These Halloween meatballs turn homemade beef and pork meatballs into spooky eyeballs with melted mozzarella and black olives. Serve them over spaghetti and tomato sauce for an easy Halloween dinner, or serve the meatballs on their own as Halloween party food.

These meatballs are easy to make ahead, which helps if you’re planning a Halloween party or dinner. Serve them with spaghetti for a main dish, or set them out with toothpicks as spooky finger food.

For another fun Halloween dinner idea, these Monster Burgers have cheddar teeth, pickle tongues and mozzarella-and-olive eyes. For something lighter, these Halloween Taco Salads are topped with crispy spiderweb tortillas.

What’s To Love

They look spooky – the mozzarella-and-olive eyeballs give the meatballs a creepy appearance that’s perfect for Halloween.
They’re easy to make – the meatballs use simple ingredients and are baked rather than fried.
They’re make-ahead friendly – shape the meatballs up to 48 hours ahead or freeze them for longer storage.
They work for dinner or a party – serve them over spaghetti as a main dish or on their own as spooky Halloween party food.

How to Make in Advance

One of the biggest time-savers when planning Halloween appetizers is preparing the meatballs ahead of time. You can make these up to two days in advance, saving you time on the day you plan to serve them.

Prepare the meatball mixture according to the recipe, but stop before cooking them.
Shape the meat mixture into 1-inch balls and place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
Cover the tray with plastic wrap and refrigerate until you’re ready to cook. The meatballs will keep for up to 48 hours in the fridge.
When you’re ready to bake, follow the cooking instructions in the recipe card.

This method is especially helpful if you’re preparing for a large Halloween dinner or planning to serve spooky spaghetti with meatballs. You can also prep the other components, such as cutting the mozzarella and olives, to make assembly easier later on.

Ingredients

Here’s everything you’ll need to make these meatballs and the pasta.

Ground beef – combines with the ground pork to make the meatballs.
Ground pork – enhances juiciness and flavor. You can replace it with additional ground beef or ground sausage for a more savory taste. Or try these Traeger Meatballs, which only call for ground beef.
Grated Parmesan or Pecorino Romano cheese – provides a salty, nutty flavor.
Bread crumbs – help bind the meatballs together. Use gluten-free bread crumbs for a gluten-free version or 1/2 cup almond flour, which would also make these meatballs keto.
Garlic cloves – substitute with 1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder if fresh garlic isn’t available.
Large eggs – act as a binder for the meatballs.
Dried Italian seasoning – substitute with a blend of dried oregano, basil and thyme if you don’t have Italian seasoning.
Red pepper flakes – add a hint of heat. Omit if you prefer a milder dish, or replace them with black pepper for a more subtle kick.
Black olives – used to create the pupils of the eyeballs. See the section below for substitutes.
Mini mozzarella balls (ciliegine) – form the white part of the eyeballs. See the section below for alternatives if mini mozzarella balls are unavailable or too pricey.
Spaghetti – gluten-free spaghetti or zucchini noodles can be used as alternatives for a gluten-free or low-carb option.
Tomato sauce – coats the spaghetti and brings everything together.
Fresh or dried basil, oregano or parsley – add color and flavor to the final dish. All good choices! But I’d go with just one.
Grated Parmesan cheese (for garnish) – optional for serving.

Alternative Eyeball Ideas

Ciliegine mozzarella balls are typically about the size of a cherry, with a diameter of around 1 inch (or 25-30 mm). They usually weigh about 1/3 ounce (9-10 grams) each, making them perfect for small bites or for use in dishes like these spooky Halloween meatballs.

But they are expensive! It’s crazy. So here are some cheaper options:

Sliced string cheese – cut into small rounds to mimic mozzarella balls. They’re easy to find and more affordable.
Small cubes of mozzarella – buy a block of mozzarella and cut it into small cubes. This option is cheaper and customizable in size.
Halved cherry tomatoes – add a colorful twist by using halved cherry tomatoes. Place them cut-side down, and optionally add a tiny black olive or caper for the pupil.
Mini bocconcini – slightly larger than mini mozzarella balls but can be cut in half to make the right size. If you have some left over, these Marinated Mozzarella Balls look great!
Sliced hard-boiled eggs – cut into small rounds, with the egg white working well as the base for the eyeball.
Provolone or Monterey Jack cheese slices – use a small cookie cutter or bottle cap to cut circles from cheese slices. These cheeses are soft and easy to shape.

Alternatives to Olives for the Pupil

Olives are cheap, but not everyone likes olives. So here are some different options!

Sliced pickled jalapeños – add a spicy kick by using a small slice of pickled jalapeño as the center of the eyeball.
Pepperoni or salami slices – cut small circles from pepperoni or salami to place in the center of the cheese or tomato to act as the pupil.
Raisins or dried cranberries – these can be pressed into the cheese to act as the pupil, adding texture and a pop of dark color. Kind of weird, yes, but if your kid won’t eat olives, jalapeños or pepperoni, then you can use raisins or dried cranberries. Just tell them to pick them out before eating. 😉

How to Make Them

This is just to give you an overview. The full recipe is down below in the recipe box.

Gently combine the beef, pork, Parmesan or Pecorino, breadcrumbs, garlic, eggs and seasonings. Don’t overwork the mixture.
Shape the mixture into 24 1-inch meatballs and bake at 400 °F (204 °C) for 14-17 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 160 °F (71 °C).
While the meatballs bake, cook the spaghetti and reserve 1/4 cup of the pasta water before draining. Cut the mozzarella balls in half lengthwise, prepare the olives and pat both very dry.
Top each meatball with half a mozzarella ball and return them to the oven for 2-3 minutes, or until the mozzarella has melted slightly. Add the olive pupils after removing the meatballs from the oven.
Warm the tomato sauce, stir in some of the reserved pasta water and toss it with the spaghetti. Serve with the eyeball meatballs and your choice of basil, oregano or parsley.

Remember, there are several alternatives to olives if you don’t like them. All are listed above!

How to Make Ahead & Storage

These spooky meatballs freeze well, which makes them a great option if you want to get ahead on your Halloween prep. Here’s how to freeze them.

After shaping the meatballs, arrange them on a baking sheet and freeze for about 1 hour until they’re solid.
Transfer the frozen meatballs to a freezer-safe bag or airtight container.
Freeze for up to 3 months. Be sure to label your container with the date so you don’t lose track of them!
When you’re ready to use them, thaw the meatballs overnight in the fridge, then cook as directed. You can also cook them directly from frozen, though you may need to add a few extra minutes to the cooking time. Make sure the centers reach 160 °F (71 °C).

Simply assemble them with the spooky eyeballs on the day you plan to serve them. Cool cooked leftovers and refrigerate them in an airtight container, preferably glass so the tomato sauce doesn’t stain it, for up to 4 days.

Gluten-Free Option

It’s easy to make these meatballs gluten-free! As I wrote above, swap the breadcrumbs for gluten-free breadcrumbs.

You can also use almond flour as an alternative to traditional breadcrumbs. If you’re serving the meatballs with pasta, use gluten-free spaghetti to keep the entire dish gluten-free.

Tips for Success

Don’t overwork the meat – gently mix the ingredients just until everything is well combined. Overworking the mixture can make the meatballs dense.
Don’t overbake the meatballs – check the internal temperature with a meat thermometer and remove them once they reach 160 °F (71 °C).
Pat the mozzarella and olives dry – excess moisture makes the eyeball toppings harder to keep in place.
Keep the meatballs the same size – uniform 1-inch meatballs will cook more evenly.

Serving Ideas

These Halloween meatballs are versatile and can be served in various ways depending on your party’s theme. If you’re serving the meatballs as a Halloween dinner, this Skeleton Veggie Tray makes a fun, lighter side.

Halloween spaghetti and meatballs – this is what I did here. Serve the meatballs over spaghetti for a spooky twist on this classic dinner idea.
Eyeball meatball sliders – serve the meatballs on small slider buns for a fun finger food option. Perfect for a buffet-style Halloween dinner!
Spooky meatball skewers – thread the meatballs onto skewers for an easy Halloween party food that’s great for both kids and adults.

For more color on the table, this Halloween Fruit Salad is served in a carved watermelon jack-o’-lantern. You could also make this Non-Alcoholic Halloween Punch if you need a kid-friendly drink to go with dinner.

Whether you’re looking for adult Halloween party food or something fun for the kids, these Halloween meatballs are sure to be a hit! I hope you’ll enjoy them. 🙂

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Halloween Meatballs