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    Home » Pasta

    Jollof Spaghetti

    Posted: Jun 1, 2020 · Updated: Jun 2, 2022 by Tonje

    310 shares
    Jump to Recipe

    Jollof spaghetti is a pasta dish inspired by the West African classic jollof rice. Spaghetti is cooked in a tomato and pepper sauce, and served as is or topped with meat.

    Jollof spaghetti in a bowl with a fork.

    This post may contain affiliate links. Read more about it in the privacy policy.

    This jollof spaghetti recipe was the inevitable result of my love for jollof rice combined with my love for pasta. And I'm excited to say that it was even better than I expected!

    In short, jollof spaghetti is spaghetti that's cooked in a jollof sauce. This sauce is made by pureeing peppers, tomatoes, scotch bonnet peppers, curry powder and thyme. We add a little chicken or vegetable stock to the sauce, and cook the dry spaghetti directly in the same pot as the sauce.

    I love this dish because it's simple, but flavorful. I make my jollof spaghetti quite spicy, but you can absolutely adjust the spice to suit your preferences.

    If you like this recipe, you should also try my Spicy Harissa Pasta!

    Spaghetti with jollof sauce in a bowl.

    🥘 Ingredients

    For this recipe you will need red peppers, scotch bonnet peppers, onion, canned plum tomatoes, curry powder, dried thyme, vegetable stock or chicken stock (or water + stock cubes) and spaghetti.

    You will also need a large pot, as well as either a blender or an immersion blender to make the sauce smooth.

    🔪 Instructions

    Place roughly chopped peppers, canned tomatoes, scotch bonnet peppers (stems removed), and onions in a blender. Blend until it reaches a smooth consistency. If you don't have a blender, you can place them in a bowl or pot and use a hand blender instead.

    Jollof sauce in blender.

    Pour the sauce into a large pot, and add dried thyme, curry powder and stock. Heat the sauce up to a simmer on medium heat. Add spaghetti. Leave it to cook until the spaghetti has cooked through. Keep an eye on the dish, as you might have to add more liquid.

    There is just enough sauce to completely coat the spaghetti, but you're not meant to have an excessive amount of sauce for this recipe. If you still want to bulk it out, you can add some extra tomato sauce, canned diced tomatoes, or stock.

    Jollof sauce and spaghetti in pot.

    💭 Top tips

    Here are my best tips for making the perfect spicy jollof spaghetti:

    • The scotch bonnet peppers control the heat in this dish. Use ½-1 pepper with the seeds removed for a milder jollof sauce, and use 2 peppers with the seeds for a spicy sauce.
    • You can use canned plum tomatoes, or whole 4-5 whole roma tomatoes. They will both work the same.
    • If you wish to bring out more flavor from the dish, you can leave the sauce to cook for about 20 minutes before you add the spaghetti. As a result, you might have to add a little extra stock as the liquid will reduce.
    Spaghetti with jollof sauce.

    🥗 Serving suggestions

    Jollof spaghetti is typically enjoyed as a main course for lunch or dinner. You can serve it as is, or with a side dish. Salad, roasted vegetables, fried plantain and bread are all good options.

    If you want, you can top the spaghetti with fried, roasted or grilled meat and seafood. Chicken and shrimp are my personal favorites.

    Spicy pepper and tomato pasta.

    🍲 Leftovers

    Jollof spaghetti stores really well. Here is how you can best take care of your leftovers:

    Storing: Store jollof spaghetti in a refrigerator for up to 4 days. Serve it cold, or reheat before eating. Pasta tends to absorb sauce overnight, and the dish will therefore appear drier the next day.

    Freezing: You can freeze jollof spaghetti in a freezer safe container for up to 6 months. Thaw it in the fridge overnight before use.

    Storing the sauce: You can also make the sauce and store this separately, either in a refrigerator or in a freezer. Cook a big batch of sauce and freeze it down in portion sizes for quick and easy future meals.

    Reheating: You can reheat the pasta in a microwave for a few minutes. Alternatively, you can use the stove top.

    🍴 You might also like these recipes..

    If you love healthy pasta recipes, you should try any of these recipes:

    • Garlic basil pasta in bowl.
      Garlic Basil Pasta
    • spaghetti alla puttanesca in a bowl.
      Spaghetti alla puttanesca
    • Butternut squash pasta sauce
      Butternut Squash Pasta Sauce
    • Pesto pasta with chicken and fresh basil.
      Chicken and Pesto Pasta

    📋 Frequently asked questions

    Which ingredients do I need to make jollof sauce?

    There are many varieties of jollof sauce, but most use tomatoes, peppers, scotch bonnet peppers, thyme, curry powder, vegetable oil and vegetable or chicken stock.

    Is jollof spaghetti spicy?

    You can adjust the seasoning to your preferences. Using 1 scotch bonnet pepper will make the dish slightly spicy, and adding multiple peppers will increase the amount of spice.

    West African Jollof spaghetti.

    Jollof Spaghetti

    Jollof spaghetti is a pasta dish inspired by the West African classic jollof rice. Spaghetti is cooked in a tomato and pepper sauce, and served as is or topped with meat.
    No ratings yet
    Created by: Tonje
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save Saved!
    Prep Time 5 mins
    Cook Time 20 mins
    Course Dinner, lunch, Main Course
    Cuisine African
    Servings 4
    Calories 381 kcal
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    Ingredients
      

    • 350 g spaghetti
    • 14 oz canned plum tomatoes (400 g)
    • 2 red peppers
    • 2 scotch bonnet peppers
    • 1 onion
    • 2 cups vegetable stock (or chicken stock)
    • 1 teaspoon curry powder
    • 1 teaspoon dried thyme

    Instructions
     

    • Place roughly chopped peppers, canned tomatoes, scotch bonnet peppers (stems removed), and onions in a blender. Blend until it reaches a smooth consistency. If you don’t have a blender, you can place them in a bowl or pot and use a hand blender instead.
    • Pour the sauce into a large pot, and add dried thyme, curry powder and stock. Heat the sauce up to a simmer on medium heat.
    • Add uncooked spaghetti to the sauce. Leave it to cook until the spaghetti has cooked through, 5-15 minutes depending on the type of pasta you use. Keep an eye on the dish, as you might have to add more liquid.
    • There is just enough sauce to completely coat the spaghetti, but you’re not meant to have an excessive amount of sauce for this recipe. If you still want to bulk it out, you can add some extra tomato sauce, canned diced tomatoes, or stock.

    Notes

    Which ingredients do I need to make jollof sauce?
    There are many varieties of jollof sauce, but most use tomatoes, peppers, scotch bonnet peppers, thyme, curry powder, vegetable oil and vegetable or chicken stock.
    Is jollof spaghetti spicy?
    You can adjust the seasoning to your preferences. Using 1 scotch bonnet pepper will make the dish slightly spicy, and adding multiple peppers will increase the amount of spice.

    Leftovers

    Jollof spaghetti stores really well. Here is how you can best take care of your leftovers:
    Storing: Store jollof spaghetti in a refrigerator for up to 4 days. Serve it cold, or reheat before eating. Pasta tends to absorb sauce overnight, and the dish will therefore appear drier the next day.
    Freezing: You can freeze jollof spaghetti in a freezer safe container for up to 6 months. Thaw it in the fridge overnight before use.
    Storing the sauce: You can also make the sauce and store this separately, either in a refrigerator or in a freezer. Cook a big batch of sauce and freeze it down in portion sizes for quick and easy future meals.
    Reheating: You can reheat the pasta in a microwave for a few minutes. Alternatively, you can use the stove top.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 381kcalCarbohydrates: 78gProtein: 13gFat: 2gSaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 621mgPotassium: 563mgFiber: 6gSugar: 10gVitamin A: 2277IUVitamin C: 94mgCalcium: 64mgIron: 3mg
    Keyword dairy free, egg free, nut free, pasta, peppers, scotch bonnet peppers, spaghetti, tomato
    Tried this recipe?Mention @hintofhealthyfood or tag #hintofhealthy!

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    Hi, I'm Tonje! I make easy and healthy everyday recipes that your family will love. Browse my recipe collection to discover new favorites, and make sure to let me know what you think!

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