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Halloween dinner recipes for families - featured image

Halloween Dinner Recipes for Families: 10 Easy Scary Good Festive Ideas

  • Author: Yanna Adams
  • Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
  • Yield: 6-8 servings 1x

Description

A festive, family-friendly Halloween dinner featuring spooky, fun, and easy recipes like mummy meatloaf minis, jack-o’-lantern quesadillas, monster mac and cheese, witch finger breadsticks, spooky stuffed peppers, and a graveyard veggie platter. Perfect for making memories and fueling your little monsters before trick-or-treating.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 lb ground beef or turkey
  • 1 large egg
  • 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
  • 2 tbsp ketchup
  • 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
  • Salt & pepper to taste
  • Sliced mozzarella cheese (for bandages)
  • Black olives (for eyes)
  • 4 large flour tortillas
  • 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
  • 1 cup cooked chicken, shredded (optional)
  • 1 tbsp butter
  • Salsa (for serving)
  • 8 oz elbow macaroni
  • 1 cup milk
  • 2 tbsp butter
  • 2 tbsp flour
  • 2 cups shredded cheese
  • Green food coloring (optional)
  • 1 lb pizza dough
  • Whole almonds (for fingernails)
  • 1 egg (for egg wash)
  • 1 tbsp water (for egg wash)
  • Sea salt to taste
  • 4 orange bell peppers (carved like jack-o’-lanterns)
  • 2 cups cooked rice
  • 1/2 lb ground beef or turkey
  • 1 cup tomato sauce
  • 1/2 cup shredded cheese
  • 1 small onion, chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • Carrots, celery, cherry tomatoes, cucumber slices
  • Ranch dip or hummus
  • Black olives (for decoration)
  • Tortilla chips shaped like gravestones
  • Green onions (for garnish)
  • Red bell peppers (for garnish)
  • Fresh parsley (for garnish)
  • Sour cream (for garnish)

Instructions

  1. Wash and chop veggies. Carve faces into bell peppers and tortillas with a small knife. Shred cheese and cook rice or pasta according to package instructions.
  2. For Mummy Meatloaf Minis: Combine ground meat, egg, breadcrumbs, ketchup, Worcestershire, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Mix gently. Form into small oval shapes and place on a lined baking sheet. Bake at 375°F for 20-25 minutes. Lay thin strips of mozzarella over each mini, overlapping for mummy bandages. Return to oven for 2 minutes until cheese melts. Add sliced olives for eyes. Let cool slightly before serving.
  3. For Jack-O’-Lantern Quesadillas: Cut faces into half the tortillas. Lay uncut tortillas on a skillet over medium heat. Top with cheese and optional chicken. Place face tortillas on top. Cook 2-3 minutes per side, pressing gently. Cut into wedges and serve with salsa.
  4. For Monster Mac and Cheese: Cook macaroni as directed, drain, and set aside. Melt butter in saucepan, whisk in flour to form a roux. Cook 1-2 minutes. Gradually add milk, whisking out lumps. Simmer until thickened. Stir in cheese until melted. Add green food coloring if desired. Toss cooked pasta in sauce, adjust seasoning.
  5. For Witch Finger Breadsticks: Roll out pizza dough and cut into finger-length strips. Shape ends into knuckles, press almond into tip for fingernail. Brush with egg wash, sprinkle with sea salt. Bake at 400°F for 12-15 minutes, until golden. Let cool on rack, arrange in a hand on platter.
  6. For Spooky Stuffed Peppers: Sauté onion and garlic, add meat, brown until cooked. Mix with rice, tomato sauce, and half the cheese. Stuff into pepper jack-o’-lanterns. Top with remaining cheese. Bake in casserole dish at 375°F for 30 minutes. Serve warm.
  7. For Graveyard Veggie Platter: Arrange carrots, celery, tomatoes, and cucumber on a large platter. Use cookie cutters to shape tortilla chips into gravestones, place around veggies. Scatter black olives for bugs, add ranch dip or hummus dirt. Garnish with parsley and green onion grass.
  8. Serve everything warm, right from the oven. Arrange dishes on big platters with Halloween decorations.

Notes

Customize recipes for dietary needs—use gluten-free or vegan substitutes as needed. Let kids help with shaping and carving for extra fun. Prep cheese and veggies the night before to save time. Watch oven hot spots and rotate pans halfway. Breadsticks are best fresh but can be reheated. Mac and cheese reheats well with a splash of milk.

  • Prep Time: 30 minutes
  • Cook Time: 60 minutes
  • Category: Main Course
  • Cuisine: American

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 mixed plate (approx. 1/6 to 1/8 of total recipes)
  • Calories: 400550
  • Sugar: 48
  • Sodium: 700900
  • Fat: 1522
  • Saturated Fat: 710
  • Carbohydrates: 3550
  • Fiber: 48
  • Protein: 2030

Keywords: Halloween dinner, family recipes, spooky food, festive meal, kid-friendly, easy Halloween recipes, mummy meatloaf, jack-o-lantern quesadillas, monster mac and cheese, witch finger breadsticks, stuffed peppers, veggie platter

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Find it online: https://theyumrecipes.com/halloween-dinner-recipes-for-families-10-easy-scary-good-festive-ideas/