Halloween Spaghetti Bologn-eyes (Bolognese) is a spooky dinner the whole family will love! Classic Italian Bolognese pasta turned into a spooky Halloween meal.
Spaghetti Bologn-eyes Recipe
A fun Halloween themed family dinner the kids will love! This is a perfect quick and easy dinner for Halloween night before going trick-or-treating. A hearty bowl of pasta with a Bolognese sauce, meatballs and spooky ‘eyes’!
What is Spaghetti Bologn-eyes?
Spaghetti bologn-eyes is a twist on the classic Italian pasta dish, spaghetti Bolognese. Bolognese is a meat-based tomato sauce most famously served with spaghetti. For this Halloween twist, meatballs are also added to the sauce and garnished with mini bocconcini and olives to look like eyes.
More Halloween Recipes
- Mummy Meatloaf and Mashed Boo-tatoes
- Spider Cookies
- Spider Web Brownies
- Monster Rice Krispie Treats
- Halloween Char-boo-terie Treat Board
- Pumpkin Shaped Cinnamon Rolls
What is in Spaghetti Bologn-eyes?
- Bolognese Sauce
- Ground Beef – the base of the Bolognese meat sauce is ground beef. You can use lean, extra lean or medium. For a healthier option you can also use ground turkey or ground chicken.
- Crushed Tomatoes – use your favorite variety of of crushed tomatoes, or homemade tomato sauce.
- Onion, Garlic, Carrot, Celery – there are secret hidden veggies in this sauce that the kids won’t even notice!
- Tomato Paste – adds a rich deep tomato flavor to the sauce.
- Wine – adds depth and an umami flavor to the pasta sauce.
- Spices – Italian seasoning, chili flakes, black better, bay leaf, parsley and basil all add a beautiful flavor to the tomato sauce.
- Meatballs – store bought or homemade meatballs can be used for this recipe. The meatballs are used to create large ‘eyes’ in the dish.
- Bocconcini – thinly sliced mini bocconcini cheese are used to create the ‘eyes’ on the meatballs.
- Olives – the pupils of the eyes are olives. You can use a mix of black olives, and green pimento stuffed olives.
- Mummy Garlic Bread
- Bread – I like to use ciabatta buns to make the mummy garlic bread. They are rectangular and have a great flavor. You can also use a baguette that you slice in half and then cut into smaller pieces to create individual mummy’s.
- Mozzarella Cheese – sliced into strips and placed on top of the bread to create the mummy bandages.
- Garlic Butter – the best part of garlic bread! Use homemade or storebought.
- Olives – black olives, or green pimento stuffed olives work great for the mummy eyes!
How to Make Spaghetti Bologn-eyes
Full Printable Recipe at Bottom of Page
Spaghetti Bologn-eyes
1 If using homemade meatballs, prepare and cook the meatballs and set aside.
2 In a large frying pan or skillet on medium high heat add the oil and ground beef. Use a spatula or wooden spoon to sauté the meat and break it up into small pieces.
3 When the meat is browned, spoon out any excess fat. Add in salt, pepper, chili flakes and dry seasoning. Add the onion, garlic, celery and carrots, mix well and cook for 5 minutes.
4 Create an area in the middle of the mixture and add tomato paste. Cook for 2 minutes in the center and then mix throughout the meat mixture.
5 Add the cooked meatballs into the sauce and mix until evenly combined.
6 Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the spaghetti according to package directions. Drain the pasta.
7 Add the sauce to the cooked spaghetti and toss to combine.
Mummy Garlic Bread
1 Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper or tin foil (optional).
2 Slice the baguette through the center. Slice each half into 3 or 4 pieces to create individual mummy, or slice ciabatta buns (or buns of choice) in half.
3 Spread garlic butter on each piece of bread.
4 Slice the mozzarella cheese into thin strips and scatter them on the pieces of bread to create the mummy bandages. (Tip: do not place the pieces of cheese too close together as they will spread out when the cheese melts).
5 Place two sliced black olives on each piece of bread to create the mummy eyes.
6 Place the prepare garlic breads on the sheet pan and bake for about 5-8 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and the bread is toasted.
Serve
1 Place the pasta and sauce on a serving platter or individual plate.
2 Place a few meatballs randomly on top of the pasta.
3 On top of each meatball place a bocconcini slice with a sliced Kalamata olive in the center to create eyes.
4 Scatter sliced Manzinalla olives on the pasta to create more eyes.
5 Serve with a piece of mummy garlic bread and enjoy!
Or serve family style in a large serving platter!
Tips for the Best Spaghetti Bologn-eyes
- Bologn-eyes – for an extra spooky dish use a variety of different coloured olives. For example, black olives and green pimento stuffed olives! You can even get creative and spread some of the tomato sauce on top of the bocconcini cheese to create red lines on the eyes.
- Mummy Garlic Bread – try not to lay the pieces of mozzarella cheese too close together. As the bread bakes and the cheese melts the ‘bandages’ will melt closer together. Be sure to leave a gap between each ‘bandage’ so you can clearly see the bandages after cooking.
- Bolognese Sauce – for a quicker recipe you can use store bought pasta sauce instead of using crushed tomatoes and making the sauce from scratch.
FAQs Spaghetti Bologn-eyes
Transfer leftover spaghetti to a microwave safe bowl and add a splash of water on top. Microwave in 30 second intervals, stirring after each, for about 2 minutes or until warmed through.
Store leftovers in an air tight container in the fridge for up to 3 days, or in the freezer for up to 2-3 months.
Yes! This dish is perfect for making ahead to cut down on cooking time on Halloween night. You can reheat the pasta just before serving and garnish with the olives to create the eyes.
Yes! Spaghetti is freezer friendly. Store in an air tight container or freezer safe Ziploc bag for up to 2-3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight and reheat in the oven or microwave.
Enjoy!
– Sab
Disclosure: I only recommend products I would use myself and all opinions expressed here are my own. This post may contain affiliate links that at no additional cost to you, may earn me a small commission.
Halloween Spaghetti Bologn-eyes (Bolognese)
Ingredients
Spaghetti Bologn-eyes
- 24 meatballs, homemade or store bought
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 lb ground beef, or mix with ground pork or sausage
- 1 tbsp salt
- 1 tbsp Italian Seasoning
- 1 tbsp chili flakes
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 large onion, finely chopped
- 2 stalks celery , finely chopped
- 2 medium carrot, finely chopped
- 5 cloves garlic , grated or finely chopped
- 3 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 cup red wine, or white if you prefer (substitute with beef broth if preferred)
- 3 1/2 cups crushed tomatoes, 28 ounces, or passata
- 1 bay leaf, fresh or dried
- 1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
- 1 tbsp fresh basil, chopped
- 1 lb spaghetti, cooked
- 12 mini bocconcini cheese balls, halved
- 1/4 cup Kalamata olives, pitted, sliced, or black olives
- 1/4 cup Stuffed Manzanilla olives, sliced, green pimento stuffed olives
Mummy Garlic Bread (Optional)
- 1 baguette, or ciabatta buns, or buns of choice
- 1/4 cup garlic butter
- 8 slices mozzarella cheese, or mozzarella bar cheese sliced into thin strips
Instructions
Spaghetti Bologn-eyes
- If using homemade meatballs, prepare and cook the meatballs and set aside.
- In a large frying pan or skillet on medium high heat add the oil and ground beef. Use a spatula or wooden spoon to sauté the meat and break it up into small pieces.
- When the meat is browned, spoon out any excess fat. Add in salt, pepper, chili flakes and dry seasoning. Add the onion, garlic, celery and carrots, mix well and cook for 5 minutes.
- Create an area in the middle of the mixture and add tomato paste. Cook for 2 minutes in the center and then mix throughout the meat mixture.
- Add the cooked meatballs into the sauce and mix until evenly combined.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the spaghetti according to package directions. Drain the pasta.
- Add the sauce to the cooked spaghetti and toss to combine.
Mummy Garlic Bread
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper or tin foil (optional).
- Slice the baguette through the center. Slice each half into 3 or 4 pieces to create individual mummy, or slice ciabatta buns (or buns of choice) in half.
- Spread garlic butter on each piece of bread.
- Slice the mozzarella cheese into thin strips and scatter them on the pieces of bread to create the mummy bandages. (Tip: do not place the pieces of cheese too close together as they will spread out when the cheese melts).
- Place two sliced black olives on each piece of bread to create the mummy eyes.
- Place the prepare garlic breads on the sheet pan and bake for about 5-8 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and the bread is toasted.
Serve
- Place the pasta and sauce on a serving platter or individual plate.
- Place a few meatballs randomly on top of the pasta.
- On top of each meatball place a bocconcini slice with a sliced Kalamata olive in the center to create eyes.
- Scatter sliced Manzinalla olives on the pasta to create more eyes.
- Serve with a piece of mummy garlic bread and enjoy!
Notes
NUTRITION
