Ready in under 30 minutes, this homemade SpaghettiOs recipe is the perfect midweek comfort food. It’s quick, easy, and so much healthier than the canned version. Enjoy!
Pasta is the ultimate comfort food for the whole family and a lifesaver on busy days when you need something quick, tasty, and filling for little bellies.
In this recipe, I’ll show you how to whip up a homemade version of SpaghettiOs with just a few simple ingredients, all in under 30 minutes! Best served warm, this cozy pasta dish can also be paired with chicken or meatballs for an extra boost of protein.
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👩🏻🍳 Why you should try my recipe
- Easy to prepare with simple ingredients you already have in your pantry.
- Suitable for toddlers and kids of all ages.
- Ready in under 30 minutes.
- Great for midweek meals and busy days.
🥘 Ingredients
To make homemade SpaghettiOs, we are going to need anellini pasta rings, passata or tomato purée, half & half milk, onion, garlic, butter, tomato paste, salt, black pepper and parmesan cheese.
- Anellini pasta: Traditional SpaghettiOs are made with a specific small ring-shaped pasta, but if you can’t find it, don’t worry! You can easily swap in another type of small pasta, just adjust the water and cooking time as needed.
- Tomatoes: I'm using a combination of tomato paste and passata. Tomato paste has a stronger flavor and will give us a dark color. Passata or puréed tomatoes doesn't contain any salt or additives and is great for making sauces and stews. You could also blend whole peeled tomatoes if that's what you have in your pantry.
- Butter: I like to use unsalted butter instead of oil. It adds a richer flavor and gives the pasta a nice glossy finish, making it taste even closer to the classic store-bought SpaghettiOs.
For full quantities and to print the recipe, see the recipe card below.
🔪 Step-by-step Instructions
So get your ingredients ready and let's get started!
01. I like to start by blending the tomato purée with the onion and garlic. Normally, when I make stews or pasta sauces, I’ll just chop them up and sauté them until soft. But for this recipe, blending works best. It makes the sauce extra smooth and creamy, with no little bits to chew on.
02. Next, I move over to the pot. I melt a little butter, then stir in the tomato paste and let it cook for about a minute. This quick step makes a big difference—it really brings out the flavor before adding everything else.
03. Next I add the tomato purée, salt and ground black pepper. I start with adding 2 cups of water (or broth if you prefer) and I might need to add a little bit more later on.
04. Then I toss in the pasta rings (anellini) and give everything a good stir. I let the pasta cook for about 20 minutes, soft, but still with a little bite. Every few minutes, I give it a stir so it doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pot.
05. Next I add the half-and-half milk (or single cream if you prefer) and give it a stir. I simmer for 4–5 minutes
06. Finally, I add the parmesan cheese and continue cooking for a couple more minutes or until the pasta is cooked (if needed, you could add some more water).
🍽 Serving suggestions
This homemade spaghettios dish is best served when freshly made while it's still warm and creamy. You could pair it with some chicken or meatballs for protein or some steamed or boiled veggies for extra fiber.
🧰 Storage
If you have any leftovers, I recommend storing the spaghettios in an airtight container in the fridge and consume it within 1–2 days. When ready to consume, warm it up in a pot with a little bit of water, until it's hot and creamy.
❓ FAQ
If it's hard to find anellini pasta rings to make homemade spaghettiOs, you could use short macaroni, ditalini or orzo pasta. You should adjust the cooking time and water accordingly.
If you tried these homemade SpaghettiOs or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. I love hearing from you!
📋 Recipe
Easy Homemade SpaghettiOs
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 cup tomato purée or passata
- ½ onion
- 2 garlic cloves
- 2 cups anellini pasta
- ½ cup half & half (or single cream)
- ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese (plus more for serving)
- 1 teaspoon salt (NOT for babies under 12 months)
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- In a blender add the tomato purée, half onion and garlic cloves. Blend everything well.
- Place a pot over medium heat. Add the butter and stir until melted.
- Add the tomato paste and cook it for a minute whilst stirring with a spatula.
- Add the tomato purée, salt and black pepper to the pot. Add the pasta and 2 cups of water. Stir to combine.
- Cook the pasta for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking to the bottom. If needed, add a little bit more water.
- Add the half & half and stir to combine. Continue cooking for 4–5 minutes in medium low heat.
- Add the parmesan cheese and stir to combine. Cook for 1–2 minutes until the pasta is ready and the sauce is thick.
Video
Notes
- Best enjoyed while it's still warm with some more parmesan cheese on top.
- Instead of half & half, you could use single cream or whole milk.
- For babies under 12 months, leave out the salt.
Nutrition
🥣 More to try
If you liked my homemade spaghettiOs recipe, you should try some of these recipes too:
Julia Droulia
My family loves this homemade spaghettios dish! It's really tasty, filling and perfect for busy days!