Description
This easy Mexican spaghetti is packed with bold Tex-Mex flavors, featuring ground beef, crispy bacon, pinto beans, and jalapeños in a spicy tomato sauce. Topped with melty cheddar and Pepper Jack cheese, this dish is a comforting twist on classic spaghetti—perfect for a hearty weeknight dinner!
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 (16 oz) package spaghetti
- 6 slices bacon, chopped
- 1.5 lbs lean ground beef
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 1 tbsp minced garlic
- 1 (15 oz) can pinto beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 (14 oz) can tomato sauce
- 1 (10 oz) can Rotel
- 2 tbsp chili powder
- 1 tbsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp Mexican oregano
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese, divided
- 1 cup shredded Pepper Jack cheese, divided
- Pickled jalapeños, to taste
Instructions
-
Preheat & Cook Pasta
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Cook the spaghetti according to package directions. Drain, reserving 1 cup of pasta water, and rinse with cool water to prevent sticking.
-
Prepare the Meat Sauce
- In a large oven-proof skillet or Dutch oven, cook bacon until crispy. Remove and set aside on a paper towel-lined plate.
- In the same pan, cook ground beef, onions, and garlic until beef is no longer pink. Drain excess grease.
- Stir in pinto beans, tomato sauce, Rotel, chili powder, cumin, and oregano.
-
Assemble the Dish
- Mix in half of the cheddar and half of the Pepper Jack cheese.
- Toss in the spaghetti, adding reserved pasta water (about ½ cup) to loosen the sauce if needed.
- Sprinkle with remaining cheese and bacon.
-
Bake & Serve
- Bake for 15-20 minutes, until warmed through and cheese is melted.
- Let rest for 5 minutes, then serve with pickled jalapeños on top!
Notes
- For extra heat, add diced fresh jalapeños or a dash of cayenne pepper.
- Swap pinto beans with black beans for a different twist.
- Storage: Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 ½ cups
- Calories: 620
- Sugar: 7g
- Sodium: 780mg
- Fat: 28g
- Saturated Fat: 12g
- Unsaturated Fat: 13g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 58g
- Fiber: 8g
- Protein: 40g
- Cholesterol: 95mg