Filipino Spaghetti

Filipino style bolognese. Sweet spaghetti.

5 from 1 vote

Quintessential dish served at children's birthday parties. Filipino spaghetti is made with ground meat and hot dogs stewed in a sweet tomato sauce. It is often garnished with quick melt cheese.

Prep Time10

Cook Time45

Total Time55

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Filipino

Servings:

Author: Maryanne Cabrera

Equipment

Medium Bowl
Heavy-bottom pot
Spatula

Ingredients

1 pound ground beef 85% lean, 15% fat
½ teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon onion powder
1 Tbsp olive oil or vegetable oil
1 ½ cup diced onion (1 large onion)
6 garlic cloves minced
1 Tbsp tomato paste
⅓ cup banana ketchup*
1 ¼ cup sliced hot dogs (about 4 links)
28 oz jarred marinara sauce*
2 ½ Tbsp brown sugar
2 teaspoon chicken base optional
1 pound dried spaghetti noodles

Instructions

In a medium bowl, combine ground beef, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder. Set aside.
In a large heavy bottomed pot, heat oil. Once hot, add onions. Stir and cook until almost translucent, about 2 minutes. Add in garlic and stir to combine. Cook for 30-45 seconds until garlic is fragrant.
Add tomato paste and banana ketchup. Stir together and cook on medium heat for about a minute until mixture has slightly thickened into a jelly-like consistency.
Add seasoned ground beef. Stir to break up beef and combine with onion mixture. Cook over medium-heat high for 3-4 minutes until beef is browned. (During this time, the oil from the beef will separate. This is normal.) Add in sliced hot dogs. Cook for another minute or so until hot dogs are warm.
Add jarred marinara sauce. Stir to combine. Bring mixture to a boil then reduce to a simmer. Slightly cover pot and let mixture simmer for 20-30 minutes. Stir occasionally.
Mix in sugar and optional chicken base. Stir to dissolve. Simmer for another 15 minutes while you cook and prepare the spaghetti pasta.
*Taste sauce. Add additional sugar or salt according to taste preferences.
Cook spaghetti pasta noodles according to package instructions.
Serve hot spaghetti meat sauce over cooked noodles. Top with cheese of choice. Enjoy immediately!

Notes

Add more banana ketchup depending on your sweetness preferences. For those with a big sweet tooth, I suggest adding between 3/4 cup to 1 cup of banana ketchup. I find that 1/3 cup is a good happy medium that both kids and adults will enjoy.
Banana ketchup comes in two varieties: regular and hot & spicy. I prefer hot & spicy because it adds a nice kick
I use the 28 oz jar of Rao's homemade marinara from Costco. If you purchase this at other retailers it will come in a 32 oz jar. The 32 oz portion will create a slightly thinner sauce.
Asides from Rao's, I recommend using Prego Traditional or Barilla. These two brands are a little on the sweet side, making their perfect for Filipino Spaghetti.
Chicken base is optional, but it adds more flavor. I use Better Than Bouillon Roasted Chicken Base. You could also use: chicken bouillon cubes/powder, beef or vegetable base.

Nutrition