These homemade SpaghettiOs with meatballs offer a grown-up twist on the childhood classic, yet they still earn the kids’ seal of approval. What sets our version apart? The secret ingredient: cheddar cheese. It adds that extra oomph of flavor, along with a sprinkle of Parmesan for a touch of sophistication.
Traditionally, SpaghettiOs meatballs are a blend of pork, chicken, and beef. To keep things simple, we opted for all-beef meatballs. However, feel free to mix it up by using a combination of beef, chicken, and pork if you prefer.
By blending whole-peeled tomatoes, you achieve that perfect texture for the sauce, making it worth the extra step.
Now, let’s gather our ingredients:
Grown-Up SpaghettiOs & Meatballs
Ingredients
- Kosher salt
- 1 pound anelletti or similar small round pasta
- 1 can 28 ounces whole peeled tomatoes
- 1 pound 90% lean ground beef chuck
- 1/4 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1 large egg
- 3/4 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 2 cloves garlic finely chopped
- 1 can 8 ounces tomato sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese about 4 ounces
- 1/4 cup half-and-half
- 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese plus more for serving
Instructions
- Boil the pasta until just al dente, then set aside.
- Blend the whole peeled tomatoes until smooth.
- Mix the beef, panko, egg, oregano, garlic powder, and salt to form meatballs.
- Brown the meatballs in a pot, then set aside.
- In the same pot, cook garlic until golden, then add the blended tomatoes, tomato sauce, sugar, and salt.
- Return the meatballs to the pot and simmer until cooked through.
- Stir in the cheddar, half-and-half, and Parmesan until melted.
- Add the pasta and toss to coat, adjusting the sauce consistency with reserved pasta water if needed.
- Serve the pasta and meatballs in bowls, topped with extra Parmesan. Enjoy!