I fell in love with this Creamy Baked Spaghetti the first time I made it for our family's New Year celebration. Like many Filipinos, I grew up with our classic sweet-style spaghetti at every handaan, but I wanted to make something extra special without losing that familiar Pinoy taste we all love.
The secret? I took our favorite spaghetti sauce and added a creamy white sauce on top, then covered everything with lots of melted cheese. My kids now fight over the crispy cheese corners.
While I sometimes add fancy ingredients like truffle oil for special occasions like Noche Buena, this recipe is still super sarap even without them.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Extra creamy and indulgent with two layers of sauce
- Perfect blend of Filipino and Italian flavors
- Make-ahead friendly for special occasions
- Customizable with premium or budget-friendly ingredients
- Impressive presentation with golden melted cheese topping
- No special skills required - just follow the steps!
Ingredients
This recipe combines traditional Filipino spaghetti ingredients with creamy European elements for an elevated dish that stays true to its roots. The Filipino-style spaghetti sauce and hotdogs provide that signature sweet-savory taste Filipinos love, while the ground beef and mushrooms add heartiness and texture.
The bechamel sauce (made with butter, flour, milk and cream) creates a luxurious layer that transforms this from everyday spaghetti to a special occasion dish.
Optional premium ingredients like truffle oil and sun-dried tomato pesto are included for those wanting to create an even more sophisticated version, while the quickmelt cheese topping creates that irresistible golden crust and satisfying cheese pull that makes this dish truly memorable.
- 1 kg spaghetti pasta
- 1 kg spaghetti sauce (Filipino-style)
- 1 medium onion, minced
- 1 head garlic, minced
- 700 g ground beef (80% lean)
- 190 g sun-dried tomato pesto (optional)
- 1 tablespoon Italian white truffle infused oil (optional)
- 2 tablespoon dried parsley
- 5 hotdogs, sliced
- 1 can (400g) sliced mushrooms
- 4 tablespoon soy sauce
- Garlic salt to taste
- Ground black pepper
- Olive oil
- ½ cup water
For the Bechamel White Sauce:
- 2 tablespoon parmesan cheese
- 4-5 tablespoon unsalted butter (¼ stick)
- 6 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 1½ cups full cream milk (370ml)
- 1 pack (250ml) all-purpose cream
- ¼ cup cold water
For Topping:
- 1 cup quickmelt cheese, grated
Equipment
- Large pot - For boiling the pasta; choose one with enough capacity for 1kg of pasta to move freely
- Non-stick pan - For preparing the meat sauce; prevents sticking and makes cleanup easier
- Saucepan - For making the bechamel sauce; a heavy-bottomed pan works best to prevent scorching
- Large baking dish (9" x 16" x 2.3") - Provides enough space for all ingredients and proper heat distribution
- Whisk - Essential for making lump-free bechamel sauce
- Cheese grater - For preparing the cheese topping; finer grating ensures even melting
- Measuring cups and spoons - For accurate ingredient proportions
- Oven - For the final baking step; conventional or electric both work well
How To Make
- Prepare the pasta: Bring a large pot of water to a boil (180°C/356°F). Cook your spaghetti following the package directions until just tender but still firm to bite (al dente). Drain the pasta and keep it covered in a large bowl while you make the sauces.
- Make the meat sauce: Heat olive oil in a non-stick pan over medium heat. Cook minced garlic and onions until fragrant and translucent, about 2-3 minutes. Add ground beef and cook until browned (160°C/320°F internal temperature). Season with 2 tablespoons soy sauce, garlic salt, and pepper, then add sliced hotdogs and cook for another 2-3 minutes.
- Finish the meat sauce: Transfer the meat mixture to a large pot and pour in your Filipino-style spaghetti sauce. Simmer on low heat (130°C/266°F). Add mushrooms and sun-dried tomato pesto if using. Pour in the remaining soy sauce and sprinkle in the parsley. Add half a cup of water and adjust seasoning with garlic salt and pepper. If using truffle oil, add it now and turn off the heat.
- Prepare the bechamel sauce: Warm the milk in a saucepan over low heat until hot but not boiling. In a separate pan, melt butter over very low heat, then mix in the flour until it forms a paste. Gradually pour in the hot milk while whisking continuously to prevent lumps. Add cream and parmesan cheese, continuing to whisk. Finally, add cold water little by little, whisking until the sauce becomes smooth and silky.
- Assemble and bake: Preheat your oven to 130°C/266°F. In your baking dish, combine the cooked pasta with the meat sauce. Press down gently with a spoon to even it out. Pour the bechamel sauce over the top, spreading to cover everything. Sprinkle generously with grated quickmelt cheese.
- Bake: Place in the oven for 10-15 minutes, until the cheese melts and turns golden brown. Let rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Tips from Lola's Kitchen
- Perfect pasta: Cook the pasta just until al dente (with a slight bite) as it will continue cooking in the oven.
- Richer bechamel: Use full-fat milk and cream for the most luxurious white sauce.
- Truffle secret: Add truffle oil at the very end of cooking or even after cooking to preserve its aroma.
- Cheese selection: For the best cheese pull, use a combination of quickmelt and mozzarella.
- Rest before serving: Allow the dish to rest 5-10 minutes after baking - this helps the sauces to set and makes serving easier.
Substitutions
- Spaghetti sauce: Any Filipino-style spaghetti sauce plus 1 pack all-purpose cream
- Truffle oil: Replace with extra virgin olive oil
- Sun-dried tomato pesto: Use regular basil pesto or omit completely
- Quickmelt cheese: Substitute with a blend of mozzarella and cheddar
- Ground beef: Replace with ground pork or chicken
- Full cream milk: Use regular fresh milk with extra cream
- Hotdogs: Substitute with ham or bacon for a different flavor profile
Troubleshooting
- Lumpy bechamel: If your white sauce has lumps, strain through a fine-mesh strainer or blend with an immersion blender.
- Bechamel too thick: Add warm milk gradually, whisking constantly, until you reach desired consistency.
- Bechamel too thin: Continue simmering to reduce or add a small amount of flour mixed with cold water.
- Uneven cheese melting: Make sure to grate cheese finely and distribute evenly before baking.
- Dry pasta: If pasta seems dry, add a little more sauce or a splash of milk before baking.
Storage & Reheating
- Refrigerate: Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
- Freeze: Wrap well and freeze for up to 1 month.
- Reheat in oven: Cover with foil and heat at 150°C for 15-20 minutes until heated through.
- Reheat in microwave: Cover and heat for 2-3 minutes, stirring halfway if possible.
- Add moisture when reheating: Sprinkle a little water or milk before reheating to restore moisture.
FAQ
Can I make this ahead of time?
Yes! You can assemble the dish up to 24 hours ahead, refrigerate, and bake when needed. Add 5-10 minutes to the baking time if cooking from cold.
How is this different from regular Filipino spaghetti?
This version adds a creamy bechamel layer and cheese topping that gets baked for a more luxurious, restaurant-style presentation while maintaining the sweet-savory profile Filipinos love.
Can I skip the baking step?
Yes! The dish is fully cooked before baking. The baking step just melts the cheese and creates a golden top, but you could simply melt the cheese under a broiler or even skip it entirely.
What sides go well with this dish?
Serve with garlic bread, a simple green salad, or steamed vegetables for a complete meal. It pairs wonderfully with ice-cold soft drinks or iced tea.
Can I use other types of pasta?
Absolutely! Penne, rigatoni, or fusilli work beautifully too. Just ensure they're cooked al dente before baking.
Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Creamy Baked Spaghetti (Filipino Style)
Equipment
- Large pot for boiling pasta (Malaking kaldero para sa pasta)
- Non-stick pan for sauce (Kawali)
- Saucepan for bechamel (Maliit na kaldero)
- Large baking dish (9" x 16" x 2.3")
- Whisk or fork (Panghalo)
- Cheese grater (Pangkayod ng keso)
- Measuring cups and spoons (Panukat)
- Electric or conventional oven (Optional)
Ingredients
For the Pasta and Meat Sauce
- 1 kg Spaghetti pasta
- 1 kg Spaghetti sauce
- 1 medium onion minced (sibuyas, tinadtad)
- 1 head garlic minced (bawang, tinadtad)
- 700 g ground beef 80% lean (giniling na baka)
- 190 g sun-dried tomato pesto optional
- 1 tablespoon Italian white truffle infused oil optional
- 2 tablespoon dried parsley tuyong parsley
- 5 pcs Hotdogs sliced
- 1 can 400g sliced mushrooms kabute
- 4 tablespoon soy sauce toyo
- Garlic salt to taste
- Ground black pepper dinurog na paminta
- Olive oil mantika
- ½ cup water tubig
For the Bechamel White Sauce
- 2 tablespoon parmesan cheese
- 4-5 tablespoon unsalted butter ¼ stick
- 6 tablespoon all-purpose flour harina
- 1½ cups full cream milk 370ml
- 1 pack 250ml all-purpose cream
- ¼ cup cold water malamig na tubig
For Topping
- 1 cup quickmelt cheese grated
Instructions
- First, bring a large pot of water to a boil (180°C/356°F). Cook your Royal Spaghetti following the package directions until just tender but still firm to bite. Drain the pasta and keep it covered in a large bowl while you make the sauces.
- Start your meat sauce by heating some olive oil in a non-stick pan over medium heat (150°C/302°F). Cook your minced garlic and onions until they smell good and turn clear, about 2-3 minutes. Add your ground beef and cook until it turns brown (160°C/320°F internal temperature). Season with 2 tablespoons soy sauce, garlic salt, and pepper, then add your sliced hotdogs and cook for another 2-3 minutes.
- Move everything to a large pot and pour in your Royal thick and creamy sauce. Let this simmer on low heat (130°C/266°F). Add your mushrooms and sun-dried tomato pesto if you're using it. Pour in the remaining soy sauce and sprinkle in the parsley. Add half a cup of water and adjust the taste with garlic salt and pepper. If you're using truffle oil, add it now and turn off the heat.
- For your white sauce (bechamel), start by warming the milk in a saucepan over low heat - just until it's hot but not boiling. In a separate pan, melt your butter over very low heat, then mix in the flour until it gets lumpy. Slowly pour in your hot milk while whisking to avoid lumps. Add your cream and parmesan cheese, keeping the whisk moving. Finally, add cold water little by little, whisking until your sauce becomes smooth and silky.
- Turn your oven on to 130°C/266°F. In your baking dish (9" x 16" x 2.3"), mix your cooked pasta with the meat sauce. Press it down gently with a spoon to make it even. Pour your white sauce over the top and spread it out to cover everything. Sprinkle plenty of grated quickmelt cheese on top.
- Put your dish in the oven and bake for about 10-15 minutes, just until the cheese melts and turns golden brown. Let it rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Tips from Lola's Kitchen
- Use full-fat milk and cream for the richest bechamel sauce
- Don't overcook the pasta - it will continue cooking in the oven
- Let the dish rest for 5-10 minutes before serving
- If sauce is too thick, add warm milk gradually until desired consistency
- Spray truffle oil after cooking to preserve its aroma
Nutrition
The Story Behind Filipino Creamy Baked Spaghetti
Growing up in a Filipino household, spaghetti was never just an ordinary pasta dish. It was a symbol of celebration, a must-have at every birthday party, and the star of our Noche Buena table. But our Pinoy-style spaghetti has an interesting story that shows just how creative Filipino cooks can be.
When American soldiers brought pasta to the Philippines after World War II, Filipinos didn't just copy the Italian recipe - we made it our own. We added sweetness to the sauce, dropped in our favorite hotdogs, and created something uniquely Filipino. This sweet-style spaghetti became so popular that every Filipino family now has their own special version.
My Creamy Baked Spaghetti recipe takes our beloved Pinoy spaghetti to the next level. It was born during the pandemic when I was experimenting in my kitchen, trying to create something special for my family's New Year celebration. I remembered the baked pasta dishes I saw in fancy restaurants and thought, "Why not combine this with our sweet-style spaghetti?" By adding a creamy bechamel sauce and lots of melted cheese on top, I created a dish that brings together the best of both worlds - the familiar sweet-savory taste of Filipino spaghetti and the luxurious creaminess of baked pasta.
The recipe quickly became a family favorite. My kids started calling it "Christmas Spaghetti" because of how special it felt, even though we now make it for regular Sunday lunches too. What makes this version special is how it transforms our everyday Pinoy spaghetti into something that feels more elegant but still tastes like home. The bechamel sauce adds a rich, creamy layer that perfectly complements the sweet-style sauce we Filipinos love, while the melted cheese creates that Instagram-worthy pull that everyone gets excited about.
Whether you're cooking for a special occasion or just want to elevate your usual spaghetti recipe, this Creamy Baked Spaghetti brings that extra wow factor while keeping the familiar flavors that make Filipino-style spaghetti so beloved. It's proof that our local cuisine keeps evolving while staying true to what makes it uniquely ours - our love for bringing people together around good food.
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