How to make jollof spaghetti

If you want to  learn how to make jollof  spaghetti, you need the right combination of spices and cooking steps.

This dish is popular because it blends the rich flavors of tomatoes, onions and seasoning with the simplicity of pasta. Cooking it well gives you a meal that is colorful, fragrant, and satisfying.

When thinking about how to make jollof spaghetti, preparation makes a big difference.

You should blend tomatoes, onions, garlic and ginger to form the base of your sauce. Adding curry, thyme, bay leaf and seasoning cubes will transform the flavor, making the spaghetti taste more like traditional jollof rice but with a lighter texture.

The final stage in how to make jollof spaghetti is combining the pasta with the sauce. first, cook the spaghetti in salted water. Then, mix it into the simmered tomato sauce and stir thoroughly so every strand is coated.

The result is a bright orange-red plate of spaghetti that tastes as good as it looks.

Ingredients for making jollof spaghetti

•  2oo g spaghetti(I prefer to use golden penny spaghetti because it doesn’t come out soggy after cooking) 
• 10 medium fresh tomatoes
• 4 tablespoons tomato paste(optional, for richer color)
• 2 medium onions(1 for blending, 1 sliced for frying)
• 3 cloves garlic
•  1 thumb size ginger
• 3 medium scotch bonnet peppers(or to taste)
• 2 bay leaves(1 for spaghetti water, 1 for sauce)
• 2 Seasoning cubes( I use knorr seasoning)
• 300g chicken breast( beef or fish)
• 1 teaspoon curry powder
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• Salt to taste
• 5 tablespoons cooking oil

Steps for cooking jollof spaghetti

1. Blend tomatoes, pepper, 1 onion, garlic, and ginger into a smooth mixture.
2. Season the chicken(beef or fish) with salt, seasoing cube and curry cover it for about 10 minutes to marinate. Boil with a little water for 10-15 minutes then drain and fry.(keep the stock water aside)
3. Heat oil in a pot and fry the sliced onion until soft. Add the blended mixture and add tomato paste too(if using) and cook until the liquid reduces.
4. Add curry, thyme, bay leaf and seasoning cubes. Let the sauce simmer until thick and aromatic.
5. In a separate pot, boil spaghetti in a salted water, put 1 bay leaf. Boil until slightly firm. Then drain.
6. Add the spaghetti into the sauce and add your little stock water.
7. Mix well , and cook on low heat for 10-15 minutes to absorb flavor.
8. Serve hot. You can garnish with carrots, and green beans.

Tips for best results

• Do not overcook the spaghetti. It should be firm, not soggy.
• Use fresh ginger and garlic for stronger flavor.
• Do not add too much stock water to the sauce.

If you want to learn how to cook Nigerian vegetable stew without frying, you can check here