Description
A fun and festive dinner perfect for Halloween or any casual gathering, featuring spaghetti topped with cheesy monster meatballs.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 lb ground beef (or turkey/chicken)
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- Salt & pepper, to taste
- 1 cup mozzarella cheese, cubed (for stuffing)
- Black olives, sliced (for eyes)
- Mozzarella cheese slices (for the whites of the eyes)
- Optional: parsley or Italian seasoning
- 1 lb spaghetti (regular or black/purple pasta)
- Salted water (for boiling)
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- Red or green food coloring (optional)
- 3 cups marinara or spaghetti sauce
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C).
- In a large bowl, mix together ground beef, egg, breadcrumbs, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper.
- Take a spoonful of the meat mixture and flatten it. Place a cheese cube in the center and roll the mixture into a ball, fully enclosing the cheese.
- Place the meatballs on a lined baking sheet.
- Bake the meatballs in the oven for 18–20 minutes or until they are fully cooked through and golden brown.
- While the meatballs are baking, bring a large pot of salted water to boil.
- Cook the spaghetti as directed on the package. If you want the pasta to look spooky, add food coloring to the boiling water.
- Drain the pasta and toss it with olive oil to prevent sticking.
- Heat the marinara sauce in a skillet. Add the cooked spaghetti to the skillet and toss until the pasta is well coated with the sauce.
- After removing the baked meatballs from the oven, carefully add mozzarella circles and olive slices to each meatball to create “eyes.” If needed, use a bit of sauce to secure them in place.
- Serve the spooky pasta on a platter, topped with monster meatballs and extra sauce as desired. Enjoy!
Notes
You can use different types of cheese for stuffed meatballs or experiment with various pasta shapes.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 600mg
- Fat: 20g
- Saturated Fat: 7g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 45g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 25g
- Cholesterol: 70mg
Keywords: spaghetti, meatballs, Halloween, family dinner, fun food