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Halloween Pasta with Spooky Cheese Decorations

This playful Halloween pasta features a vibrant orange sauce made from pumpkin or butternut squash puree, combined with melted cheese to create a gooey, creamy dish. The final presentation includes spooky eyeballs and ghost shapes crafted from cheese, accented with black olives or red peppers for a creepy effect. It’s a fun, messy, and colorful meal perfect for celebrating the spooky season with kids and adults alike.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings: 4
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Halloween
Calories: 450
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 12 oz pasta (penne or fusilli) preferably whole wheat or regular
  • 1 cup pumpkin or butternut squash puree for vibrant orange sauce
  • 1 1/2 cups cheddar or mozzarella cheese shredded for melting
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 medium onion finely chopped
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1/2 cup black olives or red peppers sliced for spooky eyes or blood effects
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • to taste salt and pepper for seasoning

Equipment

  • Large pot
  • Skillet or frying pan
  • Small cookie cutters or piping bag
  • Slotted spoon
  • Serving plates

Method
 

  1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta until just shy of al dente, about 8-10 minutes. Drain and set aside, reserving a cup of pasta water for the sauce.
  2. In a skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add minced garlic and chopped onion, sautéing until fragrant and translucent, about 2 minutes. You should smell a warm aroma and see the onions turning slightly golden.
  3. Add the pumpkin or butternut squash puree to the skillet, stirring well. Cook for 3-4 minutes until the mixture thickens slightly and develops a rich, vibrant orange color.
  4. Stir in the cooked pasta, followed by shredded cheese and a splash of the reserved pasta water. Toss everything together until the sauce is creamy and coats the pasta evenly, about 2 minutes. The cheese should melt smoothly, creating a gooey, orange coating that looks inviting and fun.
  5. Use small cookie cutters or a piping bag to shape cheese into tiny eyeballs and ghost shapes. Place these on top of the hot pasta and let them melt slightly, creating spooky, gooey decorations.
  6. Decorate the pasta by adding sliced black olives or red peppers for eyes, blood, or extra spooky accents. Carefully press these into the cheese decorations or scatter across the dish for a creepy effect. The cheese should hold the shapes as it melts into the sauce.
  7. Finish with a sprinkle of dried thyme and oregano, then taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Drizzle with a little olive oil for added shine and flavor.
  8. Transfer the spooky, cheesy pasta to serving plates. The gooey cheese decorations should be visibly playful, and the vibrant orange sauce makes the dish look as fun as it is tasty. Serve immediately and enjoy the colorful chaos!

Notes

For extra fun, use different shapes or colors of cheese. Be sure to add decorations at the end to prevent melting into the sauce. This dish is best enjoyed fresh while the cheese decorations are still slightly firm and gooey.