Homemade Spaghettio’s (Gluten-Free & Tomato-Free!)
This homemade spaghettio’s recipe is a grown-up version of the childhood comfort food! Reminiscent of the canned variety but made completely gluten-free and tomato-free, it’s savory, cheesy, and given a fall-inspired twist.
Why you’ll love these homemade spaghettio’s
Spaghetti O’s were one of my favorite foods as a kid, and I wanted to make a grown-up version that screamed fall and fit my dietary needs (and that my son still loved)! Drawing inspiration from the store-bought varieties, I stuck with small, ring-shaped anellini pasta.
Then, I got creative with the sauce, giving it a sweet, savory, herbaceous flavor that’s perfect for fall. It’s similar to my viral recipe for butternut stelline and my butternut squash pasta sauce. Served warm, this recipe is nostalgic and incredibly comforting. Even my non-squash-loving husband agrees! Here’s why you’ll love it, too:
- Suitable for varying dietary needs. This dish is naturally gluten-free, nut-free, and tomato-free, and it can easily be made dairy-free, too.
- The perfect fall comfort food! What’s better than a warm bowl of pasta when the weather starts to cool?!
Recipe Ingredients
See the recipe card below for full information on ingredients and quantities.
- Butternut Squash. The star of the dish! Look for a squash that feels heavy for its size, with solid beige skin and a dark brown stem.
- Avocado Oil.
- Salt, Pepper, Dried Sage, Fresh Thyme Leaves. These add so much flavor to the recipe.
- Shallots and Garlic.
- Chicken Broth. I like to use my whole chicken bone broth for extra protein. You can also sub vegetable broth.
- Gluten-Free Anellini Pasta. Gluten-free stelline or alphabet pasta is a good substitute.
- White Wine Vinegar. The acidity balances the flavor.
- Pecorino Cheese. Pecorino is a sheep’s milk cheese, which makes it a lot easier for those of us with dairy issues to digest. For me, I tolerate pecorino in moderation, but you can also leave it out and use nutritional yeast instead.
How to Make Homemade Spaghettio’s
Here are the simple steps, with photos, to make this recipe. Find full instructions in the recipe card.
Step one. Roast the squash until fork-tender.
Step two. Blend the squash and broth.
Step three. Sauté the garlic and shallot until fragrant.
Step four. Cook the pasta in chicken broth just under al dente.
Step five. Combine the ingredients, stirring in the cheese last.
Step six. Serve topped with fresh thyme!
Michelle’s Tips & Tricks
- Stir the pasta very well while cooking. The key to making this recipe nice and creamy and flavorful is letting the pasta absorb the broth, but this requires a lot of stirring to cook it evenly! Stir the pasta much more than you would when you’re regularly boiling pasta.
- If possible, stick with roasting the butternut squash. Technically, you can use canned squash in a pinch, but there’s a huge flavor gap between roasted veggies and canned. I highly recommend roasting the squash!
- Season to taste. The saltiness will vary depending on the type of broth you use and whether or not you use cheese, so be sure to give your homemade spaghettio’s a taste test and adjust as needed!
Storage and reheating instructions
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. The pasta will continue to absorb the sauce as it sits, so add a splash of chicken broth when reheating to loosen it up and restore the creamy consistency.
Reheat gently on the stovetop over low heat, stirring frequently.
More Gluten-Free Pasta Recipes To Try…
Homemade Spaghettio’s (Gluten-Free & Tomato-Free!)
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Ingredients
- 1 large butternut squash
- 2 tbsp avocado oil, divided
- Salt and pepper
- 1 shallot, minced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 cups + 3 tbsp chicken broth, divided
- 1 ½ cup gluten-free Anellini pasta
- 2 tsp dried sage
- 2 tsp fresh thyme leaves, add more for garnish
- 1 tbsp white wine vinegar
- 3 tbsp pecorino cheese, shredded (sub 1-2 tbsp nutritional yeast for dairy-free)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Slice the butternut squash in half, lengthwise, and spoon out the seeds. Add 1 tbsp avocado oil to the flesh and season with salt and pepper. Place flesh side down on the baking sheet and bake in the preheated oven for 35-40 minutes or until tender. Allow to cool.
- Scoop out the flesh from the butternut squash and add it to a food processor with 3 tbsp of chicken broth. Blend until fully pureed and smooth. Set aside.
- Using a medium pot, heat 1 tbsp of avocado oil over medium-low heat. Add the garlic and shallot and sauté until the garlic is fragrant.
- Pour the chicken broth into the pot and bring to a boil. Add the pasta and cook for 5-6 minutes, stirring well often to cook the pasta evenly. The pasta should be tender and the broth should be absorbed. Reduce the heat to low.
- Add the butternut squash to the pot along with the dried sage, thyme leaves, vinegar, and extra salt and pepper to taste. Stir well.
- Turn off the heat and add the shredded cheese (or nutritional yeast) and stir well.
- Serve topped with fresh thyme!
Notes
- Stir the pasta very well while cooking. The key to making this recipe nice and creamy and flavorful is letting the pasta absorb the broth, but this requires a lot of stirring to cook it evenly! Stir the pasta much more than you would when you’re regularly boiling pasta.
- If possible, stick with roasting the butternut squash. Technically, you can use canned squash in a pinch, but there’s a huge flavor gap between roasted veggies and canned. I highly recommend roasting the squash!
- Season to taste. The saltiness will vary depending on the type of broth you use and whether or not you use cheese, so be sure to give your homemade spaghettio’s a taste test and adjust as needed!
