Sweet, meaty, slightly tangy, and filled with hotdogs. This Filipino spaghetti is your ultimate comfort food! Here you will learn the basics of how to make it from scratch with an option to make it creamy or cheesy or both!
400g/13 oz spaghetticooked as per package directions
grated cheese
Instructions
Heat oil in a large pot. Add onions and garlic, saute until fragrant and translucent. Add ground beef or pork. Continue cooking until no longer pink. Add the hotdogs and stir it all together. Season with fish sauce and cook until the juices come out.
Add the bell peppers and other choices of vegetables (carrots, mushrooms, or celery). Cook until softened. Add tomato sauce, tomato paste, ketchup, sugar, Italian seasoning, water, and beef bouillon. At this point, you can also add the liver pate/paste, if using. Stir to combine.
Cover with lid and bring to a simmer then turn down to medium so it bubbles gently. Cook for 45 minutes to 1 hour. The longer it's cooked, the better the flavors will develop. Stir occasionally. Be careful as you open the lid as the sauce may splatter all over and burn your hand.
Season with salt and pepper to taste. Simmer for another 10 minutes without the lid.
Serve over spaghetti or toss the sauce and pasta together. Sprinkle with cheese. Lots of it! Enjoy!
Video
Notes
Ground Meat - beef, pork, and chicken can be used to make the sauce. My favorite is using a combination of pork and beef.
Vegetables – Celery, mushroom, and carrots can also be added.
Tomato Sauce – If your sauce is still too acidic/sour even after adding sugar and or milk, add 1/4 tsp of BAKING SODA! Stir then taste the sauce. If it’s still too acidic, add 1/4 teaspoon more and go from there. It works like magic! I promise!
Banana Ketchup – can be substituted with tomato ketchup. Adjust the amount of sugar as needed.
Fish Sauce - can be substituted with Worcestershire sauce or soy sauce.
Liver Pate/Paste - I used chicken liver pate. You can use reno too if you have it. Omit entirely, if preferred.
Make it creamy: add 1/4 cup milk or cream 10 minutes before it finishes cooking.
Make it cheesy: add 1/2 cup grated cheese or cheez wiz (yes, the spread) before it finishes cooking and BEFORE adding any more salt. Simmer until melted.
Shortcuts - use store-bought pasta sauce instead of tomato sauce. You can omit the Italian seasoning and even the garlic and onion if you really don’t have the time to chop. If using store-bought Filipino pasta sauce, omit the sugar and ketchup altogether as the sauce is already sweet (often too sweet) and tangy.
Course :Main Course
Cuisine :Filipino
Keyword :bolognese sauce, Jollibee style spaghetti sauce, sweet pasta sauce