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Wild Western Spaghetti Recipe (Death Valley National Park)

By: Author Bram Reusen

Posted on Last updated:

Wild Western spaghetti recipe inspired by: Death Valley National Park, California (alternatively: Joshua Tree National Park, Saguaro National Park or Canyonlands National Park)

This isn’t a Spaghetti Western—it’s a Western spaghetti!

Bacon, beef, beans, whiskey and beer team up with sundried tomatoes, hot sauce and smoked paprika to create a killer of a Wild Western spaghetti.

I found inspiration for this national park recipe in the saloons of Death Valley National Park, California. In particular, the Last Kind Words Saloon of The Ranch at Death Valley is capable of transporting you straight back to the days of the Wild West.

The interior of that specific saloon consists of everything from antique guns and stuffed animals to “Wanted!” posters, wooden tables and chairs, and a large staircase. It’s exactly what you’d imagine an iconic saloon to look like.

Located in the unforgiving desert of Southern California, Death Valley National Park has been the setting of many epic Old West tales.

The most famous of them all is the story of the Lost 49’ers, a group of pioneers who took a fateful shortcut through the desert, eventually naming the area “Death Valley.”

Like elsewhere in the American West, the greater Death Valley region was rife with typical Wild West events and activities, from saloon fights to cattle drives and pioneer journeys. In short, Southern California was in the very heart of the Wild West.

Wild Western spaghetti with bacon, beef, beans, sundried tomatoes, whiskey and beer

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Death Valley Wild Western Spaghetti

Inspired by Death Valley National Park’s two vibrant saloons—Badwater Saloon in Stovepipe Wells Village and the aforementioned Last Kinds Word Saloon in Furnace Creek—this Wild Western spaghetti recipe reflects the typical culinary characteristics and libations of the West.

  • Prep time: 20 minutes
  • Cook time: 40 minutes
  • Total time: 50 minutes
  • Servings: 6
  • Calories per serving: 538

You’ll find numerous classic Old West staples in this Wild Western spaghetti recipe, from bacon and beef to beans.

Since we’re talking about Death Valley, the hottest desert in North America, here, I figured that using sundried tomatoes, hot sauce and smoked paprika was basically mandatory.

Additionally, it wouldn’t be a Wild West recipe if it didn’t involve some booze as well, am I right? So, this Wild Western spaghetti sauce is made with both whiskey and beer!

Featuring a Southwestern-style Bolognese sauce, it’s essentially the Wild West in pasta dish form.

This is without question one of my personal all-time favorite national park-inspired recipes.

Spaghetti and Southwest-inspired Bolognese sauce on stove

Necessary Kitchen Tools

Wild Western spaghetti bowl
Yield: 6 servings

Death Valley Wild Western Spaghetti Recipe

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour

Inspired by the vibrant saloons in and around Death Valley National Park, this incredible Wild Western spaghetti features beef, bacon, beans, sundried tomatoes, whiskey and beer. It's essentially the Wild West in pasta form. Amazing!

Ingredients

  • 1 lb. spaghetti
  • 4 bacon slices, cut into pieces
  • 1 lb. lean ground beef
  • 1 can black beans (15 oz), drained and rinsed
  • 1 cup sundried tomatoes, chopped
  • 2.5 cups crushed tomatoes
  • 1 shallot, chopped
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 jalapeño, halved and sliced
  • 1 green onion, sliced (for garnish)
  • 1 tablespoon fresh sage, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 teaspoon hot sauce
  • 1/4 cup whiskey
  • 1/2 cup beer
  • 1/2 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
  • 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
  • Salt and pepper

Instructions

  1. Cook spaghetti according to package instructions.
  2. Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a large pan or skillet over medium-high heat.
  3. Add bacon pieces and cook until crispy, 8-10 minutes. Transfer bacon to a paper towel-lined plate with a slotted spatula. Leave about a tablespoon of bacon fat in the pan, transfer the rest to a cup and reserve until step 10.
  4. Add ground beef to the pan, breaking up with a wooden spoon. Cook, stirring, until the beef is browned and cooked through, about 5 minutes.
  5. Stir shallot, garlic and sage into the beef and sauté until fragrant and softened, about 5 minutes.
  6. Deglaze the pan with whiskey and beer. Stir until alcohol is evaporated, about 5 minutes.
  7. Add sundried tomatoes, crushed tomatoes and jalapeño to the mixture. Season with salt and pepper. Mix well and bring to a gentle simmer.
  8. Stir in black beans, smoked paprika, Italian seasoning, Worcestershire sauce and hot sauce. Let simmer over medium-low heat to allow the flavors to combine, 10-15 minutes.
  9. Taste and season with more salt, pepper and/or Italian seasoning to your liking.
  10. Toss the cooked spaghetti with the reserved bacon fat. Use tongs to add portions of spaghetti to pasta bowls.
  11. Spoon a generous serving of Wild Western sauce over the spaghetti. Sprinkle with freshly shredded cheddar and sliced green onions.
  12. Enjoy!

Nutrition Information

Yield

6

Serving Size

1
Amount Per Serving Calories 538Total Fat 19gSaturated Fat 7gCholesterol 84mgSodium 681mgCarbohydrates 50gFiber 9gSugar 10gProtein 38g

A general nutrition calculator was used to determine the nutritional information of this recipe, which is meant solely as an indication of the dish's nutritional values. Depending on specific ingredients, quantities used and/or serving size, the ultimate dish you end up making may have different nutritional aspects. Please consider the information provided here only as guidance and not as an absolute fact.

© Bram
Cuisine: Pasta / Category: Meat Recipes
Wild Western spaghetti recipe
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