Skip the can and make this cozy one-pan Spaghetti Os and Meatballs instead. Mini turkey meatballs and pasta cook together in one-pot in a simple tomato sauce for an easy comfort food dinner the whole family will love.
Homemade Spaghetti-Os
Spaghettios and Meatballs might be nostalgic for some, but I’ve never loved canned pasta. This version was inspired by my friend Dyanne, who made something similar for her toddler and shared it with me—it was such a smart, simple idea that I had to try it my way. I know so many of you love my Instant Pot Spaghetti Os with Beef from my Simple Cookbook, so I turned it into a one-pan meal with mini turkey meatballs and saucy pasta. The pasta cooks right in the tomato sauce, so it gets perfectly tender and soaks up all that flavor. It’s cozy, kid-friendly, and an easy weeknight dinner that feels a little playful, but still something I actually want to eat.
Why This One-Pan Pasta Recipe Works
I enjoy the challenge of turning store-bought favorites into healthier alternatives. With this mini meatballs pasta, you know exactly what’s in it and can make substitutions to fit dietary needs. While nothing beats the convenience of canned pasta, I promise it’s worth the effort. Simple ingredients come together to create a flavorful dinner that my kids and husband loved.
- High-protein: Turkey meatballs and using chicken bone broth instead of regular broth gives this pasta dish a protein boost.
- Better Than Canned Spaghettios: This homemade version is made with real ingredients and has a fresher, richer flavor than anything from a can.
- Nostalgic and kid-friendly: If you grew up eating canned SpaghettiOs, this recipe is sure to be a hit.
- Quick and easy: This one-pan pasta cooks in about 30 minutes, and cleanup is even faster. No need to boil the noodles separately!
Ingredients You’ll Need
Keep reading to learn more about the ingredients for my easy turkey meatball pasta recipe. See the recipe card below for the exact measurements.
- Grated Parmesan adds salt and flavor and keeps the meatballs tender.
- Bread binds the meatball ingredients together. You can crumble a slice of white bread or use store-bought breadcrumbs.
- 2% Milk keeps the meatballs moist and the sauce a little creamy.
- Garlic: Finely chop garlic or grate it with a microplane.
- Seasoning: Onion powder and Italian seasoning
- 93% Ground Turkey provides lean protein, but you can use any type of ground meat.
- Olive Oil greases the pan so the meatballs don’t stick.
- Anellini Pasta is a small, round pasta shape, just like traditional SpaghettiOs. If you can’t find it at your grocery store, Amazon sells it.
- Chicken Bone Broth makes this homemade spaghettios high in protein. I used Swanson, but any brand will work.
- Crushed Tomatoes form the base of the sauce, giving it a rich tomato flavor.
How to Make Spaghetti Os with Meatballs
The spaghettios sauce will be thinner and saucier than most red sauces–almost soupy. It shouldn’t be dry like mac and cheese. See the recipe card at the bottom for printable directions.
- Make the meatballs: Mix all the meatball ingredients together except for the turkey. Wait 5 to 10 minutes for the bread to soak up the milk, then fold in the ground meat until just combined. Shape the mixture into mini balls.
- Brown the meatballs in a large, deep pan for 2 minutes on each side. They don’t need to be fully cooked since they’ll simmer in the sauce later. Remove them from the pan, then wipe it clean with a paper towel.
- Toast the pasta and garlic for a few minutes. Toasting pasta enhances its flavor and will give off a nutty aroma when it’s ready.
- Prepare the red sauce: Pour the bone broth, remaining milk, and crushed tomatoes over the pasta and sprinkle with Italian seasoning, onion powder, and salt.
- Simmer the sauce and meatballs: Bring the sauce to a boil over high heat. Add the meatballs to the pan, cover, and reduce the heat to medium- low. Simmer for 10 minutes, then uncover and cook for another 10 minutes. Once the pasta is al dente and the sauce has thickened, dig in!
Can I Use Ground Chicken or Beef?
Yes! Ground chicken works just like turkey and keeps it light. If you prefer beef, that’s a great option too—it will have a richer, more classic flavor. You can use 93% lean for a balance of flavor and less fat.
Variations and Tips (Protein Swaps, Pasta Shapes)
- Switch out the ground turkey: This works with ground bison, ground beef, or ground chicken.
- Can’t find the classic “O” pasta? This is the pasta I use. Try other small shapes like ditalini, alphabet, acini di pepe, or Israeli couscous. You might need to adjust the cooking time based on the package instructions.
- Broth options: You can use regular chicken broth if you prefer.
- Want a creamier sauce? Swap the milk for half-and-half for a more decadent sauce.
- No Italian seasoning? Use a mix of whatever dried herbs you have on hand. Try oregano, thyme, or parsley.
- My sauce is too dry! If your pan’s lid has a vent hole, that might be the culprit. You can add up to 1 to 2 cups more bone broth to reach the right consistency. If a lot of the sauce has evaporated, it could impact the pasta’s cooking time, so check if it’s al dente.
- Dairy-free: Replace 2% milk with unsweetened almond milk or another plant-based milk and omit the parmesan.
- Gluten-free: Use gluten-free bread, breadcrumbs and pasta.
- Vegetarian: Omit the meatballs and use vegetable broth. Feel free to sauté some vegetables before adding the sauce ingredients, or stir in spinach or kale toward the end.
Is This Kid-Friendly / Toddler-Friendly?
Very! The mini meatballs and small pasta shape make it easy for little ones to eat, and the mild tomato sauce is familiar and comforting. If making it for toddlers, you can keep the seasoning simple and cut the meatballs even smaller.
Serving Suggestions
Serve a green veggie with this healthy spaghettios and meatballs, and you have an easy, well-balanced meal! These garlic knots or sourdough would also be great for soaking up the sauce.
How to Store and Reheat
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. The pasta will continue to absorb the sauce as it sits, so when reheating, add a splash of water or broth to loosen it up. Reheat on the stove or in the microwave until warmed through.
More One-Pan Pasta Recipes You’ll Love
For more kid-friendly dinner ideas, check out these five easy one-pan pasta recipes to inspire your next meal!
- One-Pot Spaghetti and Meat Sauce
- Skillet Lasagna
- Macaroni Casserole
- Homemade Hamburger Helper
- Easiest Pasta and Broccoli Recipe
Spaghetti Os and Meatballs
Ingredients
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese, use good quality
- 1 slice white bread, about 30 grams, crumbled or ⅓ cup breadcrumbs
- ¾ cup + 3 tablespoons 2% milk, divided
- 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped or grated, divided
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
- 2 teaspoons onion powder, divided
- 8 ounces 93% ground turkey, or your favorite ground meat
- ½ tablespoon olive oil
- 8 ounces anellini pasta, uncooked (see note below)
- 2 cups chicken bone broth, I used Swansons
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 cup crushed tomatoes, I used Tuttorosso
Instructions
- In a medium mixing bowl combine parmesan, crumbled bread, 3 tablespoons milk, 1 clove garlic, ½ teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon onion powder. Let bread soak up the milk before adding ground meat and thoroughly mixing. Shape turkey into mini balls roughly ½ tablespoon each.
- Heat olive oil in a large deep skillet (one with high walls) over medium-low heat and cook to brown about 2 minutes on each side (don’t worry about cooking through, they will get simmered later on). Remove from the pan and wipe clean.
- Spray the skillet with oil and add pasta and remaining garlic over medium-high heat, toast both until aromatic, 2-3 minutes. Add bone broth, Italian seasoning, onion powder, remaining milk, crushed tomatoes and remaining ½ teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil over high heat, then add the meatballs back to the pan, stir, cover and lower heat to medium-low. Cook for 10 minutes.
- Uncover and stir; continue to cook, covered until the pasta is al dente and sauce is thickened, about another 10-12 minutes. The finished product should be saucy, but also slightly soupy, with a decent amount of liquid. Not on the dryer-side like a mac and cheese.
Loved it!! Reminds me of childhood, but so much better!!
This was great, but the sauce is 100% missing something. I think it’s probably sugar.
this made my family happy its that similar flavor but whole lot better 🙂
Great recipe and flavor! Just right. Is this freezable?
To be fair, I never had the canned stuff, this wasn’t bad. My husband said it didn’t taste like spaghetti-o’s but that it was tasty. Definitely something different .
Idk if any adult has opened a can of spaghetti o’s and ate them recently but it’s repulsive and ruined my childhood memories. So making this is what I imagined spaghetti o’s tasting like as a child. When there was 7 mins left on the final timer I added an additional cup of broth and 1/2 cup tomatoes and it was perfect.
Tasty meal, not quite like the original Spaghetti Os, but a lot more work than indicated on the recipe. I planned for a nice quick weeknight meal that cooks all in one pan, and this took over an hour from when I started until we were actually eating.
This was such a great recipe and tasted just like the classic childhood favorite! Thank you so much for this DIY blast from the past, which was healthier and so tasty!
So glad you loved it!
This was very good but if you’re looking for a “copycat” spaghetti’s recipe, this isn’t it. the sauce is much more elevated (but stil tasty!).
Our family loved this recipe. I did end up adding about an extra cup of broth and felt like it could have even been a little soupier. I agree with the other comment that next time I might just double the sauce. I also was cooking in a rush and somehow read that the meatballs should be a half teaspoon in size. As I was making them I kept thinking that “this seems awfully tedious”… and then I checked the recipe after I was done and saw that it was half a tablespoon in size. Oops! Unfortunately, my family loved the teeny tiny meatballs and so now they’re going to insist I make it that way every time.
Love the flavor and recipe! One note: on reheating it wasn’t “saucy” enough – just a heads up. I would amp up the sauce – double it even – if you aren’t eating it same day
Delicious recipe! Turned out great! Had to add additional water due to the noodles absorbing most of the liquid.
Shockingly nostalgic in taste and texture but lots of work.
Phenomenal! Crowd pleaser. I doubled the recipe. So fun and delicious
Another winner, and so nostalgic for me. I loved Spaghetti‑Os when I was a child, and I’ll take any excuse to use my O‑shaped pasta. The sauce is an elevated version of the original, the meatballs are tender and juicy, and the extra sauciness is perfect. Without that, it just wouldn’t feel like true Spaghetti‑Os, so I’m really glad Gina stayed true to the characteristics of this childhood favorite. It hits every note I remember and somehow tastes even better.
Made this tonight and it was so fun and delicious! I browned my meatballs under the broiler instead of the pan and it worked great. My kids have texture sensory issues with food so I ran the crushed tomatoes through a fine mesh strainer. Worked out well! My 7 year old son topped his with extra parm and he LOVED it. The kids couldn’t believe we ate the same meal in the 90s out of a CAN. Thanks so much Gina!
So glad everyone enjoyed it!
Very helthy option for kids. I added some greens on the pan