Spicy Ground Bison and Sweet Potato Skillet Recipe

If you’re looking for a healthy ground bison recipe, this simple skillet is a great choice. Featuring diced sweet potatoes, arugula, and some spice from fresh chili peppers, it’s a fast and flavorful gluten-free, low carb, and one-pan meal.

When it comes to quick, no-fuss meals, skillets are definitely at the top of my list.

I love being able to create a satisfying dish solely in my cast iron, plus there is the added bonus of having only one pan to wash afterwards.

This spicy bison sweet potato skillet came about by combining ground bison in a skillet with some random ingredients I had on hand at the time. 

I think the flavor combination turned out pretty great.

The sweetness from the sweet potatoes pairs perfectly with the spice from the chili peppers.

And the addition of some toasted pepitas (shelled pumpkin seeds) adds a nutty flavor and a little crunch to everything.

Top it off with some fried eggs, and you’ve got a tasty meal that’s ready in less than 30 minutes.

Ingredients and Equipment

For this recipe, you’ll need:

• Ground Bison – you can find ground bison in most grocery stores these days, but you definitely want to make sure that you are purchasing quality bison that has ideally been grass fed and finished. One source for ground bison that I highly recommend is Butcher Box.
• Sweet Potatoes – you’ll need two medium sized sweet potatoes, or about half a pound.
• Bell Pepper – I usually opt for a yellow or orange pepper, but a red bell pepper would also work.
• Leeks – I love the flavor of leeks. Green onions or spring onions would also be acceptable substitutions.
• Arugula – arugula is my favorite green of all-time (as you may know from previous recipes). Baby spinach would make a good substitution though.
• Fresh Garlic – you can also substitute with garlic powder.
• Chili Peppers – the variety and number of chili peppers that you use will control how spicy the skillet will be. I’m a fan of tobasco peppers (see below) but any variety of chili will work.
• Coconut Oil – I like the flavor of coconut oil, but you can substitute with any high heat cooking oil of your choice.
• Low Sodium Chicken Stock
• Ground Cumin
• Shelled Pumpkin Seeds aka pepitas. I like to use unsalted raw pepitas and toast them myself, but to save time you can buy them already roasted.
• Sea Salt or Kosher Salt
• Black Pepper

I’ve been getting these cute little tabasco peppers in my CSA share lately. They are small, but pack a pretty good punch.

You can substitute with your favorite hot chilli pepper like serrano or jalapeño if you have trouble finding them. For less spice, leave out the seeds.

For equipment you’ll just need a sharp knife, cutting board, and a large cast-iron skillet or other heavy skillet.

How to Make a Spicy Ground Bison and Sweet Potato Skillet

First, toast the pepitas by placing them in a dry skillet over medium heat.

Toast the seeds, stirring them often, until they are light brown and fragrant. This should take about 10 minutes.

Transfer the pepitas to a plate. Return the skillet to medium high heat and add in the coconut oil.

Add the sweet potatoes and let them cook, undisturbed, for about 5 minutes. Stir and cook for another 5 minutes, until they start to get tender.

Add the ground bison, leeks, peppers, cumin, garlic, salt and pepper to the skillet.

Cook until the meat is no longer pink and the vegetables are tender, about 7-8 minutes.

Pour in a 1/3 cup of chicken stock into the skillet.

Finally, add the arugula to the skillet and cook until it is wilted, about 4-5 minutes.

Serving Suggestions

• Top the skillet with a couple fried eggs for a delicious breakfast.
• Serve with some sliced avocado for an added creamy texture.
• Add a dash of hot sauce if you really want to kick up the spice.
• Experiment with different varieties of sweet potatoes. They all have some subtle flavor and texture differences. I highly recommend Japanese sweet potatoes if you can find some!

Storage and Reheating

Store any skillet leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days.

Gently reheat in a small skillet over medium heat until it is warmed through.

I hope you enjoy this recipe!

Next time you pick up some ground bison, I hope you give this tasty and healthy skillet recipe a try. Let me know how it turned out in the comments below!

More Easy Skillet Recipes

• Ground Beef and Plantain Skillet
• Sweet and Spicy Autumn Hash
• Easy Skillet Ratatouille Recipe

Print Pin

5 from 3 votes

Spicy Ground Bison and Sweet Potato Skillet

If you're looking for a healthy ground bison recipe, this simple skillet is a great choice. Featuring diced sweet potatoes, arugula, and some spice from fresh chili peppers, it's a fast and flavorful gluten-free, low carb, and one-pan meal.

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 40 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Calories 471kcal

Author The Sophisticated Caveman

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup pepitas shelled pumpkin seeds
• 2 tablespoons coconut oil
• 2 medium sweet potatoes peeled and cut into 1/2 inch cubes
• 1 pound ground bison
• 2 garlic cloves minced
• 1 large leek cleaned and sliced
• 1 yellow bell pepper diced
• 2-3 tabasco peppers finely chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 3 cups arugula roughly chopped
• 1/3 cup low sodium chicken stock
• sea salt to taste
• black pepper to taste

Instructions

• Place the pepitas in a large, dry, cast-iron skillet and bring to medium heat. Toast, stirring constantly, until the the seeds are brown and fragrant, about 10 minutes. Transfer the pepitas to a bowl.
• Return the skillet to medium high heat and add the coconut oil. Spread the sweet potatoes out in a single layer and let them cook, undisturbed, for 5 minutes. Stir and cook for an additional 5 minutes, until the potatoes start to get tender.
• Add the ground bison, leeks, peppers, garlic, and cumin to the skillet. Cook until the meat is no longer pink and the vegetables are tender, about 7-8 minutes.
• Pour in the chicken stock and add the arugula. Cook until the arugula is wilted, about 4-5 minutes.
• Season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle the toasted pepitas on top and serve.

Tried this recipe?Mention @sophisticatedcaveman or tag #sophisticatedcaveman on Instagram!

Notes

For total perfection, top with fried eggs.

Nutrition

Calories: 471kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 26g | Fat: 28g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 0.003g | Cholesterol: 79mg | Sodium: 155mg | Potassium: 1020mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 17036IU | Vitamin C: 95mg | Calcium: 98mg | Iron: 5mg

The ingredient or equipment sections above may contain affiliate links to products that I personally use or recommend!

Sharing is caring!