Filipino spaghetti is unlike any spaghetti dish you’ve had before! Adapted from Italian spaghetti with Bolognese sauce, Filipino spaghetti puts a sweet twist on this crowd-pleasing comfort-food favorite.
Red Filipino-style hot dogs and ground pork are blended in a sweet sauce, made with tomato sauce, and tomato paste sweetened with banana ketchup and sugar. Adding evaporated milk to this saucy dish helps it become thick and creamy. Filipino spaghetti is topped with grated quick-melt cheese, such as Velveeta.
Prepare this Filipino spaghetti recipe and enjoy a taste of one of the Philippines’ most famous comfort foods. You’ll find Filipino spaghetti at almost any family-gathering or children’s birthday party served alongside fried chicken. This tasty pasta dish is so popular in the Philippines, you’ll even find it on the McDonald’s menu.
Filipino Style Spaghetti
Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 red Filipino-style hotdogs, sliced diagonally
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 1 yellow onion
- 1/2 cup carrots
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 bell pepper
- 1 pound ground pork
- 2 cups traditional tomato sauce
- 1/2 cup tomato paste
- 1 cup banana ketchup
- 7 ounces evaporated milk
- 1/8 cup granulated sugar
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 pound uncooked spaghetti
- 1/2 cup quick-melt cheese, shredded
Supplies
- frying pan
- large saucepan with cover
- large saucepan
Directions
Slice the four hotdogs diagonally. Fry the hot dog slices in a frying pan in oil over medium heat until slightly brown. Remove from pan. Set aside.
Wash and dry the produce. Peel and mince the onion, carrots, and garlic. Then seed, core, and chop the bell pepper.
Using the same pan used to fry the hot dogs, sauté the onion, carrots, and bell pepper over medium-high heat. Sauté until the onions are translucent. Stir in the ground pork and cook until the pork is browned about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant.
Meanwhile, in a large saucepan over low heat, add the tomato sauce, tomato paste, banana ketchup, evaporated milk, and sugar. Add salt and pepper to taste. Stir to combine. Carefully add the hot dogs, as well as the pork and vegetable mixture to the sauce. Cover and let simmer for 15-20 minutes.
While sauce cooks, in another large saucepan, cook spaghetti pasta according to package directions and then drain. Serve meat sauce on top of the cooked spaghetti. Sprinkle with quick-melt cheese. Serve immediately. Enjoy!
Recipe Notes
What Is Banana Ketchup?
Banana ketchup is a popular sweet and tangy condiment in the Philippines made from mashed banana, sugar, vinegar, and various spices. Although its natural color is yellowish-brown, it’s common for banana ketchup to be dyed red to resemble tomato ketchup. To prepare your Filipino-style spaghetti, purchase your banana ketchup online.
What Is Quick-Melt Cheese?
Kraft Eden Cheese is often used in Filipino spaghetti, a soft cheese bar found in the Philippines similar to American Velveeta by Kraft. When preparing Filipino spaghetti, Velveeta may be used or any shredded cheese, such as Cheddar.
