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Spaghetti and Eyeballs Recipe

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 4.1 from 3 reviews
  • Author: Sue
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 20 minutes
  • Total Time: 30 minutes
  • Yield: 6 servings
  • Category: Dinner, Main Course
  • Method: Instant Pot
  • Cuisine: American, Italian

Description

Combine spooky and scrumptious with this creepy Spaghetti and Eyeballs dish, perfect for adding a fun and eerie twist to your dinner table on any spooky night. Ground beef meatballs studded with olives and topped with mozzarella and black olive slices resemble eyeballs, served over classic spaghetti noodles with rich tomato sauce cooked in an Instant Pot for a quick and flavorful meal.

Ingredients

Meatballs

  • 1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef
  • 1/2 cup grated onion
  • 1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
  • 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 cloves garlic, crushed
  • 2 tablespoons milk
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste
  • 1/2 teaspoon oregano
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Sauce and Toppings

  • 4 cups spaghetti sauce
  • 8 green olives with pimento
  • Mozzarella cheese slices
  • Black olives, sliced
  • Spaghetti noodles, amount as per package directions

Instructions

  1. Mix Meatball Ingredients: In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, grated onion, panko bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, eggs, crushed garlic, milk, kosher salt, oregano, and black pepper. Mix thoroughly by hand until well combined.
  2. Form Meatballs: Shape the mixture into meatballs slightly smaller than a golf ball using your hands or a small ice cream scoop.
  3. Prepare Instant Pot: Spray the bottom of the Instant Pot with cooking spray to prevent sticking. Pour in the spaghetti sauce to create a sauce base.
  4. Add Meatballs to Sauce: Arrange the meatballs over the sauce in the Instant Pot. They can touch but avoid squishing them together to maintain shape.
  5. Pressure Cook Meatballs: Secure the Instant Pot lid and set the valve to "sealing." Select the Manual or Pressure Cook setting and set to high pressure for 7 minutes. Once the timer beeps, allow a natural release for 5 minutes, then carefully switch the valve to "venting" for a quick release. Remove the lid and gently stir the sauce.
  6. Cook Spaghetti Noodles: Meanwhile, cook the spaghetti noodles according to package instructions and drain thoroughly.
  7. Combine Noodles and Sauce: Mix the drained noodles with the meatball sauce until well combined.
  8. Create Nests: Using a serving ladle and fork, twirl the noodles to form small nests and place them in serving bowls.
  9. Add Mozzarella and Olive "Eyeballs": Cut mozzarella cheese into circles. After meatballs have cooled slightly, place a cheese circle on top of each meatball, then place a black olive slice on the cheese to create the appearance of eyeballs.
  10. Plate and Garnish: Arrange the prepared meatballs over the spaghetti nests. Scatter green olives on top to enhance the spooky effect and for added flavor.

Notes

  • Instant Pot Note: This recipe was tested using a 6-quart Instant Pot pressure cooker. Different models, especially newer ones, may be more sensitive to the "BURN" notice. If you encounter this, try the troubleshooting tips in the article "What Does 'Burn' Mean on My Instant Pot?" to avoid issues.
  • Be careful when releasing pressure manually to avoid steam burns.
  • Use fresh mozzarella for best melting and flavor.
  • For a vegetarian version, substitute the meatballs with plant-based meat alternatives.
  • To make the eyeballs more realistic, consider using pimento-stuffed green olives for the meatballs and sliced black olives for the pupils.

Find it online: https://suerecipe.com/spaghetti-and-eyeballs-recipe/