A change up from traditional Italian spaghetti and meat sauce, this Cowboy Spaghetti adds in bacon and cheddar cheese for an American twist on a classic.
Looking for more ways to change up your spaghetti routine? Also check out this Baked Spaghetti or this Instant Pot Bolognese Recipe.
If you are Italian, please stop reading because I would hate to offend you – this is a true “Americanized” version of a great Italian food. But all I know is that it’s a great twist on traditional spaghetti!
This Cowboy Spaghetti has become a family favorite since the first time we tried it many years ago. You get a little bit of smokiness from the bacon and the fire roasted tomatoes, plus a little bit of heat from the hot sauce which gives this spaghetti recipe many layers of flavor. Even though the flavors are bold, the kids still love this one and plates get cleaned.
And just like regular spaghetti, the leftovers are my favorite part! So make sure that you make enough so that you can have some on hand for lunch the next day!
More Spaghetti Recipes
Beef and Blue Cheese Baked Spaghetti
Chicken Tetrazzini
Garlic Spaghetti
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Cowboy Spaghetti
Ingredients
- 1 pound dry spaghetti
- salt
- 1/2 lb bacon chopped
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 3 to 4 garlic cloves chopped
- ground black pepper
- 2 teaspoons hot sauce
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 cup beef stock
- 16 oz tomato sauce
- 1 can (14-ounce) chopped or crushed fire roasted tomatoes
- 8 ounces sharp cheddar
- 4 green onions chopped
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt generously. Add the pasta and cook until al dente, then drain.
- Heat a deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add the bacon and cook until crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon to a paper towel lined plate. Drain off the excess grease, leaving just enough to coat the bottom of the skillet. Add the ground beef and cook until browned, breaking it apart as it cooks. In in the onions and garlic and cook until they are softened, another couple minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Stir in the hot sauce, Worcestershire and beef stock. Cook for another 3-4 minutes, scraping up any browned bits on the bottom of the skillet. Stir in the tomato sauce and tomatoes and cook until completely heated through.
- Add the cooked spaghetti to the sauce and stir to combine. Stir in half of the bacon. Taste and season with more salt and pepper, if needed.
- Serve the pasta topped with the cheese and green onions. Sprinkle the remaining bacon to top of each serving.
caralluma fimbriata says
I love it and I am going to try it.
It sounds so fantastic and the picture is great.!!!!
Maria says
Life has been busy, I hear ya! Looks like a great meal, I am always up for pasta!
Grace says
frankly, this makes me proud to be an american. 🙂
Ingrid says
I like this spin on spaghetti! I don’t know about anyone else but I’m always on the lookout for new takes on old faves.
Hope things settle down for ya!
~ingrid
kat says
I think one of the fun things about spaghetti is all the different things you can do to it. My family does a Polish/Irish version!
Emily says
Hey we understand! I’ve been absent lately, too. I’m guessing just about everyone has trouble visiting all of the blogs. I’m really struggling.
Anyway, your dinner looks delicious! I love the name. Isn’t there such a thing as cowboy cookies? Or did I make that up?
Sophie says
Don’t feel bad at all! You are a busy mom now :). I love this ‘Americanized’ version; after all, everything’s better with bacon!
Patsyk says
That spaghetti looks so yummy! How could you go wrong with all those flavors mixing together?
Elyse says
You can do it! You can make it through this busy week!! It’ll be over before you know it! And, by the way, this Americanized spaghetti sounds TOTALLY amazing. Mmm, I’m craving some of that fabulous meaty sauce right this instant. Delicious!
Paula says
Well, I'm Italian and it looks like a winner to me! Spaghetti is just so versatile and comforting, too. Hope the fundraiser is a success, the babysitting is a breeze, and that you get some R&R time! 🙂
Colleen says
Mmm this looks so nice and comforting. And I’m not Italian at all so it doesn’t offend me in the least! lol
glamah16 says
Its hard enough to keep up with your own blog and visit everyone, as much as you would like to. The spaghetti looks great.
Rosa's Yummy Yums says
That looks really scrumptious! A marvelous idea! Different from the ususal pasta dish…
Cheers,
Rosa
ashley says
mmmm looks fantastic! great alternative especially for my hubby who doesn’t like tomatoes really. i bet i could get him to try this out!
Donna-FFW says
I think this is a marvelous switch up for a spaghetti dish. I love it and I am gooig to try it, it sounds so fantastic and the picture is great!!
Dawn says
you know this is one of my favorite ways to eat a spaghetti dinner (with some barbeque sauce, I know I’m weird), but my hubby hates spaghetti! How weird is that? So I love this dish you made!