Description
One Pot Cowboy Spaghetti is a hearty, protein-packed dinner that combines crispy bacon, smoky kielbasa sausage, seasoned ground beef, and tender spaghetti all cooked together in one skillet with tomatoes and topped with melted cheddar cheese. This easy comfort food recipe is perfect for feeding a crowd and leaves you with just one pot to clean!
Ingredients
Proteins:
- 4 strips bacon, chopped
- 1 ring (13 ounces) kielbasa sausage, sliced into 1/2-inch rounds
- 1 pound ground beef
Aromatics and Seasonings:
- 1 yellow onion, finely diced
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Liquids and Sauces:
- 1.5 cups (12 ounces) beef broth
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 2 teaspoons hot sauce (or to taste, optional)
Pasta and Tomatoes:
- 8 ounces dry spaghetti, broken in half
- 2 cans (14.5 ounces each) petite diced tomatoes, undrained
- 1/2 cup tomato sauce
Cheese and Garnish:
- 1/2 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
- Chopped chives, for garnish
Instructions
Chop up your bacon and throw it in the skillet over medium-high heat. Stir it around every couple minutes for about 7-8 minutes until it’s brown and crispy. Fish it out with a slotted spoon onto paper towels. Now pour off most of that grease but eyeball about a tablespoon to leave in there.
Drop your kielbasa slices into that bacon grease and let them sizzle for 4-5 minutes, flipping them once so both sides get some color. Move them to the plate with the bacon when they’re done.
Toss your diced onion in the pan and let it cook down for 3-5 minutes till it’s soft. Add the garlic, salt, and pepper and keep stirring for another minute. Don’t walk away during the garlic part or it’ll burn and you’ll have to start over. Done that twice.
Add your ground beef and break it into smaller pieces with your spoon as it cooks. Keep going till all the pink is gone, maybe 5-8 minutes depending on your stove. If you’ve got a puddle of grease forming, drain most of it off.
Turn your heat down to medium-low. Pour in the beef broth, Worcestershire, and hot sauce if you’re using it. Scrape the bottom of the pan good to get up all those brown stuck-on bits.
Put the bacon and kielbasa back in. Stir everything around so it’s mixed together. Your kitchen smells ridiculous right now.
Break your spaghetti in half and lay it over everything in a criss-cross pattern instead of dumping it all in one pile. First time I made this I just dumped it and wound up with a solid mass of stuck-together noodles.
Pour both cans of tomatoes over the top – don’t drain them, you need that liquid. Add the tomato sauce too. Push the pasta down gently till most of it’s under the liquid but don’t stress if some sticks out.
Put the lid on and let it simmer. Every 5 minutes you gotta take the lid off and stir it, then put the lid back. I set my phone timer because otherwise I’ll get distracted and forget. Do this for 15-20 minutes total. Pasta’s ready when you can bite through it without it being hard in the middle.
Take the lid off for good and mix everything together really well. Smooth out the top, then cover the whole surface with shredded cheddar. Lid back on for about 5 minutes till the cheese melts.
Throw some chopped chives on top if you’ve got them. I usually forget to buy them. Serve this hot. My family starts eating it right out of the pan before I can even get it to the table.
Notes
- Prevent Sticking: That criss-cross pasta pattern isn’t just for show! It really does help prevent the spaghetti from clumping together at the bottom of the pan.
- Stir Religiously: Set that timer and stir every 5 minutes. I know it seems fussy, but this is the difference between perfect pasta and a stuck-on mess.
- Fresh Cheese is Better: Shred your own cheddar from a block if you can. Pre-shredded cheese has anti-caking agents that prevent it from melting as smoothly.
- Skillet Size Matters: Use at least a 12-inch skillet with high sides. I tried making this in a smaller pan once and had pasta water everywhere!
- Common Mistake to Avoid: Don’t add the pasta before bringing the liquid to a simmer. The pasta needs that heat to cook properly.
- Quick Tip: If you’re short on time, use pre-cooked bacon bits! Just add them with the kielbasa.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: One Pot
- Cuisine: American