Description
Filipino Spaghetti with Sweet Sauce is a beloved comfort dish combining lean ground pork, sweet-style spaghetti sauce, banana ketchup, and red hot dogs for a uniquely sweet and savory pasta experience. This recipe features sautéed aromatics, a rich meat sauce, and a hearty topping of freshly grated cheese, delivering authentic Filipino flavors in a quick and easy meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat and Protein
- ½ pound lean ground pork
- 2 pieces diagonally sliced red hot dogs
Pasta and Sauces
- 6 ounces dry spaghetti
- 1 cup sweet-style spaghetti sauce
- ⅓ cup banana ketchup
Aromatics and Seasonings
- 1 small finely chopped yellow onion
- 2 cloves minced garlic
- salt to taste
- ½ teaspoon coarse black pepper
Others
- ½ cup freshly grated cheese
- 1 to 2 tablespoons cooking oil
- ¼ cup water (pasta water reserved)
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 Ground 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 Ground Pork and Aromatics: 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.
- Add 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 & 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 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 in Sauce: Add the cooked spaghetti into the remaining sauce in the skillet. Toss thoroughly to coat the pasta with the flavorful sweet sauce.
- Plate and Serve: 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.