If there is one dish that brings me right back to childhood, it’s canned SpaghettiOs. My mom would never buy it though, and I get that it was probably not the healthiest thing we could eat, but she could also make a whole pot of soup for the cost of one can of SpaghettiOs.
I started babysitting when I was 10 years old. After church on Sundays, I would walk across the street to the White Hen and buy myself a can of SpaghettiOs with my own money.
I’d come home, get out a small saucepan, empty the SpaghettiOs into the pan while I toasted two slices of white bread. Once the bread was ready, I would heavily butter both pieces and pour my SpaghettiOs into a bowl, put my toast on a separate plate, and dine by myself in the dining room. I felt so grown up at the time – ha!
I am almost 55 years old, and I could still eat SpaghettiOs today, but decided it was high time I made a homemade version.
The classic O pasta is called Anelli, which is circle in Italian. I was able to find it at my local Mariano’s, but you can buy it online if you can’t find it. Bronze Cut is my preferred type of pasta because it has rough edges and holds the sauce better than regular pasta.
Homemade SpaghettiOs
Scroll down for a printable version of this recipe
Yield: 4 servings
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
1 pound cherry tomatoes
4 carrots, chopped
1 tablespoon vegan butter (or regular butter)
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk
6 ounces tomato paste
2 ounces cheddar cheese, shredded
1 teaspoon honey
2 cups chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
2 cups Anelli shaped pasta (or any other small pasta if you can’t find it – Ditalini would be good!)
1. Cook the noodles according to package instructions, drain, rinse in cold water to stop the cooking process and set aside.
2. Melt butter in stock pot. Add the tomatoes and carrots and cook for 5 minutes.
3. Add remaining ingredients (except the pasta) and cook for 15-20 minutes, or until the carrots are fork tender.
4. Carefully transfer to a blender or use a stick blender, and puree.
5. Add 1/4 of the cooked pasta into each bowl, and add the blended soup to cover, and stir to combine.
6. Optional but totally necessary – toast two slices of white bread, heavily butter and place a spoonful of the SpaghettiOs on top of your buttered toast and take the perfect bite.
Have you ever taken a hands-on cooking class? It’s a great way to learn a new skill, have a glass of wine and learn from a professional chef. If you are interested in learning how to make pasta from scratch, we have several options:
- Pasta Workshop Thursday, February 2 6pm TONIGHT!
- Pasta Workshop Tuesday, March 7 6pm
- Pasta Boot Camp Saturday, April 8 10am
If you’d like to stay in the comfort of your own home, there are several virtual classes to take. Cook along with our chefs right in your own kitchen!
Homemade SpaghettiOs
Ingredients
- 1 pound cherry tomatoes
- 4 carrots, chopped
- 1 tablespoon vegan butter (or regular butter)
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk
- 6 ounces tomato paste
- 2 ounces cheddar cheese, shredded
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
- 2 cups Anelli shaped pasta (or any other small pasta if you can’t find it – Ditalini would be good!)
Instructions
- Cook the noodles according to package instructions, drain, rinse in cold water to stop the cooking process and set aside.
- Melt butter in stock pot. Add the tomatoes and carrots and cook for 5 minutes.
- Add remaining ingredients (except the pasta) and cook for 15-20 minutes, or until the carrots are fork tender.
- Carefully transfer to a blender or use a stick blender, and puree.
- Add 1/4 of the cooked pasta into each bowl, and add the blended soup to cover, and stir to combine.
- Optional but totally necessary – toast two slices of white bread, heavily butter and place a spoonful of the SpaghettiOs on top of your buttered toast and take the perfect bite.
