Filipino Spaghetti with Sweet Banana Ketchup Sauce Recipe
This Filipino Spaghetti with Sweet Sauce is a deliciously unique take on classic spaghetti, featuring a sweet-style sauce made with banana ketchup and sweet spaghetti sauce, combined with savory ground pork and sliced red hot dogs. Topped with freshly grated cheese, this dish offers a perfect balance of sweet and savory flavors beloved in Filipino cuisine.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Filipino
Ingredients
Scale
Meat and Protein
- ½ pound lean ground pork
- 2 pieces diagonally sliced red hot dogs
Pasta
- 6 ounces dry spaghetti
Sauce
- 1 cup sweet-style spaghetti sauce
- ⅓ cup banana ketchup
- ¼ cup water (pasta water reserved)
Vegetables and Aromatics
- 1 small finely chopped yellow onion
- 2 cloves minced garlic
Seasonings and Others
- Salt to taste
- ½ teaspoon coarse black pepper
- ½ cup freshly grated cheese
- 1 to 2 tablespoons cooking oil
Instructions
- Cook the pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the dry spaghetti until al dente according to package instructions. Drain the pasta and reserve about ¼ cup of pasta water for later use.
- Brown the pork: Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add the cooking oil. Add the lean ground pork and brown it thoroughly, breaking it apart with a spatula. Drain any excess fat and set the pork aside.
- Sauté aromatics: In the same skillet, add chopped yellow onions and sauté until translucent, about 3-4 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds to 1 minute.
- Combine pork and season: Return the browned pork to the skillet with onions and garlic. Season lightly with salt and coarse black pepper, cooking for 3 to 5 minutes while stirring to meld flavors.
- Cook hot dogs: Stir in the diagonally sliced red hot dogs and cook for another 4 to 5 minutes, allowing them to slightly brown and blend with the pork mixture.
- Add sauces and simmer: Pour in sweet-style spaghetti sauce, banana ketchup, and reserved pasta water. Stir well and bring to a gentle simmer. Cook for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking and develop deeper flavors.
- Adjust seasoning and separate sauce: Taste the sauce and adjust seasoning if necessary. Transfer half of the sauce into a separate bowl to be used as a topping later.
- Toss pasta with sauce: Add the cooked spaghetti into the remaining sauce in the skillet. Toss thoroughly to coat the pasta with the flavorful sweet sauce.
- Serve and garnish: Serve the coated spaghetti on plates, spoon the reserved sweet sauce on top, and finish by generously sprinkling freshly grated cheese before serving.
Notes
- Use freshly grated cheese for a creamy texture and authentic Filipino flavor.
- Red hot dogs can be substituted with any preferred sausage or omitted for a leaner dish.
- Adjust sweetness by varying the amount of banana ketchup to suit your taste.
- Reserved pasta water loosens the sauce and helps it cling better to the spaghetti.
- Lightly browning the hot dogs and pork separately enhances flavor.
Keywords: Filipino spaghetti, Sweet spaghetti sauce, Banana ketchup spaghetti, Ground pork spaghetti, Filipino pasta recipe