If there’s one dish that instantly brings back memories of birthday parties, fiestas, or casual family gatherings in the Philippines, it’s filipino spaghetti. And now, you can make this nostalgic dish faster and easier using an Instant Pot! This filipino style spaghetti is a perfect balance of savory meat, sweet banana ketchup, and cheesy goodness—all in one pot. Whether you're new to filipino cuisine or just want a quicker way to cook your favorite philippine spaghetti, this is one of the best easy filipino recipes to add to your weekly meal plan.
Instant Pot Pinoy Spaghetti
Prep Time 10 minutes mins
Cook Time 15 minutes mins
Pressure build and release 5 minutes mins
Total Time 30 minutes mins
Course Main Course
Cuisine Asian, Filipino
- 1 lb spaghetti noodles broken in half
- 1 lb ground pork or a pork-beef mix
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 6 –8 Filipino-style red hot dogs sliced
- 2 tablespoons oil
- 1 can 15 oz tomato sauce
- 1/4 cup tomato paste
- 1 ½ cups banana ketchup
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 3 ½ cups water or broth
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 –2 cups quick-melt cheese grated (like Eden or cheddar)
Sauté aromatics and meat
Set the Instant Pot to Sauté mode. Heat oil and cook onions and garlic until fragrant. Add ground pork and cook until no longer pink. Season with soy sauce, salt, and pepper.
Add hot dogs
Toss in the sliced hot dogs and cook for another 2–3 minutes until lightly browned.
Add sauces and liquids
Stir in the tomato sauce, tomato paste, banana ketchup, and sugar. Mix well to coat everything. Add the broken spaghetti noodles, making sure they’re criss-crossed and spread evenly to prevent clumping.
Pour in water or broth
Add 3 ½ cups of water or broth over the noodles. Do not stir. Press down gently to submerge the noodles.
Pressure cook
Lock the lid and set the Instant Pot to Pressure Cook or Manual on high for 8 minutes.
Quick release and stir
Once done, do a quick release. Open the lid carefully and give everything a good stir. If the sauce is too thick, you can add a splash of water or broth.
Cheese it up
While still hot, stir in grated quick-melt cheese until gooey and fully incorporated.
Pairings
Serve this cozy pinoy spaghetti alongside fried chicken, garlic bread, or lumpiang shanghai for a classic ulam pinoy filipino recipes meal. It also makes a great party potluck addition. For a true Filipino fiesta feel, pair it with ice-cold soda (like Royal Tru-Orange or Coke) and a side of macaroni salad.
FAQs
1. Why use banana ketchup?
It’s the signature ingredient in filipino style spaghetti. Banana ketchup brings sweetness and tang that sets this apart from Western spaghetti recipes, making it a true asian spaghetti dish rooted in philippines food culture.
2. Can I use another type of meat?
Yes! Ground beef or a pork-beef combo works great. Even ground chicken is a good substitute if you're keeping it lean.
3. Are the hot dogs optional?
Technically, yes—but they’re part of what makes filipino spaghetti so unique. Filipino-style red hot dogs are iconic, but you can use regular beef hot dogs in a pinch.
4. What kind of cheese should I use?
Quick-melt cheese like Eden is traditional in the filipino style. If you can’t find it, mild cheddar or processed cheese works just fine.
5. Can I make this without an Instant Pot?
Of course, but the Instant Pot makes it faster and more convenient. If you're cooking it traditionally, follow the stovetop method and boil the noodles separately.
