Description
This Easy Halloween Zombie Eye Meatball Recipe combines juicy, seasoned ground beef meatballs with a spooky twist—apple and olive ‘zombie eyes’ for a fun and festive Halloween meal. Served over gluten-free spaghetti with tomato sauce, this dish is perfect for a spooky family dinner or themed party.
Ingredients
Scale
Meatballs
- 2 Pounds Ground Beef
- 1 Egg
- ½ Cup Shredded Apple
- ⅓ Cup Shredded Sweet Onion
- 1 Teaspoon Salt
- ½ Teaspoon Dried Thyme
- ½ Teaspoon Black Pepper
Zombie Eye Garnish
- Apple (sliced into small circles)
- Black Olive or Kalamata Olive (tiny pieces for pupil)
Other Ingredients
- Gluten-Free Spaghetti
- Tomato Sauce
- Avocado Oil or Olive Oil (for cooking meatballs)
Instructions
- Shred Ingredients: Start by shredding the apple and sweet onion using a large box grater to prepare for mixing into the meatball mixture.
- Make Meatball Mixture: In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground beef, shredded apple, shredded onion, egg, salt, dried thyme, and black pepper. Mix thoroughly using your hands or a wooden spoon until all ingredients are evenly incorporated.
- Form Meatballs: Use a cookie scoop or spoon to portion out about 20-25 meatballs. Place each formed meatball on a parchment paper-lined plate or baking sheet for easy handling.
- Cook Meatballs: Preheat a skillet over medium heat and add avocado oil or olive oil. Add the meatballs carefully and cook them on medium heat, turning occasionally until all sides are golden brown and cooked through. Keep the skillet uncovered to allow excess moisture from the apple and onion to evaporate.
- Prepare Pasta and Sauce: Cook gluten-free spaghetti according to package instructions. Drain and toss with your favorite tomato sauce to serve alongside the meatballs.
- Create Zombie Eyes: Cut small circular slices out of an apple to form the eye base. Place a very small piece of black olive or kalamata olive on top of each apple circle to resemble pupils. Make enough eyes to top each meatball.
- Assemble and Serve: Place one zombie eye on top of each cooked meatball. Serve the spooky meatballs hot over the gluten-free spaghetti with tomato sauce. Enjoy your festive Halloween meal!
Notes
- Use a stand mixer on low speed to mix the meatball ingredients quickly without overworking the meat, which can cause toughness.
- Use an ice cream scoop for uniform meatball sizes to ensure even cooking.
- Leave the skillet uncovered while cooking meatballs to allow water released by the apple and onion to evaporate, preventing soggy meatballs.
- Drain meatballs before adding to the sauce if desired, to avoid excess liquid in the sauce.
- Store leftover meatballs and sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
- Gluten-free spaghetti mixed with sauce may absorb moisture and soften over time.
- Leftover meatballs and sauce can be frozen in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (approx. 4 meatballs with pasta and sauce)
- Calories: 480
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 550mg
- Fat: 26g
- Saturated Fat: 9g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 35g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 32g
- Cholesterol: 95mg
