Spaghetti Napolitan (Japanese Ketchup Pasta)

Napolitan, a pasta dish that has uniquely evolved in Japan, offers a mellow flavor from ketchup combined with the chewy texture of spaghetti. While the combination of ketchup and spaghetti may seem unconventional, it works surprisingly well, resulting in a harmonious dish.

Napolitan is a Japanese pasta dish inspired by Italian cuisine. It consists of spaghetti that is boiled a little longer than usual, tossed with sautéed ingredients such as onions, green bell peppers, and sausages, and seasoned with ketchup.

The term "Napolitan" is a Japanese-made English word meaning "Naples-style," and it is sometimes spelled as "Napo'r'itan" because Japanese doesn't distinguish between the "R" and "L" sounds. It is an Italian-inspired Japanese dish that has been beloved at old-fashioned coffee shops across Japan as a classic menu item.

What makes this dish distinctive is the use of ketchup for seasoning and the soft, chewy texture of the spaghetti. Cooking the ketchup brings out a mellow flavor with a hint of acidity, while boiling the spaghetti slightly longer creates a satisfying texture and helps it blend better with the sauce.

Today, you can easily find Napolitan recipes in cookbooks and online, but most of them simplify the original cooking process. So, even if you have made this dish before, you might not have experienced the authentic style. I hope you will try this recipe to experience the authentic flavor and texture, just like it is served in Japanese coffee shops, setting it apart from the simplified versions.

Currently, spaghetti simply seasoned with ketchup is sometimes referred to as Napolitan, but in its original form, this dish features thicker spaghetti that is boiled slightly longer and seasoned with ketchup. The reason is that authentic Italian cuisine didn't take root in Japan until the 1980s. Japanese people, unfamiliar with the al dente texture of pasta, tended to boil spaghetti until it was soft.

Over time, various Italian pasta dishes like peperoncino, vongole, and carbonara became popular in Japan. Along with this, cooking spaghetti al dente also became mainstream—but when it comes to Napolitan, it is still more common to cook it until soft. This is because softer spaghetti blends better with ketchup and complements the texture of the other ingredients.

There is a general belief that pasta should be cooked al dente, but for Napolitan, softer and chewier spaghetti actually works better. It creates a more balanced dish, so try it with my recipe and see for yourself.

To achieve the authentic flavor and texture of Napolitan as served in Japanese coffee shops, the following processes are necessary:

• Preparing spaghetti

Boil the spaghetti until softened in advance, then rinse it with cold water. This will give it a chewy texture and enhance its integration with ketchup. Additionally, coating it with oil at this stage will prevent it from sticking together.

• Sautéing the ingredients

The ingredients are also essential for Napolitan. Sautéing them until fragrant improves the overall flavor of the dish.

• Cooking ketchup to reduce acidity

Ketchup has a slightly sour taste, but cooking it reduces the acidity, resulting in a mellower flavor. This is an important step in determining the flavor of this dish.

Napolitan is not an Italian dish, but one that has been served in Japanese coffee shops. Therefore, you might be puzzled by the preparation methods, which differ from typical pasta dishes. However, there is a reason why it continues to be synonymous with Japanese-style pasta dishes. Experience authentic Napolitan by using the above preparation method.

There are typical ingredients used in Napolitan: onion, green bell pepper, and sausage. The sausage used is made from pork, and can be replaced with bacon or ham. These ingredients not only add flavor and texture to the dish but also enhance its nutritional value and visual appeal. They are an indispensable feature of Napolitan, so be sure not to omit them.

Additionally, it is also common to sprinkle grated cheese or drizzle Tabasco sauce. These are not added during cooking but rather at mealtime by each individual according to their preferences. Therefore, start by enjoying the dish without anything, and then add these additions to your liking if you want to personalize the flavor.

Ingredients

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Instructions

🕒 Total: 30 mins mins

Step 1
Bring plenty of water to a boil in a large pot, then add salt (about 1% of the water's volume, not included in the recipe) and mix. Cook spaghetti for 2 minutes longer than the package instructions. At this time, reserve ⅕ cup (per serving) of the pasta cooking water for later use.

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Step 2
Drain the cooked spaghetti in a colander and rinse it under running water to cool and remove excess starch. Once the spaghetti has cooled, drain off any excess water, and then toss it with oil.

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Step 3
Slice onion and green bell pepper into approximately ⅕-inch (5 mm) widths. Cut sausage diagonally into slices approximately ⅕-inch (5 mm) thick.

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Step 4
Heat butter in a pan over medium heat. Once the butter has melted, add the onions and sauté until they are translucent. Then, add the sausages and sauté until slightly browned. Finally, add the green bell peppers and sauté until cooked through.

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Step 5
Move the ingredients to one side of the pan and add ketchup to the empty space. Heat it for about 1 minute.

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Step 6
Mix the ingredients with ketchup. Add the chilled spaghetti to the pan, sprinkle reserved pasta cooking water over it, and cook until the spaghetti is heated through while mixing everything.

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Step 7
Serve on each plate and sprinkle with grated cheese or Tabasco to taste.

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To store

You can store it in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.