Napolitan

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!

Recipe

• ½ onion (3.5 oz or 100 g for 2 servings)
• ¼-½ green bell pepper (2.5 oz or 70 g for 2 servings)
• 4 mushrooms (2.5 oz or 70 g for 2 servings)
• 5 oz (142 g) sausages (I use 4-6 kurobuta or arabiki sausage from a Japanese grocery store, but you can use another type of sausage, ham, bacon, etc.)
• 1 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 clove garlic
• ¼ tsp kosher salt (Diamond Crystal; use half for table salt)
• ⅛ tsp freshly ground black pepper

For the Sauce

• ⅓ cup (80 ml) ketchup (for the authentic flavor, get a bottle of Kagome Tomato Ketchup from the Japanese grocery store)
• 1 Tbsp milk
• 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tsp sugar (optional; for an authentic Japanese taste)
• ¼ cup (60 ml) reserved pasta water (you may not need all of it, so please add gradually)

For the Pasta

• 7 oz (200 g) spaghetti
• 1½ Tbsp kosher salt (Diamond Crystal; use half for table salt)
• 1 Tbsp unsalted butter

For Serving

• 2 Tbsp Parmigiano-Reggiano (Parmesan) cheese