Bodie’s school is creating their first ever international cookbook and the students’ families are responsible for submitting their family recipes to add to the book. I immediately knew I wanted to share my mother-in-law’s recipe for Swedish spaghetti. I learned that this is actually my MIL’s mother’s recipe and has likely been in the family prior to her serving it to her own family.

This is unlike traditional spaghetti in that the meat sauce is made with only bacon and the tomato sauce is actually just canned tomatoes. Bacon grease is the other key ingredient. This may sound a little unusual, but it’s delicious.

Dice bacon and onion. Fry the bacon until crispy, adding onion and chopped garlic the last few minutes. Boil the noodles per package directions. Strain the pasta and add the bacon mixture to the noodles, including all of the grease. Add the can of diced tomatoes. Stir together and pour into 3 quart casserole dish. Sprinkle with shredded Parmesan and bake for 15 minutes. Enjoy! We like to add a few dashes of red pepper flakes to the finished product, but that’s completely optional. And probably not very Swedish.

Preparation Time:

30 minutes

Cook Time:

15 minutes

Oven Temperature:

350 degrees

Serving Size:

8

Ingredients:

1 lb spaghetti

1 28 oz can diced tomatoes,

1 lb bacon

1 garlic clove

1/2 an onion

1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

Recipe instructions:

Dice bacon and onion. Fry the bacon until crispy, adding onion and chopped garlic the last few minutes. Boil the noodles per package directions. Strain the pasta and add the bacon mixture to the noodles, including all of the grease. Add the can of diced tomatoes. Stir together and pour into 3 quart casserole dish. Sprinkle with shredded Parmesan and bake for 15 minutes. Enjoy! We like to add a few dashes of red pepper flakes to the finished product, but that’s completely optional. And probably not very Swedish.

If I’m being perfectly honest, I kind of doubted my mother in law’s recipe. I couldn’t fathom making spaghetti without spaghetti sauce. I also thought the idea of adding bacon grease was bizarre. So, I turned to the internet and googled “Swedish spaghetti.” I couldn’t find much, and the few I did find were definitely not like my MIL’s. As a result, I’m calling this Natalie Stromstra Swedish Spaghetti after my husband’s grandmother because I truly think her family came up with this particular version.

I’m sure many of you are scratching your heads at this combination, but it really is delicious. My sister in law and niece were in town when I made this for dinner and we all went back for seconds…and thirds. I ate it again the next day for lunch and it was just as tasty.

I’m going to try to find some other family recipes for us to try. This was fun! I’m eager to get my hands on the international cookbook.