Filipino Spaghetti Recipe: Sweet Pinoy-style Italian Spaghetti

This Filipino spaghetti recipe is the star at birthday parties or any other festive celebrations in the Philippines. It always excites guests if they see this spaghetti served at the dining table!

What is Filipino spaghetti? It’s a sweeter version of the traditional Italian-style spaghetti.

It also has a lot of other ingredients like chunks of hot dogs (which Filipino children really love), ground pork or ground beef (other versions also use corned beef), some finely grated carrots, some seasonings, Filipino-style tomato sauce (which is available at all Asian groceries), and last but not least, banana ketchup. Yes, you read that right; the Filipino version of spaghetti sauce will never be complete without the sweet and tangy banana ketchup!

The amount of sugar needed for the sauce is also a little surprising for non-Filipinos. They always think they’re making desserts because of the sweetness of the sauce in this Pinoy spaghetti.

Filipino spaghetti recipe vs other styles of spaghetti

An all-purpose cream is sometimes mixed in to make it more savory and creamy.

Filipinos also serve their spaghetti with lots and lots of grated cheddar cheese. There are also other variations where grated cheddar cheese is added directly to the sauce and cooked.

This type of cheese is well-loved by Filipinos. There are also those who use other forms of cheese like parmesan cheese, which is commonly used for Italian spaghetti.

During special holidays like Christmas and New Year, they also use leftover queso de bola, a red, covered, round-shaped cheese.

This Filipino-style spaghetti recipe is commonly served with a slice of toasted garlic or plain bread. It can be eaten as a snack or merienda.

It can also be served for lunch or dinner.

This version of spaghetti is a highly perishable food. The best way to store any leftovers is to place them in the refrigerator or freezer and consume within 2 days.

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Filipino spaghetti with hotdogs

This Filipino spaghetti recipe is the star at birthday parties or any other festive celebrations in the Philippines. It always excites guests if they see this spaghetti served at the dining table! Course Main CourseCuisine FilipinoKeyword Spaghetti Prep Time 15 minutesCook Time 30 minutesTotal Time 45 minutes Servings 10 people Calories 410kcal Author Joost Nusselder Cost $5

Ingredients

• 1 lb spaghetti noodles
• 1 lb Italian tomato sauce (the kind used is called “Italian” but tastes sweet and is very smooth in texture)
• 8 ounces tomato paste
• 2 tbsp minced onion
• 2 tbsp minced garlic
• 2 tbsp oil
• 1 lb ground pork
• ½ cup minced carrots and red peppers
• 2 cups diced or thinly sliced hot dogs
• 1 cup water
• 1 tbsp salt
• 1 tsp seasoning mix
• 7 ounces evaporated milk
• grated cheese for topping (use a processed cheese similar to Velveeta)

Instructions

• Cook the noodles according to package directions. Set aside.
• Place the garlic, onion, and oil in a large saucepan or skillet. Saute for 3-4 minutes or until soft and fragrant. Add the ground pork and brown the meat until it’s completely cooked.
• Add the minced vegetables and hot dog pieces, and stir to combine. Add the water and allow the mixture to simmer for 10-15 minutes. Add the tomato sauce and tomato paste to the meat and continue to simmer the mixture for another 10-15 minutes. Add the evaporated milk and salt, and stir until incorporated.
• Combine the noodles and the sauce in a large pot or mixing bowl. Top with grated cheese. You can grate a processed cheese similar to Velveeta and let it melt into the top layer of the spaghetti.

Nutrition

Calories: 410kcal