Do you know about Haitian spaghetti?

Spaghetti isn’t indigenous to Haiti. It arrived through outside contact—most likely in the early-to-mid 20th century, during periods of stronger cultural and economic exchange with Europe (especially France and Italy) and the United States.

Cultural footprint in Haiti

Urban introduction: Spaghetti likely entered Haiti via urban centers such as Port-au-Prince, where imported goods and foreign influence were strongest.

American influence: The U.S. occupation of Haiti (1915–1934) brought American food products and brands into Haitian markets, including pasta.

Local adaptation: Haitians took spaghetti and made it their own—most famously as spageti ak sòs (Haitian breakfast spaghetti) often cooked with hot dogs, smoked herring, or sardines, seasoned with epis and tomato paste.

A safe estimate

While pasta was known in Haiti as early as the late 19th century through French and European ties, spaghetti became a household staple in the mid-20th century—around the 1930s–1950s—when it shifted from being an imported curiosity to something reinterpreted into everyday Haitian cuisine.

Spaghetti ak aranso | Smoked herring spapghetti