Noodles & Rice

Filipino Spaghetti

Cooking 50 mins Prep 15 mins Serves 8
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Filipino Spaghetti

Filipino Spaghetti: Sweet Meat Sauce and Hotdogs

Filipino spaghetti has a sweet, tomato-based meat sauce with sliced hotdogs, topped with cheese. It is the star of birthday parties and a childhood favorite.

About Filipino Spaghetti

Filipino spaghetti has a sweet meat sauce with hotdogs and cheese. It is a staple of birthdays and parties. The sweetness comes from banana ketchup and sugar, a taste that many Filipinos associate with childhood celebrations.

Filipino spaghetti is a party staple that everyone remembers from childhood. The sweet sauce, sliced hotdogs and a thick layer of cheese set it apart from Italian pasta. It is usually served with garlic bread or fried chicken.

Ingredient notes

  • Spaghetti: cooked until just tender.
  • Ground pork and hotdogs: the meats in the sauce.
  • Banana ketchup and tomato sauce: the sweet, tangy base.
  • Cheddar cheese: grated on top.

Tips for the best Filipino Spaghetti

  1. Simmer the sauce until thick. For flavor.
  2. Do not overcook the pasta. Keep it al dente.

What to serve with Filipino Spaghetti

Serve at parties with garlic bread.

Variations and substitutions

  • Less sweet: reduce sugar.
  • With ground beef: use beef.
  • With mushrooms: add mushrooms.

Storing and reheating

Refrigerate for up to 4 days. Reheat with a splash of water.

Frequently asked questions

Why is it sweet?

Banana ketchup and sugar.

Why is Filipino spaghetti sweet?

Banana ketchup and sugar give it a sweet profile.

Can I make the sauce ahead?

Yes, it keeps for 4 days and freezes for 2 months.

More Filipino recipes you might like

Bringhe, Pancit Malabon and Lugaw.

Ingredients

8 servings
  • Spaghetti500 g
  • Ground pork300 g
  • Hotdogsliced4
  • Onionchopped1
  • Garlicminced4 cloves
  • Banana ketchup120 ml
  • Tomato sauce480 ml
  • Brown sugar3 tbsp
  • Cooking oil2 tbsp
  • Water240 ml
  • Cheddar cheesegrated120 ml
  • Saltto taste
  • Black pepperto taste

Instructions

  1. 1

    Cook the garlic and onion in the oil, then add the pork and hotdogs and brown them.

    medium heat ~10 mins
  2. 2

    Pour in the tomato sauce, ketchup, sugar and water and simmer until the sauce thickens.

    low heat ~30 mins
  3. 3

    Boil the spaghetti until al dente and drain.

    high heat ~10 mins
  4. 4

    Season the sauce, toss with the pasta or spoon it on top, and finish with grated cheese.

    ~2 mins

Notes

  1. 1. Sweetness

    Adjust the sugar to your taste; some like it sweeter.

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Photo: Filipino Spaghetti 2.0.jpg by Arnold Gatilao via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0.