Cowboy Spaghetti

 

A hearty bowl of Cowboy Spaghetti loaded with smoky beef, tender vegetables, melted cheese, and a sprinkle of green onion. It's cozy, comforting, and perfect for a weeknight supper.

A Big, Hearty, Stick‑to‑Your‑Ribs Supper

Every now and then, you just want a pasta supper that eats like a full meal - smoky, beefy, saucy, and loaded with all the good stuff. That’s exactly what Cowboy Spaghetti is. It’s a little bit spaghetti night, a little bit chili night, and a whole lot of comfort in one pot.

This dish starts with bacon (because of course it does), builds flavor with ground beef, onion, sweet bell pepper, and celery, and then simmers in a rich, seasoned tomato sauce with just a splash of beer for depth. Toss in the spaghetti, melt a little cheese over the top, and you’ve got a family‑pleasing dinner that feels familiar but still fun.

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If you love a hearty, rustic pasta that doesn’t take itself too seriously, Cowboy Spaghetti is going to be right at home on your table.

It reheats beautifully, and the flavors only get better as they sit.

Variations and Tips:

1. Swap the sauce: Use a 28‑ounce can of whole tomatoes, undrained and hand‑crushed, in place of the pasta sauce for a chunkier, more rustic texture.

2. Make it spicier: Add extra hot sauce, a pinch of red pepper flakes, or a diced jalapeño with the vegetables.

3. Try different cheeses: Pepper Jack, Colby, or a smoky cheddar all work well.

4. Bulk it up: Add a can of drained corn or black beans for a Tex‑Mex twist.

Here's what you'll need to make my Cowboy Spaghetti:

For the Pasta:

• 12-ounce package uncooked spaghetti
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt (for the water)

For the Sauce:

• 5 slices bacon, sliced 1/2 inch
• 1 pound ground beef
• 1-1/2 cups chopped onion
• 1/2 cup chopped sweet bell pepper
• 1 rib celery, chopped
• 1/2 tablespoon minced garlic
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt, or to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
• 2 teaspoons Creole or Cajun seasoning, or to taste optional
• 1/2 tablespoon chili powder, or to taste
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
• 2 teaspoons dried basil or parsley
• 1 (24 ounce) jar pasta sauce
• 1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
• 1/2 cup light beer or water
• 2 teaspoons hot pepper sauce, optional

To Finish:

• 1 cup shredded cheese (triple cheddar works beautifully)
• 2 green onions, sliced

Here's how to make it.

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You'll need the trinity here (onion, bell pepper and celery) and although fresh is best, today I'm using the next best thing - my dried trinity by C'est Tout. Y'all I can't tell you how much I love this product and it's very convenient to keep in the pantry.

Here I used a cup of the dried trinity in 4 cups water, 5 minutes in microwave for the fresh onion, bell pepper and celery. Drain and set aside.

Drain and it's ready to use - fragrant, easy and no chopping!

Gather up the seasonings.

I'm using salt, pepper, chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, Italian seasoning and dried parsley. Of course, a little Creole or Cajun seasoning for me!

Add bacon to a 5–6 quart Dutch oven or soup pot.

Cook the bacon until lightly browned but not crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside, reserving some for garnish. If you forget like I did, and add all of it to the sauce, no problem. We aren't gonna stress about it!

There's that gorgeous fond! We'll be using that.

Add the ground beef to the bacon drippings and grab your chopper (#ad)! I used that beautiful Meriwether Farms ground beef that I've told you about and I buy in bulk.

Cook until browned, breaking it into large chunks.

Add the onion, bell pepper, and celery. Cook until tender, about 4 minutes. 

Stir in the garlic and cook 1 minute more.

Drain or dab away most of the excess grease. I would generally transfer into my Easy Greasy (#ad) but I'm working in my Magnaware (#ad) today and while these are amazing pots to cook in, they get hot so I'm dabbing today with some paper towels.

This is a short cook so you'll want a quality pasta sauce here. Today I'm using Mama Mancini's Homestyle sauce. I hope this makes it to the grocery store shelves one day because this sauce is amazing. Rao's (#ad) is another great one. Use your favorite!

Add the pasta sauce, tomato sauce, beer, hot sauce and seasonings. I meant to add the seasonings to the veggies to allow them to bloom but again, I forgot and I'm not stressing about it.

Scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Taste and adjust seasonings.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add salt and spaghetti, cooking 2–3 minutes less than package directions for al dente. Drain and set aside. Today, of course, I'm using my microwave Fasta Pasta cooker (#ad) to cook the pasta.

Add the cooked bacon to the sauce.

Add the drained spaghetti.

Toss to coat the noodles well.

Remove from heat and top with shredded cheese. Cover pot until the cheese melts.

Garnish with sliced green onion. Top individual servings with the reserved bacon if you didn't forget to save some like I did!

This is a thick, hearty, cowboy‑style spaghetti - the kind you pile high on a plate. The bacon adds smoky richness, the beer deepens the sauce, and the seasoning blend gives it that chili‑meets‑pasta flavor that makes this dish so satisfying.

Cowboy Spaghetti is one of those easy, comforting suppers that feels like a hug in a bowl. It's hearty enough for the hungriest crew, simple enough for a weeknight, and flavorful enough to make it into the regular rotation. I hope it brings a little warmth and fun to your table the way it does to mine.

For more of my favorite spaghetti recipes, check out the collection on my Pinterest page!

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Posted by DeepSouthDish.com on March 28, 2026

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