Cheesy Venison Helper: An Easy Ground Venison Recipe

If you’ve ever wondered what to do with ground venison besides the usual chili or tacos, this recipe is for you. Cheesy Venison Helper is creamy, comforting, and comes together in one pan, making it the perfect weeknight meal.

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My husband and I are both hunters and each year ground venison (whether it be from deer, elk, or antelope) is always what we have the most of. So coming up with new recipes that use the ground venison is always a mission. 

Once I figured out this cheesy pasta dish, it quickly became one of our family favorites. It’s simple, hearty, and it proves that venison doesn’t have to be complicated to be delicious.

So, if you’re looking for an easy venison recipe that the whole family will love, let’s get started.

Ingredients You’ll Need

• 8 ounces of elbow pasta or medium pasta shells (about 2 cups)
• 1 ½ pounds ground venison
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder (or more to taste)
• ½ teaspoon salt (or more to taste)
• ½ teaspoon black pepper (or more to taste)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 medium sweet onion, diced
• 2 teaspoons fresh minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 1/2–1 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional, for spice)
• 3 tablespoons flour (use gluten-free if needed)
• 2 cups beef broth (or use Knorr Beef Bouillon Powder mixed with water)
• 15 ounces tomato sauce
• 8 ounces extra sharp cheddar cheese (approximately 2 cups shredded)
• ½ cup heavy cream

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Cook the pasta.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to package directions until just tender, then drain and set aside.

2. Brown and season the venison.

While the pasta is cooking, heat a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground venison and cook until browned, breaking it apart as it cooks. As it’s finishing up, season with garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Drain off any excess liquid, then remove the venison from the pan and set aside.

3. Cook the onion and garlic.

Add the olive oil to the same skillet. Once hot, add the diced onion and cook until translucent. Stir in the minced garlic, Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes (if using), cooking for another 2–3 minutes until fragrant.

4. Make the sauce base.

Sprinkle the flour over the onions and garlic, stirring for about 1 minute. Slowly whisk in the beef broth and tomato sauce. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat and let the sauce simmer for 8–10 minutes, stirring now and then, until it thickens slightly.

5. Melt the cheese, then add the cream.

Reduce heat to low and stir in the shredded cheddar until fully melted and creamy. Slowly stir in the heavy cream and warm for 30–60 seconds until smooth.

6. Bring it all together.

Once the cheese is melted, add the cooked venison and pasta back into the skillet. Stir everything together and cook for 2–3 minutes until heated through. Taste the dish, then add more salt and pepper if needed.

Recipe Notes

• Family favorite: This meal is one my whole family loves. It’s hearty, cheesy, and always hits the spot.
• One-pot meal: Everything comes together in one skillet, which makes cleanup easy.
• Flexible: You can swap in other ground meats like beef, turkey, or elk if that’s what you have.
  Gluten-free option: I’m allergic to wheat, so I make this with gluten-free pasta and flour, and it turns out just as good.
• Spicy variation: A pinch of red pepper flakes adds a little heat if you like spice.

Before we wrap up, I want to answer a couple of the most common questions I get about cooking with ground venison. If you’re new to using deer meat, these tips will help make sure your recipes turn out delicious every time.

Frequently Asked Questions

How Do You Make Ground Venison Taste Better?

The key to ground venison that tastes good is processing it correctly! Any part of deer meat that isn’t muscle doesn’t taste very good. This means you need to trim off all of the silver skin, fat, and ligaments before cooking.

Unlike beef fat that is typically mild with good flavor, deer fat is bitter. So whether you’re taking your meat to a butcher or processing it yourself, it’s crucial to take the time to trim off everything except muscle before putting it through the meat grinder.

If not, the entire batch will be tainted with an undesirable flavor, which is one of the most common reasons why people think ground venison tastes gamey.

On the flip side, if you trim everything well and leave only muscle, ground venison should taste great. Another way to improve the taste and texture is to mix in 10–20% pork or beef fat. Ideally, that’s done during processing, but you can also add some in before cooking.

What Takes the Gamey Taste Out of Venison?

If your venison tastes too “gamey,” you can use strong seasonings to help mask the flavor. Adding a splash of vinegar or Worcestershire sauce to the recipe also helps neutralize gaminess.

If you have more time, marinating venison in buttermilk or milk overnight works wonders. It tenderizes the meat and reduces unwanted flavors, leaving you with venison that’s milder and more enjoyable.

Final Thoughts

Venison is one of those ingredients that can feel intimidating at first, but recipes like this prove just how versatile it is. Cheesy Venison Helper is simple enough for a busy weeknight but tasty enough to become a regular in your dinner rotation.

If you enjoyed this recipe, you might also like my Fried Deer Meat and Gravy recipe for another classic comfort meal. It’s our absolute favorite venison recipe! 

And if you’re always looking for more ways to use your harvest, be sure to check out my other venison recipes for inspiration.

• Best Venison Burgurs
• Venison Chili Recipe

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