Spicy Baked Venison Spaghetti

Try this wild game version of a classic family dish

By Michael Pendley author of Timber 2 Table Wild Game RecipesMay 18, 2022 Print Recipe

20M

prep time

cook time

4-6

serves

Easy

difficulty

This wild game take on a classic dish is perfect for a quick and easy family dinner. Serve it with some garlic bread and a salad and you have everything you need to make your crew happy. We prefer a bit of heat in our baked spaghetti, so we add red pepper flakes to the mix. If you like yours a bit on the milder side, leave them out. The finished product will still be great.

This wild game take on a family favorite features a bit of heat from red pepper flakes.

When you cook the pasta for this one, remove it from the salted water while it is still al dente, or firm to the bite, as it will continue to cook as the dish bakes.

Ingredients

1 pound ground venison

1 bell pepper, diced

1 medium yellow onion, diced

One 14.5-ounce can Italian-style diced tomatoes

3 ounces tomato paste

1 cup water

One 13-ounce can of sliced mushrooms, drained

1 tablespoon dried Italian seasoning

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

1 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)

1 block (8 ounces) cream cheese

1 pound spaghetti, cooked

2 cups freshly shredded mozzarella cheese

1 cup freshly shredded Parmesan cheese

Salt to taste

Cooking Instructions

Start by browning the ground venison, bell pepper, and onion in a large skillet. (While the venison cooks, boil the spaghetti in salted water until it is flexible but still slightly firm, then set aside.)

Dice an onion and a bell pepper to add to the ground venison.

Once the venison is nearly cooked through, add the tomatoes, tomato paste, water, mushrooms, Italian seasoning, paprika, and red pepper flakes. Check for seasoning and add salt, if needed.

Once the venison, pepper, and onion have cooked, add the other sauce ingredients.