Cheesy Grown Up SpaghettiOs

These Cheesy Grown Up SpaghettiOs are just like the version you loved as a kid except fresh and even more yummy. This easy homemade SpagghettiOs recipe is a flavorful blast from the past that you’ll love to make and eat!

A bowl of homemade spaghettios

Homemade Spaghettios

Remember eating spaghettios as a kid? I do! I have to say I don’t love them now as an adult, but I do love my “Cheesy Grown Up SpaghettiOs I’ve made for you today. 

Growing up, I remember and my dad making a bowl of pasta, then adding butter and tomato sauce (with lots of black pepper) for lunch on a number of occasions. It is the simplest of ingredients and for some reason is so good! I re-created that lunch I remember him making so many times as a kid with a few little additions of my own. The family will go nuts over this recipe. My kids even polished off all of the leftovers throughout the week. 

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Cheese, cans of tomatoes, shredded chicken, pasta and ranch mix

What You’ll Need

Here’s your simple ingredient list.

  • Pasta – I used Ditalini shaped pasta, it looks similar to the traditional spaghettio shape.
  • Butter – I prefer unsalted butter for this recipe
  • Tomato sauce
  • Ranch seasoning – One of the dry seasoning packets.
  • Shredded chicken – You could also use rotisserie chicken
  • Black pepper
  • Shredded cheese – I recommend cheddar
Cheesy Grown Up SpaghettiO's 2

How To Make Homemade Spaghettios

Make the pasta. Cook pasta according to package directions then drain under cold water to stop cooking.

Making sauce

Combine butter and tomato sauce. Melt butter into a large dutch oven or pot over medium heat. Add tomato sauce, stirring to combine.

Cheesy Grown Up SpaghettiOs 4
adding chicken
Cheesy Grown Up SpaghettiOs 6

Time to add the remaining ingredients. Add your cooked pasta to the sauce along with the shredded chicken, Ranch seasoning, and black pepper. Stir to combine, reduce heat to medium-low. Top with shredded cheese and close lid to melt cheese for 3-5 minutes. Once cheese is melted, serve.

adding cheese
Cheesy Grown Up SpaghettiOs 8

Yes! Cheesy and perfect. Now it’s time to eat. Is this an easy SpaghettiO’s recipe or what?

How to Store and Reheat Leftovers

You can store extras in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. To reheat you can either spoon the amount you want to eat into a microwave-safe bowl and reheat for a few minutes in the microwave, or you can reheat the pasta on the stovetop. The noodles will expand in the fridge which is totally normal, they are just absorbing some moisture from the pasta sauce.

Cheesy Grown Up SpaghettiOs 1t

Enjoy! ….I even added a few shakes of hot sauce to mine. Give that a try too.

Image of Cheesy Grown Up SpaghettiOs

Cheesy Grown Up SpaghettiOs

These Cheesy Grown Up SpaghettiOs are just like the version you loved as a kid except fresh and even more yummy. A flavorful blast from the past that you'll love to make and eat!
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings: 9 servings
Calories: 278kcal
Print Pin

Equipment

  • Stove

Ingredients

  • 1 lb pasta small and circular
  • 1 stick unsalted butter
  • 45 oz tomato sauce
  • 1 tbsp dry Ranch Dressing seasoning packet
  • 2 cups cooked shredded chicken breast
  • 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 cup cheddar cheese finely shredded

Instructions

  • Cook pasta according to package directions then drain under cold water to stop cooking.
  • Melt butter into a large dutch oven or pot over medium heat. Add tomato sauce, stirring to combine.
  • Add your cooked pasta to the sauce along with the shredded chicken, Ranch seasoning and black pepper. Stir to combine, reduce heat to medium low.
  • Top with shredded cheese and close lid to melt cheese for 3-5 minutes. Once cheese is melted, serve.

Nutrition

Calories: 278kcal | Carbohydrates: 47g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 13mg | Sodium: 950mg | Potassium: 594mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 740IU | Vitamin C: 9.9mg | Calcium: 120mg | Iron: 2.2mg
Keywords: homemade spaghettios, spaghettios recipe

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59 Responses
  1. Caro

    this looks really tasty! can’t wait to try it. have to admit… started eating spaghetti-o’s again when my boyfriend’s kids were eating it. hmmmm (:

  2. Marian (Sweetopia)

    Oh my goodness! Looks SO good!!
    Nothing like a little butter to make everything better! 😉

  3. angela @ another bite please

    my hubby still eats spaghettio’s from the can…it kills me. so this will be fun to try a homemade version for him.

  4. Georgia @ The Comfort of Cooking

    The little kid in me is kinddaaaa freaking out right now. This looks SO mouthwatering!

  5. Sarah Condron

    This looks so yummy! I believe it will go on my menu for next week. Thanks for sharing 🙂

  6. Annie @ Annie's Noms

    I love spaghettios! And I’m loving this grown up version, definitely be adding this to my “to make” list 🙂

  7. Ashley @ Wishes and Dishes

    I was obsessed with spaghettios growing up – I was so excited to see this recipe today!

  8. Carla @ Carla's Confections

    I love recipes that take me back to being a kid! Cant wait to try this one 🙂

  9. Barbara F.

    This looks great. It’s hard to find something that both my kids and I will truly enjoy. 🙂

  10. Megan {Country Cleaver}

    My coworkers and I were literally just talking about the kid foods we still crave yesterday and the consensus was Spaghetti O’s were the stuff childhood was made of! I’m so trying this new “adult” version. STAT!

  11. Traci

    My kids saw the picture and were sold. They can’t wait to try these. I am NOT a spaghetti o’s fan, but I will be making them these to try! Great recipe, thank you!

  12. Kathy

    Looks wonderful. I always cringe when I serve my kids the ones out of the can. I can’t wait to try this.

    1. nancy

      Is there anything I can replace the ranch dip with as we dont have that here? I just used herbs like basil,oregana, garlic and a little chopped onion instead.

  13. Gerry @ Foodness Gracious

    My family are already nuts but could be nuttier 🙂 I have good spaghettio memories too!!

  14. Cookbook Queen

    OMG — I still love Spaghetti O’s (embarrassing) and I cannot WAIT to try these!!!

  15. Julie @ Table for Two

    This looks like cheesy perfection!! Now you have me craving pasta and cheese at 9am! haha 🙂

  16. Cookin Canuck

    Okay, I have to admit that spaghetti-o’s were a guilty pleasure in my teens. I can’t touch the stuff now, but this homemade version looks like a great alternative!

  17. Heidi @ Bits of Sunshine

    Oh yum! This looks so good! And easy! I have never had spaghetti-os! But I will be trying this out for dinner (and next day lunch!!!) soon!

  18. Frenchpapilles

    I did the same kind of easy to do and “kids-esay-eating” recipe yesterday with “coquillettes” pastas, tomatos, minced meet, origan and worcestershire sauce. Can’t wait till diner to enjoy leftovers !

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