Spooky Halloween Tomato Beef Pasta
Pumpkin Cream Soup

Celebrate Halloween with this festive skillet! Rich tomato beef fusilli is topped with carved skull mushrooms, a melting cheese ghost, and a mini pumpkin filled with creamy bacon soup.

Ingredients

• 250 g dry fusilli pasta
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 200 g minced beef
• 1/2 white onion
• 1 red tomato
• 400 g thick tomato pasta sauce
• 3 strips bacon
• 150 g white button mushrooms
• 300 ml creamy mushroom soup
• 1 dark green mini pumpkin
• 1 slice yellow cheese
• 2 whole black peppercorns
• 1 pinch black sesame seeds
• to taste salt

Instructions

1. 1Boil the fusilli pasta

   

   Place the dry fusilli pasta into a pot of boiling water, add a pinch of salt and a drizzle of olive oil, and boil for 8 to 10 minutes until cooked al dente. Once done, remove the pasta and plunge it into cold water to stop the cooking process and maintain its firm texture.

   Tip: Adding olive oil to the boiling water prevents the pasta strands from sticking together.
2. 2Carve mushroom skulls

   

   Take fresh white button mushrooms and use a small straw and fork to carefully carve out eyes and a mouth, transforming them into spooky little skulls for the Halloween-themed dish. Set the carved mushroom skulls aside for later assembly.

   Tip: Use a sharp straw or piping tip to punch clean circular eye sockets into the mushroom cap.
3. 3Dice the tomatoes

   

   Place a fresh red tomato on a wooden cutting board and use a kitchen knife to dice it into small, uniform pieces. These diced tomatoes will be added to the pan to build a flavorful base for the pasta sauce.

   Tip: Keep your fingers curled inward while dicing to ensure safe knife handling.
4. 4Cook the minced beef and onions

   

   Pour a small amount of olive oil into a heated pan, then add the minced beef and diced white onions. Stir-fry the mixture continuously over medium heat until the meat changes color and begins to brown evenly, releasing savory aromas.

   Tip: Break up any large clumps of minced beef with your spatula so it browns uniformly.
5. 5Add tomatoes and pasta sauce

   

   Add the freshly diced red tomatoes and a generous amount of thick tomato pasta sauce directly into the pan with the browned beef and onions. Stir everything together well so the flavors start to meld into a rich, cohesive base sauce.

   Tip: Simmer the sauce briefly after adding the tomatoes to help them break down and thicken.
6. 6Combine pasta and meat sauce

   

   Transfer the cooked fusilli pasta straight into the pan containing the rich red meat sauce. Toss and stir the noodles thoroughly to ensure every single strand of pasta is evenly coated in the flavorful tomato and beef mixture.

   Tip: Mix gently to avoid breaking the spiral shape of the fusilli pasta.
7. 7Fry the bacon

   

   Place strips of bacon into a skillet and fry over medium heat until they change color and become crispy. Once cooked, remove them from the pan and cut them into smaller pieces for later use in the creamy mushroom soup mixture.

   Tip: Keep the heat at medium so the bacon renders its fat evenly without burning too quickly.
8. 8Add creamy mushroom soup

   

   Pour pre-made creamy mushroom soup directly into the skillet containing the cooked bacon and sliced mushrooms. Heat the mixture through until warm and bubbling, ensuring the flavors meld into a rich and mellow sauce.

   Tip: Stir continuously after pouring the soup to prevent it from sticking or burning on the bottom of the pan.
9. 9Position the mini pumpkin

   

   Take a hollowed-out, dark green mini pumpkin featuring a carved face and carefully place it directly into the center of the seasoned tomato pasta mixture in the pan.

   Tip: Ensure the pumpkin is firmly nestled into the pasta so it stays stable while pouring the soup.
10. 10Fill the mini pumpkin with soup

    

    Take the hot, creamy bacon and mushroom soup and carefully pour it using a wooden spoon into the hollowed-out mini pumpkin resting right in the middle of the pasta. This creates a striking presentation for your Halloween themed dish.

    Tip: Pour slowly to avoid splashing the hot soup outside the pumpkin cavity.
11. 11Create the cheese ghost

    

    Pick up a square slice of yellow cheese and lay it down over a designated spot on the hot pasta, allowing it to soften and melt into a ghost shape. Add black peppercorns for the eyes and optionally draw a cute blush to complete the decoration.

    Tip: Place the cheese onto the hot pasta just before serving so the residual heat melts it naturally into shape.

Storage & Reheating

Burn It Off

Frequently Asked Questions