One-Pot Dirty Spaghetti with Beef & Andouille Sausage

Dirty spaghetti takes the idea behind Louisiana dirty rice—browned meat, the onion, bell pepper, and celery trinity, and a generous hit of Cajun spice—and swaps the rice for spaghetti. Smoky andouille and ground beef give it two layers of savory flavor, and the noodles simmer right in a tomato and beef broth sauce, so they soak up all of it.

Everything happens in one Dutch oven. The pasta starch thickens the sauce as it cooks, so it ends up clinging to every strand instead of pooling in the bowl, and there’s no colander to wash. Plan on about 55 minutes from cutting board to table, and a pot that feeds 6.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• One pot, no draining: The spaghetti cooks in the sauce, which saves a pot and builds a richer, glossier sauce than tossing boiled pasta at the end.
• Two kinds of meat, balanced: Half a pound of andouille brings smoke and heat, and a pound of ground beef keeps it hearty, without crowding out the pasta.
• Seasoned, not salty: Andouille, Cajun seasoning, and Worcestershire already carry salt, so the recipe uses low-sodium broth and adds salt only at the end, to taste.
• Weeknight timing: Most of the work is browning and chopping; after that, the pot mostly needs a stir every couple of minutes.
• Easy to adjust the heat: Use a mild blend and skip the red pepper flakes for a family-friendly pot, or add both for more kick.

Ingredients

Prep: 15 minutes  |  Cook: 35 minutes  |  Rest: 5 minutes  |  Total: 55 minutes  |  Yield: 6 servings (about 1 1/2 cups each)

Equipment: 5 1/2- to 6-quart Dutch oven or heavy pot with a lid (or a deep 12-inch skillet that holds at least 3 1/2 quarts, with a lid), tongs, wooden spoon, slotted spoon, liquid measuring cup

• 12 ounces dried spaghetti, broken in half
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 8 ounces fully cooked andouille sausage, halved lengthwise and sliced 1/4 inch thick
• 1 pound 85% lean ground beef
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced (about 1 1/2 cups)
• 1 medium green bell pepper, diced (about 1 cup)
• 2 celery stalks, diced (about 3/4 cup)
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 tablespoon salt-free Cajun seasoning (or 2 teaspoons of a salted Cajun blend)
• 1/2 teaspoon sweet smoked paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes, with their juices
• 3 cups low-sodium beef broth
• Kosher salt, to taste
• 2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley

Ingredient Notes

• Spaghetti: Regular dried spaghetti (not thin spaghetti or angel hair, which turn soft before the sauce reduces). Snapping the bundle in half lets it lie flat in the pot, submerge quickly, and twirl easily once it’s sauced.
• Andouille sausage: A smoked, coarsely ground pork sausage with garlic and pepper. It’s fully cooked, so you’re browning it for flavor and texture, not to cook it through. Half-moons about 1/4 inch thick brown well and spread through the noodles. Brands vary a lot in heat and salt; smoked sausage or kielbasa makes a milder pot.
• Ground beef: 85% lean has enough fat to brown and stay tender. Spoon off most of the rendered fat after browning and keep about a tablespoon in the pot to cook the vegetables.
• The trinity: Onion, green bell pepper, and celery, roughly two parts onion to one part each of pepper and celery. Dice them small, about 1/4 inch, so they melt into the sauce.
• Cajun seasoning: This is the main seasoning, so choose one you like. A salt-free blend gives you full control over salt. Salted blends, such as Tony Chachere’s, are mostly salt, so use 2 teaspoons instead of 1 tablespoon. You don’t need a separate Creole seasoning; the two blends overlap heavily, and the paprika, thyme, and oregano round out whichever one you use.
• Tomato paste and tomatoes: Two tablespoons of paste, cooked until it darkens, give the sauce depth and color. One can of diced tomatoes with their juices adds body and a little acidity without turning the dish into a marinara.
• Low-sodium beef broth: Three cups of broth plus the juices from the tomatoes is about 4 cups of liquid, the right amount for 12 ounces of spaghetti in a covered pot. Regular broth makes the finished dish too salty with andouille in it.
• Worcestershire and parsley: Worcestershire adds savory depth in a single tablespoon. Fresh parsley at the end freshens up the rich, spiced sauce.

How to Make Dirty Spaghetti

1. Brown the andouille: Heat the olive oil in a 5 1/2- to 6-quart Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the andouille in a single layer and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring once or twice, until browned at the edges. Lift it onto a plate with a slotted spoon, leaving the fat in the pot.
2. Brown the beef: Add the ground beef and cook for 6 to 7 minutes, breaking it into small crumbles, until browned with no pink remaining (160°F). Tilt the pot and spoon off all but about 1 tablespoon of the fat.
3. Soften the trinity: Lower the heat to medium and stir in the onion, bell pepper, and celery. Let them soften for about 6 minutes, stirring and scraping up the browned bits, until the onion is translucent.
4. Bloom the garlic, paste, and spices: Stir in the garlic, tomato paste, Cajun seasoning, smoked paprika, thyme, oregano, red pepper flakes (if using), and black pepper. Cook, stirring constantly, for 1 to 2 minutes, until the paste turns brick red and coats the meat and vegetables.
5. Add the liquids: Pour in the Worcestershire sauce, the diced tomatoes with their juices, and the broth. Scrape the bottom of the pot clean and bring to a boil over high heat.
6. Simmer the spaghetti, covered: Add the spaghetti and press it under the liquid with tongs as it softens. Once the pot returns to a boil, lower the heat to medium to keep a lively simmer, cover, and cook for 8 minutes. Every 2 minutes, lift the lid, stir, and separate the strands with the tongs so they don’t clump or stick to the bottom.
7. Finish uncovered: Uncover and cook for 4 to 6 minutes more, stirring often, until the spaghetti is al dente and the sauce has thickened enough to coat it. Stir the andouille back in for the last 2 to 3 minutes. If the pot looks dry before the pasta is tender, add hot water, 1/4 cup at a time.
8. Rest, season, and serve: Take the pot off the heat and let it stand, uncovered, for 5 minutes; the sauce thickens a little more as it sits. Taste, season with kosher salt only if needed, sprinkle with the parsley, and serve.

Tips for Success

• Give the sausage room. Spread the andouille in one layer and let it sit between stirs. Crowded slices steam instead of browning, and the browned edges are a big part of the flavor.
• Drain most of the beef fat. Andouille and 85% lean beef together render a lot of fat. Leaving about a tablespoon is enough to cook the vegetables; more makes the sauce greasy.
• Cook the paste until it darkens. A minute or two of stirring takes the raw edge off the tomato paste and toasts the spices. Keep the heat at medium so the garlic and paprika don’t scorch.
• Stir every 2 minutes while covered. Spaghetti sticks together and to the pot in the first few minutes. Separating the strands with tongs is what keeps one-pot pasta from cooking into a clump.
• Judge the sauce, not the clock. When the pasta is tender, the sauce should look loose and glossy, like a thick gravy. It tightens as it rests. If it’s still soupy, simmer uncovered a minute or two longer; if it’s dry, add a splash of hot water.
• Salt last. The andouille, seasoning, and Worcestershire already add plenty. Taste only after the pasta has absorbed the sauce.

Variations and Substitutions

• Milder: Use mild smoked sausage or kielbasa instead of andouille, a mild Cajun blend, and no red pepper flakes.
• Spicier: Add the red pepper flakes, a pinch of cayenne with the spices, or pass hot sauce at the table.
• Different meat: Use 1 pound of ground pork or ground turkey instead of the beef. Turkey is lean, so keep all of the sausage fat in the pot.
• Different pasta: Linguine works the same way. With short pasta such as penne or rotini, use the same amount and start checking after 10 minutes of total simmering.
• Skillet method: A deep 12-inch skillet with a lid works if it holds at least 3 1/2 quarts. Break the spaghetti into thirds, and stir a little more often, since a skillet reduces liquid faster.
• Cheesy finish: Scatter 1 cup of shredded sharp cheddar or pepper jack over the finished pot, cover for 2 minutes until melted, then add the parsley.
• Creamy Cajun pasta instead: In the mood for a cream sauce? See our creamy Cajun chicken pasta or our Cajun shrimp pasta.

What to Serve with Dirty Spaghetti

It’s a complete meal in a bowl, so keep the sides simple and fresh: a crisp green salad with a sharp vinaigrette, coleslaw, sliced cucumbers and tomatoes, or garlicky green beans. Warm crusty bread or garlic bread is good for the last bits of sauce, and a bottle of hot sauce on the table lets everyone set their own heat.

Like the andouille and trinity combination? Our Cajun jambalaya builds a similar one-pot base with rice, and you’ll find more weeknight mains in our dinner recipes.

How to Store, Reheat, and Freeze Dirty Spaghetti

• Refrigerate: Cool leftovers and refrigerate them in an airtight container within 2 hours. They keep for 3 to 4 days. The pasta keeps soaking up sauce, so it will look drier the next day.
• Reheat: Warm portions in a skillet over medium-low heat with 2 to 3 tablespoons of broth or water per serving, stirring, until steaming hot (165°F). In the microwave, add a splash of liquid, cover, and heat in 1-minute bursts, stirring in between.
• Freeze: Freeze in airtight containers for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat with a splash of broth. The spaghetti softens a little after freezing, so slightly undercook it if you plan to freeze the whole batch.

Dirty Spaghetti FAQ

What is dirty spaghetti?

It’s a spaghetti take on dirty rice: pasta cooked with browned meat, the Cajun trinity of onion, bell pepper, and celery, and Cajun spices until the sauce darkens and coats the noodles. Dirty rice often includes chicken livers; this version uses andouille and ground beef instead.

Why is it called dirty?

The name comes from the way browned meat, spices, and browned bits from the pot color the dish a deep reddish brown, just as they do in dirty rice.

Do I have to break the spaghetti?

Breaking it in half helps it fit and sink into the liquid right away, so it cooks evenly. In a wide 6-quart pot, you can leave it whole; push it under as it softens and stir it more often at the start.

Can I use Creole seasoning instead of Cajun?

Yes. Creole blends usually lean a little more on herbs and Cajun blends a little more on pepper, but they’re interchangeable here. Use one blend, not both, and check whether it contains salt before measuring.

My sauce is soupy (or dry). What happened?

Pot size and heat change how fast the liquid cooks off. If the sauce is thin when the pasta is done, simmer it uncovered for another minute or two and let it rest the full 5 minutes. If the pasta is still firm and the pot is dry, add hot water, 1/4 cup at a time.

Is dirty spaghetti spicy?

It has a moderate warmth from the andouille and Cajun seasoning. The red pepper flakes are optional, and the biggest factor is your choice of sausage and seasoning blend.

Can I use smoked sausage instead of andouille?

Yes. Smoked sausage or kielbasa works the same way and gives a milder, less peppery result.

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