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This bowl of super easy homemade Cheesy Spaghetti O’s is the perfect recipe for busy weeknights and picky eaters. Small little O-shaped pasta, garlic butter, herbs, and tomato paste are boiled together until al dente. Then a handful of grated parmesan and pecorino cheeses are stirred into the mix. Together they create a creamy, cheesy spaghetti O-style pasta that’s wholesome, delicious, and fun. This simple pasta is made all in one pot, in just 25 minutes and your family will become obsessed!
Well, isn’t this fun?! Homemade spaghetti O’s! And SO MUCH better than anything you’d dump out of a can. So much better.
I’ve said it many times now, but it’s back-to-school season. And as much as I dreaded this time of year as a kid, there was (and is) something so exciting about starting off a new year. It’s odd since the new year isn’t officially until January. But as a kid, the start of the school year meant so much more than the actual new year. New classrooms, new teachers, new friends, possibly even a new school.
It’s a lot. And with practices, homework, and earlier bedtimes, nights become short and hectic.
My parents relied on easy dinners like chicken and rice, tacos, and pasta. My mom was always stocked with ramen, boxes of mac and cheese, and yeah, cans of Spaghetti O’s.
To be very, very honest. I never went for the spaghetti O’s. My brother Creighton loved them. I only recall eating them maybe once a year and always with a grilled cheese that my dad would make.
So I can’t say that I was a true fan. But we all know I love a homemade “dupe” and spaghetti O’s needed to happen this week. It’s been thundering and storming all week, and this is back-to-school comfort food at its best.
Details
For starters, this is almost as easy as dumping out a can of spaghetti o’s and heating. Simple, simple and so much better.
I start by cooking the butter together with a splash of olive oil, lots of garlic, some oregano, and chili flakes. Then add in tomato paste, which is the base of our sauce. I prefer to use tomato paste over jarred pasta. It brings a more intense tomato flavor that tastes as though the sauce has been cooking all day. It’s kind of my “secret”.
Next, pour in the water, this is for cooking the pasta. Then, add the Spaghetti O’s or in correct Italian, Anellini pasta. Any shortcut pasta will work, but using the Anellini makes this feel like a legit Spaghetti O’s copycat. It’s fun!
Next, add in some onion powder and paprika. Then just cook away until the pasta has the perfect bite. Stir in lots of cheese – both parmesan and pecorino, and finish with fresh basil.
Excited to have this recipe in my back pocket. It’s pretty perfect any time of the year. Everyone really loves it. Like really loves it. Oslo is actually eating a bowl out of my lap as I type this. It’s UMMY as Oslo says!
Looking for other one pot recipes? Here are my favorites:
French Onion Pasta with Crispy Prosciutto
One Skillet White Chicken Chili Bake
Healthier Homemade One Pot Hamburger Helper
Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Chicken Pasta
Lastly, if you make this Super Easy Homemade Cheesy Spaghetti O’s, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Super Easy Homemade Cheesy Spaghetti O’s
Servings: 6
Calories Per Serving: 262 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons salted butter
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
- chili flakes
- 1/3 cup tomato paste
- 2 cups Anellini or other small pasta
- kosher salt and black pepper
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1/2 cup grated pecorino cheese
- 1/2 cup fresh basil
Instructions
- 1. Melt together the butter, olive oil, garlic, oregano, and chili flakes in a large pot over medium heat. Cook until the butter turns golden, about 5 minutes. 2. Reduce the heat to low, stir in the tomato paste. Cook 1-2 minutes, then pour over 3 cups of water. Bring to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta, onion powder, paprika, and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring often, until the pasta is al dente, about 12 minutes.3. Stir in the parmesan, pecorino, and basil until the cheese is melted. 4. Serve immediately topped with fresh basil. Eat!
Made this with Mini Farfalle—Spaghetti Bows!! lol and yummy!!
Hi Judy,
Amazing!! I love to hear that this recipe was tasty, thanks so much for making it and sharing your review:) xTieghan
This is so delicious! We used dinosaur shaped pasta and my son (and husband) devoured it! This will be a go to!
Hey Jamila,
Fantastic!! I love to hear that this recipe was a winner, thanks for making it! xx
This is SO yummy!! I accidentally burned something in the first step so it had a bit of a burnt taste. But otherwise it was so delicious. Next time I will be more careful with the first step.
Hi Andrea,
Thanks so much for making this recipe and sharing your feedback, I love to hear that it was enjoyed! xTieghan
This was really good! You will not find this pasta in stores, I’d recommend just getting it off amazon. I did have to add a little more water and tomato paste while it was boiling. I also made tiny little meatballs to add for some protein. Great flavors and easy to make!
Hey Jenna,
Happy Wednesday! I love to hear that this recipe was tasty, thanks for making it! xxT
If you half the recipe does that mean only adding 1 1/2 cups of water. I know it sounds like a dumb question but you never know when it comes to one pot pasta dishes:)
Hi Janet,
Yes, if you cut the recipe in half you will also want to cut the water in half. Please let me know if you have any other questions, I hope you love the recipe! xx
Flavours are GREAT. But theres never enough liquid in these one pot pastas – always have to add more. Also SO MUCH cheese and mine didn’t end up as saucy as hers.
Hi Candace,
Thanks for making this recipe and sharing your feedback! Have a great Tuesday! xTieghan
We love spaghetti-o’s in our house so I couldn’t wait to try this out. I will say it really does not taste like the traditional product we are used to but it was definitely delicious! After trying your hamburger helper recipe which tasted EXACTLY like the classic, I think I was expecting this to have the same outcome. Regardless, this is easy and full of flavor and will absolutely be making it again!
Hi Alexa,
Fantastic!! I love to hear that this recipe was a hit, thanks for trying it out! xTieghan
My daughter loves the canned product– so I had to make these for her. They were so good and we all loved them. So easy too! Thanks 🙂
Hi Shannon,
Amazing!! Thanks a lot for giving this recipe a try, I love to hear that it was enjoyed! xTieghan
This was delicious in the end but my pasta wouldn’t cook. I used imported aneletti and followed the recipe exactly (but doubled). After about 30-45 min I finally added quite a bit more water, turned the heat up, and covered. Everyone loved it. A double recipe fed 7 adults with a veggie and garlic bread 🙂
Hi Krista,
Thanks so much for making this recipe and sharing your feedback! Sorry to hear the noodles took longer for you to cook, it could have been because you doubled the recipe:) Happy Tuesday! xTieghan
Just made this for lunch and the kids loved it. It has such a great flavor that it appeals to both kids and adults. My only hurdle was that I ended up having to double the water addition and added a can of tomato sauce. Because I was worried that I was diluting the flavor with the extra water and tomato sauce, I added more of the seasonings. The flavor was great and everyone loved it, it just wasn’t as soupy as I was hoping for and ended up being more like sauce covered noodles. Do you think it was because the noodles were too big? I used the small elbows. I am going to try the recipe again with these small alphabet noodles I found at the store. The only reason I didn’t use them today was because I did not buy enough. Currently making the giant pop tart as I type, love all of your recipes!
Hi Erin,
Happy Sunday!! I am thrilled to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks for sharing your review and making it! Sorry you had some issues, it definitely could have been from the noodles, I think the alphabet noodles will work better for you! xxT
My toddler and I loved this for dinner!! It’s simple so he was able to help me add the ingredients to the pot and the clean up took less than 15 minutes, which is a win in my book since I was everything by hand. I couldn’t find anellini pasta at my grocery store so I used gluten free elbow macaroni and it was perfect. We also left out the chili flakes since his spice tolerance is pretty low and it was still delicious. The basil is an absolute necessity. Adds the perfect freshness to the pasta. Highly recommend this for a quick family dinner, even for picky eaters!
Hi Brianna,
Thanks so much for making this dish and sharing your feedback, I love to hear that it was enjoyed! xx
Hey there! Big fan here! I’m enjoying your cookbook and several recipes from your IG page and blog!
Question: where in the world did you find this type of pasta?? I went to four different stores. I ended up grabbing an alternative, but I really wanted the “O’s”!
Hi Amy,
Thanks so much for your kind message and following along. I ordered mine from Amazon. All of my ingredients on the blog are clickable so you can always click on something you are looking for to see where to purchase.
https://www.halfbakedharvest.com/spaghetti-os/
Please let me know if you have any other questions! xx
Hello! I just love your recipes, family, cookbooks and blog so much! I have tried several recipes and have loved them all. I couldn’t wait to try this spaghetti-o recipe because both my husband and I loved them growing up. I ordered the pasta on Amazon and it arrived today so I made it for dinner tonight. Don’t be disgusted– but my husband said his favorite growing up were the ones with franks in them so of course I had to give it a try for that nostalgia. He loved them! Thank you for always knocking it out of the park. This one was so fun and delicious.
Hey Mimi,
Happy Sunday!! I am thrilled to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks for sharing your review and making it! Thanks so much for your kind message? xxT
This recipe was perfect to whip up in a time crunch. Super Easy Homemade Cheesy Spaghetti O’s was a hit with the entire family. My 5 year-old daughter is a picky eater, but she loved this recipe. In fact, she loved it so much that she had 2 servings.
Hey Brittany,
Love to hear that this dish was enjoyed by your family, even the little one:) Thanks for making it! xTieghan
This was delicious! I used ~1 Tbsp of store bought basil pesto since I didn’t have fresh basil and it turned out great. I also couldn’t find the O noodles but used a similar small pasta. Thanks for the recipe!
Hi Chelsea,
Happy Sunday!! I am thrilled to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks for sharing your review and making it! xxT
This was super yummy and easy, but it def didn’t serve 6! Serves more like 2-3.
Hi Kelly,
Amazing!! Thanks so much for trying this recipe, I love to hear that it was a hit! xT
Can you sub the water for any sort of broth?
Hi Kaela,
Sure, chicken or veggie broth would also work well for you! I hope you love this recipe, please let me know if you give it a try! xx
So easy and delicious!
Hi Stacey,
Happy Friday! I am so excited to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a bunch for trying it out! ?xx