Homemade SpaghettiOs
Homemade SpaghettiOs made from scratch in one skillet, with tender anellini pasta in a rich, tangy tomato sauce finished with heavy cream. Ready in 20 minutes, tastes just like the can you grew up on, only better.
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients
- 2 cups anellini pasta
- 2 tbsp butter
- 16 oz. tomato sauce
- 3 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ¼ tsp onion powder
- ¼ tsp paprika
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp pepper
- ⅓ cup heavy cream
- mini meatballs optional
Instructions
- Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to package directions, just short of al dente. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water. Then, drain the pasta.2 cups anellini pasta
- In a large skillet, melt the butter. Then, stir in the tomato sauce and tomato paste.2 tbsp butter, 16 oz. tomato sauce, 3 tbsp tomato paste
- Stir in the brown sugar, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, salt, and pepper.1 tbsp brown sugar, ½ tsp garlic powder, ¼ tsp onion powder, ¼ tsp paprika, ½ tsp salt, ¼ tsp pepper
- Stir in the pasta and 1/2 cup of the pasta water.2 cups anellini pasta
- Then, stir in the heavy cream.⅓ cup heavy cream
- Serve with mini meatballs if desired.mini meatballs
Notes
- Cook the pasta 1-2 minutes less than the package directions call for. It keeps cooking in the sauce, so don't let it go fully al dente in step one, or it'll turn mushy.
- Don't skip reserving the pasta water. It's what helps the sauce cling to the pasta instead of sliding off.
- Sauce too thin? Simmer it uncovered for 2 to 3 minutes after adding the cream to thicken it back up.
- Sauce too thick or gluey? Stir in more reserved pasta water, a tablespoon at a time, until it loosens.
- Want it less sweet? Cut the brown sugar to 2 teaspoons.
- Using frozen mini meatballs? Heat them separately and stir in just before serving so they don't overcook.
- Sauce tastes flat? Add a pinch more salt before reaching for more sugar or spice.
- No anellini on hand? Any small ring-shaped pasta works, or ditalini/small elbow macaroni in a pinch.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 459kcal | Carbohydrates: 70g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 37mg | Sodium: 934mg | Potassium: 493mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 1203IU | Vitamin C: 11mg | Calcium: 39mg | Iron: 2mg