Filipino-Style Spaghetti Sauce

Put the banana ketchup away, we’re using our jar of Caldereta sauce to make everyone’s favorite Filipino spaghetti. Filipino spaghetti is sweet and saucy, packed with  juicy red hot dogs, ground pork, and cheese. It is a mainstay at birthday parties, often right next to that tray of pancit. Like what Filipinos say all the time, “Noodles for long life!

Most Filipinos opt for store-bought Filipino style spaghetti sauce or using a bottle of banana ketchup to make the dish to save time from creating a sauce of scratch. In this recipe, you can opt for a jar of Fila Manila next time you make spaghetti. It saves loads of time and it’s very delicious!

Caldereta is the most famous beef stew of the Philippines. It is a favorite of many and can be found at any Filipino gathering. A beef stew packed with loads of potatoes, bell peppers, and carrots, they are all cooked in tomato sauce. 

Start this quick and easy weeknight dinner by mincing onions, carrots, and celery. Toss in your choice of ground meat, some brown sugar for that signature Filipino spaghetti sweetness, and deglaze with Caldereta. After the sauce simmers and reduces, combine with cooked spaghetti and grated, melty cheese (cheddar or mozzarella are our favorites!) and dinner is served. We like this pasta topped with extra cheese, and paired with a nice glass of red wine.