Ground Bison Taco Salad Bowl

I love making taco bowls at home. They’re so easy to make and perfect for meal prep!

I’ve been making this taco salad bowl recipe with bison for years. I usually do all the prep on Sunday afternoon and then divide it into meal containers for lunches or dinners for the next several days.

Key ingredients 

A taco salad bowl is a bowl filled with any taco ingredients that you’re craving but without the shell or tortilla. Don’t get bogged down by the list of ingredients, just use your favorites and the ones that you have on hand. Here’s what I love to use:

• Bison – Any ground meat will work great. I chose to use lean ground bison because it’s a really good lean, flavorful meat. I highly recommend giving it a try, if you haven’t already.
• Vegetables – In this taco bowl, we’re using a mix of bell peppers, onion, romaine lettuce and tomato. Add in or take away as you prefer!
• Taco Seasoning – You can buy this pre-made or easily make your own!
• Beans – The recipe calls for kidney beans, but feel free to use any beans you’d like. Pinto beans or black beans would also be delicious. 
• Rice – You can use any rice (or grain) that you have available, even the quick microwavable variety works great. Brown rice is typically my go-to but if you want low carb, cauliflower rice is a great option.
• Cheese – We love to add a bit of shredded cheddar cheese to each bowl. Feel free to swap in some diced avocado or homemade guacamole for a dairy-free option.

How to make a taco salad bowl

Just a few simple steps and you’ll have the most flavorful bison taco bowl ever!

For full (printable) instructions, reference the recipe card at the bottom of the post.

1. Cook the bison. The first step is to heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and brown the ground bison. Once the meat is no longer pink, push it over to one side of the pan.
2. Cook the veggies. Add a teaspoon of olive oil to the empty side of the pan and then add the peppers, onion, garlic, and a pinch of salt. Sauté until soft, about 5 minutes. Then, combine meat and vegetables. Stir in taco seasoning to evenly coat the mixture.
3. Add broth + beans. Stir in broth and beans and allow the mixture to cook until the broth has evaporated and the beans are heated through – about five minutes.
4. Assemble the bowl. Put half a cup of brown rice in the bottom of your serving bowl. Top with a small handful of romaine, a heaping tablespoon of cheese, and one cup of the bison-taco mixture. Sprinkle with chopped tomatoes (and any other taco toppings you love) and enjoy.

Customize your bison taco salad bowl

I’m obsessed with this recipe as written – it’s simple and delicious – but adding your own twist is always fun! Here are a few ideas to get you started.

• Base layer. Instead of brown rice, try cauliflower rice, quinoa, spaghetti squash or white rice.
• Filling. Feel free to sub the ground bison with ground beef, ground turkey, ground chicken or pulled salsa chicken. To make these bowls vegetarian or vegan, use tofu or a plant-based meat alternative.
• Vegetables. Add any other favorite veggies to your bowl – zucchini, carrots, mushrooms, corn or sweet potato. If you want a veggie-based bowl, make a tray of roasted vegetables (so good!).
• Extras. Try topping your bowl with guacamole, pico de gallo, papaya salsa, Greek yogurt, jalapeño slices, and/or fresh cilantro.

Frequently asked questions

Is bison healthier than beef?

Bison is very similar to beef in taste and texture but seems to be nutritionally superior:

• It has 25% more protein than beef
• Bison has less fat and cholesterol than beef (and turkey!)
• And it has more iron than beef

What type of bison is best?

The key when shopping for quality bison meat is to look for 100% grass-fed and finished. Ground bison is becoming more readily available, but if you’re having trouble finding 100% grass-fed and finished at an everyday grocery store, you can do so at local farmers’ markets, or on the internet.

Where can you buy bison?

If you are not sure where to start, check out EatWild.com to find a directory of pasture-based farms.

When I lived in California, I would buy my bison from Linder Bison. They sell at the Santa Monica farmer’s markets and I highly recommend them.

Now that I live in NJ, I usually buy my bison from Butcher Box (they deliver right to your door) or Whole Foods.

Storage recommendations

Taco bowls can last about five days in the refrigerator. The cooked ingredients can be stored together (bison and rice). This will allow you to conveniently reheat them in the microwave altogether. I suggest storing the chilled components in separate containers (lettuce, cheese, and tomatoes), so they will stay as fresh as possible.

Meal prep your taco salad bowl

Taco bowls are fabulous to make in advance and enjoy later. You’ll just want to be sure to pack the cooked ingredients together and the fresh ingredients separately. I like to make individual servings in meal prep containers. Here’s how:

1. Divide cooked and cooled rice between four to six containers (I like to use these).
2. Top with cooked and cooled bison taco meat. Cover and store in the fridge.
3. Prep lettuce, cheese, tomatoes, and any other fresh ingredients in separate airtight containers, so you can reheat the warm ingredients without heating the fresh ingredients.
4. I store everything in one spot in my fridge, so it’s all easy to grab, place in a lunch pack and go!

More bison recipes to try

Feel free to use ground bison in any of these recipes!

• Butternut Squash Chili
• Chili Con Carne
• Zucchini Taco Boats
• Turkey and Black Bean Tacos 
• Healthy Bison Meatballs

If you make and enjoy this taco bowl recipe, be sure to leave a comment and ★ rating below letting me know how they turned out. Your feedback is so helpful for me and our Clean & Delicious community (thank you!).