Description
This spooky Skull & Pumpkin Halloween Soup combines hearty ground beef and Italian sausage with creatively carved vegetables to resemble Halloween-themed characters. With mini gold potatoes carved like skulls, carrot slices shaped like pumpkins, and mushrooms with delicate eye details, this comforting and visually fun soup is perfect for a festive fall meal. The rich tomato and beef broth base infused with aromatic herbs makes it a deliciously warming dish for Halloween celebrations.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat
- 1 lb lean ground beef
- 1 lb Italian sausage, no casing or casing removed
Vegetables
- 5 carrots, peeled
- 1.5 lbs mini gold potatoes
- 8 oz white mushrooms, washed
- 1 small yellow onion
Liquids and Sauces
- 4 cups beef broth
- 8 oz tomato sauce
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
Spices and Herbs
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon salt or to taste
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon fennel seed
- ½ teaspoon dried sage
- 2 bay leaves
Instructions
- Prepare Carrot Pumpkins: Peel the carrots and make two parallel lengthwise cuts framing the pumpkin stem, about 1/8-inch deep. Make two additional 45-degree angled lengthwise cuts intersecting at each base to remove two long pieces. Slice the shaped carrots into ¼-inch rounds to resemble pumpkins and set aside.
- Shape Potato Skulls: Halve the mini gold potatoes and place flat side down. Use a stainless-steel straw to puncture two ‘eyes’ in each half, removing the potato pieces after each puncture to prevent clogging. Carefully carve a horizontal and vertical slit to shape a ‘skeleton mouth’ just below the eyes. Set aside.
- Create Mushroom Eyes: Halve the mushrooms and lay flat side down. Use the stainless-steel straw to puncture holes for eyes delicately to avoid breaking the mushrooms. Set aside.
- Sauté Onions: Heat a large stock pot or Dutch oven over medium heat with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add diced onion and sauté until fragrant, about 2-3 minutes.
- Brown the Meat: Add the ground beef and Italian sausage to the pot. Break the meat apart with a wooden spatula and cook until it is about two-thirds done and is fully broken apart with no large chunks.
- Add Broth, Tomato Sauce, and Spices: Stir in beef broth, tomato sauce, salt, black pepper, basil, garlic powder, oregano, fennel seed, dried sage, and bay leaves into the pot with the meat.
- Add Prepared Vegetables: Add the carved carrots, potatoes, and mushrooms to the pot, placing the bay leaves on top.
- Simmer the Soup: Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender and the meat is fully cooked.
- Finish and Serve: Remove the bay leaves, stir the soup, and serve hot for a festive Halloween meal.
Notes
- Use a metal skewer to help clear the potato pieces from the straw, tapping them out to prevent clogging.
- Be gentle when puncturing mushroom eyes, as mushrooms can break easily.
- Adjust salt to taste depending on the saltiness of your beef broth.
- For a spicier variation, add a pinch of red pepper flakes with the herbs.
- This soup can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and reheated gently on the stove.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 280
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 600mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 7g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 15g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 18g
- Cholesterol: 65mg
