Halloween Salad

This Halloween Salad recipe turns some everyday ingredients into your favourite vegetarian eyeball pasta salad!

This salad is a great way to get kids to try more veg by making them fun and festive! 

The pasta is turned pink by potassium-packed beetroot, studded with vitamin C bombs (peppers and sweetcorn). Refreshing cucumbers are transformed into little monster faces, while the cheese ghosts and eyeballs help add some extra calcium.

This recipe is great for a fun lunch or lunchbox treat. But if you want a hot dish for Halloween dinner, you could try my other Halloween pasta recipe too!

To make this Halloween Salad, first, you'll cook some pasta, drain it and let it cool. Then you'll season and colour it with herbs and grated beetroot.

You'll need to find a ghost-shaped cookie cutter to make your cheese ghosts. You'll usually find them in the supermarket from September onwards or on Amazon year round. Of course, you could always cut them out freehand with a sharp knife.

Finally, you'll serve your beetroot pasta topped with your ghosts, sliced peppers, corn, cucumber monsters and mozzarella eyeballs.

The whole process takes around 20 minutes. And best of all, it keeps well in the fridge for a few days. So you can batch cook some lunches for the week!

So here's my full recipe for this Halloween Salad.

Below, I've included pictures with the step-by-step method. So you can see exactly what to do at every stage of the way. I think this recipe would go perfectly with my Halloween tortillas. 

Instructions

Make the pasta 

Cook the pasta in a pan of boiling salted water for 10-12 minutes until al dente. 

Rinse until cold water, drain and tip into a bowl. Add the grated beetroot, olive oil, vinegar, oregano and a pinch of salt and pepper. 

Stir, then season further to taste, if needed.

Make the cheese slice ghosts

Cut cheese slices into ghost shapes with a cookie cutter or a sharp knife.

Use a straw to cut eye holes on each ghost.

Make the mozzarella eyeballs

Cut the pimento stuffed olives into slices and place a slice on top of each mozzarella pearl.

Make the cucumber monsters

Cut the cucumbers into slices. 

Use a straw to cut little eyes and a mouth where the seeds are.

Assemble your halloween salad

Tip the dressed pasta onto a one large plate, or several smaller ones.

Scatter the sweetcorn on top.

Followed by the chopped peppers.

Arrange the cucumber monsters, mozzarella eyes and cheese slice ghosts on top. 

Serve!

This salad would be great served with my Halloween tortillas.

Pointers, tricks and troubleshooting tips for the perfect Halloween Salad

Is this Halloween Salad easy to make?

This salad is super simple! It's a classic pasta salad made festive with some grated beetroot and ghost-shaped cheese slices.

The most complex part of the recipe is boiling some pasta. The rest of the recipe is chopping or grating some vegetables and using a cookie cutter to cut your cheese ghosts.

Best of all? From start to finish, the recipe takes less than 25 minutes!

Will I need any special equipment to make Halloween Salad?

To make your Halloween Salad, you'll need a saucepan, colander/sieve, grater, wooden spoon, ghost cookie cutter and a kitchen knife.

I used a straw to cut out eyes on the cheese ghosts, but if you can't find a straw, you could carefully cut holes using the point of a knife.

There's always a complete list of suggested equipment on the recipe card below my recipes if you're in doubt. 

I also always include links to example products to show exactly what I used to make each recipe.

Where did you get that cute-looking ghost-shaped cookie cutter?

You'll probably be able to find Halloween-shaped cookie cutters in supermarkets from late September onwards. In the UK, supermarkets tend to keep everything Halloween-themed together on the 'seasonal aisle', but this may differ in your area.

I bought the ghost-shaped cookie cutter from Amazon, it came in a set with other shapes like bats and pumpkins. So if you can't find a ghost cookie cutter, you could use other spooky shapes like that!

How can I tell if mozzarella has gone off?

You can tell if your mozzarella has gone off by its smell and texture. Fresh mozzarella should be soft and have a milky, slightly sweet smell.

It has gone off if it smells sour or has a rubbery texture. You should also make sure that you use mozzarella pearls which are still submerged in the liquid they come in. If you use mozzarella which has been left in a dry container, it may have spoiled or dried out.

Is Halloween Salad suitable for vegetarians?

As long as you use vegetarian cheese, then this recipe is completely vegetarian.

Some manufacturers use an animal-derived product called 'rennet' during cheesemaking. So make sure your cheese is veggie friendly by checking the label.

Is Halloween Salad suitable for vegans?

If you swap the dairy cheese for vegan cheese, you can make this recipe vegan.

For the cheese ghosts, you could use something like Violife Original Flavour Slices. Or another brand of vegan cheese slices would work too.

For the mozzarella pearls, you could use blobs of vegan cream cheese. Again, Violife makes good and widely available cream cheese. Other brands like Tofutti, Oatly, and Naturli would work too.

You'll usually find a selection of vegan cheese on the refrigerated dairy-free aisle of your nearest large supermarket.

Animal-derived products can be used to thicken, colour or flavour sweet and savoury food, so it sneaks into the most surprising ingredients!

Always make sure that you double-check all of your ingredients labels to ensure that they are vegetarian. Also, don't forget to check anything extra that you intend to serve with your Halloween Salad.

Is Halloween Salad gluten-free?

This salad contains pasta made with wheat, so it isn't gluten-free. Don't worry, you can simply swap out the wheat pasta for a gluten-free version.

Gluten-free pasta is made using pseudocereals like quinoa, buckwheat or rice, and sometimes corn.

Most major supermarket chains produce their own brand of gluten-free pasta these days. Or you can find gluten-free pasta in health food stores or online.

Double check all of your ingredients labels to make sure that they are gluten-free. If you use vegan cheese, make sure it is gluten-free, as vegan cheese often contains wheat.

Don't forget to check anything extra that you intend to serve with your Halloween Salad.

Is this Halloween Salad keto-friendly?

If you skip the corn, peppers and pasta, you could make a keto-friendly version of this recipe.

Cheese is suitable for a keto diet, as it's low in carbs and high in fat. So you could make a leafy green salad with keto-friendly veg, some cheese ghosts, mozzarella, and olive eyes.

Is this Halloween Salad suitable for those on a FODMAP diet?

This isn't the best recipe for a low FODMAP diet, as it contains wheat pasta and cheese. Wheat contains fructans, and dairy contains disaccharides, which are both high FODMAP. So this salad wouldn't be suitable for a FODMAP diet.

Is this Halloween Salad healthy?

Yes! This Halloween Salad is definitely a healthy and tasty snack. It's packed full of vegetables, vitamins and minerals.

Is this Halloween Salad safe to eat while pregnant?

As long as you use pasteurised cheese, this salad should be perfectly safe for someone who is pregnant.

When cooking for pregnant people, you need to take extra safety precautions. So make sure that all of your ingredients are in good condition, including washing vegetables thoroughly.

A Mummy Too does not offer medical advice. Please seek help from a medical professional if you need further information or have any concerns.

Is Halloween Salad suitable for babies and toddlers?

As long as your child is eating solids and has no allergies to the ingredients in this recipe, then this recipe would be a fun way to introduce them to the spooky season!

If you are making this for young children or babies, leave out the salt or the olives. This is because young children struggle to process salt. The NHS explains why here. 

Always give food in an appropriate size and shape for your baby or child. Cut small, round foods, like grapes and cherry tomatoes, into small pieces.

Always keep babies supported upright while eating and supervise your baby when they’re eating in case they start to choke.

A Mummy Too does not give medical advice. Please speak to a health professional if you have any questions or concerns.

The NHS has some fantastic resources on their website on what to feed babies and young children.

What goes well with Halloween Salad?

As this Halloween Salad is already quite filling, you might not want to add anything else to it. But if you're looking for some ideas, why not try:

• Some fries, roasted potatoes, Or my Caramelised Sweet Potatoes recipe.
• Roast chicken or another meat main.
• A side dish with these Mini Halloween Spider Pizzas.
• Some fresh crusty bread and butter.
• The side dish for a spooky Autumn BBQ.

Can I make Halloween Salad with any kind of pasta?

The best kind of pasta for this recipe is short pasta like fusilli, but penne would work too. Long pasta like spaghetti wouldn't be ideal, as it's a bit fiddly to eat as part of a salad.

Or, why don't you try my Halloween Pasta Recipe if you're looking for a spooky spaghetti recipe?

Can I make this Halloween Salad without olives?

If you don't like olives, you could easily leave them out of the recipe. Just make sure to add a bit more cheese or another ingredient to replace them. Or you could try some of the following:

• Sliced avocado with pieces of sun-dried tomatoes or roasted red peppers.
• Green pepper with pieces of red pepper.
• Croutons.
• Nuts.

Does it matter if I use mozzarella pearls or rip up pieces of mozzarella?

It's fine to use pieces of a full-sized mozzarella ball, it just won’t look as neat as mozzarella pearls.

How should I store my Halloween Salad?

If you're making this salad ahead, the best way to store it is to keep the separate elements in individual containers in the fridge. This will keep the beetroot pasta from staining everything and reduce the chance of the vinegar wilting the veg.

If you're storing leftovers, you can keep them in the fridge; just remember that they won't look as neat as when freshly made.

How long will Halloween Salad keep?

Your salad will keep for up to 2 days, though the red wine vinegar will hasten the mushiness of the veg. So the longer you leave it, the more the texture will deteriorate.

Can I leave Halloween Salad out on the counter?

No, your salad will quickly spoil if left out at room temperature. So when you aren't eating it, keep it in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Can I make Halloween Salad ahead?

Yes, but this salad is best assembled fresh. You could prepare the pasta and cut all of your vegetables a couple of days ahead. Then store them in separate containers in the fridge to keep the beetroot from staining the veg.

I would leave cutting the cheese until just before you plan to serve your salad. Otherwise, the cheese pieces might dry out.

Equally, I would skip the vinegar until the day you plan to serve it, as your beetroot and pasta will become a bit mushy if left mixed with vinegar for a couple of days.

Can I keep Halloween Salad in the refrigerator?

Yes, the best and only place you should store your salad is in the fridge. Make sure to keep your salad in an airtight container to avoid it drying out.

Can I freeze Halloween Salad?

No, your salad would become really mushy and wet on defrosting.

Can I make Halloween Salad in a different quantity?

If you want to make more or less of this recipe, then go ahead! This salad makes 4 servings.

So you can divide the ingredients by 4 to get the amounts for 1 portion, then multiply by the number of servings you want. Or, to save the brain ache, you could use a free online recipe scale calculator.

All you need to do is paste the ingredients list and quantities into the converter and enter your desired portion. The ingredient quantities will update automatically for you so that everything is in the right ratios!

Can I make Halloween Salad in a food processor or stand mixer, like a KitchenAid or Kenwood Mixer?

There's no stage in this recipe that requires a food processor or stand mixer.

How can I make sure my Halloween Salad turns out perfectly?

When it comes to making Halloween Salad, the key is in the preparation.

• Don't cut the ghost-shaped cheese until just before you're ready to serve, as otherwise, the cheese might start to dry out and curl.
• Make sure not to overcook the pasta. It will absorb liquid from the beetroot, so overcooked pasta will become super soggy when mixed into the salad.
• Make sure to drain the pasta thoroughly too.
• Just before you're ready to eat, mix everything with the vinegar, then taste and adjust the seasoning as necessary. Serve immediately for the best results! If you leave it in the fridge for a few hours, the vinegar might begin to melt the vegetables a little.
• If you want to make this salad ahead, the best way to store it is to keep the separate elements in individual containers in the fridge. This will keep the beetroot pasta from staining everything and reduce the chance of the vinegar wilting the veg.

How do I stop my fingers from getting stained by beetroot? 

You can wear some latex gloves if you're worried about staining your fingers when grating the beetroot.

Some people find that rubbing their hands in some olive oil helps protect their skin from stains. However, it makes it more difficult to hold and grate safely.

Some supermarkets sell pre-grated beetroot in the salad aisle, which could be a good option if you want to skip grating entirely.

Or you could try using a specialist food processor with a grating function, like a Magimix.

Why did my Halloween Salad turn out wet/soggy?

If your salad is wet or soggy, it's likely because you overcooked the pasta or added too much oil/vinegar.

Halloween Salad contains cooked beetroot, which will release water. The pasta will continue to absorb liquid, so it can make the pasta mushy if it's overcooked.

To avoid this, make sure to cook the pasta according to the package instructions. Make sure to rinse the pasta under cold water to cool it down and stop the residual heat from continuing to cook it.

Once your pasta is cooked and cooled, make sure to use a colander or sieve to drain it thoroughly,

How can I add/change the flavours in this Halloween Salad?

If you want to change up the flavours in Halloween Salad, here are a few ideas:

• Use a different type of cheese. A strong cheddar or feta would work well for the eyes in this salad. You could also use slices of smoked cheese for the ghosts.
• Or you could use a strong, orange cheese, like Red Leicester and make cheese pumpkins instead of ghosts.
• Add some chopped cooked bacon or pancetta for a bit of salty contrast.
• Mix in some roasted pumpkin pieces and pumpkin seeds to make this the ultimate fall-flavoured salad.

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