake as usual and wait 15 minutes before carefully sliding it out of the pan for serving and slicing. Making it in the loaf pan will help it keep its shape in the oven.
- Swap the protein. Use ground beef, pork, or a mixture of both for an easy variation of this dish.
- Use the right rack. This meatloaf needs to be baked in the top rack. Using the middle will leave you with a raw center, while the bottom rack will dry out the meatloaf and even burn it.
- Grease your hands. Prevent the meat mixture from sticking to your hands by greasing them lightly with cooking spray or a teaspoon of vegetable oil.
Serving Suggestions
Juicy bison meatloaf is a great dinner option with simple veggie sides and salads. For veggie sides, try my Marinated Eggplant or Stuffed Mushrooms. My Crispy Mini Potatoes are great as well. For salad options, pair it with my Spring Mix Salad with Champagne Dressing or Easy Tomato Burrata Salad.
How to Store & Reheat Leftovers
The meatloaf must be completely cooled before refrigerating or freezing.
- Fridge: Place it in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
- Freezer: Wrap the cooled meatloaf (whole or sliced) in plastic wrap twice. Transfer it to a freezer-friendly bag or container. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw it overnight in the fridge and reheat as usual.
- To reheat it: Microwave it for up to a minute or until warm. You can also heat it in a pan (covered) over medium heat for 8-10 minutes.
More Bison Recipes
Bison Meatloaf
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil
- 1 yellow onion minced [about 1 cup}
- 6 cloves garlic minced
- 4 ribs celery sliced {about 1 1/2 cup}
- 1 roasted red pepper chopped
- 2 lbs ground bison
- 1 tablespoon dried Italian Seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 eggs beaten
- 1 tablespoon franks hot sauce
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 cup unsweetened coconut milk
- 1 cup gluten free italian panko bread crumbs
- 10-12 slices uncured bacon
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 400 degrees F and arrange a rack in the upper third. Line a baking sheet with foil for easy clean up and set aside.
- Add the coconut oil to a medium saucepan over medium heat. When the oil shimmers, add the onion, celery, garlic and cook until softened, about 3 minutes; set aside.
- In a large bowl, add the eggs, hot sauce, Worcestershire, salt, and pepper. Whisk until the eggs are broken up and evenly combined. Add the panko and coconut milk stir till blended. Add the onion mixture, red pepper, bison and Italian seasoning. Mix until thoroughly combined. You will need to use your hands.
- Using your hands again put the meat on the prepared baking sheet. Form the meat into a 9 by 5- inch loaf {approx.} Arrange the bacon across the top of the loaf overlapping slightly and bake until the internal temperature is 155 degrees F, on an instant-read thermometer, about 55 to 65 minutes.
- Remove from the oven to a cutting board and let cool for 10 to 15 minutes before slicing and serving.
I always have such a hard time with meatloaf. It either comes out too dry or falling apart! I seriously love bison though, and wrapped in bacon?! I think I may need to try meatloaf again!
The bacon wrapped around will help to keep everything nice and moist!