Description
Turn your Halloween dinner into a spine-chilling feast with Spooky Spaghetti and Cheese Stuffed Meatballs. These eerie “eyeball” meatballs, filled with string cheese and topped with olives, create a fun and creepy meal perfect for impressing both kids and adults.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Pasta:
- 1 lb. spaghetti noodles (or zoodles for a low-carb option)
- 24 oz. jar of your favorite pasta sauce (store-bought or homemade)
For the Meatball “Eyeballs”:
- 1 lb. ground beef (or ground turkey/chicken)
- 1/2 cup breadcrumbs (plain or Italian seasoned)
- 1 tsp. garlic salt
- 1 tsp. Italian seasoning
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 4 sticks of string cheese, cut into 4 pieces each (16 total)
- 1 small can of black olives, sliced
Instructions
- Prepare the Meatball “Eyeballs”:
- Preheat the oven to 375°F.
- In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, breadcrumbs, garlic salt, Italian seasoning, and Parmesan cheese.
- Shape the mixture into 16 meatballs, about 2 inches each.
- Insert a piece of string cheese into the center of each meatball, leaving a bit of cheese sticking out to form the “white” of the eyeball.
- Place a slice of black olive on top of each meatball to create the “iris.”
- Arrange the meatballs in a baking dish and bake for 20 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 160°F.
- Prepare the Pasta:
- While the meatballs are baking, cook the spaghetti according to the package instructions in salted boiling water. Drain and return to the pot.
- Pour the pasta sauce over the cooked noodles and stir to coat evenly.
- Assemble the Spooky “Eyeball” Pasta:
- Divide the spaghetti among serving plates, creating a “nest” of noodles.
- Place 2-3 meatball “eyeballs” on top of each serving of spaghetti.
- Serve with optional sides like roasted green beans (“witch’s fingers”) or garlic bread.
Notes
- Use ground turkey or chicken for a lighter version.
- Substitute mozzarella slices for string cheese if needed.
- Black olives can be omitted or replaced with pimento.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 plate with 2-3 meatballs and spaghetti
- Calories: 450 kcal
- Sugar: 7 g
- Sodium: 980mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 40 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 28 g
- Cholesterol: 95mg