Haitian Spaghetti

Haitian Spaghetti is a flavorful pasta dish made with tomato sauce, diced veggies and chopped hot dogs.

Plate of Haitian spaghetti with a boiled egg cut in half on the plate.

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Haitian spaghetti, or espageti, is not your typical spaghetti. It looks like the Italian version at first glance, consisting of cooked noodles tossed in tomato sauce… but the similarities end there.

This food comes from Haiti, and is a combination of diced tomatoes, green pepper, onion, tomato paste, hot dogs, and, of course, Haitian Epis. It creates an explosion of flavor that may take you by surprise! It’s a simple dish full of savory goodness and childhood memories for many Haitians.

Recipe origins

Haitian cuisine, like most Caribbean cuisine, has been developed over centuries of colonization and includes influences from France, Spain, Africa and the United States.

This particular dish is believed to have originated during the early 1900’s, when Americans occupied the island and brought with them popular Italian dishes, spaghetti and macaroni. Americans also introduced Haitians to processed foods like hotdogs and ketchup–both of which are common in this dish (the dish is often topped with ketchup).

Haitian Spaghetti is a low-cost family meal that is rarely offered in restaurants but it has become a staple in many Haitian and south Florida homes. It can sometimes be found for sale by street vendors in urban areas like the Haitian capital, Port-au-Prince.

What may surprise many Americans is Haitians rarely eat Haitian Spaghetti for dinner; It’s most often considered a breakfast food. Savory breakfasts are typical to the region as meals must be prepared quickly and be filling enough to provide energy throughout the day.

Haitian Spaghetti is often served with sliced avocado, hard boiled eggs or a slice of bread to help keep the belly full. It’s a hearty, one-pot dish that will leave you feeling satisfied.

Haitian Spaghetti is a closely-held Haitian comfort food and the unique combination of flavors from Haiti and America is worth a try.

Why Make this Recipe

Easy Family Meal: Even kids may be willing to try a dish that’s full of hot dogs and spaghetti noodles. Add the ketchup on top to make it even more appealing to picky eaters. The ingredients for this dish also come together in one pot, allowing for easy cleanup on a busy weekday.
Affordable Dish: This dish was invented to be affordable and filling. It combines simple ingredients to make a meal that will satisfy just about anyone.
Good Way to Use Leftover Meat: If you’ve ever had hotdogs left over from a barbeque, this is a great recipe to use them in. You can also substitute kielbasa sausage, Vienna sausages, chicken sausage, smoked sausage, cod, shrimp or anchovies.

What Do I Need to Make this Recipe

Ingredients

Here is a visual overview of the ingredients in the recipe. Scroll down to the recipe at the bottom for quantities.

Meat: Meat cooked in tomato sauce is a staple of many Haitian dishes. This pasta recipe calls for hotdogs but you can use just about any type of sausage. Many Haitian families will also substitute sea food in a pinch.
Tomato Paste: The robust tomato paste is what brings all the flavors together.
Spaghetti Noodles: Spaghetti noodles are fairly easy to come by which makes this recipe particularly easy to throw together.
Veggies: Fresh peppers, onions and tomatoes add so much flavor to this dish and give it
Maggi Cubes: Maggi cubes are a flavor enhancer similar to bouillon, and they add saltiness and flavor to this recipe. If you don’t have Maggi cubes there are plenty of substitutes out there. You can use any other bouillon cubes or a mixture of equal parts worcestershire and soy sauce. Keep an eye on the size of your maggi cubes. If you have large maggi cubes, you will only need one.
Haitian Epis: Epis is a blend of vegetables and herbs at the center of many Haitian recipes. It’s not difficult to make but you cannot make this recipe without it. Follow my recipe to blend some up fresh epis. Once made, it can be stored for 7-10 days in the refrigerator.

Tools

Pot: The best part of this recipe is it all comes together quickly in one pot. Choose a large pot to be able to mix the sauce and meat with the noodles without making a mess. A deep skillet or saucepan would do well.
Stovetop: This recipe comes together in a matter of minutes on your stovetop.

How to Make this Recipe

Step 1: Prepare your Pasta

Boil pasta to al dente and set aside. Reserve a few cups of the pasta water after you strain pasta to add to the recipe later.

Step 2: Make the sauce

Olive oil and Haitian Epis sauteing in a frying pan.

Chopped vegetables added to a frying pan.

Add the olive oil and epis to a large saucepan. Fry the epis until it becomes fragrant and turns a golden color.

Add the diced onions, bell peppers, and tomatoes, and saute for 5 minutes until the vegetables soften.

Add 2 tablespoons of tomato paste and add the maggi cubes. Then add the hot dogs and ground cloves. Mix to combine.

Add ⅓ cup of reserved pasta water and let the mixture simmer for 10-15 minutes until a sauce is formed. Salt to taste.

Step 3: Combine and serve

Spaghetti noodles combined into the Haitian Spaghetti sauce.

Plate of Haitian Epis sitting in front of the frying pan.

Add your cooked spaghetti noodles into the saucepan and stir until the noodles are coated in the sauce.

Serve with a ½ boiled egg. If you really want to try to keep it authentic, add a little ketchup on top.

Expert tips

Plate of Haitian Spaghetti with a boiled egg cut in half garnished on the side.

If you are not a fan of hot dogs, feel free to use sausage or different types of meats. This recipe is great with beef kielbasa or a simple smoked sausage. For a vegetarian option, you can leave the meat out altogether.
Some recipes call for frying the sausage BEFORE adding the epis, but most add the epis first. This may depend on the type of sausage you’re using, but I like the way this came together, allowing the meat to take in some of the epis flavor.
If your sauce comes out a bit too thick, you can add a few more tablespoons of water leftover from the spaghetti noodles.

Recipe FAQs

Close up of a plate served with Haitian Spaghetti.

Is Haitian Spaghetti Healthy?

Haitian spaghetti is full of vegetables and all the healthy ingredients of Haitian Epis but the real trick to how healthy you make this recipe depends on the meat you use in it. If you’d like a healthier option, you can add whole wheat noodles instead.

Can I Make this Recipe Vegan?

You can easily omit the meat all together and make this a vegan dish. Be sure your Epis does not contain meat products. It is often made with chicken bouillon but vegetarian bouillon could be substituted.

Can you Reheat Haitian Spaghetti?

This recipe preserves very really well and is delicious as leftovers! Simply microwave for a few minutes and enjoy! You can also freeze your pasta for up to 3 minutes.

Did you enjoy this recipe for Haitian Spaghetti? If so, make sure to check out these recipes I picked out just for you:

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Recipe origins

Why Make this Recipe