Let canned cream of mushroom live a life beyond heat-and-eat soup. In this recipe, we use it as an instant substitute for béchamel for this cheese-topped Pinoy spaghetti.
Béchamel is an all-purpose white sauce made by thickening milk with a roux (a mixture of flour and butter), then seasoning it with salt, pepper, and flavorings like nutmeg. As one of French cuisine's mother sauces, you can use béchamel as an ingredient (like in lasagna or creamy pastas) or as a base for other sauces.
Once you've made your spaghetti, it goes into a baking dish in a single layer. Cream of mushroom, warmed on the stove and seasoned with a bit of nutmeg, follows on top. Shredded mozzarella and cheddar help it bake up into a blanket of gooey golden cheese. It's all the joy and pleasure of children's party spaghetti tucked into a dinner party dish. What's not to like?
This baked Filipino spaghetti has a cheesy topping with one surprise ingredient: cream of mushroom soup.
Cook pasta: Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Cook spaghetti to package instructions until al dente. Drain pasta and set aside until ready to use.
Cook aromatics and meat: Heat oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add garlic and onions, then sauté until soft and translucent. Add ground beef and continue to cook until browned. Add hotdogs and cook for another 3-5 minutes.
Simmer sauce: Add tomato sauce and beef broth to the pan. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to maintain a simmer. Cover pan and simmer mixture for 20–30 minutes, or until the beef is tender and cooked through. Add sugar and continue to simmer.
If the sauce is too thick, add more beef stock. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Add spaghetti to sauce: Add cooked spaghetti to the pan. Toss and stir until the sauce has fully coated the pasta. Turn off heat and set aside.
Prepare for baking: Preheat the oven to 375°F.
Heat up soup: Add cream of mushroom soup to a saucepan over medium heat. Add a pinch of nutmeg and heat up soup until warm. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.
Assemble pasta bake: In a large rectangular baking dish, add spaghetti and spread in an even layer. Pour warmed cream of mushroom on top of the spaghetti, spreading it out an an even layer. Scatter mozzarella and cheddar evenly across the soup layer.
Bake and serve: Bake spaghetti for 15–20 minutes, or until cheese has melted. Turn on the broil function and broil for 3–5 minutes or until brown spots start to emerge on the surface of the sauce. Immediately turn off the heat and remove the dish from the oven. Let rest for 5–8 minutes, or until white sauce has set, before slicing and serving.
Of course! While this recipe comes with a great Pinoy spaghetti base, you can also make it with our Pancake House-style Spaghetti or Best Pinoy Sweet Spaghetti.
If you have takeout or leftover spaghetti from a birthday party, you can also use it here. In theory!
