Name: Homemade Spaghettios (The Original Recipe)
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 20 min
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons butter; 2 tablespoons olive oil; 3 garlic cloves (minced); 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning; 1 teaspoon onion powder; 6 ounce can tomato paste; 4 cups water; 2 cups Anellini pasta; 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Recipe

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An easy recipe for homemade Spaghettios that's healthier and better tasting than the can!

If you can boil pasta and stir, you can make these homemade Spaghettios with a few simple ingredients. They’re so good, they’ll disappear.

bowl of homemade spaghettios next to a large dish of spaghettios

Healthy Spaghettios at Home

I first published this Homemade Spaghettios recipe in 2012, when I wanted an easy replacement for the kid-favorite food out of a can. Since then, I’ve added new tips to this recipe, as it continues to be a favorite!

Unlike other boxed meals that kids love, like mac and cheese, I don't get the appeal of Spaghettios since I've always found that they had a metallic aftertaste, but alas, this healthy recipe is all you need from now on!

Ingredients

Anellini pasta is the name of the pasta that's shaped like an O. Then, you’ll need simple ingredients for spectacular flavor: garlic, onion powder, Italian seasoning (that you can swap for oregano, basil, even pesto), Parmesan cheese, and tomato paste, for a more concentrated flavor. You'll find the amount in the recipe if you want to use tomato sauce.

Where to Buy Round Noodles

If you’re lucky, you can find round pasta under the name Anellini at the grocery store; however, I prefer to skip the search and order a couple of packs on Amazon and call it a day. One pack yields two batches of this recipe.

How to Make Spaghettios

If you can boil pasta and stir sauce, you can make these healthy homemade Spaghettios. Here are a few tips on each step:

Sauté
Sautéeing the seasonings (garlic, Italian seasoning, and onion powder) toasts them and brings out the flavors.
Make the tomato sauce
Tomato paste needs 15 minutes to cook, which is the perfect amount of time to cook the pasta too! The water is added to dissolve the concentrated sauce and is also absorbed by the pasta during cooking.
Cook the pasta
The pasta is cooked directly in the sauce, no need for another pot. If you’re using a different shape, adjust the cooking time and add it to the pot after the sauce has been simmering for at least 10 minutes. More on this below.
Make it epic
When the pasta is tender, add the Parmesan cheese and stir to combine it with the cooked Spaghettios, and then it’s ready!

Using Other Pasta Shapes

If you can’t find Anellini pasta, you can also use stars, letters, or other small pasta shapes. The tomato paste-based sauce needs to cook for a total of 15 minutes, so if you’re using pasta with a shorter cooking time take that into account – for shorter cooking times, I usually simmer the sauce for 10 minutes and then add the pasta and cook it as stated in the package.

Storing and Reheating Leftovers

Now that I have teens, I often double this recipe and store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days in the fridge. Reheating is simple, about 1 minute in the microwave or in a small pot on the stove.

What to Serve with Spaghettios

Homemade Spaghettios make a terrific starter meal for kids of all ages. I often serve it with my easy crusty bread, a simple side salad, pan-seared chicken, or even a rotisserie chicken. They pair great with everything!

More Homemade Kid-Favorites

When it comes to kid-favorite foods, I’ve been recreating better-for-you versions since 2010! They include all of these healthy lunchables for school, my copycat Chick-fil-A nuggets, and even this hidden veggie pasta sauce.

Homemade Spaghettios (The Original Recipe)

Servings: 6

Prep Time: 5

Cook Time: 15

Total Time: 20

An easy recipe for homemade Spaghettios that's healthier and better tasting than the can!

5 from 16 votes

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Ingredients

2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
1 teaspoon onion powder
6 ounce can tomato paste
4 cups water
2 cups Anellini pasta
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions

Make the sauce:

Heat a medium pot (about 4-5qt) over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the olive oil and butter and stir. Add the garlic, Italian seasoning, and onion powder and sauté to toast the garlic and spices for 30 seconds to 1 minute.
Add the tomato paste and stir to combine with the spices. Add the water and stir, until the tomato paste is fully dissolved. Bring the tomato mixture to a simmer.

Cook the pasta:

Add the pasta to the tomato mixture and stir to combine. Reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer the pasta with the sauce for 15 minutes, stirring frequently to ensure none gets stuck at the bottom of the pot.
When the pasta is tender, add the Parmesan cheese and stir to combine it with the cooked Spaghettios.

Serve:

Ladle the spaghettios into bowls and serve.

Notes

Use butter + olive oil as noted in the recipe or all butter or all olive oil.
Swap the fresh garlic cloves for ¾ teaspoon garlic powder
If using tomato sauce instead of tomato paste, omit the water. Then, measure 6 cups (48 ounces) of marinara or tomato sauce.
The tomato paste needs to simmer for a total of 15 minutes. If you’re using another pasta that takes less time to cook, add it later into the cooking process after the tomato sauce has been simmering for at least 10 minutes.