The Spaghetti That Rode In On a Horse (Sorta)

So, there’s this old story (well, old as in five or six years ago) about the time I tried to impress my in-laws with something fancy for dinner and ended up burnt out and hungry after it all. Never again. These days when I want something hearty and unfussy, like, the kind of meal that feels like flannel and campfire stories, I make Cowboy Spaghetti. And yep, the name sounds kinda campy. But this is the stick-to-your-ribs, can’t-stop-at-one-bowl kind of stuff. Also, my youngest once insisted on eating it while wearing cowboy boots. I mean, why not?

Why You’ll Love This Cowboy Spaghetti

I make this when I’ve got a handful of hungry people lurking around the kitchen—or when it’s the end of the month and the pantry’s lookin’ more like the Wild West (that is, a little empty and a lot unpredictable). My family goes just bonkers for this, mostly ’cause you get bacon. And cheese. And those two together do most of the heavy lifting! Honestly, I also love that I can swap ingredients if I forgot to shop (hasn’t happened in a while, but never say never!) or just plain forgot an onion. There was a time I kept burning the bacon, but, after ruining enough pans, I stopped trying to multitask breakfast and dinner. Lesson learned: focus!

The Stuff You’ll Need (and What to Sub In If Life Gets Weird)

400g spaghetti – I’ll use whatever’s in my cupboard; linguine works, too, as does the sad half-bag of rotini I once discovered.
6-8 slices thick bacon, chopped – I sometimes swap in pancetta or, when feeling wild, turkey bacon. My grandmother swore by Oscar Mayer, but, living in the UK for a stretch, I just used whatever back bacon they had.
500g ground beef – Pork or turkey will do you fine; even bison if your butcher is feeling adventurous.
1 medium yellow onion, diced (or a bit of onion powder in a pinch!)
3-4 cloves garlic, minced – Or just a big squeeze from that jarred stuff, I won’t tell.
1 can (400g) diced tomatoes, undrained
1 can (400g) tomato sauce
2 tsp hot sauce (Frank’s, Cholula – whatever shakes your boots)
1-2 tsp Worcestershire sauce – I sometimes skip it if I can’t find the bottle. No biggie.
A handful (or about 125g) shredded cheddar – Monterey Jack if you’ve got it.
2-3 spring onions, sliced – Not strictly necessary, but my family calls them “the fancy bits”.
Salt, black pepper, and a pinch of smoked paprika if you can swing it.

How I Actually Make Cowboy Spaghetti

Bust out your biggest frying pan. Fry the chopped bacon until crispy (but not too crispy, unless that’s your thing), then scoop it out to a paper towel-lined plate. Pour off most of that fat—leave a little for flavor, unless you’re watching your arteries.
Dump in your ground beef and smush it around until it’s browned, about 5-7 minutes. Break it up well—unless you like a few rogue meaty bits, which I do. Season with salt, pepper, smoked paprika if you’ve got it. At this point, sometimes I sneak a taste, careful not to burn my tongue (again…).
Add diced onion and cook until it’s soft and your kitchen smells like a roadside diner you actually want to stop at. Stir in the garlic and let it sizzle for about 30 seconds. Not much longer unless you want to chase everyone out.
Pour in diced tomatoes (juice and all) and tomato sauce. Tip in the hot sauce and Worcestershire. Give it all a good stir; it’ll look a bit soupy for now, but trust the process. Simmer on low for 10-15 minutes, lid off. Take this time to check your email (or, more likely, forget what you were doing and almost let it burn).
Meanwhile, boil your spaghetti—big pot, plenty o’ salt; none of this “pinch of salt” business—then drain. Honestly, don’t stress about perfect timing. It’s all going in together soon.
Add the bacon back into the sauce. Toss in the drained spaghetti and give everything a mighty stir. If your pan’s too small, just combine it all in your biggest mixing bowl.
Shower with shredded cheddar and those “fancy bits” (spring onions). Let it melt and look messy. I think it tastes better this way.

Truths I Learned the Hard Way (Notes)

Don’t drain all the tomato can liquid; you want some juice! Once, I didn’t, and it got drier than a Texas summer.
If you forget the Worcestershire: tastes different but not tragic.
Letting it sit for 10 minutes before serving? It thickens up, and the cheese gets all stretchy. Worth it.

Variations Straight From My Kitchen Experiments

Swap ground beef for chorizo or Italian sausage for a wild kick (did this last time, and everyone was suspicious, but ate seconds).
Try smoked Gouda for that cheese. Once, I tried feta though…let’s just say: don’t.
Want it veggie? Toss in a couple cans of black beans instead of beef; not strictly cowboy, but it’s good eating.

What If I Don’t Have a Big Frying Pan?

Look, not everyone owns a 12-inch cast iron skillet. I’ve totally done the sauce in a pot and bacon in a frying pan, then mixed it all in my old salad bowl (washed first, unless you want a weird tang). So yeah, improvise!

How To Store It (If You Have Any Leftover… Ha!)

Chuck leftovers in a lidded container and it’ll keep in the fridge two, maybe three days—though honestly, in my house it never survives that long. It reheats best on the stove with a splash of water or milk. Freezer? Yep, but the pasta gets a bit mushy. I still eat it, though.

Serving Cowboy Spaghetti Like We Do

We pile it high in wide bowls, pass extra cheese, and usually eat with a side of garlic bread—my kids demand the cheesy kind, even though I prefer a simple sourdough. Salad is optional; we mostly skip it if I’m being honest.

Quirky Lessons (aka Pro Tips From My Collection of Oopsies)

Don’t try to cook the bacon and beef together in a rush. You’ll get sad, rubbery bacon bits (been there, had disappointed faces at dinner).
I once tried shortcutting the simmer—nope, the flavors need that hangout time. Otherwise, it tastes a bit like school cafeteria pasta. (No offense if you loved that stuff.)
The cheese should go on after tossing; if you mix it in with the sauce, it gets stringy… unless that’s what you’re goin’ for. Actually, it works either way, but I like melty puddles on top.

FAQ: Real Questions Friends Have Hit Me With

Can I make Cowboy Spaghetti ahead? Totally. Tastes even better the next day, though I have to hide it in the back of the fridge or the midnight snackers snag it.
Does the hot sauce make it spicy? Eh, not really, but you can skip it (or add more!) if you want. Frank’s is pretty mellow, in my book.
Can I use gluten-free pasta? Absolutely. May have to cook it a bit shorter, but it works fine. Actually, I find it falls apart less if you rinse it under cold water first. Go figure.
What if I don’t eat beef? Any ground meat will work, or go veggie (see above). Tofu? Haven’t tried it, but if you do, let me know how it goes!
What’s a good brand for canned tomatoes? I just grab whatever’s on sale, but if you’re picky, Bon Appétit swears by San Marzano. I honestly don’t notice a huge difference most nights.
Why Cowboy Spaghetti? No idea. It just sounds fun, and it’s got all the grub you’d expect after a long day in the saddle. Or at the desk. Same difference.
Where’d you get this recipe? Kind of a mashup, but I originally spotted something similar on Ree Drummond’s Food Network page and just winged it ever since!

If you want more cowboy-style inspiration, here’s a nifty roundup from Simply Recipes. Not paid to say so—just found it handy!

Cowboy Spaghetti Recipe: My Family-Favorite, No-Fuss Guide