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These one-pot gluten free SpaghettiOs with mini meatballs taste just like the cans of SpaghettiOs & Chef Boyardee you grew up on - only made with real ingredients! Campbell’s doesn’t make a gluten free version, so I made my own: tiny gluten free ring pasta simmered in a creamy tomato sauce with baked mini meatballs. It’s ready in 30 minutes, kid approved & the ultimate comfort food.
Quick Look: Gluten Free SpaghettiOs & Mini Meatballs
- ⏱️ Prep Time: 10 minutes
- 🍳 Cook Time: 20 minutes
- 🕒 Total Time: 30 minutes
- 👥 Servings: 6
- 📊 Calories: 369
- 🔥 Cook Method: Oven (meatballs) & stovetop (pasta)
- ⭐ Flavor Profile: Creamy, garlicky tomato sauce with parmesan mini meatballs
- 👩🍳 Difficulty: Easy, perfect for busy weeknights
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Why You’ll Love This Gluten Free SpaghettiOs Recipe
Remember cracking open a can of SpaghettiOs or Chef Boyardee after school? This is THAT! The tiny ring pasta, the creamy tomato sauce, the little meatballs. Except it all comes together in one pot with ingredients you can actually pronounce. Campbell’s doesn’t make a gluten free version (uh-oh, SpaghettiOs!), so I made my own. And… it’s SO GOOD. It brings you right back to childhood, and my kids love it just as much as I do!
The best part? The mini meatballs bake on a sheet pan while the sauce simmers, so there’s no standing at the stove browning 50 tiny meatballs in batches. Just like my gluten-free hamburger helper, this is one of those nostalgic boxed-dinner copycats that’s better for you AND super easy. And if tiny pasta shapes are a hit in your house too, my chicken noodle soup with pastina needs to be next on your list.
Ingredient Notes
Here's a sneak peek at what you’ll need for this recipe, including some of my favorite recs. The rest of the details are in the recipe card below.
- Lean ground beef: The meatballs go straight from the oven into the sauce, so lean beef keeps everything from getting too greasy. Ground turkey or ground chicken work too if you want to use them instead of beef. If you’re a turkey meatball fan, my gluten free air fryer turkey meatballs are another 15-minute go-to!
- Gluten free 1:1 flour: This is the binder for the mini meatballs. No gluten free breadcrumbs needed! Any 1:1 blend you have on hand works.
- Marinara sauce: I like Rao’s! Canned tomato sauce works too - whatever you have on hand is fine. And if you want to go all out, the homemade marinara from my gluten free Italian meatballs is awesome.
- Worcestershire sauce: This is the secret to that savory, “tastes like the can” flavor. Make sure yours is labeled gluten free! Some brands contain malt vinegar, which is NOT gluten free.
- Gluten free anellini pasta: These are the little “O”s! I order mine from Amazon - linked in the recipe card below. If you can’t track down anellini, Jovial Foods Stelline (the little stars) is a great option, or use any other small gluten free pasta you can find (stars, ditalini, alphabet pasta). You may just need to adjust the cooking time a bit.
- Dairy free: Use nutritional yeast instead of the parmesan and Original Nutpods instead of the half & half. Easy peasy!
How to Make Gluten Free SpaghettiOs
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 400°F. Mix all of the meatball ingredients in a bowl until JUST combined - overmixing makes them tough.
Step 2: Roll the mixture into 45-50 mini meatballs, about ¾” in diameter (tiny, just like the ones in the can!). Place them on a baking sheet sprayed with cooking oil. If the mixture sticks to your hands, wet them with a little water first.
Step 3: Bake for 10-11 minutes, or until nicely browned. Want them extra browned? Pop them under the broiler for 1 minute. Remove from the oven and set aside.
Step 4: Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large, deep skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and stir for 30 seconds, until fragrant.
Step 5: Add the tomato paste and stir for another 30 seconds.
Step 6: Pour in the beef broth, marinara sauce, Worcestershire sauce, Italian seasoning, salt & half & half. Stir and bring to a boil.
Step 7: Add the pasta, then reduce the heat to medium and cook, STIRRING OFTEN, for 7-8 minutes or until the pasta is cooked through and most of the sauce has been absorbed.
Step 8: If the pan looks dry before the pasta is tender, add a splash more broth and keep going.
Step 9: Stir in the cooked meatballs and the parmesan cheese. Serve topped with more parmesan if desired, and enjoy!
Recipe Tips
- Wet your hands before rolling out the meatballs. I use this trick to keep the mixture from sticking to my hands, and it never fails!
- Don’t skip the stirring! Tiny pasta loves to settle and stick to the bottom of the pan.
- The sauce will keep thickening as it sits, so pull the pan off the heat as soon as the pasta is tender. It should look a little saucier than you think.
- Looking for another cozy meatball dinner? My French onion meatballs with gravy are another kid favorite in my house.
Storage & Make-Ahead Tips
Leftovers will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. Keep in mind, the pasta soaks up the sauce as it sits - totally normal! To reheat, add the SpaghettiOs to a pan or a bowl with a splash of extra broth or water and stir. Heat for a few minutes, stirring occasionally, until warmed through and saucy again.
If you want a head start, bake the meatballs ahead of time and keep them in the fridge, then stir them into the sauce at the end. You can also make the mini meatballs in advance, freeze them, and bring them out when ready to make your SpaghettiOs (they’re also great to have on hand for last minute dinners!).
Recipe FAQs
Not yet! Campbell’s doesn’t currently make a gluten free version of SpaghettiOs, so if you’re gluten free, homemade is the way to go. The good news is this one-pot version takes 30 minutes and tastes just like the can - only better for you. They used to call SpaghettiOs “the best invention since the napkin”… I’d say a gluten free version made in one pot gives it a run for its money.
Every gluten free pasta brand cooks a little differently, and tiny shapes can clump if they aren’t stirred. Keep stirring, and if the pan looks dry before the pasta is tender, add a little more broth and give it a few more minutes.
VERY. My kids love it - tiny pasta, tiny meatballs, and a sauce that tastes like the can they’d otherwise be begging for. Need another dinner the kids will actually eat? My high protein cottage cheese mac and cheese sneaks in extra protein without anyone noticing.
More Easy Comfort Food Recipes
Instant Pot Taco Pasta (Gluten Free)
Easy Cheesy Lazy Lasagna Recipe
Gluten Free SpaghettiOs & Mini Meatballs
Equipment
Ingredients
Mini Meatballs
- 1 lb lean ground beef
- 1 egg
- 2 tbsp grated parmesan cheese
- ⅓ cup gluten free 1:1 flour
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
Pasta & Sauce
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 3 cloves minced garlic
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 3 cups beef broth, I like Kettle & Fire brand
- 1 cup marinara sauce, or canned tomato sauce
- 2 tsp worcestershire sauce, check to make sure it's gluten free!
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- ½ tsp salt
- ⅓ cup half & half, use original Nutpods for dairy free
- 8 oz gluten free Anellini pasta, you can also use Jovial Stelline or another small gluten free pasta of choice!
- ⅓ cup grated parmesan cheese , + more for topping
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400.
- Mix the meatball ingredients in a bowl until just combined. Roll the mixture into 45-50 mini meatballs, about ¾" in diameter. Place them on a baking sheet sprayed with cooking oil.
- Bake for 10-11 minutes or until nicely browned. You can broil for 1 minute to get them browned more, if desired. Remove from the oven and set aside.
- Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large, deep skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and stir for 30 seconds.
- Add the tomato paste and stir for another 30 seconds. Pour in the broth, marinara sauce, worcestershire sauce, Italian seasoning, salt and half & half. Stir and bring to a boil.
- Add the pasta, then reduce heat to medium and cook, stirring often, for 7-8 minutes or until the pasta is cooked through and the sauce has been mosty absorbed.
- Add in the cooked meatballs and parmesan cheese and stir. Serve topped with more parmesan if desired and enjoy!
Notes
- To make this dairy free, use nutritional yeast instead of parmesan and use Original Nutpods instead of half & half.
- Any small pasta will work – you may just have to adjust cooking time depending on the type used.
- To reheat, add to a pan or a bowl with some additional beef broth and stir. Heat for a few minutes, stirring occasionally, until warmed through.
- You can use ground turkey or ground chicken for the meatballs instead of beef, if preferred.
- If your hands stick when rolling the meatballs, wet them with some water before rolling.
Nutrition
All nutrition facts are an estimate and automatically calculated. While I fact check them using My Fitness Pal, please note that they may not always be 100% accurate and depend on ingredients used. Weigh your total and divide by the number of servings for the most accurate grams per serving size.
