Homemade Spaghettios

Childhood favorite spaghetti loops with rich tomato-based sauce with cheese and spices.

Enjoy a nostalgic bowl of Homemade Spaghettios with this simple and delicious recipe, perfect for kids and adults alike. This version offers a rich tomato sauce with a hint of cheese, making it a comforting meal for any time of day.

Childhood favorite hoops taste better when homemade and are much healthier than canned spaghettios.

The canned stuff is handy, but homemade spaghetti-os are full of flavor and we can select all the ingredients, skipping preservatives, additives, etc.

Why I Love This Spaghettios Recipe

• This foolproof almost one-pot recipe takes 45 minutes top to whip. Amazing weeknight dinner that kids will love. And it is very comforting. It is such a cool American invention that has been with us since the 60s!
• Perfect back-to-school recipe. Children loooove spaghetti-os and didn’t we too when we were kids? And there is nothing better than a super easy recipe for parents during that hectic time.
• Versatile. Can be served as is, as a side, or with meatballs like a complete dinner.
• Easier to eat than traditional spaghetti – they are round and small! No struggle with swirling and slurping long noodles in.
• Affordable. If you can make homemade, quick, easy, and within a budget, you will never buy a canned version again.

Ingredients in Homemade Spaghettios

To make this recipe you only need a few simple ingredients, pasta, tomato paste, and cheese. I don’t make meatballs, but you can look up meatball ingredients here.

• Small ring-shaped pasta, anellini pasta (aka anelli pasta), ditalini, or any small pasta shape. Ring shape would be the closest to the original version, as spaghettios are made with small Os with pasta sauce. No O-shaped pasta? Use any small type like elbow or orecchiette.
• Butter (unsalted butter or salted butter with adjusted added salt) adds so much goodness to this recipe. I love it more than using olive oil.
• Finely chopped onion or onion powder. Onion and garlic are what really give the tomatoes a rich flavor and make this recipe taste so good.
• Minced garlic or garlic powder. The powder version has a more subtle garlic flavor.
• Tomato sauce, plain, without any additional flavoring. The best is to use homemade tomato sauce.
• Chicken broth (chicken bouillon cubes or stock are great too) or beef broth for a heartier, more fatty sauce.
• Tomato paste, not tomato puree. It gives more flavor and thickens the sauce.
• Granulated sugar or honey. Remember, original spaghetti-os are kinda sweet?
• Salt and pepper to taste. If you use salted butter or bouillon cubes, use much less or no added salt at all. Taste first, as you can easily end up with an overly salted dish.
• Cheeses: I use Shredded cheddar cheese and grated Parmesan cheese. It is one of my favorite cheese combinations. If you have neither, Pecorino or grated Mozzarella will do! To be fair, cheeses are optional.

Kitchen Appliances You’ll Need

• A pot to cook pasta.
• A large saucepan or Dutch oven to cook the sauce and then add pasta.

How To Make Spaghetti Os On The Stove?

The prep time for this easy recipe is almost non-existent especially if you choose to make it a one-pot meal and cook the pasta together with all the ingredients without boiling it first.

1 – Cook The Pasta

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to package instructions until al dente.

Drain (if you love runny sauce, keep some pasta water for later) and set aside.

Do not rinse or add oil.

An alternative way is not to pre-cook pasta but to let it cook with all the ingredients combined. It will definitely infuse it with all the flavors. In that case, add the pasta after adding tomato paste in the next step.

2 – Make The Sauce

Melt the butter in a large saucepan, over medium heat. 

Add onion and garlic. Sauté until the onion is soft and translucent, about 5 minutes.

Stir in the tomato sauce, chicken broth, tomato paste, sugar, salt, and black pepper. Bring to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. It will lightly brown, it is normal.

*If you didn’t cook the pasta beforehand, add it now and follow the package instructions for cooking time.

Reduce heat to low heat and stir in the shredded cheddar cheese and grated Parmesan cheese until melted and well combined.

3 – Add the pasta

Add the cooked pasta to the sauce and stir until the pasta is evenly coated with the sauce. Cook for an additional 5 minutes to allow the flavors to come together.

Ladle the Spaghettios into bowls. Serve warm.

Serving Options

Optionally, sprinkle some more grated Parmesan cheese and chopped parsley or basil leaves on top.

Some more options are:

• If you truly want to bring back the memories, serve with a toast.
• With your favorite meatballs.
• With chicken nuggets or rotisserie chicken.
• With salad or roasted vegetables for a healthier meal.

Storage

Store leftovers in an airtight container for 4-5 days which makes it a great recipe to make ahead. Double the recipe to make it a meal prep option for a week.

Simply reheat in a microwave or in a pan on the stove with a splash of water.

You can freeze homemade spaghettios for up to 2 months but I wouldn’t freeze pasta recipes.

Tips To Make Homemade Spaghetti-o’s

• To make the sauce richer and creamier, you can add milk or heavy cream. Adding dairy will also turn the dish orange-ish.
• If you want a more watery sauce, add some pasta water to the pot.
• Herbs and spices to add for flavor: dried oregano, Italian seasoning or pizza seasoning, red pepper flakes if you want some heat.
• Olive oil is a good substitute for butter when you need to get the most flavor out of garlic and onion.
• If you don’t like the sweetness tomatoes bring, add a splash of apple cider vinegar. It balances out the flavors very well. Or also do not add any sugar at all.
• If you do love the sweetness of canned spaghettios, add some honey.
• You absolutely have to cook the tomato paste, otherwise it will give a metallic taste to the dish.
• Stir a lot or use a non-stick pot. Pasta and tomato sauce love to stick to the sides.
• Do not drain the pasta if you pre-cook it. It will soak up the flavors better.
• Although I love cheese in all pasta recipes, I heard rumors that some people love spaghettios sauce without cheese. I didn’t try that, but if it sounds right to you – go ahead!
• If the sauce appears too watery, simmer it as long as you want until it thickens, before adding pasta.
• Vegan & gluten-free version. If you replace butter with olive oil, get gluten-free quinoa anellini pasta, and skip the cheese (or use vegan or nutritional yeast) you will have a perfect plan-based healthy lunch.

Popular Questions

How To Make Spaghetti Hoops Taste Better?

Homemade spaghettios with homemade tomato sauce, no additives, and corn syrups taste much better than the canned version.

You can adjust the sweetness, the consistency of the sauce and serve it with your favorite homemade meatballs.

Do You Add Water To Spaghettios?

When reheating homemade spaghettios on the stove, add a splash of water to activate the sauce.

Are SpaghettiO’s Healthy?

Homemade spaghettios are healthier than canned ones since we only use ingredients we know and don’t use any preservatives to make them last long.

If you love this copycat recipe, you’re going to love these other copycat dinners too. Please click each link below to find the easy, printable recipe!

More Great Homemade Classics

Homemade Big Mac (with Homemade Big Mac Sauce)

Homemade Crunch Bars

Easy Homemade Caramel Popcorn

Homemade Fortune Cookies & Free Printable

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