Uh oh, spaghettios. This healthy homemade spaghettios recipe tastes even better than the real thing!
The original SpaghettiOs
More than 150 million cans of Campbell’s SpaghettiOs are sold each year, many of which are consumed by children.
There’s just something about those cute little os in the cheesy tomato sauce that’s impossible to resist.
SpaghettiOs were a common sight in my own elementary school lunchbox, much to the bemusement of my traditional Italian grandmother.
I remember her once picking up a can, reading the label, and saying to me, “This is NOT food.”
When Campbell’s introduced the idea of canned spaghetti back in 1965, I think she may have cried.
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Above, watch the homemade spaghettio recipe video
Easy homemade spaghettios recipe
With kids still in school for a few more weeks, it seemed like a good time to try and create a homemade spaghettios recipe.
But this one has no high fructose corn syrup or ingredients you can’t pronounce.
Healthy spaghettios! And yes, they fit perfectly into a lunchbox thermos.
Pack them up alongside a few healthy Banana Oatmeal Cookies, Black Bean Brownies, or these Healthy Chocolate Chip Cookies.
Healthy spaghettios ingredients
I used anellini pasta for a traditional Spaghetti Os shape, but you can easily substitute whatever small pasta shape you have on hand.
The spaghetti Os can be dairy free, egg free, soy free, vegan, low fat, low calorie, and added sugar free. For gluten free homemade Spaghettios, just use a gluten free pasta.
They even make gluten free quinoa anellini if you want a true SpaghettiOs shape but wish to keep it gluten free.
Nutritional yeast is a completely natural, and very healthy, product that can be found at Whole Foods, on Amazon, or in the natural food section of many regular grocery stores. It is high in protein and boasts an impressive list of vitamins.
Don’t get it confused with brewers yeast or the yeast you’d use for bread. Here, nutritional yeast is used as a vegan alternative to Parmesan cheese. It gives the homemade spaghettios a deliciously cheesy flavor.
For vegan spaghettios, use dairy free butter and plant based milk. I have not tried the recipe with oil instead of butter. We did try a fat free version and were not fans. So we do not recommend omitting it.
These homemade Spaghettios are Italian-grandma approved!
How to make homemade spaghettios
Combine the onion powder, paprika, sweetener, nutritional yeast or Parmesan, salt, milk of choice, no salt added tomato sauce, and butter in a small saucepan.
Bring the pasta sauce to a boil. Then lower the heat and cook on low, stirring occasionally, until hot.
While the red sauce is cooking, bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil.
Once the water starts to boil, throw in the pasta and cook according to package directions or until desired pasta texture is reached. (I like al dente pasta.)
Drain, then pat dry with a towel. Pour the pasta into the sauce, and stir to coat the spaghettios. Serve hot.
Leftover spaghettios can be stored in an airtight covered container in the refrigerator for up to four days.
Reheat leftovers on the stove top or in the microwave, adding a little milk of choice as needed to get the sauce creamy again.
Although you technically can freeze pasta, it will change the texture of both the noodles and the sauce. So I do not recommend freezing leftover pasta in general.
Using a food scale
If you wish to use gram measurements instead of the cups and tablespoons listed further below, here are the amounts to use in grams:
130 grams of pasta, 425 grams of tomato sauce, 12 grams of Parmesan cheese or nutritional yeast, 30 grams of milk (plant based milks work too), 10 grams butter spread, and 12 grams of sweetener.
Also remember to add in the onion powder, salt, and paprika.
Homemade Spaghettios
Ingredients
- 15 oz no-salt-added tomato sauce
- 2 tbsp milk of choice
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1/4 tsp paprika
- 3/4 tsp to 1 tsp salt, as desired
- 1 tbsp butter (vegan brands work too)
- 1/4 cup nutritional yeast or Parmesan
- 1-2 tbsp any sweetener of choice
- 1 cup uncooked tiny pasta of choice (If using a larger pasta, such as elbows, increase to 2 cups)
Instructions
- Homemade SpaghettiOs Recipe: In a small saucepan, stir together all ingredients except the pasta. Bring to a boil, then lower and cook on low until the butter spread melts completely. Meanwhile, bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil. Once boiling, throw in the pasta and cook until desired texture is reached. Drain, then pat dry with a towel. Pour the pasta into the sauce, and stir to combine. Serve. Before reheating any leftovers, stir and add a little milk of choice as needed.View Nutrition Facts
Video
Notes
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Yum! Neither of my kids have ever had the canned Spaghetti-O’s because I refuse to buy them, but I used to eat them all the time as a kid. I think I am going to need to make this for them! They love pasta. And if I can find the anellini pasta they will probably love that too, it’s easier for them to eat the smaller shapes.
Where did you get the anellini pasta? I have actually been looking for noodles to make this for my son, and haven’t found them anywhere. I know your in Dallas like me, so I am excited. 🙂
Unfortunately I found it in New York… Ronzoni Rings. I looked everywhere in Dallas! TJ’s, Kroger, Whole Foods, Market Street… nope.
Amazon has some brands. They’re relatively pricey, but I think you get a bulk amount.
Oooo, and I almost forgot. Trader Joe’s used to carry it a few years ago but stopped. Maybe see if you can request that they start making it again? Hey, if people ask for it, they might.
I didn’t realize you’re a Dallas girl too, Katie? Yeehaw! I was so excited to find this recipe — Spaghetti-Os with Franks was always my go-to comfort food. I picked up some veggie dogs today to add to mine, but I also couldn’t find any O-shaped pasta. Boo. So this time ’round it will have to be Fusilli-Os. LOL
BTW, the lovely cashier at Whole Foods said she managed to find alphabet-shaped pasta at Albertsons. I may have to give that a try!
If not online, check out your local Italian deli. But, be willing to pay the specialty price.
Do you need nutritional yeast? Is that make the flavoring like the cheese in canned version. Could I use Parmesan instead? (I know I should probably by nutritional yeast, but that is another trip to another store)
Gah, I have a typo and it drives me nuts I can’t fix : ) I know it is there.
I love finding out the different names for food in the US to what we call them in the UK. We call Spaghetti-O’s Spaghetti Hoops. So not so much difference. I loved Spaghetti hoops on toast when I was little (in fact, if I’m being honest I still do). I didn’t even know you could get pasta shaped in hoop/os.
Oh my dog, girl! I can’t believe u did it, this tastes JUST like the original! Thank you!!!!!!!!!!
I never really liked spaghetti o’s. However, your version sounds 20000 times better, so I might have to get my carb-loving family in on this
This post is making me SO HAPPY.
It looks and sounds incredibly good.
So nice pictures you have! 🙂
My mom very rarely had Boyardee canned foods as a kid. However, spending time at friends’ house’s I definitely had my share. I feel ashamed saying it but they were soo good and can’t wait to make this recipe! Thank you 🙂
These look amazing and I love and miss Spaghetti-O’s. I won’t buy them cause they are full of garbage. I will definitely try these.