Homemade Spaghettios with Meatballs: A Deliciously Nostalgic Family Favorite

There’s something uniquely comforting about a bowl of classic Spaghettios, a true childhood staple that many of us remember fondly. This recipe for Homemade Spaghettios with Meatballs captures all that cherished nostalgia, transforming a canned classic into a craveable, gourmet-level dish that both adults and kids will adore. Whether your childhood kitchen rarely saw the canned version – like mine! – or it was a weekly treat, you’ll undoubtedly want to add this elevated homemade recipe to your regular meal rotation. It’s an instant hit that brings smiles and satisfaction every time.

One of my absolute favorite culinary adventures involves taking beloved, widely-known packaged foods and recreating them from scratch in my own kitchen. This particular rendition of Spaghettios is a triumph, significantly upping the flavor profile by a million percent, yet still perfectly preserving those iconic, comforting tastes we all know and love. It’s not just a meal; it’s an experience that connects you back to simpler times with every delightful bite.

Crafting the Perfect Homemade Spaghettios: Ingredients Demystified

Alright, let’s talk about the ingredient list. At first glance, it might seem a little extensive, especially for a dish inspired by a simple canned product. You might ask, “Why so many ingredients for an imitation recipe?” The truth is, you’re not just getting one recipe here; you’re essentially getting two incredible recipes rolled into one fantastic meal. This comprehensive approach ensures every component is packed with homemade goodness.

The first part is for **THE** most **AMAZING** beef meatballs you will ever taste. They cook up incredibly light and pillowy, like little clouds of savory perfection. So soft and tender, you’ll be tempted to snack on them all day long! These tiny treasures are bursting with flavor, thanks to a carefully balanced blend of spices and a secret ingredient: ricotta cheese. Seriously, do not skimp on the ricotta; it’s the magical component that ensures their unparalleled tenderness and moistness.

The second recipe is for the vibrant, tangy, and deeply satisfying sauce and pasta. If you prefer the original canned variety without meatballs, you can absolutely make just the pasta and sauce. However, I highly recommend adding these delectable meatballs to transform this into a truly complete and satisfying family meal. I’m incredibly proud to say that my family absolutely **LOVED** this version, eagerly asking for it again and again. It has quickly become a treasured dish in our home.

For precise ingredient measurements and detailed instructions, use the JUMP TO RECIPE button at the top of the post, or simply scroll down to the bottom of the page to find the full recipe card.

Method: Step-by-Step to Homemade Spaghettios Perfection

Embarking on this homemade journey is surprisingly straightforward, yielding results far superior to anything from a can. Let’s dive into the method, starting with those irresistible meatballs.

Creating the Irresistible Meatballs

The first step in crafting these delightful meatballs is to prepare the base. Begin by finely dicing a yellow onion and sautéing it gently in a touch of olive oil until it becomes beautifully translucent and just starts to caramelize, releasing its natural sweetness. Once cooked, set the onions aside to cool slightly. While they cool, in a large mixing bowl, combine the ground beef, creamy ricotta cheese, grated Parmesan, panko bread crumbs, fresh chopped oregano, fresh chopped parsley, kosher salt, and freshly cracked black pepper. The cooled onions are then added to this mixture. Using a spatula or your hands, gently fold all the ingredients together until they are uniformly combined, ensuring not to overmix, which can toughen the meat.

Now for the fun part: shaping these miniature marvels! To achieve that authentic Spaghettios look and feel, I highly recommend using this tiny scoop (a 1.5-teaspoon size works perfectly) to portion out the meatball mixture. It’s super enjoyable to create these uniform, tiny meatballs, and if you have little helpers in the kitchen, they absolutely love this step too! Once scooped onto a parchment-lined baking sheet, quickly roll them between your palms to smooth them into perfectly round balls. Bake them in a preheated oven just until they are set and lightly browned. The key is to avoid overcooking them at this stage, as they will finish simmering in the sauce, ensuring they remain tender and juicy.

Crafting the Signature Spaghettios Sauce

While your meatballs are baking to perfection, it’s the ideal time to whip up the rich and flavorful sauce. In a large, wide pan with a lid, melt a generous amount of unsalted butter with some olive oil over medium heat. Add finely minced garlic and a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes (adjust to your spice preference) and cook them until they just begin to brown slightly and become fragrant, about 3 minutes. This step builds a wonderful aromatic foundation for the sauce. Next, stir in the tomato paste and chicken bouillon paste, cooking for another 1-2 minutes until they are warmed through and their flavors deepen. Then, pour in the chicken stock and water, stirring well to combine all the pastes with the liquids. Bring this mixture to a gentle boil.

Once boiling, reduce the heat and simmer the sauce for a couple of minutes, allowing the flavors to meld beautifully and the pastes to fully dissolve into the liquid. Now, it’s time to add the star of the show: the pasta! Incorporate the Anelletti pasta (those perfect little rings!), along with roasted garlic powder, hot smoked paprika, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Stir frequently to prevent the pasta from sticking, and cook until it reaches a delightful al dente texture, typically 12-15 minutes. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed to ensure the sauce is perfectly balanced. Finally, stir in grated Parmesan and finely shredded Pecorino cheese until they are completely melted and create a wonderfully creamy consistency. When the meatballs are ready, gently fold them into the pasta and sauce. This gentle handling is crucial to keep their tender texture intact. Garnish with a sprinkle of fresh herbs like parsley and oregano, a final flourish of cheese, and your incredible homemade Spaghettios are ready to be savored.

While this recipe involves a bit more effort than simply “opening a can, heating, and eating,” I promise you, the extra steps are absolutely worth it. The depth of flavor, the freshness of the ingredients, and the sheer satisfaction of a homemade meal are unparalleled. I would honestly be thrilled to eat this delectable dish ANY night of the week. And those meatballs? They just might be **THE BEST** part, adding a rich, savory dimension that elevates the entire experience. They are truly **SO GOOD**!

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📖 Recipe

Yield: 8 servings

Homemade Spaghettios with Meatballs

Prep Time:
20 minutes

Cook Time:
20 minutes

Total Time:
40 minutes

This recipe for Homemade Spaghettios evokes all of the childhood emotions in a craveable dish any adult would love to eat over and over again.

Ingredients

for the meatballs:

• ½ tablespoon Olive Oil
• ½ a medium Yellow Onion, small diced
• 1 pound Ground Beef
• ¾ cup Ricotta Cheese
• ¼ cup Parmesan Cheese
• ½ cup Panko Bread Crumbs
• 1 teaspoon fresh Oregano, chopped
• 1 teaspoon fresh Parsley, chopped
• ¾ teaspoon Kosher Salt, Morton’s
• ¼ teaspoon Fresh Cracked Black Pepper

for the spaghettios:

• 2 tablespoons Unsalted Butter
• 2 tablespoons Olive Oil
• 3 cloves Garlic, finely minced
• 1 pinch Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
• 1, 6 ounce can Tomato Paste
• 2 tablespoons Chicken Bouillon Paste
• 2 cups Chicken Stock
• 4 cups Water
• 2 cups Anelletti Pasta
• 1 teaspoon Roasted Garlic Powder
• ½ teaspoon Hot Smoked Paprika
• Kosher Salt, Morton’s
• Fresh Cracked Black Pepper
• 1 cup Parmesan Cheese, grated
• ½ cup Pecorino Cheese, finely shredded
• 1 tablespoon fresh Oregano, chopped
• 1 teaspoon fresh Parsley, chopped

Instructions

for the meatballs:

1. Preheat the oven to 425˚F and line a baking sheet with parchment.
2. Heat a skillet on the stove over medium heat with the olive oil till it glistens.
3. Add the onion to the skillet and cook until they become translucent and begin to brown slightly 4-5 minutes.
4. Remove the skillet from the heat and let cook for 5-10 minutes while you prepare the remaining ingredients.
5. In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground beef, ricotta, parmesan, bread crumbs, oregano, parsley, salt, and pepper. Add the cooled onions to the bowl, and fold everything together with a spatula or your hands until evenly combined.
6. Scoop 1 ½ teaspoon-sized portions of the mixture out onto your prepared baking sheet. Quickly roll them between your hands to smooth them into meatballs and bake in the preheated oven for 12-15 minutes just till set and beginning to brown, take care to just set the meatballs and not overcook them, they will finish cooking in the sauce.

for the spaghettios:

1. While the meatballs bake, prepare the sauce and pasta.
2. In a large, wide pan that has a lid, melt together the butter, oil, garlic, and chili flakes in a large pot over medium heat. 
3. Cook until the butter and garlic begin to turn slightly golden, about 3 minutes.
4. Reduce the heat to low and stir in the tomato and chicken bouillon pastes. Cook for 1-2 minutes, then add the stock and water to the pan. 
5. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat and simmer until the pastes are completely worked in.
6. Add the pasta, garlic powder, paprika, and a pinch of salt and pepper to the pan.
7. Stir the pan often so the pasta doesn’t get stuck to the bottom, and cook until the pasta is al dente, 12-15 minutes. Taste the sauce and adjust the salt and pepper if needed.
8. Fold in the parmesan, pecorino, oregano, and parsley until the cheese is melted.
9. Place the meatballs in the pan and gently stir them into the pasta. Cook on low for 5 minutes longer.
10. Turn off the heat and place the lid on top of the pan and let the dish rest for 5-10 minutes, this lets the pasta finish plumping.
11. Serve with more cheese on top and fresh parsley. Enjoy!

Notes

Notes & Tips

The ricotta cheese is the secret to the most deliciously light, pillowy soft meatballs, don’t skimp on it. Buy a good quality one, and there is no substitute.

To make quick work of the whole recipe, stir up the meatball mixture, portion all of it out, then roll them in your hands and bake. Work in sequence, not one meatball at a time, this is also a fun place to involve the kids.

Also, you should be able to whip up the sauce and get the pasta added before the meatballs come out of the oven, it is that quick to make. Take care when adding them, and GENTLY fold them in or they will just break up and just turn into a meat sauce.

The sauce may be a bit loose at the end of the pasta cooking time, but as it rests the sauce will thicken. Any leftovers will resemble exactly what comes from a can. If you like a looser sauce, add a cup or two more of water.

Substitutions

I typically use ground beef for this recipe because I usually have some on hand or in the freezer. But you could get more traditional and use veal or a mix of pork, beef, and veal if you like. I think they would also work great with turkey or chicken.

I tend to only keep panko bread crumbs in my pantry, so that is what I use for the meatballs. You could also use Italian style or even dry white bread.

In place of the parmesan in the meatballs and sauce, you could also use all pecorino or romano, grana Padano, or any other hard Italian cheese you enjoy.

If you would like to make the sauce dairy-free, maybe you have one person in the family that needs that, use only olive oil, and reserve the cheese for only on top when serving.

Roasted Garlic Powder is my secret to making everything I use it in amazing. You can also use granulated garlic in its place or regular garlic powder. You can also substitute the hot paprika for sweet or regular if you don’t like too much spice.

Recommended Products

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

• Primeluci Anelletti Durum Wheat Semolina Pasta – 1 lb (Pack of 4)
• OXO Good Grips 3 Piece Squeeze & Pour Silicone Measuring Cup Set
• STAUB Braiser with Glass Lid, 3.5-Qt, Matte Black
• Norpro Stainless Steel Scoop, 25MM (.5 Tablespoon)
• John Boos MPL1812125G Chop-N-Slice Select Maple Edge Grain Cutting Board, 18 Inches x 12 Inches x 1.25 Inches
• Shun Classic 7″ Hollow Ground Santoku Knife w/Custom Engraving
• OXO Good Grips 3-Piece Stainless-Steel Mixing Bowl Set

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

8

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving:
Calories: 459Total Fat: 26gSaturated Fat: 11gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 12gCholesterol: 86mgSodium: 1098mgCarbohydrates: 26gFiber: 2gSugar: 5gProtein: 30g

This is an estimated caloric value, actual numbers may differ based on the ingredients used.

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