Easy Halloween Pasta (Spooky Spaghetti with Eyeball Meatballs)

A bowl full of Halloween pasta featuring spinach spaghetti, topped with spaghetti sauce, meatballs, and candy eyes.

5 from 1 vote

Easy Halloween Pasta (Spooky Spaghetti with Eyeball Meatballs)

This easy Halloween pasta, also known as spooky spaghetti, features green spinach noodles, hearty meat sauce, and silly eyeball meatballs made with cheese and candy eyes. Ready in 30 minutes, it’s the perfect Halloween dinner idea for kids, parties, or a fun family meal before trick-or-treating.

Prep Time10

Cook Time20

Total Time30

Course: Main Dish

Cuisine: American

Servings: servings

Calories: 643kcal

Author: Sharon Rigsby

Ingredients

1 pound 80/20 ground beef, Leave it out for a lighter (and more budget-friendly) option
24 ounce jar spaghetti sauce
26 ounces bag frozen cooked Italian meatballs, (about 26 dinner-sized)
16 ounce box spinach spaghetti, (or use 12 oz for smaller portions)
½ cup large candy eyes, (or enough for each meatball used)
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
Optional garnish: fresh basil

Instructions

Brown the beef. In a large, heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat, use a spatula to break up the ground beef into crumbles as it browns. Drain any excess grease. Add the meatballs and let them brown slightly.
Stir in the spaghetti sauce. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer for 8–10 minutes, until the meatballs are heated through and coated in sauce.
Meanwhile, boil the spinach spaghetti according to package directions. Reserve ½ cup of pasta water, then drain.
Add pasta water to the sauce if it’s too thick. Arrange pasta on a serving platter, spoon sauce and meatballs over the top, and sprinkle with Parmesan.
Place a candy eye (or olive/mozzarella “eye”) on each meatball.
Garnish with fresh basil, if desired, and serve warm.

Notes

Don’t add the candy eyes until just before serving (they’ll melt into a gooey mess). Remove them from leftovers before storing in the fridge.
Use a platter instead of a bowl so the “eyeballs” stay visible and spooky.
For the spookiest effect, serve your Halloween pasta on a dark platter so the green spaghetti and eyeball meatballs really pop.
Want extra Halloween flair? Sprinkle shredded mozzarella “webs” over the top and melt briefly under the broiler, before adding the eyeballs

Nutrition