Bison Burger Casserole with Cheese

Ingredients

• Bison Burgers:
• 4 slices whole-grain bread, processed into fine crumbs
• ½ onion, finely chopped
• 2 teaspoons ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon dry mustard
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon curry powder
• 1 ¼ pounds ground bison
• ½ cup quick-cooking oats
• 2 eggs
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Casserole:
• 2 cups rotini pasta
• 1 (28 ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes
• 1 (14 ounce) can tomato sauce
• 1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

Step 1

In a bowl, mix together the bread crumbs, onion, ginger, mustard, salt, and curry powder. Add the ground bison, oats, and eggs, then stir everything until it’s well combined. Shape the mixture into four patties.

Step 2

Heat some olive oil in a skillet over medium heat and cook the patties for about 5 minutes on each side, until they’re nicely browned and cooked through (they should reach 160°F in the center). Once done, move them to a plate and let them cool completely.

Step 3

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the rotini until it’s tender but still has a bit of bite, about 8 minutes. Drain the pasta and spread it out in a 1 1/2-quart casserole dish.

Step 4

Preheat your oven to 375°F. Spread the tomatoes and tomato sauce over the pasta, then sprinkle half of the Cheddar cheese on top. Lay the cooled burgers over the tomatoes, and sprinkle the rest of the cheese over everything.

Step 5

Pop the casserole into the oven and bake until the cheese is melted and bubbly, about 30 minutes. Let it cool a little before serving.