Ree Drummond's Cowboy Spaghetti Combines 2 Cozy Comfort Meals Into One

If you're a fan of the Food Network or enjoy easy-to-follow cookbooks, you already know Ree Drummond has a reputation for whipping up versatile, family-friendly meals. Next to her beef noodle skillet and shepherd's pie, she's also known for delicious versions of comforting favorites like spaghetti with meat sauce and hearty beef chili. However, thanks to the country chef's versatile recipe for cowboy spaghetti, you can experience both of these hearty dishes in just one crowd-pleasing meal.

Since Drummond has built a reputation for no-fuss recipes you're guaranteed to love, combining two favored dishes like savory spaghetti and hearty chili makes perfect sense. Whether you enjoy spicy slow cooker beef chili or basic three-bean vegetarian chili, you can easily adapt your own recipe to make Drummond's enjoyable cowboy spaghetti.

Essentially, the difference between Drummond's spaghetti sauce and her recipe for beef chili comes down to the spices and extraneous ingredients used. For cowboy spaghetti, Drummond combines the key elements of both recipes but adds in some bacon and builds a signature sauce from fire-roasted tomatoes, pinto beans, and smoky seasonings like chili powder and cumin. While traditional spaghetti sauce is typically made with a simple base of sautéed onions and garlic, for cowboy spaghetti, Drummond includes a chopped jalapeño for an added kick. With extra ingredients added like beef broth and Worcestershire sauce, come dinner time, this meaty, chili-spiced tomato sauce can easily be enjoyed in more ways than one.

Since this meal is built from two separate recipes, feel free to prepare Ree Drummond's cowboy spaghetti with your own unique spin. For example, ditch conventional spaghetti noodles for macaroni or pasta shells. If you want the noodles to be optional, feel free to cook them in a separate pot. The smoky, meat-based sauce tastes just as delicious when served over white or brown rice, quinoa, or piping hot baked potatoes.

As for the sauce's primary components, feel free to use more vegetables such as chopped bell peppers, corn, or fresh spinach. You can also adjust the seasonings to better fit your taste buds. Beyond cumin, oregano, and chili powder, use a variety of spices including smoked paprika, garlic powder, or crushed chipotle chilis. Alternatively, for a saltier bite, Drummod swears by one popular seasoning to improve the taste of any dish: Lawry's Seasoned Salt. For an even more pronounced flavor upgrade, you can also incorporate a small amount of canned green chilis or chipotle peppers in adobo sauce. 

Lastly, when it comes to serving, you have a multitude of worthwhile toppings to choose from. Treat your next serving of cowboy spaghetti like a veritable taco bowl and include ingredients like extra shredded cheddar cheese, sour cream, green onions, and cilantro. Or, for an extra refreshing twist, add a squeeze of fresh lime juice or a spoonful of five-ingredient pico de gallo.