Cowboy Spaghetti
Cowboy Spaghetti is a hearty pasta dish combining ground beef, bacon, and jalapeños with a smoky spice blend for a bold, slightly spicy sauce that elevates standard meat sauce.
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Cowboy Spaghetti is a hearty pasta dish combining ground beef, bacon, and jalapeños with a smoky spice blend for a bold, slightly spicy sauce that elevates standard meat sauce.
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In a large pot or Dutch oven, cook the bacon over medium-low heat until crispy.
Remove the cooked bacon from the pot, leaving the rendered grease. Chop the bacon and set it aside for later.
Add butter to the bacon grease and allow it to melt. Add the spice blend (chili powder, thyme, red pepper flakes, dried parsley, smoked paprika, and chives) and toast for about 30 seconds until fragrant.
Add the diced onion, jalapeños, and minced garlic to the pot. Sauté until the vegetables have softened.
Squeeze in the lemon juice and stir.
Add the ground beef to the pot. Cook, breaking it apart with a spoon, until it is fully browned.
While the meat is browning, cook the spaghetti in a large pot of salted boiling water according to package directions. Before draining, reserve about 2 cups of the pasta water.
Once the beef is cooked, stir in the beef bouillon base, tomato paste, and Worcestershire sauce.
Sprinkle the flour over the meat mixture and stir continuously for about one minute to cook out the raw flour taste.
Pour in the can of fire-roasted diced tomatoes (with their juices) and the reserved pasta water. Stir to combine and bring the sauce to a simmer.
Stir in the grated Parmesan cheese until it melts into the sauce.
Add the cooked and drained spaghetti directly to the pot with the sauce. Use tongs to toss everything together until the pasta is well-coated.
Serve immediately, garnished with the reserved chopped bacon, additional grated Parmesan cheese, and fresh parsley if desired.
Store sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 3 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop over medium-low heat, adding water if needed to restore consistency.
Yes. The sauce tastes better when made 1–2 hours ahead, allowing flavors to meld. Store in the refrigerator up to 3 days and reheat gently on the stovetop with a splash of water.
It's moderately spicy from red pepper flakes and jalapeños. Reduce or omit the red pepper flakes for mild heat, or add more jalapeños for extra kick.
Ground bison, ground turkey, or ground Italian sausage work well. Italian sausage adds extra seasoning, so taste and adjust spices accordingly.
You can, but it adds essential smoky flavor. If omitting, increase smoked paprika to ¾ tsp to maintain smokiness.
Yes. Double or halve all ingredients proportionally. Sauce will take longer to simmer if doubled, so allow extra time for flavors to develop.
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