My cowboy spaghetti is chock full of goodies like corn, crispy bacon, browned ground beef, and zesty chili beans, swimming in a mildly spicy tomato sauce, and surrounded by swirls of al dente spaghetti.
This one-pot recipe is a hearty main dish and is sure to please both kids and adults alike! Serve it with some garlic bread and salad for a well-balanced meal.
Spaghetti, in its many forms, is a go-to dinner in our house! If you’d like more ideas or spaghetti dinners, I’ve got you!!
I hope you’ll try our million dollar spaghetti (this is an incredibly popular recipe with our readers), spaghetti with ground beef, TikTok spaghetti, and chicken spaghetti with Rotel next. I promise you’ll love them all! ♥
COWBOY SPAGHETTI INGREDIENTS
- Spaghetti: Dried spaghetti, I use Barilla brand.
- Salt: Kosher Salt
- Bacon: Any brand, bacon adds a wonderful smoky flavor to the sauce.
- Ground Beef: I use 20% fat.
- Onion: Yellow or brown onion adds flavor and moisture.
- Garlic: Fresh garlic adds so much depth to the sauce.
- Worcestershire Sauce: This fermented condiment adds tangy umami flavor from anchovies, vinegar, molasses, and other spices.
- Cajun Seasoning: This spicy seasoning is a blend of zesty, spicy, and savory ingredients that add a little kick.
- Chili Powder: Made from dried and ground chili peppers, this potent ingredient is mild.
- Oregano: This herb has a bold peppery flavor. A little goes a long way.
- Cumin: This spice is made from a dried seed and is typically roasted ground. It brings a unique flavor to any dish.
- Sugar: Just a touch of granulated white sugar is necessary for balance.
- Beer: The secret ingredient, I use a lager (KB is this right?) for this recipe. It adds both liquid for the sauce and complexity to the dish.
- Rotel: I use Original Rotel that contains green chiles. This little can of magic is a must.
- Tomato Sauce: A little bit of tomato sauce gives depth to this tomato-based dish.
- Chili Beans in Sauce: This canned good includes cooked red beans in a classic chili sauce with peppers, tomatoes, and cumin.
- Corn: Frozen whole-kernel corn is a convenient way to add interest and pop. This is a must-have in any Cowboy recipe.
- Monterey Jack or Pepper Jack Cheese: I buy block cheese and shred it myself. The pre-shredded cheese contains cellulose which changes the texture of the cheese. But, if you want convenience, feel free to use the pre-shredded cheese of your choice.
- Scallions: A little fresh garnish makes the dish taste great and look better!
TIPS
- Spice It Up: This cowboy spaghetti with beans is a versatile dish. Feel free to spice it up or down!
- Change The Meat: Substitute ground turkey or whatever protein you prefer.
- Change The Shape: Instead of spaghetti, feel free to use penne pasta or any shape of pasta you have on hand.
- Beer Or No Beer: Use your favorite beer or substitute with chicken broth.
STORING + FREEZING + MAKE-AHEAD
- How Long Can You Keep This in The Fridge? Once cooked and cooled, your cowboy spaghetti will last up to three days in the fridge.
- Can You Freeze This? I do not recommend freezing because the pasta will not have the same texture.
- Make-Ahead: You can prepare the sauce ahead of time. Then, continue with adding the cooked pasta and cheese (Step 9).
- Food Safety: If you’d like more info on food safety check out this link.
SERVING RECOMMENDATIONS
We love this zesty spaghetti with some simple garlic bread, Bisquick cornbread, Southern cornbread, or jalapeño cornbread. They’re all delish with this cowboy spaghetti!
My refreshing KFC coleslaw, Mediterranean salad, Southwest salad, or amazing strawberry spinach salad all work beautifully with this spaghetti. I also love my Charro beans and fajita veggies . They’re also wonderful side dishes to serve with this Mexican fusion dish.
HOW TO MAKE OLD FASHIONED COWBOY SPAGHETTI
- Brown the beef.
- Add the onions and garlic to the meat.
- Add the seasonings and spices. Pour the beer, and stir in the undrained Rotel, tomato sauce, chili beans, and corn.
- Add the cooked and drained pasta.
- Add the cooked bacon and toss to coat the pasta. Adjust the seasonings.
- Serve and garnish with cheese and scallions.
***See the full instructions below.
EVEN MORE DELICIOUS SPAGHETTI RECIPES
- Spaghetti Sauce
- Italian Spaghetti
- Easiest Ever Chicken Spaghetti
- Baked Spaghetti
- Crack Chicken Spaghetti Bake
***Check Out All Our Spaghetti Recipes + All Our Chicken Spaghetti Recipes!***
MORE COWBOY RECIPES
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Cowboy Spaghetti
My cowboy spaghetti is chock full of goodies like corn, crispy bacon, ground beef, and chili beans, in a mildly spicy tomato sauce with swirls of spaghetti.
Servings: 8 servings
Ingredients
- 1 pound spaghetti
- salt
- 8 slices bacon, chopped
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 1 tablespoon garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 2 teaspoons oregano
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon sugar
- 1/2 cup beer
- 1 (10-ounce) can Rotel, undrained
- 1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce
- 1 (15-ounce) can chili beans in sauce, add them with the sauce
- 1 cup frozen corn, thawed and well drained
- 8 ounces Monterey jack or pepper jack cheese, shredded
- 4 scallions chopped
Instructions
- Cook spaghetti (1 pound) per box instructions, in well-salted water, just to al dente. Drain.
- Add the chopped bacon (8) to a large pot (large enough to accommodate sauce and cooked pasta later) and cook over medium-high heat, until bacon is cooked through and is crispy, about 5 minutes. Transfer cooked bacon, with a slotted spoon, to a paper towel-lined plate.
- Drain most of the bacon drippings, leaving just enough to coat the bottom of the pot. Discard drippings or save for another use (I always save mine!).
- Brown and crumble ground beef (1 pound) in the pot over medium-high heat until there's no pink left in the beef.
- Stir onions (1 medium) and garlic (1 tablespoon) into the meat.
- Add Worcestershire sauce (1 tablespoon), Cajun seasoning (1 teaspoon), chili powder (1 tablespoon), oregano (2 teaspoons), cumin (2 teaspoons), sugar (1/4 teaspoon), and 1/4 teaspoon salt.
- Pour beer (1/2 cup) into the pot and continue to cook for 5-6 minutes, scraping the bottom of the skillet with a wooden spoon, to loosen any brown bits.
- Stir in undrained Rotel (1 can), tomato sauce (1 can), chili beans (1 can), and corn (1 cup). Cook until heat through.
- Add cooked and drained pasta while it's still hot. Add cooked bacon to the sauce and toss well to coat the pasta.
- Adjust seasonings if needed and serve in shallow bowls. Top with Monterey or pepper jack cheese (8 ounces) and scallions (4). Grate some cheese over the pasta and sprinkle with scallions. Garnish with crisp bacon.
Notes
- Spice It Up: This is a versatile dish. Feel free to spice it up or down!
- Change The Meat: Substitute ground turkey or whatever protein you prefer.
- Change The Shape: Instead of spaghetti, feel free to use penne pasta or any shape of pasta you have on hand.
- Beer Or No Beer: Use your favorite beer or substitute with chicken broth.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 667kcal | Carbohydrates: 61g | Protein: 32g | Fat: 33g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 13g | Cholesterol: 89mg | Sodium: 820mg | Potassium: 850mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 1067IU | Vitamin C: 10mg | Calcium: 304mg | Iron: 6mg
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My fam loooves your Mexican spaghetti, we’ll surely love this one too!