To round out my “5 Spaghetti Dinners from Around the World” series, I chose a heavy Filipino spaghetti with tons of rich, classic flavors. Packed with flavor, this pasta dish is heavy and widely loved throughout the Philippines. I thought Filipino spaghetti was a super flavorful take on a classic, well-known dish, and I’m excited to share it with you. 

This Filipino spaghetti recipe comes from Andrea, who is originally from the Philippines and now lives in the Metro Manila region. The Philippines is known for flavorful, colorful dishes, and this is reflected in their pasta. Filipino spaghetti is so popular there that foreign fast-food chains all have their own versions available to the public. When Andrea was younger, this pasta was obviously always around, so she associated Filipino spaghetti with comfort. 

Full to the brim with complementary flavors and ingredients, Filipino spaghetti was a pleasant surprise. Once you cook your noodles until al dente, you’ll toss them in a bright red meat sauce, which is the star of this dish. This sauce is overflowing with all kinds of flavors, from spicy to tangy. Subtle sweet notes are sometimes added, and somehow, it all works! Top with lots of creamy cheese, and your Filipino spaghetti is ready to go. You can serve the dish alone or with barbequed pork on sticks, fried spring rolls, or American-style fried chicken. Why stop at the spaghetti?  

Filipino spaghetti holds various interesting flavor profiles. All kids love it, and the dish appeals to the kid in all of us! I really enjoyed this dish; the sauce tastes like a sweeter version of Ragu, but it’s not too sweet. Filipino spaghetti sauce is available in certain online stores, or you can make it yourself. The addition of banana ketchup to the sauce occurred after a tomato shortage in the Philippines years ago, and it stuck. I think this ketchup and the cut-up hot dog adds a subtle sweetness that rounds out the dish in an unexpected way.  

This heavy-handed twist on classic spaghetti was a true treat. I hope you’ll try this traditional Filipino dish and enjoy it just as much as I did.