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Close-up of thick, chunky tomato meat sauce and spaghetti topped with golden melted cheese and green onions. (Cowboy Spaghetti)

Cowboy Spaghetti: The Ultimate One-Pot Hearty Meat Lover's Pasta

A rugged, one-pot Cowboy Spaghetti featuring a triple-meat blend of ground beef, smoky sausage, and crispy bacon, all smothered in a thick tomato sauce and topped with bubbling, gooey sharp cheddar cheese and fresh green onions.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings: 6 people
Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: American, Southern
Calories: 645
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Main Ingredients
  • 1 lb Lean Ground Beef 80/20 blend
  • 12 oz Smoked Sausage Sliced into rounds
  • 6 slices Bacon Chopped into bits
  • 1 lb Spaghetti Noodles Dry
  • 24 oz Crushed Tomatoes
  • 2 tbsp Tomato Paste
  • 3 cups Beef Broth (720ml)
  • 2 cups Sharp Cheddar Cheese Freshly shredded
  • 1/2 cup Green Onions Thinly sliced
  • 1 tsp Cracked Black Pepper

Equipment

  • 1 12-inch Deep Skillet Cast iron preferred
  • 1 Kitchen Tongs For tossing spaghetti

Method
 

Prepare the Meats
  1. Add chopped bacon to a cold skillet over medium heat. Fry until crispy, then remove with a slotted spoon.
  2. In the bacon fat, sear sausage rounds until browned. Remove. Add ground beef and cook until browned and chunky. Drain excess fat.
Simmer the Pasta
  1. Stir in tomato paste, crushed tomatoes, and beef broth. Season with salt and garlic powder.
  2. Add dry spaghetti to the liquid. Cover and simmer for 10-12 minutes, tossing occasionally until noodles are tender and sauce is thick.
Finish and Melt
  1. Stir the meats back in. Top with shredded cheddar. Cover until melted and gooey.
  2. Top with sliced green onions and cracked black pepper before serving directly from the skillet.

Notes

Use a deep skillet to prevent the sauce from splashing during the simmer.
For an extra golden top, place the skillet under the broiler for 90 seconds.