Sometimes you just need a comfort food recipe that lights up inside and makes you happy – and this is it. Filipino spaghetti is kind of like spag bol, but with a sweeter tomato sauce base. It was requested by my followers in the Philippines… and I’m so glad I got to try this nostalgic classic. Happiness on a plate!
PREP TIME
10 minutes
COOK TIME
30 minutes
SERVES
6
Ingredients
2 tbsp vegetable oil
300g (10.5 oz) canned frankfurters or hotdogs, sliced
2 onions, finely chopped
1 tsp sea salt
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
500g (1 lb) pork mince
2½ tbsp tomato paste
1 cup banana ketchup*
700g (1 lb 8 pz) tomato passata (you could also try sourcing the Filipino spaghetti sauce, although that will be sweeter)
½ cup chicken stock
2½ tbsp soy sauce
600g (1 lb 5 oz) dried spaghetti
1 cup grated cheddar cheese, or to taste
Steps
-
Heat the vegetable oil in a frying pan or large cast iron pan over medium-high heat. Add the sausage, then cook, turning often, for 3-4 minutes until browned. Transfer to a plate using a slotted spoon, leaving the oil behind.
-
Add the onion into the hot oil, along with the salt. Cook, stirring, for 5–6 minutes or until the onion is lovely and soft. Then add the garlic and cook for a minute to get those flavours making friends. Next, add the pork mince, breaking it up with your spatula or wooden spoon. Keep cooking until the pork has evenly cooked, then add the tomato paste. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute to cook out the tomato paste slightly.
-
Return the cooked hot dogs to the pan, along with the banana ketchup, tomato passata, chicken stock and soy sauce. Stir to combine well. Bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat to low and cook, stirring often, for 10-15 minutes for the flavours to develop. Take care as the mixture can easily burn.
-
Meanwhile, cook the spaghetti in boiling salted water according to packet directions until al dente, then drain and add back into your warm pot that you cooked the pasta in. Spoon over a few heaped spoonfuls of the cooked tomato meat sauce, then mix so that each spaghetti strand is coated. Divide pasta among serving bowls and top with more of the tomato meat sauce. Top with grated cheddar and serve.
-
Notes:
– Banana ketchup, also known as banana sauce, is a sweet sauce that kind of tastes like ketchup but is made with bananas. You can find it at Asian grocery stores or search it out online.
What is Filipino spaghetti sauce?
Filipino spaghetti is like spaghetti with meat sauce, except this recipe is much sweeter. It’s all down to the Filipino spaghetti sauce, which is banana ketchup (also called banana catsup). While it’s called ketchup, there are no tomatoes involved: in fact, the ingredients are just bananas, sugar, spices and vinegar. It was invented in the Philippines during the 1940s as a cheaper alternative to tomato ketchup, as tomatoes had to be imported and were very expensive.
Just like the Philippines!
I had family visiting from the Philippines and made it for lunch and they loved it! Hot tip – use the spicy banana sauce for a kick 🙂
Amazing spaghetti
Delicious recipe, bringing me back to my childhood! Love this Filipino spaghetti ❤️
Tick of approval
Thank you for this recipe.
My Filipino husband approves!