“This recipe for Filipino spaghetti is made with ground pork, hotdogs, banana ketchup, tomato sauce, milk and carrots. This pasta dish is sweet, tangy, salty, meaty and saucy which makes an ideal party meal for kids and adults alike!”

This recipe for Filipino spaghetti is so super easy to prepare. Your kids and adults alike will surely love this. It’s perfectly sweet, saucy and meaty just like the spaghetti that you grew up with.

Admit it or not, no Pinoy celebration would be complete without a noodle dish. And this meal, like the pancit bihon, is almost always present during birthday parties or any other special event like Christmas and New Year.

I remember that in any event or special occasion especially our birthdays, our mom would always prepare either spaghetti or pancit as it is believed to be a symbol of long life. It is so delicious! Nothing beats mom’s cooking.

Filipino spaghetti is unlike any other spaghetti you’ve ever had. It’s sweet, with banana ketchup, hotdogs, and a mountain of cheddar cheese on top! Prepare to love this Filipino-style spaghetti.

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WHAT IS FILIPINO STYLE SPAGHETTI

Filipinos are creative in coming up and adapting food ideas from other country and make their own version to suit the Pinoy taste buds. And this Filipino spaghetti is one of them.

So what is Filipino style spaghetti? It is a pasta dish that has a sweet sauce and uses spaghetti pasta. The sauce is commonly made of ground pork, hotdogs, banana ketchup, and tomato sauce then poured over spaghetti and topped with generous amount of grated cheese.

It is a traditional Filipino comfort food that is frequently served at birthday parties and family gatherings. This sweet-style spaghetti is one of the most loved pasta dish of the Filipino children.

This recipe for spaghetti is the Filipino variant of Italian spaghetti. The inclusion of banana ketchup and hot dogs distinguishes Filipino spaghetti from Italian pasta. An unlike Italian spaghetti, which is more acidic due to the abundance of tomatoes, Filipino spaghetti is sweeter due to the addition of banana ketchup (or banana sauce) and other sweeteners such as sweetened condensed milk or sugar. 

Banana ketchup is a traditional Filipino ketchup prepared from bananas that has a long history and culture in the Philippines. You might find it strange if you’re used to Italian or American-style spaghetti, but trust me, it’s delicious.

Filipino spaghetti may now be found in fast-food restaurants all over the world, such as Jollibee, where you can get their famous Jolly Spaghetti. It has a very sweet flavor with a faint tang to it.

RECIPE FOR FILIPINO SPAGHETTI INGREDIENTS

This Filipino spaghetti recipe is made from scratched so the ingredients looks like a bit much, but believe me that these are all easy to find and affordable ingredients.

• Spaghetti is the traditional pasta used in making spaghetti.
• Garlic and onion is the usual combo in sautéing or “ginisa”.
• Ground pork is the usual meat you would find in any Filipino spaghetti recipe. You can also use ground beef or chicken if so desired.
• Oyster sauce adds umami flavor to this recipe for Filipino spaghetti.
• Banana ketchup adds sweetness, and color to the sauce.
• Tomato sauce gives the slight tanginess in the spaghetti.
• Sweetened condensed milk creates creaminess additional sweetness to the dish.
• Hotdogs are the unique ingredient you will find in making Pinoy style spaghetti recipe.
• Carrot will give extra texture and nutrition to the dish. Chopped it finely so the kids wouldn’t know, hahahaha.
• Salt and pepper to taste.
• Grated Quick-melt cheese or cheddar cheese as toppings. Queso de bola or grated parmesan can also be used.

HOW TO MAKE THIS RECIPE FOR FILIPINO SPAGHETTI

Making this recipe for Filipino spaghetti is pretty straightforward and quick.

Begin by sautéing the garlic and onion until fragrant and translucent.

Then add the ground pork and cook until browned while breaking apart with the back of the spoon, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Pour tomato sauce, banana ketchup, oyster sauce, condensed milk, chopped carrots and hotdogs. Stir until well distributed.

Cover and let it simmer over medium heat for about 15 minutes. Mix occasionally to evenly cook the meat and to avoid the sauce from sticking to the bottom of the pan. 

Meanwhile, cook the spaghetti noodles according to package instructions. Drain and set aside.

Add ½ cup grated cheese (optional). Taste and season with more salt and pepper if needed.

You can either pour the sauce over the spaghetti noodles in a serving dish or combine the noodles into the sauce and mix until well distributed.

Sprinkle with grated quick melt cheese or cheddar cheese.

It’s as simple as that!

COOKING TIPS

• For the best results, cook the noodles according to the package directions. If you will combine the pasta with the sauce, it is better to cook the pasta less than 1 minute of the package instruction since the heat of the sauce will further cook the noodles.

• Make sure to season your pasta water generously with salt. If you plan on serving your spaghetti and sauce separately, pour a little oil to the water so the pasta won’t stick together.

• Cook your pasta halfway through cooking your sauce. You don’t want to start the pasta before the sauce is finished since it will dry out.

• If you want to thin out the sauce, simply add extra pasta water until it reaches the desired consistency. So don’t throw out all you pasta water!

• For a longer shelf life, you can pour 1 tablespoon of white vinegar into the sauce while cooking. Remember that after you place the vinegar let it cook for awhile before stirring. 

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTION?

I don’t eat pork. What can I use instead?

You can use ground beef or chicken as well as beef or chicken hot dogs. Sometimes I also use corned beef especially when I crave for it, so yummy!

Is it okay if I use tomato ketchup instead of banana ketchup?

Yes, you certainly can!

What can I substitute for oyster sauce?

You can use soy sauce, fish sauce or add beef broth cubes to have that umami flavor.

Can I use other pasta noodles?

Although it is traditional to use spaghetti noodles, but you can use other long or short pasta. Popular choice would be fettuccini and elbow macaroni. In fact, you can use this recipe to make a baked macaroni.  

Can I use store bough spaghetti sauce instead of making it from scratch?

Absolutely! Especially when you are out time. Using ready-made spaghetti sauce saves you time rather than making it from scratch. You can omit the banana ketchup and tomato sauce. Since most of the spaghetti sauce brands are already sweet and tangy, you can also reduce the amount of sweetened condensed milk used in this recipe.

I am not eating hotdogs, what can I substitute?

Hotdogs are traditionally used in making Filipino spaghetti, however, you can use spam or luncheon meat as substitute or omit it entirely if desired.

MAKE AHEAD

You can make this recipe for Filipino spaghetti one or two days ahead your celebration to save you time. Just make the sauce and let it cool completely before storing in the refrigerator.

If you will use it after 2 days, I suggest not to put the milk and cheese at this point to prevent it from spoiling easily. Another tip is to put 1 tablespoon of white vinegar while cooking the sauce for a longer shelf life.

At the day you need it, pour sauce in stove top and let it cook through then add the milk and cheese and season as needed.

You can cook the pasta on the day you would need it. Or you can also cook it the day before. Cool completely before placing in an airtight container to refrigerate. When needed, wash with hot water to disentangle and warm through.

HOW TO SERVE

There are two ways to serve this spaghetti recipe. You can either serve the pasta and sauce separately, then let your guest take sauce as they want. Or you can combine the pasta and sauce before serving.

What we usually do is the latter, because this will ensure that the sauce will be equally distributed to the pasta and guest (wink!)

Serve this Filipino spaghetti as a main meal during celebration with any fried foods like crispy fried chicken (like the popular Jollibee combo), lumpiang shanghai, or fried kalamares.

You can also partner it with any bread like pandesal, loaf bread, or garlic bread when serving for merienda or snack.

HOW TO STORE

You can store this spaghetti in an airtight container for up to 3-4 days whether coated with the sauce or not.

To freeze. Freeze the sauce for up to 2 weeks using a freezer safe container.

To reheat. Thaw the sauce in the fridge for about 2 hours. Using a stove top, pour sauce in a pan over medium heat and cook until heated through. Alternatively, you can microwave it for about 3-4 minutes with 2 minutes interval or until warmed.

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