Christmas season in the Philippines starts in September. We build and string up festive lanterns called parol, holiday music streams through the streets, and everything is lit up for months. This excess of celebration culminates in one final party on Christmas Eve, or Noche Buena. Buffet tables are set with all sorts of celebratory Filipino foods, but for me, the reason for the season is Filipino-style spaghetti.
A mash-up of Filipino and American traditions, this now classic Filipino dish (a popular version is a staple at Filipino fast-food sanctum Jollibee) comprises tangy banana ketchup and tomato sauce, simmered with ground pork, sliced hot dogs, and lots of sliced garlic. Tossed with the requisite spaghetti noodles and topped with grated cheese (Edam or cheddar, please), Filipino spaghetti sauce is sweeter and smokier than the Bolognese-style Italian spaghetti sauce American colonizers brought to the islands.
This Southeast Asian comfort food is the perfect addition to a Christmas buffet (or a birthday party, or any other large family gathering). The meat sauce comes together in less than an hour—important when preparing several dishes in one night—and it’s undeniably ma sarap (delicious).
If you don’t do pork, swap in ground beef—or make a vegetarian version with your favorite plant-based alternatives.
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What you’ll need
Banana Ketchup
$20 At Amazon
Large Pot
$50 $37 At Amazon
Colander
$15 At Amazon
Large Skillet
$90 At Amazon
Slotted Spoon
$16 At Amazon
Wooden Spoon
$13 At Amazon
Recipe information
Total Time
30 minutes
Yield
6–8 servings
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Cook 1 lb. spaghetti in a large pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, until al dente. Drain, reserving 1 cup pasta cooking liquid.
Step 2
Meanwhile, heat 2 Tbsp. vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook 4 beef hot dogs, sliced ½" thick, turning halfway through, until deep golden brown, about 4 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a plate.
Step 3
Place 1 lb. ground pork in same pan; sprinkle with ½ tsp. Diamond Crystal or ¼ tsp. Morton kosher salt and ¼ tsp. freshly ground black pepper. Cook, breaking up meat and spreading across pan, until browned underneath, about 4 minutes. Stir meat, then continue to cook, stirring and breaking up more, until cooked through, about 2 minutes longer. Using slotted spoon, transfer pork to plate with hot dogs.
Step 4
Combine 1 medium onion, finely chopped, 2 medium carrots, peeled, finely chopped, 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced, ¼ tsp. Diamond Crystal or Morton kosher salt, and ¼ tsp. freshly ground pepper in same skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is translucent and vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes. Add hot dogs and pork back to pan and stir to coat. Mix in 2¼ cups marinara sauce (about 24 oz.) and 1 cup banana ketchup or banana sauce, bring sauce to a simmer, and cook, stirring occasionally, until flavors come together, about 10 minutes. Mix in 1 tsp. granulated sugar; taste and season with more salt and pepper if needed. Remove pan from heat. Transfer 2 cups sauce to a small bowl; set aside.
Step 5
Add spaghetti and 2 Tbsp. pasta cooking liquid to sauce in pan; toss, adding more pasta cooking liquid 1 Tbsp. at a time if needed, until noodles are well coated. Divide among plates and spoon reserved sauce over; top with 4 oz. orange Edam cheese or cheddar cheese, coarsely grated (about 1¼ cups), and 2 oz. Parmesan, finely grated (about 1 cup).
Recipe notes
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The December/January issue of the magazine is here to help you celebrate—and get through all the days that come before we close out another year.
