Cowboy Spaghetti Twist
E
By Emma
Certified Culinary Professional
•
Recipe tested & approved
Crispy bacon, ground beef browned with onion and garlic. Simmered in a mix of tomato sauce, fire roasted tomatoes, and a kicked-up spicy salsa instead of diced tomatoes with green chilies. Worcestershire and hot sauce deepen the umami. Noodles tossed with cheese and bacon, then baked with more cheddar and green onions on top. Rich, smoky, tangy, and cheesy. Takes about 45 minutes total, feeds four. Nutrition dense, high protein and fats balanced with some fiber and iron.
Prep:
12 min
Cook:
38 min
Total:
50 min
Servings:
4 servings
#American Southwest
#bacon recipes
#spaghetti
#comfort food
#cheddar cheese
#ground beef
#spicy pasta
Just crisped bacon, that smoky sizzle sets the tone. Ground beef browned with onions and pungent garlic hanging in the air. Swap the usual canned diced tomatoes with a chunky spicy salsa — adds texture and a brightness I love. Worcestershire and hot sauce deepen the depth without choking heat. The sauce simmers, thickens gradually, teasing aromas that pull you closer. Meanwhile pasta bubbles away, salty water rolling, testing strands for bite. Toss everything with sharp cheddar, bacon bits giving pops of savor. More cheese and sliced green onions on top for freshness and melty pull. Plenty of fat but balanced with acidity and spice. Old school comfort food with a kick and a twist — nothing fancy, just real flavors layered thoughtfully.
Ingredients
- 6 slices thick-cut bacon diced
- 1 pound ground beef 85% lean
- 1 medium yellow onion diced
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 cup tomato sauce
- 1 cup fire roasted diced tomatoes
- 1 cup chunky spicy salsa substitute for diced tomatoes with green chilies
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon hot sauce
- 12 ounces spaghetti noodles
- 1 cup sharp shredded cheddar cheese
- ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese reserved
- 3 green onions sliced
About the ingredients
Use thick-cut bacon for chew and flavor, regular bacon falls apart too fast. Ground beef should be at least 80-85% lean — fatter means more grease but better flavor; leaner dries out. Onions diced medium so they soften but still have bite. Garlic minced fine but not pulverized — burns easy, toss in whole cloves if unsure. Switch diced tomatoes with a spicy chunky salsa to kick heat and texture up a notch, adds freshness over canned chilies. Worcestershire cannot be skipped — its umami depth needed. Hot sauce varied to taste, a pinch or a splash. Spaghetti noodles hold sauce best when not rinsed. Sharp cheddar stands up well to melting; mild melts flat. Green onions add brightness and crunch, use white parts too. Salt water for noodles must be salty but pleasant — use at least 1 tablespoon per quart.
Method
- Heat heavy skillet medium. Add diced bacon. Cook till crispy edges, 10-13 minutes. Listen for that steady sizzle. Don’t rush. Drain bacon on paper towels. Keep 1 tablespoon bacon fat in pan — flavor building.
- Crank heat medium-high. Dump in ground beef, onion, garlic, salt, pepper. Stir, break meat apart. Cook till no pink visible — about 6-7 min. Fat will begin to pool. Drain most but leave some; too greasy dulls sauce.
- Add tomato sauce, fire roasted tomatoes, and spicy salsa. The salsa replaces diced tomatoes with green chilies here—gives more depth, fresh heat. Splash Worcestershire, hit with hot sauce. Stir. Sauce bubbles up fast; you want boil, then back to simmer for thickening.
- Simmer uncovered 17-22 minutes. Watch sauce reduce and thicken; edges darken slightly. Smell rich tomato tang mixed with bacon smoke and beef. Stir occasionally, scrape bottom to avoid sticking. Take your time here, concentration packs flavor punch.
- While sauce bubbles, boil salted water for spaghetti. Toss noodles till al dente — 8-10 min depending on brand. Test by tasting; firm but no chalkiness. Drain and shake off water fully. Don’t rinse — want pasta ready for sauce to cling.
- Add drained noodles, 1 cup cheddar, crispy bacon pieces to skillet. Toss vigorously. Cheese melts from residual heat, coats pasta and meat chunks. Texture should be creamy, with bacon bits spread evenly.
- Sprinkle remaining ½ cup cheddar on top, then sliced green onions for sharp freshness. Cover pan lid loosely 1-2 minutes to melt cheese just so — gooey, stringy. Serve straight from skillet.
- If missing bacon, use smoked sausage diced fine or pancetta. No Worcestershire? Soy sauce or balsamic vinegar adds savory punch but taste carefully—less is more.
- Watch fat carefully after browning beef. Too much means greasy spaghetti, so always drain excess. Don’t let garlic burn with onion; it turns bitter fast.
- Leftover sauce thickens more in fridge; thin with splash water or beef broth when reheating.
- Use sharp cheddar for bite, mild melts too soft and fuzzes out flavor.
Cooking tips
Bacon first — render fat slowly for crisp edges but no burning. Keep bacon fat in pan to cook beef — flavor carryover essential. Crank heat medium-high for browning meat; watch garlic closely—add last minute in onion cooking. Drain excess beef fat thoroughly; too much kills sauce texture leaving oily puddles. Combine all liquids then bring to full, rolling boil before reducing heat—evaporation thickens sauce and intensifies flavors. Simmer uncovered, stir often to prevent burning bottom; watch color darken around edges. Pasta timing syncs with simmer—start boiling before sauce to have noodles ready together. Don’t overcook noodles; al dente for chew and to soak sauce well. Toss noodles hot with sauce and cheese immediately—residual heat finishes melting. Finish with extra cheese and quick covered melt for that gooey top layer. Serve from skillet to keep warmth and rustic look. Missing ingredients? Improvise but manage timing and moisture closely to maintain balance.
Chef's notes
- 💡 Bacon crisp slow on medium heat. Don’t rush edges; listen for steady sizzle, no crackle or burn. Keep rendered fat in skillet. Adds backbone to beef browning. If all bacon fat dumped, sauce flat and dull. Paper towel drain but fat stays in pan, flavor carrier.
- 💡 Ground beef goes in hot pan, medium-high. Stir, break clumps. Watch color shift; no pink means done. Fat pools fast; drain some but leave fat for richness. Too greasy kills sauce texture. Garlic added last with onions. Burnt garlic taste is bitter trap. Add garlic finely minced but not powder.
- 💡 Sauce liquids combined—tomato sauce, fire roasted tomatoes, spicy chunky salsa. Salsa replaces canned green chilies diced. Gives fresh sharp heat, texture punch. Bring sauce to full boil before dialing down to simmer. Evaporation thickens sauce, edges darken slight. Smell shows when concentration hits. No lid so moisture reduces clear.
- 💡 Timing pasta with sauce key. Salt water well, at least 1 tablespoon per quart. Boil noodles 8-10 minutes al dente, taste test. Rinse ruins sauce cling, shake off water only. Pasta hot tossed immediately with cheese and bacon bits. Cheese melts creamy coating, no clumps.
- 💡 Extra cheddar topping and green onions added last. Pan lid loosely covers 1-2 min. Melts cheese into gooey strings. Avoid over melt—too soft cheddar becomes bland and fuzzes out flavor. Use sharp cheddar. For swap, mild too soft but melts uniform. Green onions white+green parts bring sharp freshness and crunch.
- 💡 No bacon option? Use diced pancetta or smoked sausage. Simmer sauce adjusts for moisture in alternatives. Worcestershire skipped? Soy sauce possible but careful; adds salt, less umami depth. Balsamic vinegar works but changes profile. Adjust hot sauce pinch, no flood to keep balance.
- 💡 Watch fat after beef browning. Too much drained for reason. Excess grease pools, makes dish slick and oily. Drain well but keep some fat for sauce body. Garlic must not burn or it tastes bitter. Add late during onion soften stage to avoid bitter.
- 💡 Leftover sauce thickens in fridge, almost paste. Thin with water splash or beef broth when reheating. Heat gently to keep flavors alive, avoid over boil or sauce dulls. Pasta may soak more sauce overnight; refresh with splash liquids before serving again.
Common questions
Can I swap bacon for something else?
Yeah, pancetta or smoked sausage diced works good. If no bacon fat, use a bit butter or oil. Pancetta saltier, sausage sweeter sometimes. Adjust heat, cooking time changes a bit.
What if sauce is too thick?
Add water bit by bit or beef broth. Thin it just enough. Sauce thickens fast as it cools too. Reheat slowly or sauce becomes gloopy. If too thin, simmer a few more minutes uncovered to reduce.
How to avoid greasy spaghetti?
Drain most fat after beef cooks. Keep tiny bit for richness but too much pools in pan. Using lean beef helps. Toss pasta hot to absorb sauce fat evenly; keeps texture balanced.
How to store leftovers?
Fridge in airtight container fine up to 3 days. Sauce thickens, pasta soaks. Reheat with splash broth or water to loosen. Microwave or stovetop gentle heat works. Freeze okay but texture changes slightly; cheese might separate.
