Vegan SpaghettiOs
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In this article you will find a tasty, picky eater approved, Homemade Vegan Spaghettios Recipe! Replace the old canned ‘food’ with this healthy homemade alternative, that tastes even better!
Originally Published: September 14th, 2020
If you loved spaghettios from the can when you were a kid, then you’ll love this homemade vegan copycat spaghettiOs recipe!
I originally developed it because my oldest daughter used to eat it (without my knowledge) when she was a toddler and my husbands grandma would help watch her while I was at work.
There’s been other recipes from her toddlerhood that I’ve veganized, as well, such as Cinnamon Toast Crunch, mozzarella sticks, and French toast.
Vegan Spaghettios Ingredients
Ring Pasta: Ring pasta is a must when it comes to making spaghettiOs! Unfortunately, it’s hard to find the ‘right’ ring pasta in stores, which is why I usually use ditalini pasta for this recipe.
If you want the same exact pasta used in the classic canned spaghettios, it’s called anellini. You might be able to find it in stores near you, or you can find it here. There’s regular anellini, and even gluten-free anellini, if you need it to be gluten-free.
Nutritional Yeast: Nutritional yeast makes the spaghettio sauce have that iconic cheesy flavor to it (without dairy!). You’ll find it in the baking aisle at stores.
It also provides a little bit of extra B12 to the dish, something that isn’t that easy to find in a vegan diet.
Paprika: Paprika helps with flavoring and the color of this dish, helping give it a more red color, just like the tomato sauce will. It doesn’t make the dish spicy.
Garlic Powder: Garlic powder is needed to enhance the overall taste of SpaghettiOs and add flavor. It’s also more convenient, and shelf stable than fresh garlic (even with fresh garlic seeming to last well in the pantry for long lengths of time).
Onion Powder: Onion powder is needed for the same reason as garlic powder, enhance the taste and add flavor, without the inconvenience of chopping or mincing vegetables, and with the convenience of being a pantry staple.
Soy Milk: Soy milk replaces the water in most spaghettio recipes, helping to increase the creaminess of this dish.
Tomato Sauce: Tomato sauce is VITAL to making spaghettios, this will never be able to be replaced, as it is a key ingredient. It’s red gives the iconic tomato flavor and red color to SpaghettiOs.
Substitutions
Pasta: If you can’t find anellini or ditalini pasta near you, and don’t want to buy it online, feel free to sub in another small pasta, like small shells or elbow pasta.
Vegan Parmesan: If you have a favorite vegan parmesan that you buy, or that you make, then feel free to add that on top, or in place of the nutritional yeast in this recipe.
Other Non-Dairy Milks: Almond milk and oat milk have been tested with this recipe and work. Oat milk works better than almond, as it’s a bit creamier. Also, be sure the non-dairy milk you choose is plain, not flavored.
Vegan Meatballs: If you have a favorite vegan meatball recipe, that you can make tiny vegan meatballs with, feel free to add those in, if you’re looking for that kind of flavor.
What’s so great about Dairy Free Spaghettios?
First off, it’s nostalgic and will take you right back to your childhood, with it’s creamy and comforting tomato taste!
Second, it’s dairy free, egg free, can be made gluten (if you use gluten free anellini), quick to make, only dirties one dish (just like the canned stuff), and it’s super simple to make! Sure, it’s not just taking one can, dumping it in a pot and cooking, but it’s almost that easy.
Third, kids may be thinking they are getting something ‘special’ when you tell them they get to eat spaghettios…and it’s a super easy lunch or dinner that’s both kid-friendly and mom-approved!
Another way to get kids excited about food is to make it into fun shapes, like these Air Fryer Sweet Potato and Oats Smiley.
How to Make Vegan SpaghettiOs
Honestly, this recipe is super easy to make!
There isn’t any;
- chopping or peeling veggies
- sauteing
- or any other fancy cooking skill needed!
It’s truly a measure and dump into a pot recipe.
Step one: gather all ingredients;
- tomato sauce
- soy milk
- onion powder
- garlic powder
- paprika
- nutritional yeast
- ring pasta
Step two: Measure each ingredient and add it to a pot.
Step three: Stir. Turn the stove on medium heat and cover with a lid.
Stir occasionally, but keep covered when not stirring.
*Having it open when you’re not stirring will make a huge mess as the sauce will splatter out; trust me, it’s happened to me enough times to know better!
Step 4: Let the sauce mixture thicken and the pasta cook.
Once it has thickened and the pasta is cooked, serve to your kiddos and enjoy that they are eating more nutrients than if you had simply heated up a can of spaghettios!
Cooking Tips
- Get your kids to help! This is an easy meal that kids can help with, just be careful with the heat and keep covered if not actively stirring.
- Cooking is subjective, so feel free to add more or less spices, or even different spices to make it your own.
- Keep it on medium to low heat while cooking, we don’t need it to boil for the pasta to soak up the creamy mixture, we need it more at a simmer.
- Did I mention yet to keep it covered if you’re not stirring it?
How to Serve Vegan Spaghetti-O’s
There’s no fancy way of serving this dish, it’s SpaghettiO’s.
Grab a bowl and spoon, for however many people you’re feeding, and dish it up.
You could add some vegan parmesan to the top to serve, if you want, but no reason to get fancy with it.
How to Store
Fridge: Store in an airtight container in the fridge for 4 to 5 days. Simply reheat on the stove or in the microwave in 30 second increments, stirring each time.
Freezer: Freezing this recipe is not recommended as it will not taste the same after reheating from the freezer.
FAQ’s
No, at least not the kind you can buy in stores in the United States.
Every single brand in the U.S. contains some type of cheese- which is why I chose to include nutritional yeast in the recipe below.
Nutritional yeast has a cheesy flavor, without messing with your dairy intolerance or compromising an ethical diet or leading to major health issues later in life!
No, at least not in the United States. See the reason above.
THIS is why I created the recipe below, so that my kids can eat spaghettios without having to worry about contributing to animal exploitation, the destruction of our world, or having negative effects in their little bodies.
Not the ones from a can!
I don’t think I needed to tell you that, though!
If you’re looking for healthy spaghettios, you’re going to have to make it yourself. It’s the same way for a lot of canned goods.
Most canned goods were created to have a long shelf-life, for better profits for the companies that make them. Unfortunately, most of these companies (not all) don’t really care about your health, they care about profits.
More Vegan Copycat Recipes You’ll Love:
- Vegan Mozzarella Sticks Recipe
- Healthy Homemade Vegan Frappuccino Recipe (Just like Starbucks!)
- Easy Vegan Cinnamon and Sugar Tortilla Chips with Fruit Dip
- Easy Vegan Spring Rolls Recipe
- Chickpea Broccoli Pasta
- Quick Vegan Garlic Knots (that Kids Love)
- The Best Vegan Alfredo Sauce Recipe
Vegan Spaghettios
Shawna ClapperEquipment
- Medium Saucepan with lid
Ingredients
- 2 cups tomato sauce (or One 15 oz can)
- 2 cups soy milk (or 15 oz, if using 15 oz of tomato sauce)
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp paprika
- 1-2 tbsp nutritional yeast
- 1 cup ring pasta (such as ditalini or anellini)
Instructions
- Add all ingredients into a pot and turn on medium heat.
- Stir occasionally and cook on medium heat until the pasta is cooked and the sauce has thickened. This can take a little bit of time; cover the pot when not stirring.
- Once the pasta is cooked and the sauce is thick, you'll know it's done.
- Serve and enjoy!
