How to Cook the Classic Filipino-Style Spaghetti – the Star of Pinoy Gatherings
By kerlynb
No gathering of Filipinos is ever complete without the timeless, tasty, and traditional Filipino-style spaghetti.
Of course, Pinoy leche flan and lechon are served during special occasions but the Filipino-style spaghetti has reached a sort of a star status.
It is a staple, an indispensable part of the Pinoy dining table during birthdays, weddings, baptisms, festivals, graduations, and yes, even meals right after funerals.
A slurp of the Filipino-style spaghetti easily tells us why it is so well-liked by Pinoys.
It is sweet and juicy, very much pleasing to children and people with sweet tooth.
It can get a bit zesty depending on the way it was cooked, giving it a tang that is loved by many adults.
Unlike the world-famous Italian spaghetti, Filipino-style spaghetti is not sour and has no obvious traces of tomatoes.
Instead, it is sugary in aroma and flavor.
Any true-blooded Pinoy can tell Filipino-style spaghetti from the countless variations of Italian spaghetti.
This is because Filipino-style spaghetti stands out in a crowd for its slices of hotdogs and hams and toppings of rich, creamy, grated cheddar cheese.
Yup folks, this spaghetti has hotdogs and cheddar cheese! No wonder it is so huge among kiddos.
You see, Filipino-style spaghetti is certainly a reworked copy of the Italian spaghetti.
Yet it has been flavored and presented in ways that have made it beyond doubt a genuine Filipino dish.
Below is quick and easy recipe for the classic Filipino-style spaghetti.
Ingredients for Filipino-Style Spaghetti
- bay leaf, one piece
- cooking oil, four tablespoons
- grated cheese, about one-fourth cup
- green bell pepper, sliced, optional
- ground meat, beef and/or pork, about one pound or half a kilogram
- hotdogs, about six pieces, sliced in small round pieces
- large onion, finely chopped
- minced garlic, about three cloves
- salt and pepper to taste
- sugar, one tablespoon or more
- sweet catsup, optional, about three-fourth cup
- sweet ham, optional
- tomato sauce, around one-and-a-half cup
- uncooked spaghetti, about one pound or half a kilogram
- water, about four cups
Tools for Cooking Filipino-Style Spaghetti
- bowl, good enough for holding half a kilogram of spaghetti
- grater for grating cheddar cheese
- medium-sized knife
- pot for cooking spaghetti
- sauce pan for cooking spaghetti sauce
- strainer for draining water off spaghetti
Steps for Cooking Filipino-Style Spaghetti
- First, cook spaghetti in salted water according to usual instructions. Set the noodles aside in a serving bowl.
- Second, fry the hotdogs. Slice them in small round pieces. Set aside. You may want to also add in sweet ham. Just fry the ham and cut it into small squares.
- Third, grate the cheddar cheese and set aside.
- Fourth, prepare the spaghetti sauce.
- In a pan set over medium heat, sauté onions and garlic in cooking oil.
- Throw in ground meat and cook for a few minutes.
- After a while, put in bay leaf, green bell pepper, and water. Simmer for about 15 minutes.
- Next, put in tomato sauce. Flavor the mix with salt and pepper as well as sweet catsup according to preferred taste. Simmer everything for another 10 minutes.
- Put the fried hotdogs and let the sauce simmer for another 10 minutes.
- Lastly, add more sugar if desired.
- Now, the sauce is ready. Pour it onto spaghetti noodles.
- Top the dish with grated cheddar cheese.
- Voila! Now your classic Filipino-style spaghetti is ready to be served. Enjoy!
The whole cooking process takes about 40 minutes to an hour. If you have that much time, then you can cook it up without much sweat.
When to Serve Filipino-Style Spaghetti
Really, each day is an occasion to cook Filipino-style spaghetti.
In the Philippines, Filipino-style spaghetti has been a favorite afternoon comfort food, alongside traditional rice noodles like pancit bihon, pancit palabok, and pancit malabon.
Lately, it has also been a favorite part of breakfast. Many Pinoys would like to eat this power-packed morning dish before heading off to work.
Most definitely, Filipino style-spaghetti is great for special occasions like birthdays, anniversaries, and other parties.
Awesome Hubs on Filipino Food Recipes
- Simple Steps to Cook Sopas - the Creamy Filipino Macaroni Soup
- Recipe for Philippine Adobo – the Quintessential Filipino Stew
- Easy Recipe for Philippine Nilaga – Rich Filipino Meat Broth
- Recipe for Philippine Embutido – Filipino-Style Meatloaf
- Recipe for Philippine Sinigang – the Tasty Filipino Sour Soup
- Recipes for Philippine Kare Kare – Special Filipino Peanut Stew
- Recipe for Philippine Beef Tapa – Favorite Food in Filipino Breakfast
- Quick Recipe for Philippine Bistek – the Filipino Beefsteak
- Simple Recipe for Lumpiang Shanghai – Meaty Philippine Spring Rolls
- Recipe for Philippine Bicol Express: Superbly Spicy Filipino Dish
Filipino Spaghetti Recipe
Comments
I love spaghetti... the italian style of course... but this Filipino version looks inviting... I love how the guy in the video... he is funny... Great hub...
@suzettenaples Oh yes, using tomato ketchup would really change the taste.
F in Filipinos? What an interesting question :)
The Philippines was actually called Filipinas during the Spanish period and the people were called Filipinos.
During the American period, however, the colonizers changed the name to Philippines but the name Filipinos was kept.
Americans actually renamed a lot of places in the Philippines. I'm not so sure though what made them change the name of the entire country.
Thanks for the banana ketchup tip. I don't know if we have that here; I've never seen it the grocery stores here, but may be in a Filippino grocery store.
Question: why does Filippino begin with an "F" but Philippines begin with a "Ph". Do you happen to know the origin or rule applied here?
@suzettenaples You are always very kind in your words. Thank you so much :) Actually, I do not really know how the Philippines learned about spaghetti, perhaps through Spain or the US.
BTW, when you try to cook Filipino-style spaghetti, make sure you use banana ketchup, not tomato. Banana ketchup is sweeter, just right for the sweet Filipino-style spaghetti.
I have to try this recipe so I can experience "slurping" my spaghetti. I love that word! I am usually a traditionalist about my spaghetti and want it authentic, but this recipe does sound good to me. And, it is authentic to Filippinos. I have to visit your country - your hubs have made me so curious about the Philippines.
Great hub and I see you must have a little Italian influence in your country also.
@lady rain Ouuuiiii! Glad to know you've tasted it :) Thanks for sharing your story!
@The Dirt Farmer You're very kind. Hope you enjoy this dish as much as millions of Pinoys do :)
@whynot1 That's a very nice thing to say :) Glad to know you love Pinoy foods.
@maddot Hey! I know, so many Pinoys in Australia :) Can't blame them for going there. Australia is such a beautiful country. Oh you're so blessed to be living there :) Yes please, try to sample this dish with your neighbors when you get the chance.
@masmasika Thank you kabayan! :) Not to worry, you'll get plenty of chance to eat it after your diet :)
I have tried this delicious and sweet tasting spaghetti when I visited some friends in the Philippines. I remember they brought along the spaghetti and lots of food when they brought me to the beach and we had a great time.
@leann2800 Hello! Oh mango float... It's to die-for :D Good thing we have plenty of supply of mangoes in place all year round. And mangoes here aren't that expensive.
Hey, this sounds great! I think everyone in the family would like this recipe. Thanks for sharing it. I'm going to try it!
Love it!! I love Filipino Food!
great hub. I love learning about the cuisine form other countries and being an Aussie it's and a neighbour of the Phillipines it's time we had more of your cuisine!
Great hub. Wish I could have one serving but I am on a strict diet. Thanks and keep writing about Pinoys. Voted up
Very informative hub. Spaghetti is my comfort food and I am not going to lie to you: I can't stick hot dogs in my spaghetti....it was cool to know how they do it in other parts of the world. And while you might have wrote this to get folks interested in Filipino spaghetti, it got me interested in Filipino Mango floats instead. lol. Thanks for sharing.
@Thelma Alberts Hello there Thelma! Thanks for sharing your firsthand account. So Italian spaghetti and Pinoy spaghetti are poles apart in tastes :)
Yummy kerlynb! I have tried for the first time this Pinoy style spaghetti just 2 weeks ago. It is different than the italian spaghetti that I am used to. Well, Filipino people is really creative. Voted up and bookmark for later use. Thanks for sharing.
@Arlynne Geez, so some of the ingredients are expensive in Florida? Oh no... But they're actually reasonably priced in the Philippines :) BTW, I've got a hub about mango floats! It's one of my fave Filipino desserts.
@asmaiftikhar Wow, the world is indeed one big culinary paradise! So Pakistanis and Pinoys have one great taste for spaghetti :) Thanks for letting me know.
kerlynb that is a tasty hub and in Pakistan the procedure of preparing spegti is same.A delicious hub keep it up! voted up!
@snakeslane What a nice thing to say! Thanks for the comment, really appreciate it.
I am enjoying your Filipino cooking hubs kerlynb, your style and presentation is really attractive and the recipes look so yummy. Regards, snakeslane
kerlynb 6 months ago
@beindustrial LOL :D The guy's a Filipino. Hope you get to try Pinoy-style spaghetti one day.