Go Back
–+ servings
A red Dutch oven filled with ring-shaped pasta, meatballs, and tomato sauce, with a blue ladle resting inside. The pot sits on a striped cloth on a wooden surface.
Print Recipe
No ratings yet

Homemade SpaghettiO's

This easy one-pot recipe tastes like the classic canned version many of us grew up with, but it’s made with simple ingredients and comes together in about 30 minutes.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time25 minutes
Total Time35 minutes
Course: Dinner, Main Course, Pasta
Cuisine: American
Diet: Vegetarian
Servings: 8
Author: Melissa Griffiths

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 4 tablespoons butter
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 7 cups water
  • 1 can tomato sauce 16 ounces
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 pound anelli pasta
  • 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • salt and black pepper to taste

Optional

  • 20 ounces frozen meatballs

Instructions

  • In a large pot over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the garlic and cook for about 30 seconds, just until fragrant.
  • Add the water, tomato sauce, sugar, and salt. Stir to combine.
  • Stir in the pasta and bring the mixture to a boil, stirring very often to prevent sticking.
  • Reduce the heat to a steady simmer and cook for 20–25 minutes, stirring frequently, until the pasta is tender and the liquid has thickened into a sauce.
  • If using frozen meatballs, stir them in about 10 minutes after adding the pasta and continue cooking until heated through.
  • Stir in the Parmesan cheese. Taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed.

Notes

  • Stir frequently, especially as the pasta cooks, to keep it from sticking to the bottom of the pot.
  • The sauce will continue to thicken as it sits; add a splash of water if needed before serving.
  • This works well with other small pasta shapes if anelli isn’t available.
  • Leftovers reheat best with a little extra water or broth stirred in.
  • I have heard that Target even has mini frozen meatballs if you can find them! They would be perfect in this recipe!
  • My kids LOVE this recipe and while it takes some stirring, it is EASY and really quick.

Nutrition

Serving: 1.5cups | Calories: 487kcal | Carbohydrates: 46g | Protein: 22g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 72mg | Sodium: 901mg | Potassium: 475mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 602IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 88mg | Iron: 1mg

QR code

Scan this QR code with your phone's camera to view this recipe on your mobile device.

qr code