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Homemade Spaghetti-O’s (Better Than the Can, Sorry Chef Boyardee) 🍝
I know, homemade Spaghetti-O’s? But hear me out. I grew up on Mom and Nonna’s version of these, and when I became a mom I wanted to give my kids, Gabriella and Anthony, that same nostalgic bowl without the mystery meat and the mile-long ingredient list. So these are made from scratch, in one pan: little ring pasta and tiny tender meatballs simmering together in a rich tomato sauce until they soak up all that flavor. My kids go absolutely feral for them, and I will admit I do too. About forty minutes, one pan, and you feel like a superhero parent on a regular Tuesday.
Ingredients
For the Mini Meatballs
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1/4 cup parsley chopped
- 5 garlic cloves minced
- 1/4 cup Italian style bread crumbs
- 1 cup parmesan cheese grated
- 1 tsp beef bouillon
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp salt and pepper
- 1 tbsp olive oil for frying
For the Sauce
- 3 oz tomato paste
- 1 tbsp garlic minced
- 5 cups chicken broth more if needed while pasta is cooking
- 1 lb anelletti pasta or you can use D’Italiani too
- 1 cup parmesan cheese grated, more to taste/for serving
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients for meatballs and roll into small balls.
- Heat oil on medium-medium high and fry meatballs until golden on all sides (5-7 minutes total). They don’t have to cook through at this point as they will finish in the sauce. Remove from pan and set aside.
- In the same pan, add tomato paste and garlic and let cook for 2-3 minutes. Add chicken broth and turn heat to high, bring to a boil. Once boiling, lower heat to medium-low and add pasta and cook until done (about 12-15 minutes). At the half way point (8 minutes) add meatballs back in.
- Stir often as it can stick to the bottom of the pan. If needed, add more chicken broth (1/2 cup at a time) until pasta is done.
- Add fresh cheese. Stir and enjoy!
Nutrition
If you make this recipe, I’d love to see it! Tag me on Instagram @thecookingmawma and let me know what you think. Your kids are going to flip for these — trust me.
Tips for Making This Recipe
Keep your meatballs small. I’m talking marble-sized — about 1 inch or so. They cook faster, they fit perfectly on a spoon with the little pasta rings, and kids love them. Don’t stress about making them perfectly round either. Also, use a cookie scoop if you have one — it makes the process so much faster and keeps them uniform.
For the pasta shape: You want anellini (tiny rings) or ditalini if you can’t find rings. Regular elbow macaroni works in a pinch, but the small rings are what make this feel like real Spaghetti-O’s. Leftovers store great in the fridge for 3-4 days — just add a splash of broth or water when reheating because the pasta absorbs the sauce overnight.
