Go Back
Close up view of the thick cooked spaghetti noodles coated in a rich, chunky dark red tomato sauce with browned ground beef.

The Ultimate One-Pot Cowboy Spaghetti

Cowboy Spaghetti is the ultimate one-pot family dinner. Enjoy hearty spaghetti noodles, ground beef, smoked sausage, and crispy bacon in a rich tomato sauce, heavily blanketed with bubbly melted cheddar cheese.
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings: 6 people
Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: American, Southern
Calories: 680

Ingredients
  

Main Ingredients
  • 16 oz Spaghetti noodles (450g) dry
  • 6 slices Thick-cut bacon (170g) diced
  • 14 oz Smoked sausage (400g) cut into thick rounds
  • 1 lb Lean ground beef (450g)
  • 24 oz Chunky dark red tomato sauce (680g)
  • 2 cups Beef broth (470ml)
  • 1 medium Onion (110g) diced
  • 3 cloves Garlic (9g) minced
  • 1 tsp Salt (6g)
  • 0.5 tsp Black pepper (1g)
  • 1 tsp Smoked paprika (3g)
  • 2 cups Sharp orange cheddar cheese (226g) freshly grated
  • 2 tbsp Fresh parsley (8g) freshly chopped

Equipment

  • 1 12-Inch Cast-Iron Skillet Essential for stovetop heat retention and searing meats.
  • 1 Heavy-Duty Tongs Used for tossing the spaghetti noodles into the thick sauce.
  • 1 Box Cheese Grater Required to freshly shred block cheddar for the perfect melt.

Method
 

Stovetop Skillet Instructions
  1. Heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add the diced bacon pieces and fry until crispy and golden-brown. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate, leaving the rendered fat in the skillet.
  2. Place the thick-cut smoked sausage rounds into the hot bacon fat. Sear for 2-3 minutes per side until they develop slightly charred edges. Remove the sausage and set it aside with the bacon.
  3. Add the lean ground beef to the skillet, breaking it apart until fully browned with no pink remaining. Add the diced onion and minced garlic, sautéing until fragrant. Drain excess grease if necessary.
  4. Pour in the thick tomato sauce, beef broth, salt, black pepper, and smoked paprika. Bring to a rolling simmer. Break the dry spaghetti noodles in half and submerge them in the liquid. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook for 12-15 minutes, stirring occasionally until noodles are tender.
  5. Stir the seared sausage and crispy bacon back into the skillet. Heavily blanket the surface with freshly grated sharp orange cheddar cheese. Cover for 2-3 minutes until the cheese is melted into bubbly strands. Garnish with vibrant green chopped parsley flakes and serve immediately.

Notes

Always use block cheddar instead of bagged shreds for optimal melting.
If the noodles look too dry while cooking, add an extra splash of beef broth to the skillet.