Description
Creepy, tasty, and terrifyingly simple to make. These Halloween meatballs will be the star of your spooky season spread!
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 lb (454g) ground beef (80/20 lean-to-fat ratio)
- 1/2 lb (227g) ground pork
- 1/2 cup (50g) breadcrumbs, plain
- 1/4 cup (60ml) milk
- 1 large egg
- 1/3 cup (33g) finely grated Parmesan cheese
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/2 medium onion, finely diced (about 1/2 cup)
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano
- 24 mozzarella balls (for eyeballs)
- 12 black olives, sliced (for pupils)
- 1 cup (240ml) marinara sauce (for “blood”)
- 48 pretzel sticks (for spider legs)
- 1/4 cup (60g) cream cheese (for spider webbing)
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine breadcrumbs and milk. Let sit for 5 minutes until breadcrumbs absorb the liquid.
- Add egg to the soaked breadcrumbs and beat lightly with a fork to incorporate.
- Add ground beef, ground pork, Parmesan, garlic, onion, parsley, salt, pepper, and oregano to the bowl.
- Using clean hands, gently mix until just combined, being careful not to overmix.
- With slightly damp hands, form mixture into 1.5-inch balls for eyeballs or 2-inch balls for spider bodies.
- Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
- Working in batches, sear meatballs for 1-2 minutes per side until browned.
- Transfer seared meatballs to a baking sheet and bake for 10-12 minutes until internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C).
- For eyeball meatballs: Press a mozzarella ball halfway into each warm meatball, then top with a slice of black olive.
- For spider meatballs: Insert 8 pretzel sticks into each meatball to create legs. Use cream cheese to pipe web details.
- For bloody meatballs: Warm marinara sauce and spoon over meatballs, allowing it to drip down the sides.
- Arrange on a platter with Halloween-themed garnishes and serve warm.