Cajun Dirty Spaghetti

CHEF JEFF'S CAJUN DIRTY SPAGHETTI

SERVES
6
INGREDIENTS

Pasta

• 12 oz spaghetti
• Kosher salt, for the pasta water
• 1 cup reserved pasta water, as needed

Dirty Meat & Vegetable Base

• 1 lb ground beef
• 8 oz andouille sausage, finely diced
• 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
• 2 celery ribs, finely diced
• 1 red bell pepper, finely diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 Tbsp tomato paste

Seasoning & Sauce

• 1 1/2 Tbsp Cajun seasoning, preferably a moderate-salt blend
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper, optional
• 1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tsp hot sauce, plus more to taste
• 1 1/2 cups low-sodium beef stock

To Finish

• 2 Tbsp unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
• 3 green onions, thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS

1. Cook the spaghetti. Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Cook the spaghetti until just shy of al dente. Reserve about 1 cup pasta water, then drain.
2. Brown the meat. Heat a large, wide skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and andouille and cook until deeply browned, breaking the beef into small crumbles. Let the meat develop real color before stirring too frequently. Drain excess fat only if necessary, leaving enough in the pan to cook the vegetables.
3. Build the dirty vegetable base. Add the onion, celery, and red bell pepper. Cook 5–7 minutes until softened and beginning to brown. Add the garlic and cook about 30 seconds.
4. Caramelize the tomato paste and bloom the spices. Push the meat and vegetables slightly aside to expose the bottom of the pan. Add the tomato paste directly to the rendered fat and cook 1–2 minutes, stirring it against the hot surface, until it darkens to a deep brick-red. Stir in the Cajun seasoning, smoked paprika, thyme, and cayenne, if using, and cook about 30 seconds until fragrant.
5. Make the sauce. Stir in the Worcestershire and hot sauce. Add the beef stock, scraping up all the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Bring to a simmer and cook 5–8 minutes, until reduced enough to create a concentrated, meaty sauce rather than a loose tomato sauce.
6. Finish the pasta. Add the drained spaghetti to the skillet and toss thoroughly with the dirty meat mixture. Add a splash of reserved pasta water as needed and cook 1–2 minutes until the noodles are al dente and coated. Remove from the heat and toss with the butter and Parmesan until glossy. Add more pasta water a splash at a time if needed.
7. Garnish and serve. Fold in most of the green onions and parsley. Taste and adjust with black pepper, additional hot sauce, or salt if needed. Serve immediately with the remaining green onions, parsley, and extra Parmesan.

CHEF JEFF TIPS

• Fry the tomato paste. Cooking tomato paste directly in the rendered fat until brick-red removes its raw edge and builds a much deeper savory flavor.
• Keep it dirty, not saucy. The finished pasta should be glossy and heavily coated with meat and vegetables—not swimming in tomato sauce.
• Control the heat. Cajun seasoning and andouille already bring warmth. The cayenne and extra hot sauce can be adjusted to make the heat noticeable without becoming uncomfortable.
• Finish off the heat. Butter, Parmesan, and a little pasta water create a glossy finish without turning the dish into a cream sauce.