Description
These Halloween mummy meatballs are a fun, festive, and protein-packed dinner perfect for kids and families on Halloween night. Juicy meatballs are wrapped in gooey mozzarella ‘bandages’ and decorated with olive ‘eyes’ for a spooky, silly meal everyone will love.
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground beef or turkey
- 1/2 cup breadcrumbs (use gluten-free if needed)
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 large egg
- 1/4 cup milk (dairy or non-dairy)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp dried Italian herbs (or oregano)
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 8 oz mozzarella cheese sticks or block, cut into thin strips
- 12–18 pitted black olives, sliced
- Optional: small dab of ketchup or mustard for ‘pupils’
- 1 cup marinara sauce
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, combine ground beef or turkey, breadcrumbs, Parmesan, egg, milk, garlic, Italian herbs, salt, and pepper. Mix until just combined.
- Shape mixture into 12-18 meatballs (about 1-2 tablespoons each) and arrange on the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake meatballs for 18-20 minutes, until browned and cooked through (internal temp: 160°F for beef, 165°F for turkey).
- Let meatballs cool for 2-3 minutes. Wrap each meatball with thin strips of mozzarella, leaving gaps for eyes.
- Add a slice of black olive (or caper) in one gap on each meatball. Dot with ketchup or mustard for ‘pupils’ if desired.
- Return wrapped meatballs to oven for 4-5 minutes, just until cheese softens but doesn’t melt away.
- While meatballs finish, heat marinara sauce in a saucepan or microwave.
- Serve meatballs warm on a pool of marinara sauce. Garnish with extra olives if desired.
Notes
Use cold ingredients for best meatball texture. Don’t overmix the meat. Mozzarella sticks work better than shredded cheese for wrapping. Watch cheese closely during the second bake to avoid melting away the ‘bandages.’ Kids love helping with wrapping and decorating. For gluten-free, use GF breadcrumbs or oats. Meatballs can be made ahead and reheated. Freeze unwrapped meatballs for up to a month.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: About 3 meatballs with sauce
- Calories: 275
- Sugar: 2
- Sodium: 550
- Fat: 14
- Saturated Fat: 6
- Carbohydrates: 12
- Fiber: 1
- Protein: 15
Keywords: Halloween, mummy meatballs, kid-friendly, spooky dinner, party food, easy, mozzarella, ground beef, turkey, festive, fun, protein, gluten-free option