Filipino Style Spaghetti Sauce/The Skinny Pot (2024)

Make your own Filipino Style Spaghetti Sauce.

Looking for a quick and easy weeknight meal? I’ve got you covered! Let me introduce an interesting take on my country’s bolognese – Filipino-style or Pinoy Spaghetti – the perfect snack for your pasta cravings.

Filipino Style Spaghetti Sauce

Filipino-style spaghetti Sauce is thick and creamy, made with ground beef and various spices. It is served over pasta for a delicious and hearty dinner that the whole family will love! This well-known spaghetti sauce recipe will bring back fond memories of your childhood, especially those birthdays, graduation parties, and Noche Buena in the Philippines.

Filipino-Style Spaghetti Sauce Ingredients

Here are the ingredients commonly used in Filipino-style spaghetti sauce:

1. Ground beef or pork: Typically used as the base protein.
2. Tomato sauce: Provides the primary flavor and base for the sauce.
3. Banana ketchup: Adds sweetness and a unique flavor to Filipino spaghetti sauce.
4. Sugar: To balance the acidity of the tomatoes and ketchup and add sweetness.
5. Garlic and onions: For aromatic flavor.
6. Hotdogs: Sliced and added to the sauce for additional flavor and texture.
7. Tomato paste: Thickens the sauce and enhances tomato flavor.
8. Bay leaves: Adds subtle herbal notes.
9. Salt and pepper: Season the sauce to taste.
10. Fish sauce

These ingredients combined create a sweet, savory, and hearty sauce that’s a staple in Filipino cuisine.

Should I use tomato sauce or banana ketchup?

There’s always more than one way to cook your Filipino Spaghetti sauce, but I use a combination of tomato sauce and banana ketchup for a sweeter blend. If you use pure tomato sauce, it will taste similar to the Italian version, wherein the tomato flavor is intensified. With the addition of banana ketchup, you’ll cover the tangy taste and mix it with balanced sweetness.

Filipino Spaghetti vs Italian Spaghetti

As I’ve mentioned, our Filipino spaghetti has a distinct sweet sauce that all Filipinos are crazy about. Italian spaghetti sauce uses tomato sauce as its base for a more earthy flavor, but we mix the right amount of tomato sauce and banana ketchup together with the beef broth, red hot dogs, and shredded cheese on top.

While other spaghetti sauce uses Parmesan cheese, we use cheddar cheese so that it gets melted along with the cooked spaghetti noodles. This is how the Filipino-style spaghetti sauce is known to many, even to Filipinos abroad.

How do I cook Filipino-style Spaghetti Sauce?

First and foremost, I prepare my pasta in salted boiling water, stirring occasionally, then putting it aside in a large pot or cooking it in the Instant Pot.

I combine ground beef or ground pork, onion, garlic, and tomatoes in a pot over medium heat. You can sauté them together or separately to keep the meat moist and juicy. I like to mix the two at this point because it’s faster, but feel free to do whatever you want! Add salt and black pepper to taste. Once you have your base, I fry some hot dogs to add to the sauce.

Hotdogs are a crucial part of a Filipino-style spaghetti recipe since they complement the pasta sauce. This ingredient is also famous with children, which is why our Filipino-style spaghetti recipe has become their favorite.

Afterward, I add tomato and banana ketchup, soy sauce, white sugar, black pepper, and water. Depending on your preference, you can also use sweet or regular tomato sauce, but the Filipino spaghetti recipe must always bring out the sweet dish of Filipino cuisine. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low-medium. Simmer for 30 minutes or until sauce has thickened, stirring occasionally.

Add your desired amount of pasta and stir. Pour in the pasta sauce so the pasta absorbs it, and don’t forget the cheese toppings. The overall prep time for this Filipino spaghetti recipe will be around 25-30 minutes.

What kind of meat is used to make Filipino-style spaghetti Sauce?

Filipino Spaghetti Sauce can be made with ground beef or pork, chicken, turkey, and even tuna. You can be creative with your ingredients!

If you don’t eat meat, Portobello mushrooms are a great substitute! To use Them, sauté them first with the onion and garlic before adding the tomatoes.

Cooking tips!

• If you want to thicken the sauce, add more banana ketchup.
• Do not overcook your pasta, either. Overcooking would give it a sticky texture.

How to Store?

This is a massive batch of Filipino-style spaghetti Sauce, so I expect a leftover.

• Let the sauce cool down and transfer it to a sealed container.
• Store it in the fridge for up to three days.
• You can freeze it too for up to six months.
• When you are ready to consume it, reheat it in the microwave and add it to your pasta.