Make Spaghetti Napolitan yourself in just 20 minutes

Sometimes it doesn’t take much to be happy – just a handful of ingredients, a little time and a recipe that brings back childhood memories. Spaghetti Napolitan is just such a dish: simple, nostalgic and full of flavour. With crunchy peppers, spicy sausages and the sweet-and-sour tang of ketchup, this recipe is a real comfort food – perfect for a quick lunch or dinner that’s guaranteed to put you in a good mood. Discover Japan’s quick ketchup pasta here.

What is Spaghetti Napolitan?

Spaghetti Napolitan (ナポリタン, ‘Naporitan’) is a Japanese pasta dish with an unusual main ingredient: ketchup. It was invented after the Second World War in Yokohama by chef Shigetada Irie at the Hotel New Grand, who was inspired by US soldiers who prepared pasta there with tomato paste and sausages. As tomato sauce was hard to come by at the time, they simply used ketchup instead – and thus created a new cult Japanese dish.

Why you’ll love this recipe!

✔ Ready in 20 minutes: This recipe is perfect for anyone who wants something warm on their plate quickly after work – without too much hassle.
✔ A touch of Japan – with ingredients from the supermarket: You don’t need any fancy special ingredients – you’ll find everything you need in your local supermarket.
✔ Wonderfully versatile: Whether with sausages, vegetarian with mushrooms or extra spicy with chilli oil – you can adapt Spaghetti Napolitan to suit your taste.
✔ Nostalgic & uncomplicated: This Yoshoku dish brings a slice of everyday Japanese cuisine into your home – wonderfully retro, wonderfully simple and guaranteed to be delicious.

Although the name is reminiscent of the Italian city of Naples, Spaghetti Napolitan has little in common with classic Italian pasta. Instead, it is a prime example of so-called ‘Yoshoku’ cuisine – Japanese dishes with Western influences. Today, Napolitan is ubiquitous in Japan: whether in an izakaya, a school canteen or a konbini – hardly any other dish is so accessible and yet so beloved.

Make Spaghetti Napolitan yourself: Here’s how </ seg> Making Spaghetti Napolitan at home is incredibly simple – you only need a few ingredients, a bit of chopping and 20 minutes of your time. That makes it the ideal recipe for beginners or for anyone who fancies a quick, hearty meal.

Spaghetti Napolitan zu Hause zuzubereiten ist denkbar einfach – du brauchst nur wenige Zutaten, ein bisschen Schneidearbeit und 20 Minuten Zeit. Das macht es zum idealen Rezept für Kochanfänger oder für alle, die sich ein schnelles, herzhaftes Essen wünschen.

The key ingredients for your Spaghetti Napolitan:

Spaghetti: Classic durum wheat pasta works perfectly – make sure not to overcook it, as it will be fried in the sauce later on.
Sausages: Vienna or chicken sausages add a hearty flavour. Alternatively, ham or vegetarian sausages also work well.
Vegetables: Onions, peppers and mushrooms add texture, colour and freshness.
Ketchup: The main ingredient in the sauce – sweet, tomatoey and characteristic of the dish.
Butter & oil: A touch of butter rounds off the sauce, whilst oil is used for frying.
Spices & Toppings: Salt, pepper, Parmesan and a little chopped parsley – that’s all you need.

Whilst the spaghetti is cooking al dente in salted water, slice the peppers, mushrooms, sausages and onions into fine strips. Finely chop the garlic. Everything is fried in a large frying pan one after the other until the vegetables are soft and fragrant.

Then add the ketchup and mix everything with a little of the pasta cooking water to form a creamy sauce. Now add the drained spaghetti straight to the pan, mix with the sauce and, if desired, finish with a little butter. Finally, serve – with freshly grated Parmesan and parsley. Done!

Spaghetti Napolitan variations:

Whether classic, creative or vegetarian – Spaghetti Napolitan is a real all-rounder that gives you plenty of scope to experiment:

You can replace the meat with vegan alternatives such as Tofu sausages or fried mushrooms.
For more Umami, you can add a little soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce or even a dash of milk.
If you prefer a more tomatoey flavour, add a little tomato purée.
Corn, spinach or edamame also make wonderful additions.

With this simple yet sophisticated dish, you can bring a genuine taste of Japanese home cooking to your table – perfect for relaxed evenings or a little taste of Japan whenever you fancy it.

What goes well with Spaghetti Napolitan?

Spaghetti Napolitan is a real comfort food – hearty, nostalgic and wonderfully filling. To make it even more balanced (or so you can fully savour that Japanese vibe), a few simple side dishes combine perfectly:

A small Japanese potato salad with its creamy texture and sweetish flavour makes a mild complement to the spicy ketchup pasta. Or how about a cucumber salad in rice vinegar dressing? Its fresh tang provides the perfect contrast. A Misoshiru also goes wonderfully with it: light, warming and typically Japanese – ideal for rounding off the meal. If you prefer something a bit heartier, serve it with a slice of tamagoyaki, the classic Japanese omelette. In no time at all, you’ll have a small meal that’s not only filling but also truly satisfying.

Have you ever made spaghetti Napolitan yourself? Feel free to share your ideas and variations in the comments – I look forward to hearing from you! Have fun cooking and enjoy your meal.

Spaghetti Napolitan

serves 2 | 20 minutes | 733 kcal

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A classic from everyday Japanese cuisine that brings back the flavours of childhood with ketchup, sausages and vegetables. The recipe is ready in just 20 minutes – quick to make, wonderfully straightforward and simply delicious!

Ingredients (serves 2)

For the pasta:
250 g spaghetti
1.5 litres water
1 tbsp salt

For the sauce:
4 sausages(e.g. Vienna sausages, chicken sausages)
1 green pepper
4–5 button mushrooms(or Shiitake)
1 onion
1 clove of garlic
3 tbsp ketchup
1 tsp butter(optional)
2-3 tbsp oil (e.g. sunflower oil)
a little salt and pepper

To serve:
2 tbsp grated Parmesan
a little chopped parsley (optional)

Useful tools:
Santoku knife (im Shop ansehen)

Preparation (20 minutes)

Step 1

Prepare the ingredients for Spaghetti Napolitan with sausages.

Passaggio 2

First, wash the peppers, remove the seeds and cut them into thin strips. Then move on to the onion – cut this into thin strips too. Slice the mushrooms .

Spaghetti Napolitan passaggio 3 - Tagliare le salsicce

Step 3

Now cut the sausages diagonally into thin slices and finely chop the garlic clove and the parsley . If necessary, finely grate the Parmesan now. Set everything aside.

Step 4

Bring 1.5 litres of water with 1 tbsp salt to the boil. Add the spaghetti and cook it according to the packet instructions until al dente – i.e. firm to the bite.
Tip: Save some of the cooking water before draining the pasta – you’ll need it for the sauce in a moment.

Passaggio 5

Heat oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat. First add the prepared sausage slices and the mushrooms and fry them on all sides. Then add the onions and the garlic and fry until translucent. Next, add the peppers . Fry everything for 3–4 minutes, stirring continuously.

step 6

Now add 3 tbsp ketchup to the pan and mix everything together thoroughly. If the sauce seems too thick, you can thin it out a little with 2 tbsp of the pasta cooking water. Season to taste with salt and pepper, just as you like.
Add the cooked spaghetti directly to the pan with the sauce. Mix everything together well so that the pasta is evenly coated with the spicy ketchup sauce. Now, if you like, add 1 tsp butter – this rounds off the sauce nicely and gives the dish a lovely, creamy touch.

Step 7

Divide the pasta between two plates. Sprinkle with freshly grated Parmesan and – if you like – a little chopped parsley for colour. And there you have it – your Japanese comfort food is ready to enjoy!
Spaghetti Napolitan is a true classic of Japanese Yoshoku cuisine – simple to make, wonderfully nostalgic and perfect for a quick lunch or dinner. Done – Itadakimasu!