Description
A delicious and authentic Filipino Spaghetti recipe featuring a unique sweet-style sauce with ground pork and red hot dogs, simmered to perfection and topped with freshly grated cheese for an irresistible comfort meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat and Sausage
- 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 Spaghetti: 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 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.
- Simmer the Sauce: 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 the Pasta: Add the cooked spaghetti into the remaining sauce in the skillet. Toss thoroughly to coat the pasta with the flavorful sweet sauce.
- 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.
Keywords: Filipino spaghetti, sweet spaghetti sauce, banana ketchup spaghetti, pork spaghetti recipe, Filipino pasta dish