We love pasta in our house. It is usually a quick, easy, and frugal meal that the whole family enjoys.
However, we like variety. We enjoy pasta dishes like my easy ragu, my quick and easy pasta sauce, and my taco pasta, but we like to experiment with other kinds of pasta and spaghettis as well.
So, when I recently picked up a used copy of a Rachael Ray cookbook and saw a recipe for Cowboy Spaghetti, I knew that I wanted to try it. It was a little different than your regular spaghetti, but it contained ingredients that I knew my family would love. Not only that, because it was a Rachael Ray recipe, it was quick and easy.
This is actually just inspired by the Rachael Ray recipe, because like all recipes I had to tweak this one a little. I just can’t leave a recipe alone, can you?
My whole family loved this recipe, however, my husband was not quite sure what to think at first. He likes to know what he is eating. He will try, and usually like, just about anything, but he does not like to taste something without knowing exactly what it is.
When I told him we were having spaghetti for dinner, he expected spaghetti. So, his first bite or two was not what he expected. In the end he really enjoyed it, but he said I needed to call it something else, so that he does not think it is “regular” spaghetti.
I am sure this will be showing up on the menu plan again soon, so I am going to have to come up with a new name. Any suggestions?
Cowboy Spaghetti
Cowboy spaghetti makes spaghetti night even better.
Ingredients
- 1 pound spaghetti or gluten free pasta for gf version
- 4 slices of bacon, chopped
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 teaspoon (or so) of hot sauce
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 (14 ounce) can diced tomatoes
- 1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Cook spaghetti noodles as directed.
- While the noodles are cooking, cook the bacon until crisp. Drain and set aside.
- Brown the ground beef, with the onion, until meat is done and onion is soft, add in garlic the last minute or so.
- Drain meat.
- Combine bacon, meat mixture, hot sauce, tomato sauce, and tomatoes. Cook on low for about 8 minutes or until heated completely through.
- Add cooked pasta to meat mixture.
- Sprinkle with cheese and serve.
- Enjoy!
Notes
If you are gluten-free use gluten-free pasta and recipe labels to make sure that your ingredients are gluten-free.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
8Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 361Total Fat: 17gSaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 70mgSodium: 365mgCarbohydrates: 26gFiber: 2gSugar: 3gProtein: 25g
Nutritional values are approximate and aren't always accurate.
That sounds (and looks) so good. My little one loves spaghetti, and the hubster and I are getting tired of the “same ole, same ole.” So, this will be a nice change. I can’t wait to try it!
Sounds DELISH! I even have all the ingredients except for bacon. That will be on next week’s grocery list.
This looks pretty good! I’ll have to try it. Here’s the pasta dish we had tonight: https://navefamilyfood.blogspot.com/2010/06/butternut-squash-pasta.html
.-= Vicki´s last blog ..Italian Focaccia Bread =-.
I’m adding this, so I can make it. It sounds delish! Everything is better with bacon, right?! 😀
Thanks for sharing! Have a great day!
Sherry
.-= Sherry´s last blog ..Garden Pasta Salad =-.
I love the way you mix it up with bacon and Worcestershire!
So what would you say this tasted dish tasted like?
@Lerin, I was definitely spaghettish. But the Worcestershire sauce, bacon, and cheddar cheese gave it a definite American twist. It that makes sense. 🙂 It is really good but hard to describe.
@Lynn, Maybe call it Western Spaghetti? 🙂 Sounds tasty minus the Worcestershire.
My family would love this too! Thanks for sharing.
.-= Danelle´s last blog ..CASHEW CHICKEN =-.
Bacon and pasta?! Sounds like a win win to me! 🙂
.-= Melinda´s last blog ..Fresh Strawberry Pie =-.
I’m a tweaker too – :). I totally understands your husbands thoughts on this…. I think my hubby would do the same. Thanks for sharing the recipe.
🙂
ButterYum
.-= ButterYum´s last blog ..Pork Tenderloin Medallions with Black Cherry and Rasberry Reduction =-.
I always wanted to try this one. I will soon. My husband loves her Christmas Pasta.
https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/rachael-ray/christmas-pasta-recipe/index.html
I make something like this, but leave out the tomato sauce. I don’t have a name for mine either, but I might start calling it Cowboy spaghetti & will definitely try your recipe.
My son loves to eat anything with “cowboy” in the title.
Looks yummy! Totally going to try it. Thanks for the recipe!
I have made this several times, and it is one of my husband’s favorites!! I host Saturdays with Rachael Ray on my blog – you should participate sometime!
Oh THANK you for posting this! I was fretting about dinner tonight and not sure what to make when I stumbled across this. I already have the bacon & beef out of the freezer to make this! I can’t wait!!!
I had no idea what to make for dinner last night and then I saw your menu plan was in my inbox….I had everything for Cowboy Spaghetti in the pantry so I whipped it up and it got rave reviews! I added a can of sliced olives. This is a keeper in our house! Thanks.
@Kristin, I am so glad that you enjoyed it! My kids love it.
You should call it “Honey, You’ll like it”
lol
Since you “tweaked” this recipe and left out an important ingredient, (beer), why did you bother mentioning Rachael Ray. This is “your” recipe now. Not hers. If someone didn’t like “your” recipe, why should they complain that they didn’t like Rachael Rays recipe.
@Walter, The recipe this is based on is in Rachael Ray’s Express Lane Meals which is from 2006 so it is an older cookbook of hers. This recipe does not have beer in it, I just got my cookbook and checked to be sure. I was curious though and googled it and it does seem she has a couple versions, which is interesting. I may just have to try the one with the beer, it sounds interesting.
This one sounds like another winner! I’m adding it to my menu plan for this week. I actually am quite sure we will love it for two reasons: 1) We like most all the recipes we have tried from your site, and 2) My S-I-L made this last week, loved it, and linked to the recipe in a Facebook post. Thanks for keeping our two families happy at dinner time!
@Mamie, Thank you! I am glad that your SIL enjoyed it and I hope you do also.
I bet wagon wheel pasta would be fun in this. Chuck Wagon pasta!
LOL.
Ooo, I like the idea of wagon wheel pasta!
Love the ideas especially the “chuck wagon pasta”
Got a question what do you serve with this?
We usually eat it with salad and bread, or another vegetable of some sort. I know that is not very creative, but my kids like the same old thing when it comes to side dishes. 🙂
Lynn,
Do you add the bacon raw or do you cook it first? Also, I’m assuming GF pasta holds up to this well?
I cook the bacon before browning the beef and set it aside. And yes I use gluten free pasta for this and it works well.
I’ll be making this this week, looks good. I’ll be adding beans and cutting back on the ground beef. I like to add beans in where ever I can because they are so good for us, and it doesn’t hurt I can save a few $$ in the process.
I feel totally lame asking but at what point do you add the Worcestershire sauce?
Okay, so I added the worcestershire at the end with the tomatoes and everything…sooooo good! My husband, my 4 year old and even my 12 month old LOVED this (me too of course)! Definitely adding this one to my recipe binder. By the way, my husband usually doesn’t like pasta dishes without a lot of sauce and he said this one is just so good. He’s rethinking that mindset. Thanks Lynn for making me a weeknight superstar!
You are welcome! I am glad that you all enjoyed this. It is a favorite in our house and I am glad it is in yours now also.
It adds an extra depth of flavor. I am glad you all enjoyed it!
my family really enjoyed this. I did tweak the recipe a little. I omitted the bacon because we didn’t have any on hand. I sauteed my onions and garlic in a touch of olive oil instead. I also added a taco seasoning packet with the tomato sauce (I used a bigger can because we like a lot of sauce) and tomatoes and some sliced black olives. dollop of sour cream on top. served with mexican corn muffins. will definitley be added to my recipe collection. thanks so much for the great recipe. was a nice change from the regular ol’ spaghetti recipe I usually make.