Jollof Spaghetti Recipe (2024)

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Jollof spaghetti is a delicious alternative to everyday Nigerian Jollof rice. This recipe is incredibly delicious and cooks way faster than the rice version. Perfect for lunch or dinner, you can also serve this for guest for a change.

A simple dish of spaghetti and tomato sauce, in this case, buka stew and other pantry staple ingredients you may already have in your store cupboard. Let me show you how to make it in easy steps.

Jollof Spaghetti Recipe (1)

Easy Nigerian jollof spaghetti recipe

Here is a quick recipe for your weeknight dinner. If you are a lover of pasta or spaghetti, then this spaghetti Jollof is for you. You can even prepare your indomie noodles with this super easy recipe too.

My friend (Imimi) always make Jollof spaghetti while we were in school, she would cook hers with tomato puree and cayenne pepper and I tell you, it was the bomb! It was also a new experience eating it each time. She doesn't add curry and thyme because she doesn't like them.

As students at the time, meat was always a privilege so we always ended up accompanying our spaghetti Jollof with boiled eggs. My oh my, those two combinations can’t be described, just out of this world.

I made this simple pasta dish using leftover buka stew and I jazzed it up with fresh prawn and uziza leaves. Man, I loved it!

Jollof Spaghetti Recipe (2)

Ingredients

Spaghetti or any other pasta of choice

Left over buka stew: substitute for passata or 2 cups of Nigerian pepper mix

Tomato puree

Chilli flakes: substitute for cayenne pepper

Salt to taste

Vegetable oil: substitute for any other flavourless oil of choice

Curry powder

Dried thyme

Uziza leaves

Tomatoes, sliced (optional)

Onions, chopped

Dried basil (optional)

Fresh Prawns (optional)

Pasta water

How to make Jollof spaghetti

Prep

Add chilli flakes to tomato puree and mix together

Cook the spaghetti in salted boiling water until al-dente

Jollof Spaghetti Recipe (3)

Cook

Place a pan on medium heat, add vegetable oil and chopped onions. Fry till onions become translucent this should take about 2-3 minutes.

Add leftover stew and cook for about 3 minutes, followed by the tomato puree mixture, curry powder, thyme, salt and chicken bouillon (add water from spaghetti to dilute the sauce about 1 cup)

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Jollof Spaghetti Recipe (5)

Add spaghetti to sizzling sauce, stir till well combined. Lastly, add uzizaleaves and fresh prawns if using

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Leave spaghetti to cook for another 3 minutes or to desired softness (add more spaghetti water if need be) Take it off the heat and serve.

Serve this pasta dish with

Stove top broccoli

Peppered smoked turkey

Simple roasted chicken

Fried Plantain

Peppered gizzard

You may also love these spaghetti recipes

Simple spaghetti recipe

Spaghetti and meatballs

How to store this recipe

This pasta dish keeps well in the fridge for up to 3 days in an airtight container or up to 3 months in the freezer

Jollof Spaghetti Recipe (7)

Thank you for reading, Don’t forget to tag #myactivekitchen onInstagram, pin to your Pinterestor leave a comment for me when you make this easy Nigerian jollof spaghetti recipe.

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4.87 from 15 votes

Jollof Spaghetti Recipe

Jollof Spaghetti is a delicious alternative to everyday Jollof rice. This recipe is incredibly delicious and cook’s way faster than the rice version. Perfect for lunch or dinner, you can also serve this for guest for a change.

Prep Time5 minutes mins

Cook Time16 minutes mins

Total Time21 minutes mins

Course: Main Course, Pasta dish

Cuisine: African, Nigerian

Keyword: how to make spaghetti jollof, jollof spaghetti, spaghetti jollof

Servings: 5

Author: Ajoke

Ingredients

  • 500 g spaghetti or any other pasta of choice
  • 1 cup Buka stew or passata
  • 3 tablespoons tomato puree
  • ½ tablespoon chilli flakes or use according to preference
  • ½ tablespoon chicken bouillon powder or 2 small stock cubes
  • Salt to taste
  • ½ tablespoon curry powder
  • 1 teaspoon thyme
  • cup vegetable oil or any other neutral cooking oil
  • 3 tablespoons Uziza leaves chopped
  • 2 medium tomatoes sliced (optional)
  • 1 small onion chopped
  • 1 cup Fresh Prawns optional
  • 1 cup pasta water

Instructions

Prep

  • Add chilli flakes to tomato puree and mix together

  • Cook the spaghetti in salted boiling water until al-dente

Cook spaghetti jollof

  • Place a pan on medium heat, add vegetable oil and chopped onions. Fry till onions become translucent this should take about 2-3 minutes.

  • Add leftover stew (pepper mix or passata) and cook for about 3 minutes. Followed by the tomato puree mixture, salt, curry powder, thyme, and chicken bouillon powder (add water from spaghetti to dilute the sauce). Continue to cook on medium-low heat for another 10 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning to taste.

  • Add cooked spaghetti to the sizzling sauce, stir till well combined, reduce the heat so it doesn’t burn. Lastly, add chopped uziza leave and fresh prawns if using and stir to combine.

  • Leave spaghetti to cook for another 3 minutes or to desired softness (add more spaghetti water if need be) Take it off the heat and serve.

Notes

How to store

This pasta dish keeps well in the fridge for up to 3 days in an airtight container or up to 3 months in the freezer.

Recipe originally posted in 2015 and now updated with new photographs and few tips for housekeeping. The recipe remains the same as the readers like it as well. Below is a photo from the original recipe for reference.

Jollof Spaghetti Recipe (9)

DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE? PLEASE RATE IT AND LEAVE ME A COMMENT. USE #MYACTIVEKITCHEN OR TAG @MYACTIVEKITCHEN ON INSTAGRAM SO I CAN SEE YOUR PHOTOS, I WOULD LOVE TO SEE YOUR CREATIONS. THANK YOU!

Jollof Spaghetti Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the secret to the best spaghetti? ›

For best flavor, use certified San Marzano tomatoes. Add Parmesan cheese into the sauce while cooking. Use no salt added tomatoes. Use ground beef to cut down on sodium content.

What can I add to spaghetti? ›

A multitude of things. Onion, Italian sausage (crumbled or sliced), olives, anchovies, spinach. Whatever strikes you at the time. I like spaghetti with meat sauce, but I like spaghetti with mushroom sauce too.

Why put Worcestershire sauce in spaghetti sauce? ›

Whether you can pronounce it or not, Worcestershire sauce is an easy, effective way to load up spaghetti sauce with umami flavor. It is salty, tangy, and has lots of potent vinegar, all of which cut through tomatoes to create a soothing, savory flavor.

Which spice is good for jollof rice? ›

Some of my favourite seasonings to use are:
  • Tumeric.
  • Nutmeg.
  • Paprika powder.
  • Herbs other than just thyme which is great, but oregano and bay leaf are special.
  • Ginger and garlic powder (in addition to or as a substitute for fresh ginger and garlic)
Sep 26, 2019

What is the secret of jollof rice? ›

Heat & Steam

When you check on the texture of the rice and it is not soft enough to your liking, cover tightly and leave to steam further. The steam is all that is needed to soften the rice. When ready, you can cook on high heat for a few minutes to infuse that smokey flavour jollof rice is known for.

What is the secret ingredient in jollof rice in Nigeria? ›

Jollof Rice Secret Ingredients

1000ml of Ground Fresh red tomatoes. fresh red pepper to taste. salt to taste.

How do you make spaghetti taste better? ›

Here are my favorite ways to make canned spaghetti sauce more exciting!
  1. 1 - Extra virgin olive oil. Adding a good amount of a flavorful olive oil will go a long way in infusing flavor into your sauce. ...
  2. 2 - Fresh garlic. ...
  3. 3 - Meat. ...
  4. 4 - Hot pepper flakes. ...
  5. 5 - Red wine. ...
  6. 6 - Fresh or dried herbs. ...
  7. 7 - Cheese. ...
  8. 8 - Cream and/or butter.
Feb 26, 2018

How is spaghetti made in Italy? ›

It is a staple food of traditional Italian cuisine. Like other pasta, spaghetti is made of milled wheat, water, and sometimes enriched with vitamins and minerals. Italian spaghetti is typically made from durum-wheat semolina. Usually the pasta is white because refined flour is used, but whole wheat flour may be added.

What brings out spaghetti flavor? ›

Red pepper flakes, dehydrated or fresh garlic, dried oregano, parsley, or basil, or an Italian seasoning blend are all good options. Dried herbs and spices should be added at the beginning of the cook time so that they have time to bloom.

What does adding milk to spaghetti do? ›

It sounds unconventional to use milk in a meaty red sauce, but upon further investigation, it makes total sense why Italians swear by it. According to our Food Director Amira, not only does milk add a rich flavour to the bolognese, but it also “helps cut through the acidity of the tomatoes and red wine”.

What can I add to spaghetti for extra flavor? ›

Fresh basil is the natural choice with simple pasta sauces like marinara, but parsley, cilantro, and even mint can also give pasta dishes a burst of fragrant flavor when they're sprinkled on just before serving.

What is the most important ingredient in spaghetti? ›

  • tomatoes. Tomatoes is the most popular ingredient in spaghetti sauce dishes. ...
  • salt. Another popular ingredient in spaghetti sauce is salt. ...
  • olive oil. Olive oil is another common ingredient in spaghetti sauce dishes. ...
  • garlic. Another popular ingredient in spaghetti sauce is garlic. ...
  • pepper. ...
  • spaghetti.

What gives spaghetti sauce depth of flavor? ›

Red wine will give it a restaurant taste

But a quick and easy way to do so is to add a glug of red wine. Red wine is a standard addition to many pasta sauces, and while it's not strictly necessary in a marinara sauce, it can give it instant depth.

What not to do when cooking spaghetti? ›

14 Mistakes Everyone Makes With Spaghetti
  1. Buying a bargain basem*nt spaghetti brand. ...
  2. Not salting the water. ...
  3. Not putting enough water in the pot. ...
  4. Not using a big enough pot to boil the pasta. ...
  5. Adding oil to the water. ...
  6. Adding spaghetti before the water reaches a rolling boil. ...
  7. Not stirring spaghetti to keep it from sticking.
Aug 31, 2022

How do you add depth to spaghetti sauce? ›

Briny ingredients like olives or capers are another way to brighten up your pasta sauce while also introducing texture and depth of flavor. Roughly chop a handful and stir them into your sauce while it's heating up on the stove.

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