Spooky Eyeball Pasta Salad
This creepy-crawly Spooky Eyeball Pasta Salad is the ultimate Halloween party dish! Tender pasta, crisp veggies, and zesty Italian dressing are topped with mozzarella and olive 'eyeballs' for a deliciously eerie presentation that’s perfect for potlucks, Halloween dinners, or a spooky kids’ party.
Equipment
- Large pot for boiling pasta
- Large serving bowl
- Small mixing bowl for dressing
- Strainer/colander
- Sharp Knife for chopping vegetables
- Cutting board
Ingredients
- 1 lb rotini or fusilli pasta
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 English cucumber, diced
- 1 orange or yellow bell pepper, diced
- ¼ cup fresh basil, chopped
- 8 oz mini mozzarella pearls or bocconcini
- 1 can (4 oz) pitted black olives, sliced into rings
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
- 2 tsp Italian seasoning
- to taste salt and black pepper
Instructions
- Cook pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain and rinse under cold water to stop cooking. Set aside to cool.
- Prepare mozzarella eyeballs by pressing a black olive ring into the center of each mozzarella pearl to create a 'pupil.' Set aside.
- Chop vegetables: halve cherry tomatoes, dice cucumber, and dice bell pepper.
- In a small bowl, whisk olive oil, balsamic vinegar, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper to make dressing.
- In a large bowl, toss cooled pasta with chopped vegetables and dressing until evenly coated.
- Cover and refrigerate pasta salad for at least 30 minutes to allow flavors to meld.
- Just before serving, gently arrange mozzarella eyeballs over the top of the salad. Garnish with chopped basil and serve chilled.
Notes
Make the salad ahead for convenience, but add the mozzarella eyeballs just before serving to keep them looking fresh. For an extra spooky look, use green olives with pimientos or draw red 'veins' on the mozzarella with food-safe markers. Great for both adults and kids!