Mexican Spaghetti + Video

Mexican spaghetti is a one pot meal of sausage and noodles in a zippy, salsa inspired sauce. Make this 20 minute recipe for dinner tonight!

If you need a quick 30-minute meal idea for dinner and your family loves the spicy kick of Mexican food, this one-pot Mexican pasta dinner is a must make!

Your favorite salsa ingredients come together with tender pasta and spicy sausage for a knock-your-socks-off meal. It’s so easy, it practically cooks itself!

Mexican Spaghetti

This spicy spaghetti is perfect for nights when you just can’t spend a lot of time prepping dinner. It’s a busy family’s dream meal, because everything cooks together in a large pot on the stovetop. One pot pasta dinners are the best!

It’s made the same way as our Greek chicken pasta and Italian one pot spaghetti recipe.

If you like Mexican foods with a mild spicy heat, then definitely check out our recipe for Mexican corn skillet, too. It’s ready in 25 minutes, and with just a handful of ingredients.

Ingredient Notes and Substitutions

• Sausage – Feel free to use your favorite variety. I like hot Italian sausage, but chorizo would taste just as great. If you don’t like spicy dishes, use a mild link sausage instead.
• Jalapeno – Replace this with canned diced green chiles or leave it out entirely. You can also remove the seeds to make it less spicy.

  If you use fresh chili peppers, be sure to wear gloves to protect your skin from the irritating oils found in all chiles. 

• Water – For more flavor, use an equal amount of vegetable or chicken stock instead of water.

How to Make Mexican Pasta

This one pot Mexican pasta couldn’t be any easier to make. Just combine everything in a deep, wide pot, so there is plenty of room for the spaghetti noodles. Then, bring it to a boil, cover, and simmer until the pasta is cooked

Recipe Variations

Want a creamier sauce?

Add 4 ounces of cream cheese at the end and stir until melted and well incorporated. This is also a great way to tone down the spiciness of the dish without losing any flavor.

Try a different type of pasta.

This Mexican spaghetti recipe is extremely flexible, and will work with nearly any shape of noodles. Just keep in mind that using a larger or thicker variety of pasta may affect the cook time, so make adjustments accordingly.

Sturdier long pasta like fettuccine and linguine can support the sausage and sauce better than more delicate varieties like angel hair.

For short pasta, choose a medium sized variety like rotini, penne, cavatappi pasta, or even cavatelli. Avoid smaller shapes like macaroni or shells, which are more likely to over cook.

Mexican Spaghetti FAQ

Is Mexican pasta good as leftovers?

It sure is! Transfer any leftovers to a sealed container and refrigerate for 3 to 4 days.

Reheat in the microwave or on the stove, adding a splash of water or broth as needed for moisture.

Can I make this without cilantro?

You can leave out the cilantro altogether or even replace it with a teaspoon of dried ground coriander if you want to add a little seasoning.

Enjoy!

With love, from our simple kitchen to yours. 

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Mexican Spaghetti + Video

Donna Elick

Mexican spaghetti features a salsa inspired sauce that is cooked right into the meat and pasta. Make this spicy pasta recipe in 20 minutes!

5 stars from 1 review

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Prep Time 10 mins

Cook Time 10 mins

Total Time 20 mins

Course Main

Cuisine Mexican

Method Stovetop

Servings 6 – 8

Ingredients

 

1x2x3x

• ▢ 3 cups halved grape tomatoes, divided
• ▢ 1 large onion, sliced
• ▢ 1 pound smoked hot sausage links, precooked (sliced into coins)
• ▢ 2 jalapenos, sliced (to taste)
• ▢ 4 cloves garlic , sliced
• ▢ 1 pound dry spaghetti
• ▢ 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro, divided
• ▢ 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
• ▢ 1 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
• ▢ 5 cups water

Instructions

 

• Reserve (set aside) 1 cup halved tomatoes and 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro.
• Combine remaining ingredients in a large (12″) braising pan or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Cover and bring to a boil. Once water is boiling, remove the lid and cook 7-9 minutes until pasta is al dente (with a bite to it). Toss pasta with tongs occasionally to keep the pasta from sticking. The liquid will be mostly absorbed when the pasta is finished cooking.
• Add remaining tomatoes and cilantro and toss to combine.
• Serve and enjoy!

Video

Donna’s Notes

Choose your favorite sausage. I prefer hot Italian sausage, but chorizo would be good too. You can substitute 1 pound any dry pasta for the spaghetti, just cook until al dente.

You can substitute green chiles for the jalapenos or leave out the jalapenos completely.

You can finish the sauce with 4 ounces of cream cheese stirred into the pasta. It will help cool down the spiciness and also add a nice creaminess to the pasta.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 | Calories: 571cal | Carbohydrates: 63g | Protein: 22g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 57mg | Sodium: 1154mg | Sugar: 5g | Fiber: 4g | Calcium: 55mg | Iron: 2mg

All nutritional information is based on third party calculations and is only an estimate. Each recipe’s nutritional value will vary depending on the ingredients used, measuring methods, and portion sizes.

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Originally published August 2015, updated and republished June 2022

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