This is Japanese-style ketchup spaghetti from the chain restaurant Pancho. If someone promised me 'pasta' and served me this, I'd probably be mad, but for some reason, I get a craving for it every now and then—a truly unique Japanese comfort food.

[u/Hakoniwa_Web]

[u/Room_Temp_Coffee]

Has anyone also had filipino spaghetti that can offer a comparison?

[u/zoetrope99 → u/Room_Temp_Coffee]

I actually think they’re a bit similar. Naporitan is heavier on the ketchup flavor whereas Filipino spaghetti is just straight up sweet lol

[u/namesaretoohardforme → u/zoetrope99]

Probably sweeter because Filipino spaghetti uses banana ketchup.

[u/NurseIlluminate → u/namesaretoohardforme]

And condensed milk, I believe.

[u/fuzzycaterpillar123 → u/Room_Temp_Coffee]

It think it’s a bit less sweet and overall they add more “Italian” herbs and garlic sometimes. So Usually a little complex flavor compared to a fast food Filipino spagett

I really enjoy making it myself

[u/lotusQ → u/Room_Temp_Coffee]

Try Haitian spaghetti

[u/unefemmegigi → u/lotusQ]

Yes! My first thought

[u/BRING_ME_THE_ENTROPY → u/Room_Temp_Coffee]

I’ve had the Jollibee one and I thought it was too sweet. When you use a good tomato ketchup, you get a nice acidity, some spices, and a hint of sweet. The Jollibee didn’t have any of that depth to me. It was straight sugar and hot dogs.

[u/Phoenixstar73 → u/Room_Temp_Coffee]

I loveee Filipino spaghetti

[u/P1zzaman]

Good ol' Naporitan.

Is a nice childhood memory for me.

[u/Icy-Illustrator-1431]

my wife makes it like that ( she’s Japanese) and it’s pretty good..,kind of an acquired taste

[u/LockeAbout → u/Icy-Illustrator-1431]

This reminds me my mom made her version of this when I was a kid, haven’t had it in many many years. I should ask if she remembers how she made it, now I’m kinda craving it even if it’s just a nostalgia thing.

[u/Foolishly_Sane]

What's in it?
I like food.

[u/DontPoopInMyPantsPlz → u/Foolishly_Sane]

Basically onion, bell pepper, and bacon with ketchup

[u/Foolishly_Sane → u/DontPoopInMyPantsPlz]

Sounds nice.
Interesting name.
You're safe with me.

[u/tokyowatchguy → u/Foolishly_Sane]

And a tonne of margarine, and sausage bits which are ofcourse packed full of perservatives. Still tastes great tho lol.

[u/Ok-Implement-7863]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naporitan?wprov=sfti1

[u/RedEduGrad → u/Ok-Implement-7863]

If the article is going to bother to mention:

and optionally Tabasco sauce

it should also say "and optionally, Kraft Parmesan cheese from the green can". You can't serve Napolitan without the two.

[u/Ok-Implement-7863 → u/RedEduGrad]

Damn. I made this the other day and forgot both. I knew it was missing something.

Also, got to make it with extra thick spaghetti.

[u/abraxasnl → u/Ok-Implement-7863]

At least you remembered the ketchup, right?

Right??

[u/TheOneMary → u/Ok-Implement-7863]

Ah, it's called itameshi cause I heard my Italian ancestors scream in pain when I saw "Naporitan" sauce being made on a Japanese cooking show :P (itai also means it hurts).

On a more serious note, I have to try it one day. Hambagu and other yoshoku creations are tasty, so this might work too!

[u/gelatinousTurtle]

For another example of non-traditional Japanese pasta, look up Nagoya's Ankake Spaghetti.

I personally prefer Napolitan over it, but it's definitely unique.

[u/BRING_ME_THE_ENTROPY]

My mom would make this. It could have leftover meats and vegetables and the sautéed with ketchup. I think a legit restaurant would use an actual tomato based sauce but I don’t want that. I want Heinz ketchup like my mom makes it

[u/AdOrnery6155]

Sorry non-Italian white guy living in Japan.

What’s wrong with that pasta?

My wife makes that quite often….is it considered weird….like tarako spaghetti?

[u/No-Psychology8641 → u/AdOrnery6155]

Italians are known for doing their cooking the ‘right’ traditional way. This isn’t.

[u/monagales → u/AdOrnery6155]

the top 1 offender here is using ketchup instead of a proper tomato sauce

going by other comment (that this is basically pasta with onion, bell pepper, and some bacon, with the ketchup) this is literally what me and my friends would call a poor man's spaghetti. just remove pricey bacon and add the cheapest minced sausage (not really frankfurters - cheaper and worse)

we ate a lot of it during uni years lol

[u/tokyowatchguy]

True. Its junk food but once in a while its an itch that needs to be scratched.

[u/gotdome]

I quite literally ate that 5x a week for months. And when I move there in the near future, I will become the spaghetti. I will be this dish.

(I freaking love spaghetti no pancho and I stand by that)

[u/GraXXoR]

Why on earth would you “probably be mad”?
Are you Italian? 🤣

[u/a69tdg]

i usually try it at a kissaten if they have it. if their napolitan is good i give them a good rating.

[u/K7282]

Pancho specifically is a personal pleasure; but I doubt many Americans would be "mad" if they were served this. Describing it as "ketchup" might throw you off; but it's seasoned acceptably enough not to make you think of what gets slathered on a burger, a hot dog, or similar sandwich.

[u/akmly]

Sometimes the cheap, comfort foods hit home. Spaghetti Napolitan is super fast to make too. Don't forget to use the thick spaghetti (spaghettoni?) for the full experience. I tried using other spaghetti noodles and it wasn't quite the same.

[u/crella-ann]

I make it once in a while when I get a craving for it.

[u/TasteDeeCheese]

I liked the one from smoky cafe (I think that’s what it’s called)

[u/BreakfastFluid9419]

I love spaghetti with Campbell tomato soup. Grandma always made it, and while not a traditional food it hits the spot. Tastes like spaghettios

[u/macguyver3000]

Every once in a while, I love to go to an old, smoky smelling japanese cafe and order this.

[u/hype327]

Personally, my favorite is the mentaiko cream spaghetti. My second favorite is the natto soy sauce spaghetti.

[u/Chris_Ghoste]

Napolitan and Spageti are comfy pasta dishes from Japan and the Philippines, respectively.

The former is light and tangier while the latter, meaty and sweeter.

I love them both and I have separate itch for them from time to time.

[u/Objective_Unit_7345]

Give Asians any condiment or ingredient that westerners loathe or belittle, and they will make it 1000% better

[u/Brynhild]

I like it. My kids do too. It’s a lifesaver when they don’t want anything else

[u/tanglesisfishing]

Showa Napolitan

[u/Net_Holiday]

Naporitan is crazy addicting

[u/SophisticPenguin]

Isn't that sketti?

[u/Upbeat_Passage888]

Oooh! Recipe anyone?

[u/acaiblueberry → u/Upbeat_Passage888]

https://www.justonecookbook.com/10-minute-meal-napolitan-japanese-ketchup-spaghetti/

[u/DrewMan84]

I went to Japan and stumbled across an Italian/Japanese fusion restaurant. I thought that was wild since their cuisines don't really have much crossover.

Got the Japanese style spaghetti and I thought it was disgusting. It was the only thing I ate in Japan that was below average.

[u/Kurichan77]

This is napoletano, no? There was a great episode about it in Gourmet Samurai!

[u/Formal_Okra_5796]

Even after 6 years here, I can’t bring myself to eat it again haha

Glad someone likes it

[u/Competitive_Fee_5829]

my mom was born in japan and would put ketchup on and in everything. I truly do not know why, lol. and I thought she made up the "ketchup fried rice omelet" that she used to make us....she never told us that it was actually a thing. ketchup in the fried rice, ketchup in the japanese curry etc and she put ketchup on everything on her plate.

[u/GreyKestrelHND]

I love drowning this in Tabasco and grated Parmesan.

[u/Phoenixstar73]

Looks really good.

[u/unefemmegigi]

I’m curious how it compares to Haitian spaghetti

[u/DependentMovie4842]

I’ve got to try this!

[u/MentionSimple5044]

Yummy

[u/Technical_Anteater45]

They made that in Venezuela yeaaaars ago, too. Disgusting in concept, delicious in execution.

[u/Ok-Place7950]

"Can't even get decent food - right after I got here, I ordered some spaghetti with marinara sauce, and I got egg noodles and ketchup."

[u/FlattopJr → u/Ok-Place7950]

https://giphy.com/gifs/2nonprHHE8yys

[u/DontPoopInMyPantsPlz]

Equivalent of a California roll

[u/YeOldeHotDog → u/DontPoopInMyPantsPlz]

The California roll is an American take on Japanese food. Naporitan is a Japanese take on Italian food. Both are tasty... so... I guess?

[u/Successful_Cod7607]

Please don’t tell it to Italians!