Monster Meatballs

I love making fun Halloween meals for my kids. Especially when they're simple like this. I made spaghetti and meatballs but we called the meatballs "monsters" and we served them over "worms". My kids had so much fun decorating their own "monster." Some of my kids put lots of eyeballs all over their monsters. They had so much fun!

Printable Recipe

Monster Meatballs

1 cup panko bread crumbs

1 cup buttermilk

2 1/2 lbs lean ground beef, or a combination of ground beef, pork, and/or turkey

2 tsps dried parsley

1 egg

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

Marinara sauce:

2 Tbsp butter

1/4 cup grated onion

1/2 tsp dried basil

1/2 tsp dried oregano

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 (28 oz) cans crushed tomatoes

1/2 tsp sugar

Preheat oven to 400. Line a baking sheet with foil and lightly coat with cooking spray. Set aside.

In a large bowl, stir together the panko bread crumbs and buttermilk. Let mixture sit for 5 minutes. Add the ground beef and all other ingredients. Mix well.

Shape into large golf-ball sized meatballs and place about 1/2 inch apart on the baking sheet. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until cooked through. Remove from oven and drain on paper towels before transferring them to a plate. 

To make marinara sauce, melt butter over medium heat in a medium saucepan. Add onion, basil, oregano, salt, and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes, until the onion is soft. Stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the crushed tomatoes and sugar. Bring to a simmer and cook for 10-15 minutes. 

Serve meatballs over spaghetti noodles and top with marinara sauce. Place two olives on each meatball for the eyeballs.

Makes about 24-30 meatballs

Recipe adapted from Mel's Kitchen Cafe