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Napolitan

Japan · No.21 / 103

Napolitan

Napolitan, 5 ways

A thick-noodle ketchup pasta that grew up in Japanese kissaten (coffee shops). Boiling the noodles ahead, reducing the ketchup, and the order of the ingredients are what get you to that flavor.

Ryuji Fabio Tomomi Ogura Chef Ropia (Akifumi Kobayashi) TO Tsutomu Ochiai
20 min · Difficulty ●○○○○ · 8videos

Cook this pasta on video

Watch the creators’ original videos for the method and finish.

Chef Ropia (Akifumi Kobayashi)A Chef's Ultimate Napolitan: How to Get That Chewy, Rich FlavorWatch on YouTube ↗

Chef Ropia (Akifumi Kobayashi)A Chef's Late-Night Meal [Napolitan]: The Umami-Bomb Napolitan You Want at MidnightWatch on YouTube ↗

Koh KentetsuMake It the Moment You Crave It! Rich and Easy Ketchup-Based Homemade NapolitanWatch on YouTube ↗

Koh Kentetsu[Popular Recipe, 4 Million Views] Super Easy! A Recipe Developer Seriously Teaches How to Recreate the Kissaten Flavor at Home — The Ultimate NapolitanWatch on YouTube ↗

Choose from the cooks’ recipes

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RyujiRecipe developer Source verified

Ketchup only; low heat kills acidity, noodles pan-toasted

  • Bills itself as 'ketchup only' for seasoning (though the official instructions note bouillon as a backup)
  • Sausages cut on a diagonal for a wider surface
  • Pan-fries the noodles for a toasty, browned aroma
View the original recipe Load this style
In the chef’s words
  • It's seasoned with nothing but ketchup, yet why it tastes this good is a mystery bigger than the universe source
  • Sausages are cut on a diagonal because a wider cut surface brings out more umami source

References: [1] [2]

Chef Ropia (Akifumi Kobayashi)After Ristorante Floria in Nagano (2013 to May 2023) and Ponte Carbo in Aoyama, Tokyo (August 2023 to March 2025), he cooked in Italy as the resident chef at the Japanese Consulate-General in Milan. Now back in Japan and preparing to reopen Ristorante Floria in Nagano in autumn 2026 Partly unverified

Dry pasta simmered in 400ml tomato juice until it catches

  • Reduces the tomato juice until it starts to catch, for a toasted, caramelized aroma
  • States his own rich-vs-light variations explicitly
  • The same channel has another 'Napolitan' with pancetta and bonito flakes
View the original recipe Load this style
In the chef’s words
  • Reduce the tomato juice until it nearly scorches for a rich pasta / halve the tomato juice and thin it with water for a lighter-sauced Napolitan source

References: [1] [2]

Source is a recipe page (no video)
TO Tsutomu OchiaiOwner-chef of La Bettola da Ochiai in Ginza, Tokyo; honorary chairman of the Associazione Italiana Cucina Italiana in Japan Source verified

Only the add-ins get fried; off-heat Parmesan-butter toss

  • 'Only the ingredients get fried' — a toss-style method that never fries the pasta itself
  • 30g of Parmesan for depth of flavor
  • Uses a block of ham (unusual amid a majority sausage crowd)
View the original recipe Load this style
In the chef’s words
  • The Ochiai style is to fry only the ingredients. The pasta is tossed in a sweet-and-tangy ketchup sauce given depth by Parmesan cheese. A silky-smooth Napolitan. source

References: [1] [2] [3]

Compared on 8 axes

Figures are transcribed as written in each video or recipe page

AXIS Ryuji Fabio Tomomi Ogura Chef Ropia (Akifumi Kobayashi) TO Tsutomu Ochiai
Pasta, portion, and boiling 100g, thicker noodle recommended, drain lightly2.2mm, 90g, 12.5 min60g fusilli80g, no pre-boiling1.4mm, 160g for 2 servings
Boiling ahead and oiling no resting timeno resting timeno resting timenone (simmered directly in tomato juice)no resting time
Handling the ketchup 4 tbsp, cook off acidity over low heat150cc homemade, added later and fried togethernot used (80g tomato sauce + oil-marinated paprika)400ml tomato juice + ketchup (amount not stated)2 tbsp, thinned with 2 tbsp pasta water
Ingredients 3 sausages (cut on a diagonal), onion, mushroom, bell pepper45g sausage, 3 mushrooms, 20g red onion, 1 bell pepper, 3 cherry tomatoes5 slices bacon, new-crop onion, mushroom, garlic2 sausages, onion, 4 mushrooms, bell pepper, chili pepper100g onion, 120g block boneless ham, 5 mushrooms, 2 bell peppers
Oil and butter 2 tsp salad oil + 10g butter1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil + 10g butterbacon fat + finishing olive oil20g olive oil2 tbsp olive oil + butter
Heat level low heat for the ketchup, then pan-fry the noodlessear color on cherry tomatoes, then fry everything togetherlow heatreduce until it catches, then flipmedium, then low, then off
Finishing grated cheese, parsley / black pepperseared cherry tomatoesParmigiano, parsley30g grated cheese, parsley30g Parmesan, butter
Total time 30 minnot stated20 min15 min15 min
Source check Source verifiedSource verifiedSource verifiedPartly unverifiedSource verified
Ryuji Ketchup only; low heat kills acidity, noodles pan-toasted
Pasta, portion, and boiling
100g, thicker noodle recommended, drain lightly
Boiling ahead and oiling
no resting time
Handling the ketchup
4 tbsp, cook off acidity over low heat
Ingredients
3 sausages (cut on a diagonal), onion, mushroom, bell pepper
Oil and butter
2 tsp salad oil + 10g butter
Heat level
low heat for the ketchup, then pan-fry the noodles
Finishing
grated cheese, parsley / black pepper
Total time
30 min
Source
Source verified
Fabio 2.2mm at 12.5 min, 150cc homemade ketchup, yakisoba-style
Pasta, portion, and boiling
2.2mm, 90g, 12.5 min
Boiling ahead and oiling
no resting time
Handling the ketchup
150cc homemade, added later and fried together
Ingredients
45g sausage, 3 mushrooms, 20g red onion, 1 bell pepper, 3 cherry tomatoes
Oil and butter
1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil + 10g butter
Heat level
sear color on cherry tomatoes, then fry everything together
Finishing
seared cherry tomatoes
Total time
not stated
Source
Source verified
Tomomi Ogura Fusilli, tomato sauce not ketchup, 1.5% salt, sauce first
Pasta, portion, and boiling
60g fusilli
Boiling ahead and oiling
no resting time
Handling the ketchup
not used (80g tomato sauce + oil-marinated paprika)
Ingredients
5 slices bacon, new-crop onion, mushroom, garlic
Oil and butter
bacon fat + finishing olive oil
Heat level
low heat
Finishing
Parmigiano, parsley
Total time
20 min
Source
Source verified
Chef Ropia (Akifumi Kobayashi) Dry pasta simmered in 400ml tomato juice until it catches
Pasta, portion, and boiling
80g, no pre-boiling
Boiling ahead and oiling
none (simmered directly in tomato juice)
Handling the ketchup
400ml tomato juice + ketchup (amount not stated)
Ingredients
2 sausages, onion, 4 mushrooms, bell pepper, chili pepper
Oil and butter
20g olive oil
Heat level
reduce until it catches, then flip
Finishing
30g grated cheese, parsley
Total time
15 min
Source
Partly unverified
TO Tsutomu Ochiai Only the add-ins get fried; off-heat Parmesan-butter toss
Pasta, portion, and boiling
1.4mm, 160g for 2 servings
Boiling ahead and oiling
no resting time
Handling the ketchup
2 tbsp, thinned with 2 tbsp pasta water
Ingredients
100g onion, 120g block boneless ham, 5 mushrooms, 2 bell peppers
Oil and butter
2 tbsp olive oil + butter
Heat level
medium, then low, then off
Finishing
30g Parmesan, butter
Total time
15 min
Source
Source verified

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1 Pasta & boiling Brand, thickness, salt, water volume, cooking time
2 Base Fat and the main ingredient: rendering, infusing
3 Sauce & emulsion Where you toss, heat level, how much pasta water
4 Finish Cheese, pepper, finishing oil, plating

The map of schools: where the heat is managed

For Napolitan, the fork in the road is how you emulsify and heat

Toss over direct heat

The pan stays on the flame and your hands manage the temperature. Fast, but it takes feel.

Indirect heat

Bain-marie, steam, double boiler or a hand blender. Repeatable, at the cost of one extra step.

  • No styles here

Off the heat

Emulsify after killing the flame, or in a bowl with only the pasta’s residual heat. Hard to get wrong.

Total timeActual values from 4 styles. Equal values stack vertically
13.2 min17.9 min22.5 min27.1 min31.8 minChef Ropia (Akifumi Kobayashi): 15 minCRTsutomu Ochiai: 15 minTOTomomi Ogura: 20 minTORyuji: 30 minR
Pasta thicknessActual values from 2 styles. Equal values stack vertically
1.3mm1.6mm1.8mm2.0mm2.3mmTsutomu Ochiai: 1.4mm, 160g for 2 servingsTOFabio: 2.2mm, 90g, 12.5 minF

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