Cowboy Spaghetti
Smoky, savory, and slightly spicy—this Cowboy Spaghetti is a hearty, flavor-packed comfort meal made with bacon, beef, and a rich tomato sauce.
Ingredients
- 6 slices bacon
- 1 small yellow onion chopped
- 5 garlic cloves chopped
- 2 jalapeños diced
- 1½ lbs ground beef
- 2 14.5 oz cans fire-roasted tomatoes
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 heaping tbsp beef base
- 3 tbsp butter
- 1 cup pasta water
- 1 lb thin spaghetti
- ½ cup grated Parmesan
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 2 tbsp flour
- Salt & pepper to taste
- Juice of ½ lemon
🤠 Cowboy Seasoning Blend
- 1 tsp dried chives
- 1 tsp dried parsley
- ½ tsp cayenne
- ½ tsp thyme
- ½ –1 tsp red pepper flakes
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
Instructions
Render the bacon
- In a Dutch oven over medium-low heat, cook the bacon until crispy and the fat is rendered. Remove bacon and set aside.
Build the base
- Add butter to the bacon fat. Stir in the cowboy seasoning blend and toast for about 30 seconds until fragrant.
Sauté the veggies
- Add onion, jalapeños, and garlic. Cook until soft and translucent.
Brown the meat
- Add ground beef and break it up with a wooden spoon. Cook until browned and fully incorporated.
Boil pasta
- At the same time, cook your spaghetti in salted water. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water before draining.
Bloom the flavor
- Push meat to one side of the pot. Add tomato paste and beef base directly into the fat. Let it cook until darkened and rich (about 1–2 minutes).
Deglaze & combine
- Mix everything together, then add Worcestershire sauce and juice of ½ lemon.
Build the sauce
- Add fire-roasted tomatoes and pasta water. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer.
Reduce
- Let the sauce simmer until it thickens and reduces by about half.
Finish the pasta
- Add cooked spaghetti directly into the sauce. Toss to coat, then stir in Parmesan until creamy.
Serve
- Top with crispy bacon and extra Parmesan. Serve hot with bread on the side.
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