Dominican Spaghetti with Salami (Espaguetis)

Let’s be real. If you’re Dominican, you already know that Dominican Spaghetti, aka espaguetis, isn’t just a meal… It’s a whole vibe. This is the spaghetti that shows up to every beach trip, every family outing to el río, packed up in a big ol’ pot with a stack of Styrofoam plates and a side of tostones or pan de agua. 

This Dominican Spaghetti recipe is my personal take on the classic. It’s made with salami, plenty of sazón, and a saucy tomato base that hugs every noodle just right. Whether you grew up eating this or you’re trying it for the first time, you’re in for a comforting, flavor-packed plate of nostalgia. If you’re into recipes like Dominican Salami Guisado or Locrio de Salami (Dominican Rice with Salami), you’re gonna love this one.

Step-by-Step Instructions: How to Make Dominican Spaghetti

Boil the Pasta: Start by boiling your spaghetti in salted water (don’t skip the salt. It seasons the pasta from the inside out!). Once cooked al dente, drain and set aside. Remember, the pasta will soak up even more flavor when it hits the sauce later.

Brown the Salami: In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat and cook the salami until it browns and crisps up just a bit. This step builds so much flavor. It’s like the Dominican version of bacon bits!

Sauté the Veggies: Lower the heat to medium-low and toss in the onion, peppers, and garlic. Cook until the onions are soft and translucent. Add the tomato, olives (or alcaparrado if you’ve got it), chicken bouillon, oregano, and black pepper. Let that all cook together for about 2 minutes to build a savory base.

Make the Sauce: Add the tomato sauce and butter, stir, cover, and simmer for about 6-8 minutes. At this point, your kitchen will smell amazing. Optional: If you like your sauce creamy, stir in ½ cup of evaporated milk here.

Combine: Add the cooked pasta back into the skillet and toss it with all that saucy goodness until fully coated. If you’re using Parmesan cheese, now’s the time to sprinkle it in.

Serving Suggestions

Dominican Spaghetti is super versatile. Serve it with:

• Air Fried Tostones or traditional Fried Plantains for crunch
• Maduros (Sweet Fried Plantains) for a sweet touch
• A simple green salad with avocado
• Pan de agua or any crusty bread to scoop up the extra sauce
• A cold glass of morir soñando for the full Dominican experience

Storage Tips

To Store: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.

To Reheat: Add a splash of water or evaporated milk before microwaving or reheating on the stovetop to loosen up the sauce.

Dominican Spaghetti (Espaguetis)

Author: Vanessa

A savory and satisfying Dominican Spaghetti made with salami, tomato sauce, peppers, and olives—all simmered into a rich, flavorful sauce and tossed with pasta. Ready in under 40 minutes!

4.74 from 15 votes

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Total Time 35 minutes mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine Dominican

Servings 6 servings

Calories 529 kcal

Equipment

• 1 Large Skillet
• 1 Pasta Boiling Pot

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• ▢ 1 lb Spaghetti
• ▢ 1 tsp salt
• ▢ 2 Tbsp olive oil
• ▢ 8 ounces Dominican Salami cut into small cubes
• ▢ ½ cup onion chopped
• ▢ 1 bell pepper sliced (I like to use a combination of green and red peppers)
• ▢ 1 garlic clove minced
• ▢ 1 plum tomato chopped
• ▢ 2 Tbsp olives alcaparrado
• ▢ 1 tsp granulated chicken bouillon
• ▢ ½ tsp oregano
• ▢ ½ tsp black pepper
• ▢ 1 cup tomato sauce
• ▢ 1 tsp butter
• ▢ 1/4 cup ground Parmesan cheese optional

Instructions

 

• Boil the spaghetti according to package instructions, having added 1 teaspoon of salt to the water. Drain the water and set the spaghetti aside.
• Heat oil in a pan over medium heat. Cook and stir the salami until it browns.
• Lower heat to medium-low. Add onions, pepper, and garlic. Let cook, stirring occasionally until onions become translucent. Add tomatoes, olives (alcaparrado), chicken bouillon, oregano and black pepper. Let cook for about 2 minutes. Add tomato sauce and butter. Stir to mix. Simmer covered for about 6-8 minutes.
• Stir in cooked spaghetti to combine.
• Serve hot with a side of bread, tostones or salad. Top with Parmesan cheese if desired.

Notes

• I like to make this dish with spaghetti, but it will also work well with other kinds of pasta.
• Cook the pasta al dente, as it will continue to cook when it is added to the sauce.
• You can add ½ cup evaporated milk to the sauce to make it a bit creamy. This is optional.

Nutrition

Calories: 529kcalCarbohydrates: 63gProtein: 21gFat: 21gSaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 35mgSodium: 1653mgPotassium: 546mgFiber: 4gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 955IUVitamin C: 31mgCalcium: 85mgIron: 2mg

The nutritional information of this recipe and all recipes on mydominicankitchen.com is only an estimate. The accuracy of any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.

Keywordhow to make Dominican spaghetti, Latin spaghetti recipe, salami spaghetti

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