Jump to recipe
Yields:
6 - 8 serving(s)
Prep Time:
10 mins
Total Time:
45 mins
These SpaghettiOs and meatballs mimic the canned pasta-and-marinara delight you loved as a kid, but with sophisticated upgrades for adult flavor preferences. (Don’t worry, it’s still kid-approved.) Most copycat SpaghettiOs recipes ignore one crucial ingredient: cheddar cheese. Cheddar is actually quite essential to the end result, so we added a generous amount, plus a bit of Parm for a touch of class.
The classic SpaghettiOs meatball is made with pork, chicken, and beef. Since we are cooking in a smaller quantity—and it can be difficult to buy small amounts of ground meat—we went with all-beef meatballs. If you want to try a variation, just use 1/2 pound ground beef and split the rest between ground chicken and/or pork.
P.S. Blending the whole-peeled tomatoes is an extra step, but well worth it to get that perfect texture for the sauce.
Check out some of our other favorite copycat recipes that re-create beloved classics: Starbucks Caramel Frappuccinos, IHOP Pancakes, Crunchwrap Supremes, and Big Macs.
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
Ingredients
Kosher salt
- 1 lb.
anelletti or other small round pasta, such as ditalini
- 1
(28-oz.) can whole peeled tomatoes
- 1 lb.
(90% lean) ground beef chuck
- 1/4 cup
panko bread crumbs
- 1
large egg
- 3/4 tsp.
dried oregano
- 1/4 tsp.
garlic powder
- 1 Tbsp.
extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 Tbsp.
unsalted butter
- 2
cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 1
(8-oz.) can tomato sauce
- 1/2 tsp.
granulated sugar
- 1 cup
shredded cheddar (about 4 oz.)
- 1/4 cup
half-and-half
- 2 Tbsp.
grated Parmesan, plus more for serving
Directions
- Step 1In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta, stirring occasionally, until al dente, 2 to 3 minutes less than package instructions. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water before draining. Transfer pasta to a medium bowl; reserve pot.
- Step 2Meanwhile, in a blender, blend tomatoes until smooth; set aside.
- Step 3In a medium bowl, combine beef, panko, egg, oregano, garlic powder, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Roll into roughly 1" balls and arrange on a plate.
- Step 4In same large pot over medium-high heat, heat oil. Cook meatballs, turning occasionally, until browned all over, 4 to 6 minutes. Return meatballs to plate and wipe any excess oil from pot.
- Step 5In same pot over medium-high heat, melt butter. Cook garlic, stirring constantly, until golden and fragrant, about 1 minute. Add reserved blended tomatoes, tomato sauce, granulated sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon salt and stir to combine.
- Step 6Return meatballs to pot with sauce. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until meatballs are cooked through and sauce is thickened, 10 to 12 minutes.
- Step 7Remove from heat and stir in cheddar, half-and-half, and Parmesan until combined and melted. Add pasta and toss to coat, adding reserved pasta water a few tablespoons at a time to thin sauce, if needed.
- Step 8Divide pasta and meatballs among bowls. Top with more Parmesan.
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below