Ree Drummond’s Pioneer Woman chuckwagon pasta tosses wagon wheel noodles in a beef, barbecue, and mustard sauce at about 595 calories per serving. This 25-minute recipe from The Pioneer Woman show feeds 4 to 6 with one skillet, so cleanup is as fast as the cooking.
Barbecue sauce and yellow mustard replace the Italian seasonings you expect in a meat pasta, which tilts the whole flavor toward a backyard cookout. A minced jalapeño goes in with the ground beef, and that heat cuts through the sweetness of the barbecue sauce.
Beef stock does double duty here, because it loosens the browned bits from the skillet and thins the sauce enough to coat each wheel. Pour it in right after the beef browns, since waiting too long lets the fond burn and turn bitter.
Source: The Pioneer Woman (Always Pasta 4 Ways episode), verified from foodnetwork.com
Pioneer Woman Chuckwagon Pasta
Course: DinnerCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy4-6
servings5
minutes20
minutes595
kcal25
minutesGround beef browns with red onion, garlic, and jalapeño before tomato sauce, barbecue sauce, and mustard turn the skillet into a smoky meat sauce. The cooked wagon wheel pasta stirs in at the end, and melted cheddar goes on top right before serving.
Ingredients
- For the pasta:
12 ounces wagon wheel pasta
Kosher salt
- For the sauce:
2 tablespoons salted butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound ground beef
1 medium red onion, diced small
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 jalapeño, minced
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup beef stock
One 15-ounce can tomato sauce
1/3 cup barbecue sauce
2 tablespoons yellow mustard
- For serving:
1 cup grated cheddar
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Directions
- Boil the pasta: Cook the wagon wheels in a large pot of boiling salted water according to the package directions, then drain and set aside.
- Heat the skillet: Warm the butter and olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat until the butter melts.
- Add the beef and aromatics: Add the ground beef, diced red onion, minced garlic, and minced jalapeño to the skillet.
- Season and cook: Add a pinch of kosher salt and the black pepper, then cook until the beef browns, about 6 to 8 minutes.
- Deglaze the skillet: Pour in the beef stock and scrape the bottom with a wooden spoon to lift the browned bits.
- Add the sauces: Stir in the tomato sauce, barbecue sauce, and yellow mustard, then bring the mixture to a boil.
- Add the pasta: Stir the drained pasta into the sauce and let everything simmer for 2 to 3 minutes until the sauce reduces and thickens.
- Top and serve: Sprinkle the grated cheddar and chopped parsley over the top, then serve straight from the skillet.
FAQs
Can I use a different pasta shape?
Rotini or penne catch the chunky sauce in their grooves and tubes the same way wagon wheels do, so either one works as a swap. Elbow macaroni gives the dish a cheeseburger-mac feel, which leans into the cookout flavor Ree is going for.
Avoid long noodles like spaghetti or fettuccine, because the thick meat sauce clumps around them instead of coating evenly. Wagon wheels hold sauce in every spoke and curve, so pick something with ridges or pockets if you cannot find them at the store.
What type of ground beef works best?
Ground chuck at 80/20 lean-to-fat ratio gives the sauce body without making the dish greasy, and it matches the “chuck” in the recipe name. Leaner beef like 90/10 dries out during the 6 to 8 minutes of browning, since there is not enough fat to keep it moist.
The recipe does not call for draining the fat after browning, because that rendered fat becomes part of the sauce. If you use fattier beef like 70/30, pour off the excess before adding the stock, or the sauce will feel oily on the tongue.
Can I make this less spicy?
Remove the seeds and ribs from the jalapeño before mincing, since that is where most of the heat lives. You can also cut the amount to half a jalapeño, which adds a mild pepper flavor without any real burn.
Leaving the jalapeño out entirely works too, because the barbecue sauce and mustard carry enough flavor on their own. A diced green bell pepper fills the same visual role in the skillet, and it brings a sweet crunch without any heat at all.
What goes well with chuckwagon pasta?
Cornbread is the most natural side here, since the smoky barbecue flavors in the sauce already point toward a Southern table. Ina Garten’s salted caramel brownies close the meal on a rich note, because the salt and caramel match the savory barbecue base.
A crunchy coleslaw with vinegar dressing cuts through the richness of the cheddar and beef, so the plate does not feel too heavy. Keep the sides simple, because the pasta itself is bold enough to stand as the main event.
How do I store and reheat leftovers?
Leftovers hold well in the fridge for up to 3 days, and the barbecue-mustard sauce actually tastes richer after a night in the container. Add a splash of beef stock when reheating in a skillet over medium heat, since the liquid loosens the sauce back to its original consistency.
You can freeze individual portions for up to 2 months in zip-top bags with the air pressed out. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating on the stovetop, because the microwave turns the pasta rubbery and melts the cheddar into a gummy layer.
