Need a family meal ready in under 20 minutes? Try this quick and easy Japanese Ketchup Spaghetti, known as Napolitan. Home cooks all across Japan prepare this simple recipe that elevates pantry staples with fresh ingredients like sausages, mushrooms, onion, and bell pepper. It’s a savory and satisfying dish!
Ketchup in spaghetti?! You hear it right. The idea of spaghetti with ketchup sauce may make any Italian cringe. However, Japanese Ketchup Spaghetti, or what we call Spaghetti Napolitan (スパゲッティーナポリタン), has been a popular menu at cafe restaurants (Kissaten) since the 1950s. This comforting pasta dish always brings a nostalgic memory to many Japanese who grew up eating it.
Table of Contents
What is Napolitan?
Napolitan is tomato ketchup-based, Japanese-style pasta that consists of spaghetti noodles, onions, green bell peppers, button mushrooms, and Japanese sausages. There are a few variations where we replace the sausages with bacon or ham. However, in general, it all has a standard sunny look of appetizing orange.
Phonetically, the Japanese language doesn’t distinguish R and L as separate sounds. For that reason, it uses the same katakana characters to represent R and L sounds of Western alphabets. So we write it as either Napolitan or Naporitan. While the spelling “Naporitan” is derived from romanji (the romanization of Japanese), the spelling “Napolitan” takes the origin of the name (Napoli) into account.
The Origin of Napolitan
There are a few theories of how Napolitan originated. The strongest theory is that it originated in Yokohama during the postwar era.
Around the 1950s, the head chef at the New Grand Hotel in Yokohama created this recipe after being inspired by the spaghetti and tomato sauce dish served to the American military. Since tomato sauce was a rare ingredient at that time, he used ketchup as a substitute for pasta sauce. He then named it “Spaghetti Napolitan”, or Napoli, after Naples, Italy.
Around the same time, Japan started to open itself to the world and began to consider fashionable new ideas from the West. These newly Westernized dishes like Spaghetti Meat Sauce and Spaghetti Napolitan received excellent responses. Eventually, they became mainstays in the cafes and Japanese home kitchens. To this day, the two dishes are still two of the most popular pasta dishes among Yoshoku (Western-influenced food, 洋食) in Japan.
Ketchup as The Key Flavoring
Not surprisingly, Japanese cuisine has used ketchup in seasoning various dishes, as this all-star American condiment lends a depth of flavor with its sweet-tangy profile.
Therefore, you can find ketchup used in Japanese Curry, Omurice, Ebi Chili, and a pasta dish like Spaghetti Napolitan. It’s a great example of how open we are when it comes to adapting other cultural influences in improving our own cuisine.
Why You’ll Love This Pasta
The genius about Spaghetti Napolitan is that it utilizes most of the pantry staples in your kitchen. The common ingredients include onion, mushrooms, green bell peppers, and sausages (ham or bacon). It’s seasoned with ketchup and Parmesan cheese and served with Tabasco sauce.
It’s really flexible, too! For example, you can try bacon in place of sausage. Likewise, use peas in place of bell peppers. Top it with a fried egg if you’d like. But simplicity is good for this recipe. When you don’t have any of the ingredients in the recipe, you can throw in whatever happens to be in season or on-hand in your kitchen.
To make it vegetarian-friendly, leave out the meat and add more mushrooms. Mix it up with a different type of mushroom for texture and flavor.
This dish is really easy to make and the flavor is kids-friendly. It makes an ideal meal for a quick dinner if you have a family with young children. I remember my son used to request this Ketchup Spaghetti when I asked what kind of pasta he would like for lunch.
Cooking Tips
- Timing is key for a smooth workflow. Get your prep work done while you boil the water to cook the spaghetti. You should have the cooked ingredients and sauce ready by the time the spaghetti is done cooking. Then toss everything together and serve!
- The taste of ketchup slightly varies depending on the brand. I usually use this organic ketchup (No GMO ingredients, no high-fructose corn syrup) but a similar one would work great. Napolitan does have a slightly sweet taste to it, but feel free to omit the sugar as listed in the recipe. For the authentic flavor, get a bottle of Kagome Tomato Ketchup from the Japanese grocery store. It is the classic Japanese ketchup to make Omurice and Napolitan.
- Always reserve the pasta cooking water. Set aside ¼ cup (or more depending on the serving portion) of the pasta cooking water. The starch in this salty pasta water acts as a binder and creates an emulsion when you add it to a sauce that contains fat like butter or oil.
- Don’t overcook the spaghetti as you will continue to cook a bit more in the frying pan.
- Consider textures. In my opinion, this pasta dish tastes best with various textures. For veggies such as bell peppers or fresh peas or sugar snap pea, I’d keep them on the crunchy side. However, my kids do not like raw or undercooked bell peppers so they always ask them to be as thin and wilted as possible. I personally like to cook the onion a bit more (no need to caramelize) to get the sweet flavor out of it.
- Just a tablespoon of butter at the end adds umami and creaminess to the dish. So don’t skip it!
It cannot be easier to put this Spaghetti Napolitan together! For a fancy yet effortless weeknight dinner, serve it with a green salad and wine. Enjoy!
Other Japanese-Style Pasta Recipes
- Miso Butter Pasta with Tuna and Cabbage
- Creamy Mushroom and Bacon Pasta
- Ume Shiso Pasta
- Japanese-style Pasta with Shrimp and Broccolini
Wish to learn more about Japanese cooking? Sign up for our free newsletter to receive cooking tips & recipe updates! And stay in touch with me on Facebook, Pinterest, YouTube, and Instagram.
Napolitan (Japanese Ketchup Spaghetti)
Video
Ingredients
For the Sauce Seasonings
- ⅓ cup ketchup (for an authentic flavor, use Kagome Tomato Ketchup from the Japanese grocery store)
- ½ Tbsp milk (optional; for a creamier taste)
- 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tsp sugar (optional; for an authentic Japanese taste)
For the Sauce Ingredients
- ½ onion (3.5 oz, 100 g)
- ¼–½ green bell pepper (2.5 oz, 70 g)
- 4 mushrooms (2.5 oz, 70 g)
- 5 oz sausages (I use 4–6 kurobuta or arabiki sausages from the Japanese market; you can substitute another type of sausage, ham, bacon, etc.)
- 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 clove garlic
- ¼ tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- ⅛ tsp freshly ground black pepper
For the Pasta
- 7 oz spaghetti
- 1½ Tbsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- ¼ cup reserved pasta water (you may not need it; check your sauce and add gradually)
- 1 Tbsp unsalted butter
For Serving
- 2 Tbsp Parmigiano-Reggiano or Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Gather all the ingredients. Start boiling a large pot of water (I use a 4 QT pot).
To Prepare the Ingredients
- In a small bowl, combine ⅓ cup ketchup, ½ Tbsp milk, 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce, 1 tsp sugar. Mix them together and set aside.
- Cut ½ onion into thin slices.
- Cut ¼–½ green bell pepper in half crosswise (if it‘s long), and then cut into thin strips.
- Cut 4 mushrooms into thin slices.
- Cut 5 oz sausages diagonally into thin slices.
To Boil the Spaghetti
- Once the water is boiling, add 1½ Tbsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt and 7 oz spaghetti. Stir to make sure the noodles don‘t stick to each other. Cook the spaghetti according to the package directions. Toward the end of cooking, reserve some pasta cooking water.While the pasta is cooking, prepare the sauce.
To Cook the Sauce
- Heat a large frying pan over medium heat. When it‘s hot, add 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil and distribute it evenly. Crush and add 1 clove garlic (I use this garlic press) and sauté for 1 minute, just until golden and fragrant.
- Add the onions to the pan and sauté for 2–3 minutes.
- When the onions are wilted, add the sausages and sauté for 1 minute.
- Add the bell peppers and mushrooms and sauté until everything is cooked.
- Season with ¼ tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt and ⅛ tsp freshly ground black pepper.
- Push the ingredients to one side and add the sauce mixture to the empty side of the pan. When the sauce starts to bubble and thicken, mix it together with the sausages and vegetables.
- Now, scoop out some of the starchy cooking water from the pasta pot, about ¼ cup reserved pasta water. Remember, you may not need the reserved pasta cooking water that you saved. Add it to the pasta sauce only if it needs to loosen up. At times, I do not use it at all or use 1–2 Tbsp. Check the consistency of the sauce, and gradually add reserved pasta water, stirring well, until the sauce is the consistency you like.
- Mix it all together and let the sauce simmer and reduce a bit.
- By now, the spaghetti should be done cooking. Drain it well in a colander and add it to the pan with the sauce. Add 1 Tbsp unsalted butter and toss to combine using tongs, making sure the sauce coats the pasta evenly.
To Serve
- Serve the Napolitan immediately on individual plates. Shave 2 Tbsp Parmigiano-Reggiano or Parmesan cheese over the pasta now or at the table.
To Store
- You can keep the leftovers in an airtight container and store them in the refrigerator for 3 days or in the freezer for a month.
Nutrition
Editor’s Note: This post was originally published on Apr 19, 2013. The post has been republished with updated content, new images, and a slightly-revised recipe on July 25, 2022.
no in Italy they normally don’t use ketchup in their spaghetti. its usually tomatos, tomato paste. Actually using ketchup with any kind of pasta is forbidden but I know italians who do add some ketchup to the marinara sauce.
Hi Silvia! I think this dish is created by Japanese who was working for a hotel in Japan back in the 50s when we get a lot of influence from the Americans. 🙂 Ketchup is very American thing. 🙂 But it’s funny how the name implies Italian… maybe because it’s pasta dish. 🙂
Hi Nami,
My mother used to cook a lot of that when we were growing up at home (in Paris, but she grew up just after the war near Tokyo so that explains a lot). My brother and I used to love this almost as much as omurice (typical for kids) but at home we just called it akai spaghetti (as in 赤い). And as of this day I am still cooking it on my own (minus the bell pepper that I think kills the onions).
Thank you for your blog where I can find almost all the dishes I used to eat when I was a kid!
Best.
Mayumi.
Hi Mayumi! I remember it was one of my favorite spaghetti too! It’s so easy to make and we usually have ingredients at home so my mom would cook it sometimes for lunch. “Akai Spaghetti” hehee that’s a cute nickname! I personally don’t eat green bell pepper (I start to get heartburn) but it’s one of ingredients in “classic” napolitan recipe, I think. 😉
Hi Nami,
Hope u are having a good weekend.
I am just wondering if I can use salami instead of Italian sausages. Will that work too?
Please advise. Thanks!
Regards,
Cindy
Hi Cindy! Thank you, it was busy but we had good weekend. Hope you had good one, too. Sure, you can use salami, ham, any kind of meat you have in your fridge. Hope you enjoy this recipe! 🙂
I made this tonight and it was absolutely delicious!
Hi Emily! Thank you so much for trying this recipe! I’m so happy you liked it!! 🙂
Here in Germany many Italian restaurants serve Pasta Napolitana, it’s tomato sauce, like Americans eat spaghetti with marinara sauce
Thank you so much for letting me know Asami! Some Italian blogger told me that Spaghetti Neapolitan doesn’t exist. It was interesting to hear there is a name “Pasta Napolitana” in Germany. 🙂
Hi Nami! What kind of mushroom did you use? I am sooo excited to try this recipe for my little boy.
Thanks for sharing!
Hi Cha! I use button mushrooms, but you can use enoki mushrooms, eringi mushrooms, maybe even shiitake mushrooms too! Hope that helps! 🙂
This is surprisingly delicious. I’ve had it several times and I must say the first time I didn’t realize it contained ketchup. (Maybe I was still jetlagged!) Children and some grown men are crazy for ‘Ketchup Spaghetti’. The grown men includes my husband. Last year I read the book, ‘Pure Ketchup’ by Andrew F. Smith and it was an very interesting book.
Hi Kitty! Yeah “surprisingly” is totally the right word because I think some people are not used to seeing ketchup with pasta. LOL… Pure Ketchup sounds like an interesting book to read!
Hi Nami,
Happy Friday! I recently asked if you had a recipe for this. Thank you so much for posting this recipe so quickly. =D
Your photo of the Spaghetti Neapolitan (aka Ketchup Spaghetti) is beautiful. I’ve never thought to pair it with wine, but will give it a try when I make your version of the Spaghetti Neapolitan.
Have a wonderful weekend with your family.
Hi Candice! Yes, you are one of the readers and the first person who requested! Thank YOU for your request. So many readers told me this post reminded of their childhood memory and I was really happy to share this post. 🙂
Thank you for the memory! My ojiisan made us spaghetti with ketchup and hamburger! He also did a fried rice with ketchup and hamburger! Hadn’t thought about that for years!
Hi Dar! So happy to hear about your Ojiisan’s recipe! Wow he cooked? I don’t remember my grandpas or my dad made any dish! Yep, ketchup chahan is delicious too!
My mother is Japanese and used to make this for the all the time growing up. It really is delicious! I’m happy to see the recipe here. Can’t wait to make it for my own daughters!
Hi Stephanie! I think this dish is made more at home than eating out. I never had anything against ketchup growing up because of this delicious dish… 🙂 Hope you and your daughters enjoy this dish!
Growing up, my dad would make spaghetti for us with jarred sauce and add copious amount of ketchup and sugar. It’s been so long and now I feel so nostalgic! I not only want to try your recipe, but want to visit him and ask if he would make his spaghetti for me as well. Thanks =)
Hi Janice! Thank you for your lovely story! That’s wonderful that you have a wonderful memory of food your dad made. I don’t remember when or if my dad ever cooked! 😀 Your dad will be so happy to see you and hear that you miss his food. 🙂
Nami: I love your blog! My Uncle Yutaka turned me on to it, and I’ve turned it on to some of my cousins. I’ve had this in Japan over 20 years ago and swore it was ketchup! Thank you for validifing the use of ketchup!
Wondering if you’ve ever run into a recipe for: ume spaghetti? It has shiso leaves in it. Or-maybe it is shiso spaghetti? I had it at a restaurant in Carson (or Cypress) in So CA: Hiro’s Cafe. It was so delicious!
Hi Pam! Thank you so much for following my blog and for introducing my site to more people! That means a lot to me. THANK YOU!!! xoxo
I love shiso & ume pasta with sprinkled nori. Ahhhh! I am craving for it now! When I go to Japanese style pasta restaurant in Japan (unfortunately not around in SF area), I always order that. I need to remember this restaurant when I go to SoCal! Or I should recreate my own version. Thanks for your suggestion! 🙂
My mother made ketchup spaghetti, though instead of kurobuta sausage she used sliced bologna. She was from the Yokohama area, so I’m guessing that’s where she learned to make this particular spaghetti sauce. Also, “real” meat was hard to come by after the war, so I suspect the bologna was a postwar staple just as Spam was in the UK.
Unfortunately, I grew up and took cooking classes from chefs who looked down on ketchup, so I never made the dish myself. When my mother died, I was sorry I didn’t write down her recipe for ketchup spaghetti—until now. Thank you so much for posting this!
Hi Eleanor! This spaghetti became popular in Yokohama, but now it’s pretty much all over the place in Japan and always found in Yoshoku (western style) restaurants and cafes. 🙂
Haha, I understand about the ketchup. I’m not a huge ketchup fan too (I eat french fries without dipping in ketchup until I get bored with salt taste…then I’d dip in ketchup). Hope you can recreate your mom’s flavor!
Would you believe we just finished up some spaghetti and meatballs this week, so I have to wait a while to try this Ketchup Spaghetti. But thank you for sharing the wine choice! It’s always nice to get a good pairing. Have a wonderful weekend, Nami!
Hi Donna! Have you tried Napoletan before? It’s a comfort dish which brings back of my childhood memory. 🙂
Yeah, there is a Neopolitan sauce. As I understand it it’s a ragu, like bolognese, but made with whole meat pieces. I’m running to google now to learn more!
Hi Mags! Thanks for your input! I think there may be a ragu called Neapolitan (I saw one video which an Italian chef was making Neapolitan pasta), but definitely NO ketchup. 😀