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.
Readers also like this Vegan Alfredo Sauce
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
Notes
Have you made this recipe?
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Erica { EricaDHouse.com } says
Oh man I used to tear UP some Spaghetti-O’s as a kid! I was just trying to find new ways to carb-up during marathon training and I think this is going to become a regular feature in my diet now!
Lisa @bitesforbabies says
Are you kidding me?! I tore up the Spaghetti O’s, the Chef Boyardee Beefaroni AND the Chunky clam chowder soup, lol! Eww!
BakeMeABallerina says
You read my mind!!!! A couple of weeks ago I was scouring the Internet for a spaghetti o recipe. They are one of my favorite comfort foods. My mom made them for me and my brother and sister when we were little. Where did you get the o-shaped pasta?
Chocolate Covered Katie says
I found it at a grocery store in New York… you could also order online. And some Trader Joe’s apparently have it. (Mine didn’t.)
Rebecca says
Ronzoni makes a pasta called rings.
Sandra says
many stores carry it but none do in my town so I ordered on Amazon.
Rachel says
This sounds spectacular and I am now craving Spaghetti O’s. I might just have to make this sometime this week…
sam says
Hello Katie. Can you please give me more information about nutritional yeast substitutes? I live in a country where I cannot find it. Thank you. sam
Chocolate Covered Katie says
Hi Sam,
It takes the place of something cheesy… so maybe substitute it with something else cheesy? Sorry I can’t be more helpful than that. 🙁
Katy says
Pre-grated Parmesan cheese would work well as a substitute.
Steph says
I can’t find it where I live either and I’m in the US. You can order it online- ebay, vegan essentials.com, etc. I just ordered my first can this morning. Good luck!
Wanda says
Do you have a bulk barn store? Or any herbal food store should have it.
Kelsey says
This has been on my recipe-testing list for like, a year! I think I’ll have to abandon my own plans and just make yours now– it looks delicious!
Ellie says
They’re adorable! And I love the picture 🙂
Lisa @bitesforbabies says
LOVE this post, especially the nonna’s approval! lol! I’m ALL for healthy knock-offs of original fare. They are SO much tastier than the “real” stuff (if that’s what you can call it!).
Emily @ Life on Food says
How fun! I never had Spaghetti – O’s growing up. My mom refused. My dad however loved them. I would be so happy to make a dish of this the next time he is over.
Becky says
Thank you so much for this recipe. My daughter loves the Trader Joe’s version of spaghetti O’s. Now I have a healthy version to make for her!
Kelly Wang says
Katie, your eyes, they are beautiful 😉
Aparna says
I am so glad I have not grown up eating canned pasta. I may sound like a food snob saying that, but it is true, and I am so grateful that I have my flavorful and healthful Indian foods! This looks really good, though I have never had nutritional yeast.
Steph @ A Life without Ice Cream says
I love it! Being dairy free you just don’t get things like spaghetti-os. I’ll have to try this one soon 🙂
Ashley @ Wishes and Dishes says
Awww such a cute photo! Yeah, I definitely ate these like it was my job when I was a kid LOL
Lisa says
Such a cute idea! If I were still a Nanny, I’d totally make these for the kiddos since they always loved this stuff.
I’m not a huge spaghetti o person myself, but the sauce sounds mighty tasty:)
Hannah @ TalesFromTheLastFrontier says
I love this idea! I am a teacher and I see soooo many cans of spaghetti o’s floating around my classroom. I wish more parents prepared the healthy-versions of their kiddos favorite meals. I may have to suggest this one around 🙂
Melissa says
Ahh, just seeing the title of your post today brought back so many fond memories! I was one of the few children who loved bringing hot lunches (i.e. a canned pasta or something of that nature in a thermos). Yum!
Maya says
I’m pretty lucky that my parents always fed me regular home cooked food! I rarely ate what Americans think of as “kid food” and as a result have never been picky my whole life. Thanks Mom and Dad! (There was definitely a time I went back up for thirds of spinach quiche my teacher brought in in 1st grade when all the other kids couldn’t take down one bite).
How does your grandma make her pasta? All the homemade pastas I’ve made have eggs in them.
Chocolate Covered Katie says
I guess I’m confused… this pasta is storebought :).
Maya says
Ohhhh got it. Storebought is vegan for sure. I was just thinking she may make the homemade kind 🙂 Which by the way is amazing if there’s a way to make it vegan!
Chocolate Covered Katie says
I’m sure there must be a way… just google homemade vegan pasta and results are sure to pop up. After all, they make vegan fried calamari now (scary). Pasta should be easy ;).
Kaisa says
Hi,
you can simply substitute the egg(s) with water. Yum, home made pasta!
Sarah says
Why is that scary? Recipes call for hearts of palm or oyster mushrooms.
Elizabeth catt says
Not all store brought pasta is vegan
You have to check for eggs in egg noodles
Raquel Evans says
I like this recipe for homemade whole wheat pasta and it happens to be completely vegan. (My husband even likes it, and he’s not a person who likes whole wheat unless it’s actually good.) http://www.thenourishinggourmet.com/2008/10/rustic-pasta-soaked-grain-recipe.html
Elizabeth says
We really needed this one! To my shame, I share that my kids *love* Spaghetti-o’s.
Katie @ Produce on Parade says
Omg, my life is complete! 🙂 Thanks for sharing!
Heather @ French Press says
we love making our own version of these…VERY kid friendly
melissa @ my whole food life says
Omg Katie you are amazing! I can’t wait to try this with my daughter!
Marion says
Awesome! I don’t suppose you have a picture of the pasta packet? I’m not sure we can get that pasta in Australia…
Unofficial CCK Helper says
Do a Google image search for anatelli pasta and all the images of different brands should come up. Hope that is helpful!
Unofficial CCK Helper says
Sorry, that should read “anellini” pasta!
Jamie says
Have you considered advising people to use different “butters”? I ask because I just threw out my Smart Balance when I realized it is canola oil, which is GMO. Just wondering if for non vegans, organic butter might be a better choice. Love your site!
Kari says
I kind of think that Earth Balance is non-GMO and vegan!
Kari says
http://www.earthbalancenatural.com/product/original-buttery-spread/
Jamie says
Good to know. I am not familiar with that product but threw away the SmartBalance once I did research. Thx. 🙂
Kari says
Are you kidding? What perfect timing! Not only is this a fantastic back to school lunch for our kindergartener (who’s never had the canned variety), I’ve been craving spaghettios for weeks! I’ve even picked up a can but the ingredient label had me returning it within seconds. Dinner plans for tonight have been changed! 🙂
ThisBakerGirlBlogs says
Love this! I haven’t had spaghetti-os in such a long time but I practically lived on them as a kid. This is bringing back some fond memories indeed 🙂
Olivia @healthylivy says
OMG! I haven’t had spaghetti o’s since I was a kid. Thank you for this!
Emily says
Oh wow, I always crave spaghettios when I’m feeling sick but then feel bad for eating junk food. This recipe is going to come in really handy!
Jill says
Katie…which did you use? The powdered or flake version of the yeast? I know you can use less powder (almost by half compared to flakes)…so which did you use?
Chocolate Covered Katie says
I never knew there was more than one type… I guess I used the flakes, as you can definitely see some flake shape in the package I have (from the bulk aisle of Whole Foods).
Jamie | Thrifty Veggie Mama says
This would be so great for my kids lunches!
Krista says
Question about nutritional yeast….does it add anything to the flavor? Is there something you could substitute? These look yummy!!!!
Jessica says
Yeah, I was wondering the same thing. Since regular Spaghettios have cheese in the sauce, maybe the yeast is supposed to replace that flavor? For those of us who can’t/don’t have nutritional yeast and who aren’t vegan, would melting some shredded cheese in the tomato sauce work instead?
Chocolate Covered Katie says
Sorry, I really don’t know about the cheese question… but yes, the nutritional yeast is included for a cheesy flavor.
Jessica says
Thanks. 🙂
Katy says
Try pre-grated Parmesan! 🙂
Christina @ Cooking Up Geekdom says
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.
janine says
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. 🙂
Chocolate Covered Katie says
Unfortunately I found it in New York… Ronzoni Rings. I looked everywhere in Dallas! TJ’s, Kroger, Whole Foods, Market Street… nope.
Jessica says
Amazon has some brands. They’re relatively pricey, but I think you get a bulk amount.
Jessica says
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.
Marci F says
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!
Vienna says
If not online, check out your local Italian deli. But, be willing to pay the specialty price.
Karen says
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)
Karen says
Gah, I have a typo and it drives me nuts I can’t fix : ) I know it is there.
Nikki @ The Road to Less Cake says
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.
Dana says
Oh my dog, girl! I can’t believe u did it, this tastes JUST like the original! Thank you!!!!!!!!!!
carolyn says
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
Lynn @ The Actor's Diet says
This post is making me SO HAPPY.
RisRosOgKlaging says
It looks and sounds incredibly good.
So nice pictures you have! 🙂
Samantha @ Sweetly Striving says
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 🙂
Angela Gilmore says
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.
Suzanne says
I made these last night and they were kid and parents approved. Yum!
Shiree says
I just scored major mom points! Thanks! I asked my daughter what she wanted for lunch and she said she wished she was at grandma’s house so she could eat spaghettios. I checked out the recipe and just happen to have all the ingredients! Yes!
Cari says
I’ve never desired to eat spaghetti O’s, but this actually sounded good. And it was good!! Four out of five of us approved. I’ll be making this again! We used alphabet pasta and kids thought that was fun 🙂
Jane says
I gotta try this! Spaghetti O’s used to be guilty pleasure.
Zobot says
It seems like canned spagettios have a ton of added fiber. Do these have fiber or do you think there’s an easy way to add some short of spiking it with fibersure?
Chocolate Covered Katie says
Use whole grain pasta and the fiber count will improve a little.
Sandra says
just finished making them for my daughter’s lunch for tomorrow. Couldn’t find O pasta, so I used peace sign pasta since it’s one of my daughter’s favorite things! I also added some meatless meatballs and used grated parm instead of the nutritional yeast. Tried a bite before packing them up and the were yummy… I think this is the third recipe I’ve tried, and by FAR the closest to the canned variety, both in taste and appearance. Thanks for the recipe!
Sara b says
What a great recipe! My fiancé told me it was just like what he had as a kid except better! A win for this plant based cook 🙂 thanks for sharing!
anya says
I made this for my incredibly picky eater 5-year old son tonight and he devoured it! My hubby ate the leftovers:)))) This is a great, easy and fast kid-friendly recipe. Thank you!!
Michelle says
Loved it. Both kids loved it. I used whole wheat orzo and it turned out great. Thanks Katie!
MKD says
I have never been a big fan of spaghettiO’s – after looking at the ingredients! I’m glad I found this healthier alternative. My son loves these! He has to eat gluten free, so we found some glulten-free anellini pasta. We used real butter and Parmesan cheese in place of the yeast. Wonderful alternative! Thank you!
Charissa says
Can these be frozen???? Thank you so much for all of your awesome recipes!
Chocolate Covered Katie says
Sorry, I have never actually tried… I guess they could.
Ashley says
This is wonderful! I get grossed out when I think of how many cans of that garbage I ate as a kid, and now that I have a toddler at home, a healthy version of this would be perfect. He loves pasta, so I’ll definitely give this a go. Great post!
Aline says
I have a maybe stupid question, but why use milk in the sauce? Thanks
Karen says
My belief is it may sweeten and smooth the acidic taste. Same with the butter. It makes it more creamy than saucy (my non-professional cooking terms)
Karen says
I forgot to add the rest. I finally tried this (my first attempt was bad, but I used veggie based pasta – blech! it overpowered the taste) Anyway, this was awesome! I ate it all. My 2 1/2 year old LOVED it, ate 3 servings! My 6 year old didn’t like it, she wanted the ‘real’ thing. UGh! I happily ate her serving.
Aline says
That’s a good point. Thanks 🙂
Karen says
Sorry for posting twice if I did. I loved this, my 2 1/2 year old ate 3 servings and my 6 1/2 year old wanted the ‘real’ thing. She has no taste.
Jen La says
Read the amount of onion powder wrong- duh! I thought it said 1-2 tbsp! Blech! I’ll try again!
Emily says
I made some very non-vegan adjustments to this recipe (added cheese instead of yeast, and threw in 1 lb of ground beef cooked with garlic), and holy crap it is amazing. It tastes like a wonderful mix of spaghetti and lasagna. My roommate loved it too.
Julie says
Funny, I just made my own version of spagettios last night, minus the cheese or substitute. I took a can of organic kirkland tomato sauce, cooked up a half box of the small star shape pasta (because that’s all I had) I pureed a shallot and 1 clove of garlic, sauteed in butter, threw in the can of sauce and cooked on low for 20 minutes. I added a tablespoon of agave at the end to sweeten it, and voila. I was surprised at how decent it turned out for a last-minute quick meal! My 1 year old son ate it up so fast! Just had some leftovers for lunch, and same results 🙂 I will definitely check out this recipe too!!
lex says
I made this tonight and overall it turned out good but It had too much of tomato flavour that over powered the other ingredients. I used a natural tomato sauce with just tomatoes and salt… should I add less sauce next time and more milk…or more sweetener?! Thanks
Kristen says
I found the Gf pasta at Sprouts on a whim and thought I would give them a spin! I added a little more Stevia to these and a little more milk to cut the bitterness of the tomato sauce, and let them sit over night and they taste just like the real thing! Thank you for the awesome recipe!
Bill Collier says
First I love this recipe (so did my 13y/o son). I’m going to try to increase it and adapt it to a slow cooker and can it. Thanks for the recipe and the story of your Grandmother!
Janessa says
Can I leave the nutritional yeast out?
Roxanne says
What is ‘nutritional yeast’ and where do you find it? Why do you add it?
Abby says
is the nutritional yeast required for the recipes and others like it? because i cannot find the nutritional yeast anywhere(meaning supermarkets)
Unofficial CCK Helper says
It is for a cheese flavor.
Steph says
I noticed the recipe calls for milk of choice, does a soy or almond milk work?
Jessica says
I make it with almond milk and it is fabulous!
Traci-Lyn says
WOW!!!! This is fantastic. I doubled the recipe so I would have some left over to freeze. I used shredded parm, because I had it. I used 6 TBSP, but it may have only needed 4 or 5. I also used sugar. 4 TBSP. I’m going to only use 3 next time. It’s not too sweet, I just think that 3 would be just fine. Can’t wait for my boy to get home from hockey practice so he can try this. I think it’s great and I’m going to pass it on!!!
Jessica says
Making these today! I can’t wait. Since cutting out dairy I have missed my can of spaghetti O’s! I can’t wait to enjoy a much cleaner (and dairy free) version!
Thanks 🙂
Ayme says
I just told my son tonight that we are going to have to find a healthy alternative for Spaghetti O’s! I have spent the past few hours drooling over your recipes. My son is 6 and I feel his issues with focus can be helped with less processed and chemically laden foods! Thank you for this. He loves Quaker Granola Bars…I plan to try your alternates for them as well!
Jessica says
Way better than Spaghetti-O’s!
Jocelyn says
I just made this delicious recipe and used parmesean cheese instead of the yeast. I also added small homemade turkey meatballs. My family loved it!
Leilani says
A google search for homemade spaghetti o’s brought me to your page. I loved being able to find this to make for our toddler who likes’ O’s. A homemade version where one could control the salt and have it dairy-free were two essentials. Thank you!
Amber Neal says
Love this recipe!! I had to share it with my readers today. It really threw back to childhood summers eating spaghetti os like they were going out of style! Thanks for a great recipe! Love all the rest of your website too! Huge fan of yours!!
david says
Just thought I’d pass this along… I don’t know if this is true about Spaghetti O’s, but years ago I discovered that if I added cinnamon to tomato sauce it would taste like the sauce in Beefaroni.
While I’m not a meat eater anymore, I’ll occasionally get an urge for the taste and make fat noodles in a tomato based sauce with cinnamon as the main spice.
Victoria M. says
Coincidentally enough, I stumble upon this recipe while perusing your blog, and I was eating canned Spaghetti-O’s xD I’m discovering that I’m lactose intolerant, Spaghetti-O’s don’t have enough to bug me but I’ll definitely try this recipe more for the healthy factor!
Candace says
I just came across your blog last night, and made this for my boys, ages 3 and 4. They LOVED it! I try to feed them vegan as much as possible. Thank for the recipe!
Ashleigh says
I just wanted to let you know I had to experiment with this last night when I went to make it and realize i had absolutely no nutritional yeast in my pantry. I replaced it with 1/4 c of dayia cheddar shreds before i added the butter. Turned out pretty good!
Tom Maston says
Spaghetti-Os were my favorite as a child. Now that I have found the recipe I can make my own version of them. Where can I find the anellini pasta that this particular recipe calls for?
Unofficial CCK Helper says
It depends on where you live. Some grocery stores carry them. Or search online for that type of pasta and see. Good luck!
Jaclyn F. says
I just wanted to say that this gets 6 thumbs up from all of my kids! They LOVE it! Thank you so much!
ashley says
I have a toddler and would like to prepare some of this for quick lunches. Can this be frozen once prepared?
Chocolate Covered Katie says
I’ve never tried, but if you do, be sure to report back! 🙂
Matt says
Unbelievably good!
Steph says
Made this tonight, was a huge hit! Thank you!
Anna R. says
I had filed this recipe away a long time ago thinking I needed to try it although I was hesitant because my mother had given my kids regular spaghettios and they refused to eat them. Today since my little ones have been under the weather I thought I’d give this recipe a try to get some extra B vitamins into them by feeding them some nutritional yeast. The spaghettios were wonderful! My four year old ate two bowls and declared, “These are NOT for grown-ups!” (This mama ate some anyway
amanda says
Nutritional yeast same thing as brewers yeast,you can buy it at supplement store like gnc,&vitamin Shoppe,
Corissa says
Thanks so much for this recipe! I love SpaghettiOs so much and would even eat them straight from the can as a college student in the dorms! As a mom, I want my kids to enjoy all the wonderful processed foods I did as a kid (growing up in the 70s & 80s), but without all the extras that make them so processed and preserved. This recipe has pleased my finicky 4 year old son, as well as my 11 year old daughter who has much more exotic tastes. She even said she likes these more than the cans, which we don’t buy very often anyway. I am printing this and putting it with our most used recipes! Thanks again!!!
Jessie says
Does anyone know a way I can substitute the butter-type spread? I have to eat a low-fat diet for health reasons and the only substitute I can think of is coconut oil, which I cannot have either! I know that something is necessary to thicken the sauce and make it more creamy. I want to make this dish to share with my little sister, and I am desperate.
Crystal williams says
So i know that you can substitute butter and oil with applesauce in baked goods. Im not sure if it would work here but i think it would be worth a try. Im guessing you cant do i cant believe its not butter?
Crystal williams says
Quick question. I looked on amazon for the nutritional yeast and found nutritional yeast flakes and nutritional yeast seasoning. Since I’ve never used this before i want to be sure to get the right stuff. Please help me!!
Chocolate Covered Katie says
Flakes 🙂
Crystal williams says
You are so awesome!!! Thank you. My kids love spaghettios and im totally excited about trying this healthier version for school lunches!!!
MichelleB says
Just curious why the salt-free tomato sauce? You add no additional salt and while I love nutritional yeast, it just isn’t a salty flavor.
Also – for vegetarians, could you use Parmesan instead of or with the nutritional yeast?
Amber says
My family LOVES this recipe!! Anyone know of a reason why this couldn’t be pressure canned? We make it so often it would be nice to have a stash of the sauce on hand at all times!
Judy says
You mentioned cheesy taste…..but there is no cheese?
I am going to look for the pasta noodles and the Yeast. I’m trying to up my protein and you said this is a good choice. Tried to fix my rating, but it won’t let me. I love this pasta idea and my kids are grown!
Taylor says
Sooooooo yummy! Thanks for the recipe!
Shayna says
This was pretty good! I didn’t quite think the seasonings were spot on for being Spaghettio Os, but it was close enough AND super easy. I mean, really — throw it all in a pot and heat/mix while boiling a bit of pasta? That’s my kind of week night meal! It also seems to keep quite well when stored. I think I may just want to play around with the seasonings to my personal taste, but this is just about perfect!
Julie says
I made these for dinner tonight and they were given full approval by my boys. My 8 year old said they taste the same as “joe’s o’s” (the trader joe’s version of spaghettios). Thanks for another recipe on our make again list!
Didi says
My son is allergic to milk and he LOVED these spaghetti-o’s! It made me very happy to include him in one of my childhood favorites and bridged the gap food allergies have created a little more 🙂
Trish says
Hi!
Is there a substitute for nutritional yeast? I can’t find it anyway! 🙁
Haley says
Thank you so much for a vegan version of Spaghetti O’s!! One of the few junk foods I miss since going vegan, so excited to try it out!
Gail says
Thank you for the recipes I have several food intolerance and some of these recipes I can use. Would like some gluten free no oats wheat etc. no milk or soy or cheese of any sort. Any with ham or chicken. Would be great! Thank you Katie for great suggestions
Vegan cook says
This tastes amazing and exactly like it! I wanted a vegan alternative, and found your recipe 🙂 I used almond milk, paprika, onion powder, and nutritional yeast!
Holly says
I’ve tried out a few vegan spaghetti-o recipes, this sauce is the best! It reminds me the most of the “cheesy sauce” but even better and fresher. If you’re looking for vegan spaghetti-o sauce, this is the one to try.
Dawnn says
I saw this recipe a while back and got the ingredients for it then. For whatever reason I didn’t make it then, but when I saw the yeast in the cabinet the other day, I knew I had to make it. I loved Spaghetti Os growing up! These reminded me of them for sure, but they were SO much better and healthier!!
Caryn says
I swear I’ve done something wrong because I’m so sorry but this is not the same at all. It wasnt the almost sweet cheesy taste I remember. Could the brand of nutritional yeast make a difference?
Caryn says
I do have 4 more cans of tomato sauce to experiment with so any suggestions would be great.
A H says
I’ve made this before and never had a problem. Other commenters also seem to have made it OK. Perhaps there’s a mis-measurement somewhere?
Julia Chisley says
Where is the video of you prepareing vegetables with two little ones and I saw it only on an advertisement before the weather station.
Can you please send us that particular video
Thank you,
Julia
Barbara says
I was searching for the spaghetti O flavor and this just about nails it! I think my 3 picky grandkids would love it! Bonus that its made with vegan pantry staples and can be whipped up in a few minutes. This will be on regular rotation in our kitchen.
Renee says
Very good recipe, but if you want a more authentic spaghetti-o taste, omit the paprika:)
Amy Green says
My SpaghettiOholic daughter approves! Woo hoo!
Jason Sanford says
This is so adorable
Juliette @ Namastay Traveling says
I’ve never even though to try a healthy alternative to this favorite! Excited to try nutritional yeast in it.
Emily says
Wow! This just made me so nostalgic, I used to love these! This version looks delicious.
xo,
Em
http://www.organicallyemily.com
Kim Armstrong says
You just made my day!
Jess says
I just made this recipe and it was delicious! I’ve never had actual spaghetti-o’s, but this was really good! I used dairy milk, parmesan cheese, margarine, and elbow macaroni in my dish. My husband has deemed this make again worthy!
kayse says
I made vegan, gf, soy free spaghetti-o’s once and made little mini lentil meatballs. SOOO delicious!! My sauce recipe was super similar to yours here!
Father Fitness says
Ooooooooooooooooooo, these are great! My kids will love these, thanks Katie!
Dawn M Laughlin says
Funny about all these posts loving spaghetti o’s. As a kid my mom made me eat them and I always threw up afterwards…So this may be the ONE recipe of yours I won’t try. However kudos to you for making a healthy version!!!
Ashley Diana says
Never seen a replacement, healthier recipe for Spaghetti Os! Love the fact you added nutritional info Katie! Will definitely try this for my little girl when she gets a bit older!
Hannah @ housevegan.com says
These are so cute! I used to love spaghetti o’s and for way longer than I should have. I used to eat them out of the can like a gross person (haha). I love your vegan version!
Liv says
Oh my goodness! I’ve been craving Spaghetti Hoops (the UK version) for months now. I always forget when I’m at the supermarket though haha. They make me think of a little kid eating them on buttery toast… thank you so much for making a healthified version! I’m running out of excuses not to now..
Liv x
Marry says
Homemade spaghetti looks great. I will try with a little yogurt. To add hot sauce might be nice.
Willow says
Can you use water in lieu of milk?
Amber C. says
Thank you SO much for this recipe! My girls love the canned stuff and I feel guilty because they eat it so much. It is so nice to have this homemade alternative. I just finished making it and not only do my kid so love it, but so do I!! Thank you, thank you, thank you!
Molly says
Can real butter be subbed for the butter spread?
Jason Sanford says
Sure!
Tanya says
Can real butter be used instead of the spread?
Nikki says
my daughter LOVES spaghetti o’s! she goes to a small school where there isn’t a cafeteria like big public schools so i send her a packed lunch everyday (she packs it but same thing lol). I always feel kinda guilty though sending her a can of spaghetti o’s because it is so processed and full of junk. I will be trying this and hoping she enjoys this. I’m excited for sure to have an unprocessed option now! thank you!!
Abigail says
Hey, I know this is an older recipe, but I was wondering if it freezes well? I like to cook in bulk. With three kids on a low-fat vegan diet, it is hard to find things they will eat, let alone keep anything they actually do like in the house.
Homemade spaghetti-os sound like a winner, but it is hard to cook something from scratch first thing in the morning. Thanks for your great recipes!
Rya says
Sooooo good! Tastes just like Chef Boyardee’s!!!
Steven says
Great idea, I tried it but used smoked paprika since that’s what I had on hand. DO NOT Used smoked paprika! It overpowered the sauce.
Michelle says
Katie, I made this recipe tonight for my kids and it was really good! The seasonings were perfect! I will definitely make this again. The only 2 things that I will do differently next time, is to cook the pasta al dente, before adding it to the sauce, and reserve a little bit of the pasta water to thin it out a bit at the very end.
Thanks for sharing!
Michelle
Alyssa Shanks says
I start classes again soon so will make this for easy lunches! Going to put some vegan hot dogs in this, can’t wait. So excited! Haha.
Jane says
I am literally, eating a can of SpaghettiO’s, with meatballs, as we speak. I found them at the DollarTree. They are a great comfort food. I had a rough couple days, so i just grabbed a spoon n popped the can open. Then i thought about it and Googled, homemade SpaghettiO’s, and here we are! Thank you, thank you and thank you! ??????????
Karen Becker says
I made this on the weekend for lunch and my 8 year old son and I both enjoyed it. I used alphabet pasta since I could not find the O shaped. I will be making this recipe again for sure.
Beth says
Fantastic! Paired with buttered white bread this reminds me of all the dinners I ate when my parents had date nights! I wanted to try to replicate the meatballs that came with spaghetti-os and think I got pretty close with Lightlife Gimme Lean – since it’s refrigerated and not frozen you can ball it up into the little tiny meatball size – sauté them in a pan and add them to this recipe and you have Spaghetti-os with (veggie) meatballs.
Joanne says
Hi. I suppose you could be creative. Instead of the small o shapes, I’ve seen the alphabet tiny letter pastas. I suppose you could google it do you have an idea. It’s worth the try. I plan on trying it, if u do I’ll post it…
Angelika says
This is so awesome! Can I make these and reference your recipe on my YouTube channel? Its about saving money and I do cooking, shopping ,etc on the channel. Let me know! Your recipe looks amazing and my husband is obsessed with spaghettios.
Sarah Williams says
Hi! This is a huge hit in our house for adults and kids alike — thank you! I cannot locate the O shaped pasta; any hints? Thanks so much in advance.
Darcy Sigdestad says
Amazon
Emma says
So easy and super tasty! Have made this twice now with a veggie hot dog. I use ditalini pasta
Kerry says
THANK YOU SO MUCH for sharing this receipe. I’m gluten free and dairy free and have REALLY missed the flavour of canned spaghetti.
I made this recipe using gf pasta and almond milk and it was absolutely delicious and tasted VERY similar to store bought canned spaghetti. And best of all it was easy to make. Thank you again for giving me this simple pleasure back.
Joann says
I grew up in the 1960’s when convenience food was making its place in grocery stores. My mother was a fabulous cook and made most everything from scratch. One of the things that was popular at our house, though, was Franco American Spaghetti with hamburger and onions. It is still popular at my house BUT Franco American is now Campbell and is very difficult to find in the store. This is the spaghetti and sauce (no meatballs or franks or spaghetti-o’s). So I turned to Amazon and holy cow $25 for 6 cans? Say what!!! Next I turned to copy cat recipes and my always well-stocked pantry, and this is what I found and MAN is it tasty. I made a triple batch so I could freeze it. Thanks so much Katie.
Joann says
P.S. Simply sautee diced onion in butter, add 1 pound of crumbed hamburger to brown. All it needs to finish is the spaghetti noodles and sauce.
Julie says
Great recipe! It had a little too much sweetener for me, but I’m definitely making this again. I substituted the pasta with penne shiritaki noodles cut up to look like Os. Cuts the carbs way down!!
Linnéa says
My 2-year old, myself and my fiancé all devoured this.
Spaghetti O-s don’t really exist in my country, so we didn’t know what to compare it to, but we decided to give it a try anyways.
We used alphabeto pasta, and used maple syrup as a sweetener. Will definitely make this again.
CCK Media Team says
Thank you so very much for making it 🙂
Shawna says
Really yummy and super easy to make!!
Sara says
I can’t have Parmesan or nutritional yeast. Does it change the texture to leave these out? Should I replace with anything?
CCK Media Team says
Texture will be fine, but we don’t know how it will taste because it adds a lot of flavor. Be sure to report back if you experiment with substitutions!
Caroline says
Really good, I’ve made this two times and both times my two sons and my husband ate it voraciously! The second time I threw in some sliced veggie dog and it came out great!
I followed the recipe exactly as written, using almond milk, nutritional yeast, Country Crock vegan butter, and white granulated sugar.
CCK Media Team says
Thank you so much for making them!
Kay says
Why do you towel dry the pasta before adding to the sauce?
What type of quinoa comes in small O shapes? I’ve never seen that…
Why can’t the pasta be cooked in the sauce?
Other than probably having to add some extra liquid at the beginning.
Those asking about “cheesy” flavor without nutritional yeast or dairy, some miso might work instead. I recommend putting the miso in a separate bowl and adding a little of the hot noodle water or the sauce, whisk it really well then add to the sauce. Don’t add any salt if using miso, at least until after you have tasted it. Miso is very salty, you may not need to add any.
Kay says
I used a diced can of tomatoes (also tried crushed), added about 1 1/2 cups of broth, (was able to cook the noodles in the pot this way). I had some gluten free spaghetti (Tinkyada white rice), broke it into eighths, enough for a very full cup.
I’m not completely vegan so I used chicken broth and sauteed some hotdogs and carrots before adding the liquids. Had some fresh peapods and green / yellow beans from the garden, tossed some of those in too. It was pretty good. Have made a few times now. Think I have just enough spaghetti left for one more pot for this weeks menu. Looking forward to it! 🙂 I may have doubled the nutritional yeast too. Added some pepper, dried thyme, and a pinch of turmeric (just because).
Kay says
I also had to double the milk and reduce the onion powder (it was too strong, & eliminate the garlic, allergy). I have tried oat milk (unsweet) and canned coconut. Both worked. I don’t think I’ve tried soy.. I can’t get unsweetened here and usually find it too sweet for soups/ sauces.
Kay says
Whoops! Near the end I also had to make a cornstarch slurry and add that to the pot to thicken the sauce. Probably because of the added broth – which was to make sure the noodles had enough liquid to cook in.
Kathleen Grausgruber says
AMAZING!! THANK YOU!!