Description
This Halloween Pasta Recipe features striking squid ink pasta topped with a flavorful ground beef ragu, marinara sauce, and mozzarella ‘eyeballs’ garnished with black olive slices, making it a spooky and delicious dish perfect for festive gatherings.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta
- 1 lb squid ink pasta
Beef Ragu
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 Tablespoon dried minced onion
- 1 Tablespoon Italian herb seasoning mix
- 24 ounces marinara sauce
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
Toppings
- 4 ounces Cielegine Mozzarella (about 1/3 ounce cherry sized balls)
- 2 ounces sliced black olives
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil (for tossing pasta)
Instructions
- Make the beef ragu: Heat a large pan over medium heat and add 1 Tablespoon of olive oil. Add the ground beef and break it up with a wooden spoon. Cook while stirring frequently until the beef is fully cooked and no longer pink. Drain any grease from the pan. Stir in the dried minced onion and Italian herb seasoning mix. Pour in the marinara sauce and let it simmer for 10 minutes to blend the flavors.
- Cook the pasta: Prepare the squid ink pasta according to the package directions. Once cooked, drain the pasta and return it to the pot. Toss the noodles with 1 Tablespoon of olive oil to prevent sticking and add flavor.
- Assemble the dish: Divide the black squid ink pasta evenly among four plates. Spoon the beef ragu generously over the pasta. Slice the mozzarella balls lengthwise into circular slices and place a few slices atop the ragu. Garnish each mozzarella slice with black olive slices to create spooky “eyeballs.” Serve immediately for best flavor and presentation.
Notes
- Use olive oil to add flavor and prevent the pasta from sticking after cooking.
- Slicing mozzarella balls thinly helps create a more realistic eyeball effect with the black olive slices.
- Simmering the ragu for a full 10 minutes allows the flavors to meld together nicely.
- Drain any excess grease from the beef to keep the sauce from being too oily.
- Serve immediately to enjoy the contrast of warm pasta and gooey melted mozzarella.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 600 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 750 mg
- Fat: 25 g
- Saturated Fat: 9 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 60 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: thirty-two g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg
