Filipino style spaghetti is unlike any spaghetti you’ve had before. It’s sweet, made with banana ketchup, topped with a mountain of sharp cheddar cheese and has hotdogs! So good!
(Looking for another Filipino noodle dish? This easy pancit canton recipe is another favourite Filipino recipe you can try.)
Just like that, Thanksgiving (American and Canadian) is over and our brain automatically goes on Christmas mode.
Filipino spaghetti is one of my all time favourite things and it typically makes an appearance on our holiday menu (or any time we have a celebration).
And I’m so happy to be sharing this recipe with you.
What is Filipino spaghetti and what makes it sweet?
Unlike Italian spaghetti which is more on the acidic side because of all the tomatoes, Filipino spaghetti is sweeter; it actually has sugar in the list of ingredients.
Banana ketchup too (sometimes it’s called banana sauce here). It’s the more commonly available variety in the Philippines (Jufran
, anyone?) with many considering tomato ketchup too sour.
Filipino spaghetti also has hotdogs in it (just like how Sheldon
likes it!).
Filipinos are great at improv and since beef is expensive, we use the cheaper, more readily available hotdog to make the dish meatier.
What is Filipino style spaghetti sauce?
At first glance Filipino spaghetti sauce ingredients are very similar to that of regular spaghetti sauce (ground beef, tomato sauce, garlic, onions) but look closer and you’ll find:
- hotdogs
- banana ketchup
- heavy cream
- sugar
Certainly unique but very delicious!
(Though if you think about it, cream is not an out-this-world pasta ingredient. In fact I use it to make this delicious and creamy chicken spaghetti – a great recipe for leftover chicken!)
How to cook Filipino style spaghetti
What’s not unique is how to cook it. It’s easy and straightforward as can be.
Fry the hotdogs until light brown around the edges. Remove from pan and using the same pan, sauté garlic and onion until translucent.
Stir in ground beef and cook until the beef is browned.
Add back the hotdogs. Plus the tomato sauce, tomato paste, banana ketchup, heavy cream and sugar.
Season with salt and pepper. Stir to combine.
Cover and let simmer for 15 minutes.
Serve meat sauce on top of cooked spaghetti. Sprinkle with a generous helping of cheddar cheese (the more cheese, the better!).
That’s all there is to it!
What does it taste like?
Filipino spaghetti is delightfully sweet and salty.
Personally, I think Jollibee spaghetti is a really great example of how it should be done (a close second would be the spaghetti from Makati Supermarket of the 80s) but every family has its own take on the dish.
Much like how you’ll find a million and one variations of adobo.
What’s common is its place on our tables.
Whether it’s Noche Buena, Christmas Day, or New Year’s Eve; Father’s Day, someone’s birthday or graduation, you’d most likely find spaghetti being served (add some smoked party ribs!)
It’s a great weekday meal too. Who says everyday can’t be special?
Hope you try it!
(Looking for more pasta recipes? Slow cooked minced pork ragu is delicious, lemon caper pasta is perfect if you’re looking for a bright and light lunch and angel hair pomodoro is packed with fresh Campari tomatoes.)
Filipino dessert recipes
Are you having people over? These Filipino dessert recipes are always a hit.
- Ube cake or Filipino purple yam cake is not only stunning; it’s also delicious.
- Brazo de Mercedes cupcakes are pretty and scrumptious too. They are easier to make than traditional Brazo de Mercedes but just as delicious.
- This yema cake recipe is a soft and airy chiffon cake, with a rich and thick yema spread filling, and yema frosting that’s stable and so easy to decorate with.
- Not in the mood to bake? This strawberry refrigerator cake (or the Filipino version of strawberry icebox cake) is the dessert for you.
Filipino Style Spaghetti
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp oil we used canola oil
- ½ lb hotdogs (about 6 pieces) sliced into ½ inch thick pieces
- 1 pc medium onion chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 ½ lbs ground beef
- 15 oz tomato sauce
- 2 oz tomato paste
- 4 oz banana ketchup
- 2 tbsp heavy cream
- ⅛ cup granulated sugar see notes
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 lb spaghetti cooked al dente
- sharp cheddar cheese grated
Instructions
- Using a large saucepan on medium heat, fry hotdog in oil until lightly brown around the edges. Remove from pan.
- Using the same pan, sauté garlic and onion until translucent. Stir in ground beef and cook until the beef is browned (5-6 minutes).
- Add the hotdogs, tomato sauce, tomato paste, banana ketchup, heavy cream and sugar. Season with salt and pepper. Stir to combine. Cover and let simmer for 15 minutes.
- Serve meat sauce on top of cooked spaghetti. Sprinkle with a generous helping of cheddar cheese.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information are estimates only.
Happy cooking!
Did you make this Filipino spaghetti recipe? I’d love to hear from you in the comments section below.
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Stephanie
This sounds amazing and something that my entire family would enjoy! Although, I’ve never heard about banana ketchup before, but I do love sharp cheddar cheese!!
Jolina
Banana ketchup is sometimes called banana sauce here and it’s sweeter than tomato ketchup 🙂
Jen
I love Filipino spaghetti! My lola makes it all the time. I would love to surprise her by making it for her. Thanks for the recipe.
Lois Alter Mark
Banana ketchup?? As someone who isn’t too fond of the acidity in tomato ketchup, I can only imagine how delicious this sweeter version would be! What a fun, easy meal for the whole family- definitely makes me want to look up more Filipino cooking and flavor profiles.
Jolina
Sometimes called banana sauce 🙂 And yes, definitely sweeter than tomato ketchup!
Olivia Stacey
This recipe sounds so delicious! Can’t wait to give it a try this weekend. Thanks for sharing– I’m sure it will be a hit!
David Elliott
This sounds so interesting. I wouldn’t have thought of using hot dogs for the meatballs. And I would be curious about the sauce there being sweeter and less acidic.
Nayna Kanabar
Its very interesting to read how different countries have their own version of dishes and how different the taste and flavours are.
Shar
Filipino Spaghetti is always my fave kind! Always reminds me of family and this is what I always make for my own family now that I’m a mom. That’s is for this!!!
Jolina
It’s awesome isn’t it? It always reminds me family too 🙂
Charlotte
oooo we love pasta and spaghetti in this house! This looks like a great adaptation of a traditional classic that we will have to try!
Liz
This looks so yummy I’m always on the lookout for a good pasta recipe!
Denise Wright
I thought this was going to be like my grandma’s spaghetti but no I don’t think it is. However it looks super interesting! Just one question though, could you substitute something for the banana ketchup? My niece was just telling my sister last week about Filipino spaghetti oddly enough. We had never heard of it. (Nice Sheldon reference too by the way 😉 )
Jolina
Hi Denise! Hmmm. I’m not sure to be honest because we haven’t done it without. I suppose you can leave it out and just adjust the sweetness by adding more sugar? PS: I’m happy you got my Sheldon reference! 🙂
May
Yummmm! I love spaghetti pasta. I am going to try this recipe as it looks super delicious and easy. 🙂
Blair
Our Filipino-style is so unique! My mom likes to serve this to us as a welcoming-home food 🙂
Jolina
It’s definitely different. I remember growing up if we had spaghetti on the table then it must be a special day 🙂
Aziel Morte
Wow, I really love to try this recipe it’s simple and looks yummy. I will bookmark this
Claire
I’ll try out your recipe it looks delicious and really simple.
Apolline
This is my favourite! My daughter has made us all to love it too.