BBQ Spaghetti with pulled pork combines big barbeque flavors with the comforting combo of classic spaghetti!
I have a new favorite spaghetti! And not just any spaghetti, this BBQ spaghetti recipe with pulled pork! It is like your favorite Italian restaurant had an illegitimate love child with a rundown BBQ shack! Scandalous, I know! What will the neighbors think?!?
What is it?
BBQ and Italian food may not seem to be a match made in heaven in most people's minds, but my tastebuds think barbecue spaghetti tastes downright miraculous! Seriously, long tender shreds of pulled pork tangled among al dente strands of spaghetti noodles, all smothered in a sticky tangy BBQ sauce - what's not to love!?!
If you are looking for a more traditional BBQ recipe, you won't be disappointed with the stickiest BBQ ribs recipe to ever come out of an oven. If you are looking for a traditional Italian recipe, you can't do wrong by delighting your family with my Chicken Parmesan! But... If you are willing to take a walk on the culinary wild side, this BBQ spaghetti with pulled pork recipe is downright amazing. Try it. Just do it. You're welcome.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Spaghetti noodles - You can substitute any long thin noodle.
- Pork shoulder (pork butt) - You can substitute leftover pulled pork, or any other homemade pulled pork recipe.
- Liquid smoke
- Barbecue sauce - Homemade BBQ sauce or store-bought is both fine.
- Yellow onion
- Green bell pepper - I use green bell peppers, but any of your favorite peppers will work.
- Cooking oil - Any vegetable oil will work fine. I use olive oil personally.
Optional: If you wish to add a little more kick to your barbecue sauce, black pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes are great additions. Green onions work well as a garnish, to add a pop of color when serving.
How to make Pulled Pork
This recipe includes a simple pulled pork recipe but also works just as well by substituting your own recipe, or evening buying pre-made pulled pork from the grocery store.
You can make pulled pork in the oven, or use a smoker if you really want to rock it! But for most of us, without a smoker at our fingertips, a slow cooker is going to be the ideal cooking method for this succulently tender meat. You can add the meat, along with a little water and liquid smoke, then set it and forget it as you go about your day. It will be done in six hours, or when it is easily shredded. Then mix it with a half bottle of BBQ sauce.
How to make BBQ Spaghetti
Once your pulled pork is ready the rest of the process isn't any harder than making homemade spaghetti. Simply boil your noodles in a pot of salted water until they are al dente, then drain.
While the noodles boil, add the peppers and onions to a large saucepan (or large skillet) and saute with a little bit of cooking oil until tender. Then the remaining BBQ sauce can be added.
The noodles can be tossed with the BBQ sauce mixture as well, or served with the sauce ladled on top (as shown in my photos). Serve topped with pulled pork.
Reheating and Storing Leftovers
Leftovers should be stored in an airtight container in your refrigerator and enjoyed within five days. This meal is easiest to reheat in separate individual servings in the microwave until heated through.
BBQ Spaghetti with Pulled Pork
Ingredients
- 16 ounces spaghetti noodles
- salt for pasta water
- 1 ½ pounds pork shoulder
- ¼ water
- dash liquid smoke
- 2, 20 ounce bottles BBQ sauce divided
- 1 onion chopped
- 1 green pepper chopped
- 1 tablespoon cooking oil
Instructions
Pulled Pork
- Place pork in the slow cooker with ¼ cup of water and liquid smoke, and cook on low for 6 hours, or until easily shredded with a fork.
- Shred pork and add half bottle of BBQ sauce to combine.
BBQ Spaghetti
- Heat oil in a large saute pan or skillet over medium heat and saute green peppers and onions until tender and slightly charred.
- Place spaghetti in a large pot of salted boiling water and cook according to the package directions.
- Add remaining BBQ sauce to the pepper and onion mixture and heat until warmed, while noodles cook.
- Drain noodles from pasta water once they are al dente and toss the cooked pasta with the BBQ sauce mixture.
- Serve on plates topped with a generous helping of pulled pork.
Notes
Nutritional Information
This recipe was originally published September 13, 2015, on FoxValleyFoodie.com.
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