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Eyeball Spaghetti

Eyeball Spaghetti is a playful pasta dish featuring cooked spaghetti topped with tender meatball 'eyeballs'. The dish is finished with marinara sauce and faux eyeballs made from meatballs with small cheese or olive centers, creating a spooky, fun presentation. The final appearance is a spooky plate with meatballs resembling creepy eyes amidst red sauce and pasta.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings: 4
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Italian
Calories: 600
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 pound spaghetti uncooked
  • 1 pound ground beef for meatballs
  • 1/2 cup bread crumbs to bind meatballs
  • 1 large egg to bind meatballs
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 cups marinara sauce
  • 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese for eyeballs
  • to taste salt and pepper
  • as needed olive oil

Equipment

  • Large pot
  • Mixing bowl
  • Baking sheet
  • Saucepan
  • Slotted spoon

Method
 

  1. Cook the spaghetti in a large pot of boiling salted water until al dente, then drain and set aside.
  2. Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). In a mixing bowl, combine ground beef, bread crumbs, minced garlic, egg, salt, and pepper. Mix gently until well combined.
  3. Shape the meat mixture into small, round meatballs about the size of a golf ball and place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for 20 minutes until browned and cooked through.
  4. While the meatballs bake, heat marinara sauce in a saucepan over medium heat until warmed through and bubbling.
  5. Once the meatballs are done, add them to the simmering marinara sauce and let them soak for a few minutes, allowing the flavors to meld.
  6. Place cooked spaghetti on serving plates, then ladle the hot marinara sauce with meatballs over the pasta. Arrange the meatballs on top to resemble creepy eyeballs, with some cheese or olives pressed into the center of each to create 'pupils.'
  7. Add shredded mozzarella cheese or small cheese slices inside each meatball to resemble irises, and lightly press them into the meatball to stay in place.
  8. Finish by placing tiny bits of mozzarella or olives in the center of each eyeball to mimic pupils, completing the spooky look.
  9. Serve the eyeball spaghetti hot, with extra sauce on the side for dipping if desired.

Notes

To enhance the spooky effect, use black olives or small cheese slices for pupils. Be careful when handling hot sauce and meatballs. This dish is fun to assemble as a family activity during Halloween.