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!

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.
Try my Weeknight Creamy Sausage Pasta too! Follow Picky Palate on Instagram for daily recipe inspiration.
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
How To Make Homemade Spaghettios
Make the pasta. Cook pasta according to package directions then drain under cold water to stop cooking.
Combine butter and tomato sauce. Melt butter into a large dutch oven or pot over medium heat. Add tomato sauce, stirring to combine.
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.
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.
Enjoy! ….I even added a few shakes of hot sauce to mine. Give that a try too.
Cheesy Grown Up SpaghettiOs
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.
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 (:
Oh my goodness! Looks SO good!!
Nothing like a little butter to make everything better! 😉
THAT. LOOKS. DELICIOUS.
I think this is what we need for dinner, comforting and simple. Thanks Jenny!
What a fantastic idea!!!
Much to my Mom’s dismay, I am 45 years old and can still eat Spaghettios – and do a couple times a year just for old times sake – served with toasted Butternut white bread with butter on the side.
I too made a grown up version of spaghettios and meatballs – let me know what you think!
http://mybizzykitchen.com/2011/10/10/another-grown-up-spaghettios-and-meatballs/
This looks so simple yet so perfect and comforting!
my hubby still eats spaghettio’s from the can…it kills me. so this will be fun to try a homemade version for him.
The little kid in me is kinddaaaa freaking out right now. This looks SO mouthwatering!
This looks so yummy! I believe it will go on my menu for next week. Thanks for sharing 🙂
Mmm, that looks really yummy!
I love spaghettios! And I’m loving this grown up version, definitely be adding this to my “to make” list 🙂
I was obsessed with spaghettios growing up – I was so excited to see this recipe today!
Such a smart idea and waaaayyyy better than the ones on a can 😉
I love recipes that take me back to being a kid! Cant wait to try this one 🙂
This looks great. It’s hard to find something that both my kids and I will truly enjoy. 🙂
Love this recipe, but will leave out the ranch dressing as it contains MSG.
I think I can handle how easy this meal is to make 🙂
Sounds fantastic!
oh wow. this looks like a meal my kids would flip for!
This will be going on my menu for next week. Thanks!!
omgggggggggggggggggggggggg I’m dying.
I want this for lunch!
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!
I’ve never been a big fan of spaghetti-os, but I know I’d love this!!
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!
Looks wonderful. I always cringe when I serve my kids the ones out of the can. I can’t wait to try this.
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.
Hi Nancy, yes a mix of those herbs would work just fine 🙂 Hope you enjoy!
My family are already nuts but could be nuttier 🙂 I have good spaghettio memories too!!
Now that is a tasty sounding pasta!
But Mr Kevin it is missing Bacon….
OMG — I still love Spaghetti O’s (embarrassing) and I cannot WAIT to try these!!!
YUM, YUM, YUM! I love this grown up version!!
This looks like cheesy perfection!! Now you have me craving pasta and cheese at 9am! haha 🙂
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!
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!
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 !
Pasta and tomato … What else ?? 🙂