Last Updated on April 17, 2023
[ヴィーガンナポリタンドッグ]
Vegan Napolitan Dog is a Japanese style hot dog made with the Japanese ketchup pasta dish called Spaghetti Napolitan. It’s a hidden Japanese food discovery that you may never knew existed!
What is Napolitan Dog?
If you checked out my vegan spaghetti Napolitan [スパゲッティナポリタン], you may have an idea of what this is all about.
Napoitan dog is a Italian & American influenced Japanese dish. Basically, ketchup pasta on a hot dog bun. Yep, Carb on Carb…it’s totally my kind of food!
I know you may see the photo and the discerption of the dish and perhaps think it’s a bit bizarre. But, Napolitan dog is in fact one of a popular bakery items throughout Japan.
Just like the Spaghetti Napolitan, for the Japanese people, it’s a nostalgic food that reminds us of a great childhood memory. I didn’t really like ketchup (I still don’t) but Spaghetti Napolitan or Napolitan dog are the only exceptions. The ketchup make a slightly tangy but sweet & savory sauce that coats spaghetti very well.
Pasta for Vegan Napolitan Dog
Whether you are making the dog version or not, ingredients are basically the same. The main ingredients are:
- Hot Dog Buns
- Spaghetti
- Olive Oil
- Yellow Onion
- Green Bell Pepper
- Canned Corn Kernels
- Garlic Powder
- Ketchup
- Unsalted Vegan Butter
I made vegan Spaghetti Napolitan with Italian style vegan sausage as an meat substitute.
For this recipe, I made the pasta part slightly different than the original. One of the the reasons is I wanted to make sure that everything fits in the bun. So, I didn’t use vegan sausage and mushrooms (that takes up quite some space.)
Instead, I added canned corn for some pretty color. Also, I used to love corn in any food when I was a child. So, using canned corn brings back more of that childhood memory as well!
Alternatively, use the same pasta recipe as Spaghetti Napolitan. That’s also a great way to makeover a leftover Napolitan pasta.
Be sure to check out the “Step-by-Step Instructions (w/ Photos)” after the Printable Recipe!
Vegan Napolitan Dog
Ingredients
- 4 hot dog buns or pretzel hot dog buns
- 4 oz spaghetti break in half
- 2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 cup thinly sliced yellow onion
- 1/4 cup thinly sliced green bell pepper
- 1/4 cup drained canned corn or frozen corn kernels
- 1/8 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp sea salt adjust to taste
- 1/8 tsp black pepper adjust to taste
- 4 tbsp ketchup
- 1/4 cup pasta cooking water as necessary
- Unsalted vegan butter to smear on the buns
- minced parsley to garnish, optional
- Tabasco sauce optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven at 375 °F (200 °C.)
- Meanwhile, prepare the hot dog buns. Make a v-shaped slit on top of the buns then cut it out to make a cavity to place the pasta later. Set it aside.
- Boil water in a large pot. Salt the water and start cooking spaghetti for 10-12 minutes (or follow the instructions on the package.) Reserve the pasta cooking water.
- While the pasta is cooking, prepare the rest. Heat up a frying pan at medium high heat. Pour extra virgin olive oil. Add onion and cook for 2-3 minutes. Then, add green bell pepper and corn. Cook for another 2-3 minutes. Season with garlic powder, salt, and black pepper.
- Reduce the heat to medium and add ketchup and pasta cooking water (start with 2 tbsp then use more if necessary.) Mix well and continue to simmer until the pasta is done.
- Drain the spaghetti then transfer to the sauce. Give a quick toss. Set it aside.
- Toast the buns for 5-7 minutes. Take them out the oven and smear butter inside of the toasted buns.
- Put the spaghetti in the cavity of the buns. Garnish with minced parsley (optional) and add a few dashes of tabasco sauce for a kick (optional.)
Notes
- For the pasta part, use Vegan Spaghetti Napolitan recipe as an option.
Step-by-Step Instructions (w/ Photos)
First, break the spaghetti in half and prep all the ingredients.
1. Preheat the oven at 375 °F (200 °C.)
2. Meanwhile, prepare the hot dog buns. Make a v-shaped slit on top of the buns then cut it out to make a cavity to place the pasta later. Set it aside.
3. Boil water in a large pot. Salt the water and start cooking spaghetti for 10-12 minutes (or follow the instructions on the package.) Reserve the pasta cooking water.
4. While the pasta is cooking, prepare the rest. Heat up a frying pan at medium high heat. Pour extra virgin olive oil or add vegan butter. Add onion and cook for 2-3 minutes.
Then, add green bell pepper and corn. Cook for another 2-3 minutes.
Season with garlic powder, salt, and black pepper.
5. Reduce the heat to medium and add ketchup and pasta cooking water (start with 2 tbsp then use more if necessary.) Mix well and continue to simmer until the pasta is done.
6. Drain the spaghetti then transfer to the sauce. Give a quick toss. Set it aside.
7. Toast the buns for 5-7 minutes. Take them out the oven and smear butter inside of the toasted buns.
8. Put the spaghetti in the cavity of the buns.
Garnish with minced parsley (optional) and add a few dashes of tabasco sauce for a kick (optional.)
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