Lean Bison Burgers - a Healthy Twist on Burger Night

by Sally Rychlak

Lean and Indulgent Burger Night

Bison burgers are one of my favorite ways to switch things up when I’m tired of ground turkey or chicken but still want a dinner that feels healthy and protein-forward.

Bison is naturally very lean, especially compared with most traditional ground beef blends, while still giving you that rich, satisfying burger flavor. It’s also a great source of protein, iron, vitamin B12 and zinc. Basically, it feels a little more substantial than my usual weeknight proteins without actually being a particularly heavy meal.

The only downside to lean bison is that it’s easy to overcook since there simply isn’t a ton of fat there to save you. The solution is not to add a bunch of ingredients or turn your burger into meatloaf. Keep it simple, handle the meat gently and pay attention while it cooks. This is where my handy dandy meat thermometer reminds me that its my favorite kitchen tool.

avocado oil gives the burgers a beautiful brown exterior

I add Dijon, Worcestershire, garlic powder and onion powder for flavor and a little extra moisture. You also do not need an egg. Ground bison will hold together perfectly well on its own, and I prefer the texture without one.

these hold together so well

I usually make these in a cast iron skillet, but they’re equally easy to throw on the grill.

What to Serve with Bison Burgers

You can obviously go the classic burger route with a gluten-free bun, lettuce, tomato, pickles and whatever cheese you like. For a lighter weeknight dinner, I love turning this into a burger bowl with arugula or mixed greens, tomatoes, red onion, pickles and avocado.

Sweet potato fries or roasted sweet potato wedges are an easy side and make the whole thing feel like burger night without being particularly heavy. It’s simple, high protein and an easy way to work a different lean protein into the week.

I opted for a lettuce wrapped burger

If I’m making bison burgers, I’m not going to pretend a side salad is always what I want with them. Sometimes you want burger sauce and fries.

In-N-Out style sauce with caramelized onions

I make a quick In-N-Out-inspired sauce with Greek yogurt, ketchup, pickle relish, Dijon and a few seasonings. It gives you that creamy, tangy burger sauce situation without needing much mayo, although you can absolutely do half Greek yogurt and half mayo if you want something closer to the real thing.

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I’m still learning the science of perfectly caramelizing onions, but I try, and even my less-than-perfect batches are a very good addition to burgers, especially on an In-N-Out-style burger night. In addition to onions, I include tomato, pickles, red onion, lettuce, and even avocado on my bun. See how I Build-A-Burger:

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  Toasted Wheat Brioche Bun

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  Bison Patty + Reduced Fat Cheese

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  Caramelized Onion

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  Burger Sauce

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  Dill Pickles

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  Red Onion

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  Tomato

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  Butter Lettuce

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  Avocado

As for the fries, keep this as simple or as involved as you want. Frozen fries are perfectly fine, and cutting a potato into wedges with a little avocado oil and salt is hardly difficult.

That said, I recently acquired a waffle fry cutter, and I find the process of cutting my own waffle fries to be wildly entertaining. You simply make one cut, rotate the potato 90 degrees, make another cut and repeat. Somehow this creates actual waffle fries and is significantly more satisfying than it has any right to be.

waffle fries after their cold plunge

After giving them an ice bath to release the starches, I toss them with a little avocado oil and salt, then air fry at 400°F until golden and crispy, about 15 to 20 minutes depending on thickness. Shake or flip them a few times while they cook.

Between the lean bison, a lighter homemade burger sauce and an appropriately reasonable pile of waffle fries, this is my version of a healthier burger night that still very much feels like burger night.

Whole Wheat Brioche Bun (not GF) from Whole Foods was a big hit according to my sources