Juicy meatballs in a rich tomato sauce — this Halloween Eyeball Sub is spooky fun and makes a tasty family dinner!
We’ve definitely been getting into the Halloween spirit this year.
We’re throwing a small Halloween party for the kids, so I’ve been collecting decorations and trying out a few ghoulish treats over the past couple of weeks. First up was Scream Cheese — not really a recipe, more a silly activity the kids adored (gooey marshmallow is guaranteed fun!).
Next came spider web doughnuts — they disappeared fast and I’ll be making them again for the party. I’ve also experimented with black cupcakes and spider web chocolate cupcakes for a creepier dessert selection.
And now: Eyeball subs!
The kids loved these, and the best part is they work as an ordinary dinner too. I made extra plain spaghetti for the adults — that green pasta is a bit much for me — but everyone was happy. The subs were a little messy, but every plate was cleared.
Chris had fun making a stop-motion video and picking suitably creepy music — there’s a short clip included below if you want to see the finished result.
I think that wraps up our Halloween recipe experiments for this year. Are you trying anything new for Halloween? I always enjoy seeing fresh ideas.
Next up on my mind is Christmas. I noticed our Cranberry Brie bites are already getting visits, so clearly some people are planning for Thanksgiving and Christmas already — very organised indeed!
Are you one of those super-organised people who’ve bought all your gifts? If so, I’m impressed. I try to plan, but I can’t fully switch to Christmas until after Halloween and Bonfire Night.
Hope you enjoy the meatballs — see more of my meatball recipes if you like.
Halloween Eyeball Sub Recipe:
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Halloween Eyeball Sub
Ingredients
Meatballs:
- 500 g (1.1 lbs) lean minced beef
- 4 pork sausages, skins removed
- 50 g (1/2 cup) grated parmesan
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 5 tbsp fresh breadcrumbs
- 1 egg
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- Pinch salt and pepper
Spaghetti Sauce:
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 large onion, finely chopped
- 1 stick celery, finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, crushed
- 2 x 400g (14oz) tins chopped tomatoes
- 1 tbsp tomato puree
- Pinch salt and pepper
Toppings:
- 1 tsp green food colouring (gel gives a more vivid colour)
- Cooked spaghetti — about 100 g (3.5 oz) cooked for the subs (roughly 50 g dry)
- 3 green olives, sliced
- 3 radishes, sliced
- 4 sub bread rolls, sliced lengthways
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200°C / 400°F (fan).
- Mix all meatball ingredients in a bowl using your hands. Combine gently — do not overmix or the meatballs will become tough. Shape into 12 golf-ball-sized meatballs and place on a baking tray. Bake for about 20 minutes, watching toward the end and lowering the oven temperature if they darken too quickly.
- While the meatballs cook, make the sauce. Fry the onion and celery in 1 tbsp olive oil over low heat for about 5 minutes, then add the garlic and cook for another minute.
- Add the chopped tomatoes, tomato puree, salt and pepper. Simmer for 10 minutes until the sauce thickens.
- Colour the spaghetti: in a small bowl combine 120 ml (1/2 cup) warm or cold water with the green food colouring. Add the cooked spaghetti and stir until evenly coloured. Rinse briefly under running water to remove excess dye, then set aside in a bowl until assembly.
- Make the eyeballs: place olive slices on a board and add a tiny dot of tomato puree to the centre of each slice with a teaspoon. Place each olive slice atop a radish slice to create an “eye.” Make as many as you like.
- Assemble the subs: place the rolls on plates and spoon 2–3 tablespoons of sauce into the base of each. Add 3 meatballs to each roll, top with a few strands of green spaghetti and another spoonful of sauce. Add one or two eyeballs to each meatball and serve immediately.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Carbohydrates: 69 g |
Protein: 49 g |
Fat: 35 g |
Saturated Fat: 10 g |
Cholesterol: 148 mg |
Sodium: 1471 mg |
Fiber: 7 g |
Sugar: 13 g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximation.
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