12 Halloween Dinner Ideas So Spooky and Fun the Kids Will Actually Sit Down to Eat
Halloween night is pure chaos. Costumes, candy and kids buzzing with sugar before dinner even hits the table. These Halloween dinner ideas fix that with spooky, fun main dishes that are real food, not just snacks. Think sticky bat wings, black witch pasta and a whole pumpkin you can eat out of. Most are ready in under an hour, and kids love to help. Want something warm for the cold nights after? Try these hearty fall soups too. Pick your favorite and let the spooky feast begin..
Halloween Dinner Ideas Start With Stew in a Pumpkin
Nothing says Halloween like dinner served inside a pumpkin. Fill a roasted pumpkin with beef and barley stew and carry it to the table, lid and all. Everyone gasps, then everyone scoops. Scrape a little soft pumpkin into each bowl for extra sweetness. Set out candles, a toy skull and some glowing lights, and you have a party table in minutes. Would your family eat dinner out of a pumpkin?
You will need: 1 medium pie pumpkin, 1 1/2 lb beef stew meat, 1/2 cup pearl barley, 2 carrots, 1 onion, 2 cloves garlic, 4 cups beef broth, 1 tbsp tomato paste, 1 tsp dried thyme, salt and pepper
How to make it: Brown the beef in a large pot, then add onion, garlic and carrots. Stir in tomato paste, broth, barley and thyme and simmer for 1 hour. Cut a lid in the pumpkin, scoop out the seeds and bake it at 375 F for 40 minutes. Ladle the hot stew into the pumpkin and serve.
Halloween Dinner Ideas: Sticky Black Bat Wings
Bat wings sound scary, but they are just chicken wings in a dark, sticky glaze. Soy sauce, molasses and a spoon of black cocoa turn them almost black, and kids squeal when they see the plate. They bake on a rack so the skin gets crisp without any frying. Serve them with carrot and celery sticks for a creepy cave look. Would your kids eat a bat wing if it tasted this good?
You will need: 2 lb chicken wings, 1/3 cup soy sauce, 3 tbsp molasses, 2 tbsp brown sugar, 1 tbsp black cocoa powder, 2 cloves garlic, 1 tsp baking powder, salt
How to make it: Pat the wings dry and toss with baking powder and salt. Bake on a rack at 425 F for 40 minutes, flipping once. Simmer soy sauce, molasses, sugar, cocoa and garlic for 5 minutes until thick. Toss the hot wings in the glaze and bake 5 more minutes.
Giant Monster Eyeball Meatball Spaghetti
One giant meatball on a pile of spaghetti looks like a monster eye staring up from the plate. Top it with a round slice of mozzarella and a black olive and the effect is perfect. The meatball stays soft inside thanks to a bread and milk mix. It is a big, silly, filling dinner that turns normal pasta night into a Halloween show. Who at your table gets the biggest eyeball?
You will need: 1 lb ground beef, 1/2 cup breadcrumbs, 1/4 cup milk, 1 egg, 1/4 cup parmesan, 1 jar marinara, 12 oz spaghetti, 4 mozzarella slices, 4 black olive slices
How to make it: Mix beef, breadcrumbs, milk, egg and parmesan, then shape 4 large balls. Brown them, add the marinara, cover and simmer for 25 minutes. Cook the spaghetti and toss it with some sauce. Set a meatball on each plate and top with mozzarella and an olive for the eye.
Halloween Dinner Ideas for Grown Ups: Black Witch Pasta
Squid ink pasta is jet black, shiny and a little bit wild, which makes it the perfect witch dinner. You can buy it at Italian shops or online. It tastes like regular pasta with a gentle hint of the sea. Toss it with garlic butter shrimp and scallops for a meal that looks dramatic but cooks in 15 minutes. Would you dare to try black pasta, or is it too spooky for you?
You will need: 12 oz squid ink pasta, 1/2 lb shrimp, 1/2 lb sea scallops, 4 tbsp butter, 4 cloves garlic, 1/4 tsp chili flakes, 1 lemon, fresh parsley, salt
How to make it: Boil the pasta in salted water until al dente. Sear scallops and shrimp in hot butter for 2 minutes per side, then remove. Add garlic and chili to the pan for 1 minute. Toss in the pasta, seafood, lemon juice and a splash of pasta water. Top with parsley.
Bloody Beet Risotto
This risotto is bright, wild pink, so on Halloween we call it bloody risotto. The color comes from grated beets, which also add a sweet, earthy taste. Stir it slowly with warm broth and it turns silky and creamy without any cream. Crispy kale on top looks like tiny bat wings. It is a fun way to get kids to try beets. Quick poll: A) love beets, B) hate beets, C) never tried them?
You will need: 1 1/2 cups arborio rice, 2 medium beets grated, 1 onion, 5 cups warm broth, 1/2 cup parmesan, 2 tbsp butter, 1 cup kale leaves, olive oil, salt
How to make it: Cook the onion in oil until soft, then add the rice and toast for 2 minutes. Add the beets and a ladle of broth, stirring until absorbed. Keep adding broth for about 20 minutes. Stir in butter and parmesan. Crisp the kale in a hot oven for 8 minutes and scatter on top.
Halloween Dinner Ideas on a Budget: Black Magic Bean Stew
Dark beans simmered low and slow look like something bubbling in a witch pot. This stew is cheap, filling and packed with plant protein and fiber. Cumin, garlic and smoked paprika make it smoky and rich. Serve it with sour cream drawn into a spider web using a toothpick. It is a great budget main dish when you have a crowd of trick or treaters to feed.
You will need: 2 cans black beans, 1 onion, 3 cloves garlic, 1 tsp cumin, 1 tsp smoked paprika, 1 can diced tomatoes, 2 cups broth, sour cream, salt
How to make it: Cook the onion and garlic until soft. Add the spices for 30 seconds. Add beans, tomatoes and broth and simmer for 25 minutes. Mash some of the beans to thicken. Ladle into bowls, pipe sour cream circles, then drag a toothpick out from the center to make a web.
Jack o Lantern Pumpkin Soup
After you carve your jack o lanterns, roast a small sugar pumpkin for this soup. It is silky, sweet and cozy, and the color is pure Halloween orange. A little ginger and a spoon of cream make it taste rich but light. Serve it with toast for dunking. It works as a starter or a light meal before the candy run. Do you save your pumpkin guts or toss them?
You will need: 1 small sugar pumpkin or 2 cans pumpkin puree, 1 onion, 2 cloves garlic, 1 tsp grated ginger, 4 cups broth, 1/2 cup cream, 1 tbsp butter, salt, pepper
How to make it: Roast the pumpkin halves at 400 F for 45 minutes and scoop out the flesh. Cook onion, garlic and ginger in butter. Add the pumpkin and broth and simmer for 15 minutes. Blend until smooth, stir in the cream and season.
Halloween Dinner Ideas Kids Build: Monster Mash Beef Wraps
This is the easiest meal on the list, and maybe the most loved. Spicy ground beef is cooked until crispy at the edges, then everyone builds their own wraps with warm tortillas. Kids love a build it yourself dinner, and it means less fuss for you on a busy night. Cut little jack o lantern faces into extra tortillas and bake them into chips for a fun side.
You will need: 1 lb ground beef, 1 onion, 2 tbsp taco seasoning, 2 tbsp tomato paste, 1/2 cup water, 8 flour tortillas, shredded cheese, salsa
How to make it: Brown the beef and onion, breaking it into small crumbles. Stir in seasoning, tomato paste and water and cook until thick. Warm the tortillas in a dry pan. Set out the beef, cheese and salsa and let everyone build their own.
Green Monster Pesto Pasta
Green food feels spooky on Halloween, and this pesto pasta is green in the best way. Fresh basil, garlic and parmesan blend into a sauce in 5 minutes. Call it monster slime and watch the kids twirl it up. Add two mozzarella balls with olive pupils for monster eyes. Leftover pesto keeps for a week in the fridge. Which color food is the spookiest: A) green, B) black, C) red?
You will need: 12 oz spaghetti, 2 cups fresh basil, 1/2 cup parmesan, 1/3 cup olive oil, 1/4 cup pine nuts, 1 clove garlic, squeeze of lemon, salt, mini mozzarella balls, olive slices
How to make it: Cook the spaghetti and save 1/2 cup of the water. Blend basil, parmesan, pine nuts, garlic, lemon and oil until smooth. Toss the pasta with pesto and a little pasta water. Top with mozzarella balls and olive slices as monster eyes.
Pumpkin Mac and Cheese
Mac and cheese is already a kid favorite, but a cup of pumpkin puree makes it extra orange and extra cozy. You can barely taste the pumpkin. It just makes the sauce smooth and adds a little fiber and vitamin A. Use shell pasta so every piece holds a pocket of cheese. Bake it with a crunchy top if you have time, or serve it straight from the pot.
You will need: 12 oz shell pasta, 2 tbsp butter, 2 tbsp flour, 2 cups milk, 1 cup pumpkin puree, 2 cups shredded cheddar, 1/2 tsp mustard powder, salt
How to make it: Cook the pasta. Melt butter, whisk in flour for 1 minute, then add milk and cook until thick. Stir in pumpkin, mustard and cheddar until smooth. Fold in the pasta and season. Bake at 375 F for 15 minutes if you want a crispy top.
Halloween Dinner Ideas That Simmer: Cauldron Pork Stew
A big pot bubbling on the stove is the coziest Halloween sound. This braised pork stew simmers in soy sauce, garlic and a little sugar until the meat is so tender it falls apart. Green beans go in at the end for color. Make it in the afternoon and it waits happily for everyone to get home from trick or treating. Serve it over rice for a filling meal.
You will need: 2 lb pork shoulder in cubes, 1/3 cup soy sauce, 2 tbsp brown sugar, 4 cloves garlic, 1 inch ginger, 1 onion, 3 cups water, 2 cups green beans, steamed rice
How to make it: Brown the pork in batches. Add onion, garlic and ginger for 2 minutes. Add soy sauce, sugar and water and simmer covered for 1 1/2 hours. Add the green beans for the last 10 minutes. Serve over steamed rice.
Pumpkin and Chickpea Chili
Chili is a Halloween classic, and this version uses chunks of pumpkin and chickpeas for a hearty, meat free bowl. It is warm, a little spicy and great for eating on the porch while handing out candy. Make it a day ahead because it tastes even better the next day. Serve it in mugs so people can carry it around. Will you be handing out candy or trick or treating this year?
You will need: 2 cups pumpkin or butternut squash cubes, 2 cans chickpeas, 1 onion, 2 cloves garlic, 1 can diced tomatoes, 2 tsp chili powder, 1 tsp cumin, 3 cups broth, 1 cup kale, 1 lemon
How to make it: Cook the onion and garlic until soft. Add the spices for 30 seconds. Add pumpkin, chickpeas, tomatoes and broth and simmer for 25 minutes until the pumpkin is tender. Stir in the kale for 2 minutes. Finish with lemon juice and serve.
