Halloween Pasta with Meatball Eyeballs
This spooky Halloween Pasta with Meatball Eyeballs is a fun, easy way to celebrate Halloween! Made with familiar kitchen staples, this spooky spaghetti and meatballs is tasty and fun!
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 483kcal
Equipment
- 1 enameled dutch oven (can use any stock pot)
- 1 large baking sheet (can use multiple smaller baking sheets)
- 1 medium cookie scoop (to form meatballs)
- parchment paper (to line baking sheet)
Ingredients
For the meatball eyeballs
- 1 pound ground beef, 85% lean
- 1 pound ground pork (can use all beef, or all pork if preferred)
- 45 grams plain panko breadcrumbs (can use seasoned, but make sure to reduce salt and Italian seasoning if using)
- 4 ounces milk (can substitute heavy cream)
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt (if using seasoned breadcrumbs, reduce to 2 teaspoons)
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
- 2 large eggs, room temperature & whisked in a separate bowl
- 1 medium yellow onion, finely minced
- 8 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 ounces parmesan cheese, freshly grated
- 12 balls ciligene mozzarella cheese balls, cut in half lengthwise (for the eye "whites")
- 24 slices black olives (to finish the eyeball)
For the spooky spaghetti
- 1 pound cooked spaghetti (cook in heavily salted water)
- 2 cups reserved pasta water
- 28 ounces marinara sauce
- handful of fresh basil (optional)
- 1 parmesan rind (optional, to flavor the sauce)
- parmesan, parsley, and basil to garnish
Instructions
Make the meatballs
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment. Start by combining all ingredients to make the meatballs (except for the mozzarella cheese and olives) in a large mixing bowl. *Chill in the fridge for 15 minutes to make rolling a little easier if desired. You can also chill the mixture for up to 24 hours in advance for very tender and juicy meatballs.
- Using a medium cookie scoop, form 24 roughly equal-sized meatballs. Using your hands (wearing gloves if desired) gently roll the meatballs into a round shape and place on the baking sheet with a bit of room between other meatballs.
- Bake for 16 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 160°F. Remove from the oven, and top with halved mozzarella balls. Return to the oven to bake for an additional 3-4 minutes to melt the cheese. Once they come out of the oven, press 1 black olive slice into the top of each meatball to lightly adhere.
For the sauce
- In a dutch oven or stock pot, add marinara, along with 1 cup of pasta water, a handful of fresh basil leaves, and a parmesan rind if you have one on hand (this adds extra flavor to the sauce!) Gently simmer the sauce and stir often to wilt the basil.
- Once the basil is wilted, remove the parmesan rind, and consume or discard. Add in the cooked pasta, along with the remaining pasta water, and toss to combine and coat the noodles.
Assemble
- Twirl pasta into a nest-like shape on a plate, and top with fresh basil, parsley, and parmesan cheese. Place meatballs on top. Enjoy!
Notes
- Nutrition facts are an estimate and will vary greatly on the brands and ingredients you use.
- See the blog post for a full list of substitutions and variations.
Nutrition
Calories: 483kcal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 30g | Fat: 26g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 134mg | Sodium: 1653mg | Potassium: 757mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 610IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 161mg | Iron: 4mg