Welcome to the 2nd installment of our Easy College Meal Series! We kicked it off with a 10-Minute Instant Ramen Recipe, and next on the list is a Japanese dish that brings instant comfort and childhood nostalgia: Napolitan Pasta (also known as Japanese Ketchup Spaghetti). To make this popular pasta all in one pot and under 10 minutes, we use Dezin Electric Cooker, which we specifically bought for our son so he can cook in his dorm without a stove. It’s the best gift for college kids or anyone living in a small apartment. Let’s take a look at how you can put this recipe together!
Quick Background of Napolitan
This unique pasta dish brings together the comfort of Italian pasta with a twist of Japanese flair, combining a rich, tangy ketchup-based sauce with a medley of savory ingredients. Here we have tender spaghetti drenched in a bright red sauce, loaded with juicy slices of sausage, crisp bell peppers, and onions, all simmered to perfection. Since ketchup is the key flavor in this pasta, it’s no wonder it has been a kid-and-family favorite in Japanese households since the 1950s. Wish to learn more about the origin of the dish? Click over to my original Ketchup Spaghetti recipe.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
A speedy pasta meal done in 10 minutes. Who doesn’t like that, especially on a hectic day? Affordable and adaptable — you’ll need only pantry staples and fresh produce that last long in the fridge. Store well in the fridge or freezer — double the portion, and you’ll have another meal ready on standby.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Spaghetti Vegetables: Onion, green pepper, mushrooms Sausages Extra virgin olive oil Salt & pepper Sauce seasonings: Ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, butter (optional)
Substitution Tips
Swap the protein — You can use ham or bacon to replace the sausages. To make it vegetarian-friendly, leave out the meat and add more mushrooms. Try using different types of mushrooms for texture and flavor. Other crunchy vegetables such as fresh peas, sugar snap peas, broccolini would work, too.
How to Make the Best Napolitan
Recipe Tips
Use Kagome Tomato Ketchup from the Japanese grocery store for an authentic taste. This is the ketchup we use to make Omurice as well.
Use Worcestershire sauce to balance out the sweet ketchup taste. In a pinch, you can use Tonkatsu sauce or soy sauce.
Do not overcook the veggies so they retain the crunchy textures.
Storage & Reheating
To Refrigerate: First, let the pasta cool down to room temperature. Transfer it to an airtight storage container and refrigerate for up to 3 days or in the freezer for a month. To Reheat. To reheat from the fridge, simply microwave the pasta for a couple of minutes, or until warm through. To reheat from the freezer, place the frozen pasta in the fridge and let it thaw overnight. Once thawed, the rice can be microwaved for a couple of minutes.
Complete Your Meal
Napolitan makes a satisfying meal on its own. And if you like, you can put together a really quick salad to go with the pasta. Grab a box of spring mix and dress it with one of these easy Salad Dressings. There you’ll have it: a simple but nonetheless very cozy dinner.
Easy College Meal Series
The concept of this College Meal Series came about as my son started living in the dorm at his college. Since cooking is a life skill, I decided to put together simple, cheap, and easy recipes for not just my son but anyone who needs these beginner recipes. As mentioned earlier, we use this versatile Dezin Electric Cooker to cook all kinds of dishes, including my son’s favorites like 10-Minute Elevated Instant Ramen. You can use your saucepan or frying pan to cook these dishes instead of the Dezin as well. I hope you enjoy this 10-Minute Napolitan (Ketchup Pasta) Recipe. Don’t miss the video, which my son actually cooked following my recipe on Instagram!
