Smoky Cajun Spaghetti
Smoky Cajun Spaghetti
Ingredients
For the Spaghetti
- 1 pound spaghetti noodles
- 1 tablespoon chicken bouillon powder, or as needed for water
- 1 cup pasta water, reserved from cooking noodles
For the Sauce
- 1 pound smoked sausage, sliced
- 1 pound very lean ground beef, 97/3 fat content
- 1/2 cup onions, bell pepper, celery, garlic, and parsley, pre-cut, from a 'Quickly Create Seasoning' container
- 1 teaspoon oregano, or to taste
- 1 teaspoon basil, or to taste
- 1 tablespoon Southern Made Creole Seasoning, or to taste
- 1 can stewed or roasted tomatoes, diced, 14.5 ounces
- 32 ounces Cajun Power Makin' Cajun Spaghetti Pasta Sauce, 1 jar
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 tablespoons double concentrated tomato paste, from a tube
- 1/2 teaspoon sugar, or to taste
Instructions
- 1
In a large pot, brown the sliced smoked sausage over medium-high heat until nicely rendered. This will infuse the pot with a smoky flavor. Remove the sausage and set it aside, leaving the rendered fat in the pot.
⏱️ 10 min
- 2
In a separate large pot, add water and chicken bouillon powder. Stir until the bouillon is dissolved. Cover the pot and bring the water to a rolling boil.
⏱️ 5 min
- 3
Add the spaghetti noodles to the boiling bouillon water. Cook according to package directions until al dente. Before straining, reserve about 1 cup of the pasta water for later use in the sauce. Strain the cooked noodles and set them aside.
⏱️ 10 min
- 4
Add the very lean ground beef to the pot with the rendered sausage fat. Add the pre-cut onions, bell pepper, celery, garlic, and parsley. Use a meat chopper or spoon to break up the beef and mix with the vegetables.
⏱️ 5 min
- 5
Cook the ground beef and vegetable mixture until the beef is browned and the vegetables are softened. Drain any excess fat if necessary.
⏱️ 10 min
- 6
Season the mixture generously with oregano, basil, and Southern Made Creole Seasoning. Stir well to combine the spices.
⏱️ 2 min
- 7
Stir in the diced stewed or roasted tomatoes, then pour in the entire jar of Cajun Power Makin' Cajun Spaghetti Pasta Sauce.
⏱️ 2 min
- 8
Fill the empty pasta sauce jar with the reserved pasta water, swirl it around to get any remaining sauce, and pour it into the pot. This adds liquid to the sauce and ensures no sauce is wasted.
⏱️ 1 min
- 9
Return the previously browned smoked sausage to the pot with the sauce. Add the bay leaves and the double concentrated tomato paste. Stir everything together thoroughly.
⏱️ 2 min
- 10
Sprinkle in a little bit of sugar to help balance the acidity of the tomatoes. Stir to dissolve.
⏱️ 1 min
- 11
Cover the pot and let the sauce simmer over low heat for at least 30 minutes, allowing the flavors to meld and deepen. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.
⏱️ 30 min
- 12
Once the sauce has simmered, remove the bay leaves. Plate the cooked spaghetti noodles and top with a generous amount of the prepared smoky Cajun spaghetti sauce. Serve hot.
⏱️ 2 min
Kitchen Tools
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
Smoky Cajun Spaghetti
For the Spaghetti
- 1 pound spaghetti noodles
- 1 tablespoon chicken bouillon powder, or as needed for water
- 1 cup pasta water, reserved from cooking noodles
For the Sauce
- 1 pound smoked sausage, sliced
- 1 pound very lean ground beef, 97/3 fat content
- 1/2 cup onions, bell pepper, celery, garlic, and parsley, pre-cut, from a 'Quickly Create Seasoning' container
- 1 teaspoon oregano, or to taste
- 1 teaspoon basil, or to taste
- 1 tablespoon Southern Made Creole Seasoning, or to taste
- 1 can stewed or roasted tomatoes, diced, 14.5 ounces
- 32 ounces Cajun Power Makin' Cajun Spaghetti Pasta Sauce, 1 jar
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 tablespoons double concentrated tomato paste, from a tube
- 1/2 teaspoon sugar, or to taste
Instructions
- 1
In a large pot, brown the sliced smoked sausage over medium-high heat until nicely rendered. This will infuse the pot with a smoky flavor. Remove the sausage and set it aside, leaving the rendered fat in the pot.
⏱️ 10 min - 2
In a separate large pot, add water and chicken bouillon powder. Stir until the bouillon is dissolved. Cover the pot and bring the water to a rolling boil.
⏱️ 5 min - 3
Add the spaghetti noodles to the boiling bouillon water. Cook according to package directions until al dente. Before straining, reserve about 1 cup of the pasta water for later use in the sauce. Strain the cooked noodles and set them aside.
⏱️ 10 min - 4
Add the very lean ground beef to the pot with the rendered sausage fat. Add the pre-cut onions, bell pepper, celery, garlic, and parsley. Use a meat chopper or spoon to break up the beef and mix with the vegetables.
⏱️ 5 min - 5
Cook the ground beef and vegetable mixture until the beef is browned and the vegetables are softened. Drain any excess fat if necessary.
⏱️ 10 min - 6
Season the mixture generously with oregano, basil, and Southern Made Creole Seasoning. Stir well to combine the spices.
⏱️ 2 min - 7
Stir in the diced stewed or roasted tomatoes, then pour in the entire jar of Cajun Power Makin' Cajun Spaghetti Pasta Sauce.
⏱️ 2 min - 8
Fill the empty pasta sauce jar with the reserved pasta water, swirl it around to get any remaining sauce, and pour it into the pot. This adds liquid to the sauce and ensures no sauce is wasted.
⏱️ 1 min - 9
Return the previously browned smoked sausage to the pot with the sauce. Add the bay leaves and the double concentrated tomato paste. Stir everything together thoroughly.
⏱️ 2 min - 10
Sprinkle in a little bit of sugar to help balance the acidity of the tomatoes. Stir to dissolve.
⏱️ 1 min - 11
Cover the pot and let the sauce simmer over low heat for at least 30 minutes, allowing the flavors to meld and deepen. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.
⏱️ 30 min - 12
Once the sauce has simmered, remove the bay leaves. Plate the cooked spaghetti noodles and top with a generous amount of the prepared smoky Cajun spaghetti sauce. Serve hot.
⏱️ 2 min