Description
Spicy Mexican Spaghetti brings a fiesta of flavors to your dinner table, blending traditional pasta with zesty Latin ingredients. Bold tomato sauce, melted cheese, and jalapeño peppers create a mouthwatering dish that satisfies comfort food cravings while celebrating culinary creativity.
Ingredients
Scale
Proteins:
- 1.5 pounds (1.5 lbs) lean ground beef
- 6 slices bacon, chopped
Pasta and Beans:
- 1 package (16 ounces) spaghetti
- 1 can (15 ounces) pinto beans, rinsed and drained
Vegetables and Seasonings:
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 can (10 ounces) Rotel
- 1 can (14 ounces) tomato sauce
- 2 tablespoons chili powder
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon Mexican oregano
- Pickled jalapenos, to taste
Cheese:
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese, divided
- 1 cup shredded Pepper Jack cheese, divided
Instructions
- Prepare the foundation by setting the oven temperature to 350°F for optimal cooking environment.
- Submerge spaghetti in boiling water, following package instructions for perfect al dente texture. Carefully drain pasta, reserving one cup of starchy cooking liquid, and rinse with cool water to halt cooking process and prevent clumping.
- Render bacon in a large oven-safe skillet until crisp and golden, then transfer to a paper towel to drain excess fat.
- Utilize the same skillet to brown ground beef with diced onions and minced garlic, cooking until meat loses its pink coloration and vegetables become translucent. Eliminate surplus grease from the pan.
- Enrich the meat mixture by incorporating pinto beans, robust tomato sauce, zesty Rotel, aromatic chili powder, earthy cumin, and fragrant oregano. Stir thoroughly to distribute flavors evenly.
- Blend half of the cheddar and Pepper Jack cheeses into the simmering sauce, creating a creamy, complex base.
- Gently fold cooked spaghetti into the seasoned meat mixture, using reserved pasta water to adjust sauce consistency if needed.
- Distribute remaining cheese and crumbled bacon across the top of the dish, ensuring even coverage.
- Transfer skillet to preheated oven and bake for 15-20 minutes until cheese melts completely and dish is heated through.
- Allow the casserole to rest for 5 minutes, enabling flavors to meld, then garnish with pickled jalapeños for a spicy finishing touch.
Notes
- Pasta Water Magic: Reserve pasta water as a secret weapon to adjust sauce consistency and help cheese melt smoothly without drying out the dish.
- Bacon Swap Options: Replace bacon with vegetarian bacon bits or smoked paprika for a similar smoky flavor profile if avoiding meat.
- Spice Level Control: Adjust chili powder and choose mild or hot Rotel tomatoes to customize heat intensity according to personal preference.
- Make-Ahea
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Mexican
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 440
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 850 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 36 g
- Fiber: 5 g
- Protein: 28 g
- Cholesterol: 80 mg