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This creamy and cheesy cowboy spaghetti combines smoky beef, crispy bacon, and rich cheeses into a satisfying pasta dish that always brings comfort to the table. It’s perfect for weeknight dinners or when you want to impress with a hearty, flavorful meal.
I discovered this recipe when craving a cozy meal and it quickly became a family favorite. The combination of smoky bacon and three cheeses always gets rave reviews at our dinner table.
Ingredients
- Ground beef chuck 80/20: provides good flavor and enough fat for richness choose fresh well-marbled beef
- Thick-cut bacon: adds smoky crispiness thicker slices work best for texture
- Yellow onion: offers sweetness and depth when sautéed use firm and pale
- Garlic: fresh cloves bring important aromatic punch to the sauce
- Spaghetti: cook until al dente for perfect bite and sauce absorption fresher pasta adds a silky finish if you find it
- Heavy whipping cream: delivers creamy body and richness use full fat for best effect
- Fire-roasted diced tomatoes: add smoky tomato flavor and texture look for no salt added if possible
- Tomato sauce: base for the sauce choose a smooth good quality brand for subtle sweetness
- Worcestershire sauce: deepens umami flavors and adds complexity
- Unsalted butter: enriches the sauce and helps create a luscious mouthfeel
- Shredded mild cheddar, parmesan, and colby jack cheeses: blend for sharpness creaminess and meltiness freshly grated cheese melts best
- Chives: fresh garnish adds color and mild oniony flavor
- Salt and pepper: for seasoning to taste
- Cowboy Butter Seasoning Blend (garlic powder, onion powder, dried parsley, smoked paprika, black pepper, salt, crushed red pepper flakes, dried thyme, dried rosemary, optional cayenne): brings smoky warmth and herbaceous depth use fresh aromatic spices for maximum flavor
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Sear the bacon and brown the beef:
- Cook the thick-cut bacon in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat until crispy. Remove the bacon, drain on paper towels, crumble, and set aside. In the same pan with the flavorful bacon fat, add the ground beef chuck. Break it apart with a spatula and cook until browned all over, about 7 to 10 minutes.
- Sauté the aromatics and season:
- Add the diced yellow onion to the pan with the cooked beef. Cook over medium heat until softened and translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant. Blend in the cowboy butter seasoning mix evenly allowing the spices to toast lightly for 1 minute to release aromas.
- Build the sauce base:
- Pour in the fire-roasted diced tomatoes with their juices, followed by the tomato sauce. Add Worcestershire sauce and unsalted butter. Stir to combine all components well. Lower the heat and pour in the heavy whipping cream. Stir the sauce and let it simmer gently for 5 to 7 minutes until slightly thickened and creamy.
- Cook pasta and combine:
- Boil the spaghetti in salted water until just al dente according to package instructions. Drain well and immediately toss the noodles into the creamy sauce. Stir to fully coat each strand of pasta with the sauce.
- Add and melt cheeses, then finish:
- Fold in the shredded mild cheddar, parmesan, and colby jack cheeses gradually, stirring until melted and the sauce is smooth and creamy. Sprinkle the crispy crumbled bacon on top of the pasta. For an optional finishing touch, transfer everything to a baking dish, add extra shredded cheese on top, and bake in a preheated oven at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 10 minutes until bubbly.
- Garnish and serve:
- Sprinkle chopped chives over the assembled dish for a fresh bright note and serve immediately while warm and comforting.
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This cowboy spaghetti instantly transported me back to fun family dinners where the whole table fought over seconds. My favorite part is the crispy bacon topping which adds texture contrast you don’t want to miss.
Storage Tips
Store leftover cowboy spaghetti in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to three days. Reheat gently on stovetop with a splash of milk or cream to loosen the sauce and prevent drying. You can also freeze it by portioning into freezer-safe bags and thawing overnight in the fridge before reheating.
Ingredient Substitutions
Swap ground beef chuck with ground turkey or chicken for a lighter option but retain plenty of flavor by keeping the bacon and seasoning blend. Substitute half and half or whole milk for heavy cream if you want a bit less richness but still creamy. Use smoked gouda or Monterey Jack in place of colby jack cheese for a different melt and taste.
Serving Suggestions
This cowboy spaghetti pairs beautifully with a simple green salad dressed with lemon vinaigrette to cut through the richness. Serve with crusty garlic bread to soak up every bit of the creamy sauce. A glass of medium-bodied red wine like Zinfandel complements the smoky beef and cheeses wonderfully.
Cultural Context
This dish takes inspiration from cowboy cooking and American comfort food traditions, where hearty meats, smoky flavors, and cheeses come together in a satisfying skillet meal. It reflects a spirit of resourcefulness and warmth typical of one-pot cooking in the American West.
Pro Tips
- Toast the cowboy butter seasoning blend briefly in the pan with onions and garlic to really deepen the flavors, I learned this from experience
- Cook the bacon first and use the rendered fat to brown the beef for extra smoky richness
- Don’t overcook the spaghetti it should be slightly firm as it will continue cooking when mixed with sauce and if baked
Recipe FAQs
- → What gives this pasta its smoky flavor?
The smoky flavor is achieved from thick-cut crispy bacon and a seasoned ground beef cooked with smoked paprika and other spices in the cowboy butter blend.
- → How can I make the sauce creamier?
Adding heavy whipping cream and a combination of mild cheddar, parmesan, and colby jack cheeses creates a rich, creamy sauce that coats the pasta beautifully.
- → Is there a way to add more heat to the dish?
Yes, increasing the cayenne powder or crushed red pepper flakes in the seasoning blend will add a pleasant kick without overpowering the other flavors.
- → Can this dish be prepared ahead of time?
Absolutely. You can assemble the dish, refrigerate it, and reheat it in the oven before serving for convenience and maintaining the creamy texture.
- → What is the best way to cook the pasta for this dish?
Cook the spaghetti until just al dente, then drain well before tossing it into the sauce. This helps the pasta retain some bite and absorb the creamy sauce without getting mushy.
- → How do the fresh chives contribute to the dish?
Chopped fresh chives add a mild oniony freshness and color contrast, enhancing both the flavor and visual appeal of the final dish.