You ever feel like you’re being watched? 👀 This spooky Spaghetti and Meatballs “Eyeball” Pasta is perfectly creepy for Halloween dinner. Cheese stuffed meatballs with olives turn into eyeballs on top of a bed of noodles.
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It’s almost Halloween, and that means it is time for pumpkin carving, apple picking, and spooky spaghetti with eyeballs! It’s a holiday that is celebrated with ghosts, goblins, and witches galore. And what better way to celebrate than with food? If you’re looking for a savory Halloween recipe this year, then look no further!
This eyeball pasta recipe takes an ordinary meatball and turns it into a dish that literally watches you while you eat! It is easy to make using sliced string cheese for the whites of the eye and black olives for an eerie black iris eyeball – perfect for any child or adult who wants a shocking dinner this holiday season. If you want to have some fun this Halloween season while still enjoying delicious food, then give this recipe a try!
INGREDIENTS & EQUIPMENT
Below is a list of ingredients with some helpful tips and suggestions for substitutions. Scroll all the way down for the full, printable recipe card with amounts & instructions.
Ingredients for the Pasta Base
NOODLES – One pound spaghetti noodles. You could also use zoodles.
PASTA SAUCE – One 24 ounce jar of your favorite pasta sauce or make it yourself.
Meatball “Eyeball” Ingredients
GROUND BEEF – I like to use ground sirloin because of the low fat content & the flavor, but use your favorite. Ground turkey or ground chicken can also be used in place of beef.
BREAD CRUMBS – You’ll be seasoning plain breadcrumbs. Alternatively, you can buy Italian breadcrumbs that would already be seasoned.
SEASONINGS – Garlic salt and Italian seasoning to season the meatballs.
PARMESAN CHEESE – Grated parmesan cheese.
STRING CHEESE– String cheese is mozzarella cheese. You’ll need four sticks, sliced into 4 pieces (16 total).
BLACK OLIVES – You can buy pre-sliced black olives or slice them yourself.
TOOLS FOUND ON AMAZON TO HELP YOU
You’ll need to use a large pot to boil your spaghetti and mix in your sauce for this recipe. You will need a large mixing bowl, a baking dish or sheet, a cutting board, and a knife for the eyeball meatballs. All in all, cleanup is easy with this recipe, especially if you clean as you go! By the end, you’ll only be left with one pot!
- Large pasta pot – this one has a handy colander lid
- Baking dish
- Colander
HOW TO MAKE SPOOKY EYEBALL PASTA
Make the Eyeball Meatballs
STEP ONE: In a large bowl, mix together the ground beef, breadcrumbs, garlic salt, Italian seasoning. Shape the meat into 16 (2″) meatballs. Place them into a baking dish.
STEP TWO: Slice the string cheese into 4 pieces and place one into each meatball, leaving the end sticking out. Top each with an olive slice.
STEP THREE: Bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes or until meatballs are done (160 degrees internal temp).
Prepare the Pasta
STEP FOUR: While the meatballs are baking, cook your spaghetti noodles in salted water. Drain, return to pan, then top with your favorite jarred sauce. Stir to distrubute.
Combining the Pasta with the Eyeballs
STEP FIVE: Once the pasta and meatballs are done, create a “nest” of pasta on your plate and top with the eyeball meatballs!
WHAT TO SERVE WITH YOUR SPAGHETTI AND EYEBALLS
To complete your spooky meal, go for some roasted witch’s fingers (aka green beans) and mummified garlic bread! To make the garlic bread use a french loaf, cut in half length-wise and then again in the middle. Then you’ll want to take a cheese stick and cut long strips. If you have a mandolin, you can use it.
Lay the cheese slices on the bread haphazardly, mimicking a wrapped mummy. Finish it off with two thin slices of cheese stick whites for the eyes and top with sliced olives.
Of if you want some heat, try some Mummy Jalapeno Poppers!
Don’t forget dessert, for what is Halloween without sweets! My Halloween Tunnel Cake will have your family oohing and awing. The orange cheesecake center makes for a decadent dessert full of surprises! If you’re short on time, my Halloween Swirl Cream Cheese Brownies take right at 15 minutes to throw together and are sooo worth it!
Savory Halloween Spaghetti and Eyeballs FAQs
Can I use ground chicken or turkey instead of beef for the eyeballs?
Yes! You can use either ground chicken or turkey as a beef substitute, whichever your family prefers.
Can I use store-bought meatballs instead of making them from scratch?
Yes, but keep in mind that frozen store-bought meatballs are precooked. You will not be able to insert the string cheese without letting them thaw and removing some of the meat. Basically, they’ll be more work. Some stores offer pre-seasoned meatballs that have not been cooked yet in the meat department. Those would work better.
What if I don’t have string cheese?
If you don’t have string cheese on hand, you can use sliced cheese. You’ll want to lay the cheese on a cutting board and take a knife (a melon baller or measuring spoon would work well for this), and trace out a circle for each eye.
What if I don’t like olives? Can I use something else?
I have been trying to think of something you can use instead of olives, but I can’t come up with anything that is going to look the same. If you don’t like olives, you can always pick them off or make some for yourself (or the person who doesn’t like them) without the olives and have it be a blind eyeball!
HOW TO STORE IT
Store leftovers covered in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave.
CAN YOU FREEZE IT
The meatballs will freeze well. Put them in an airtight freezer container for up to 3 months.
NEED MORE SAVORY HALLOWEEN RECIPES? TRY THESE:
Monster Deviled Eggs
Mozzarella Eyeballs
Chicken Sandwich Monsters
DON’T FORGET THE HALLOWEEN DESSERTS:
Halloween Poke Cake
Brownie Bottom Halloween Cupcakes
Ghost Oreo Balls
Thirty Halloween Desserts
Click here for my entire collection of Halloween recipes.
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Spooky Spaghetti and Cheese Stuffed Meatballs
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- ¼ cup bread crumbs
- ½ teaspoon garlic salt
- ¼ teaspoon italian seasoning
- ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
- 4 string cheese cut into 1" pieces
- black olives sliced
- 1 pound spaghetti noodles
- 24 ounce pasta sauce use your favorite brand
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375ºF.
- In a large bowl, mix ground meat, breadcrumbs, garlic salt, italian seasoning and parmesan cheese until well combined.
- Shape into 16 (2-inch) meatballs and place into a 9 x 13 baking dish.
- Slice your string cheese into 4 pieces and insert 1 piece of cheese into each meatball, making sure the end of the cheese is just sticking out the top.
- Top each with an olive slice.
- Bake for 20 minutes or until meatballs are done (internal temp of 160°).
- Meanwhile, cook spaghetti as directed on package and drain.
- Toss the pasta with your favorite sauce.
- Top with your eyeball meatballs and serve!
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimate and provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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baby bell peppers would make eyes or a small onion ring, grape tomato
Oh, yep! Good ideas 🙂
So easy and a huge hit for the kids because they truly eat with their eyes so anything fun is usually a big hit. Simple flavors. Not as fluffy as some meatballs, perhaps an egg would add fluffiness(?) but I can tell you that all the meatballs were devoured and each kid asked for seconds. I found Halloween themed pasta that we served the meatballs on top of. Huge hit and will make again bc of how easy it was and how much the kids enjoyed.
Thank you! 🎃
I have been making “Bloddy Guts and Eyeballs” as we call it for 20+ years. My grandkids are adults now and they still expect it for Halloween dinner.
The difference in mine is that i cut out “eye whites” out of slicing mozzarella and use green olives with pimentos for the eyes.
Kids loved it. Even my meatball hater ate good
That is amazing (I have meatball haters, too), thank you!