This Low Carb Halloween Spaghetti is green pesto-coated edamame noodles topped with creepy little mozzarella "eyeballs" staring up from the plate. It's silly, it's spooky, and it's a genuinely filling low carb dinner you can get on the table before trick-or-treating starts.
Adapted from this recipe.
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Halloween at our house is usually all about the treats, so I like having a fun dinner in my back pocket that keeps everyone full and doesn't blow the carb budget. The whole thing is six ingredients, the noodles cook in about five minutes, and the eyeballs can be made the night before. Kids love helping with them, too!
Key Ingredients & Substitutions
- Edamame noodles. This is the star of the dish, and the reason it works as a low carb pasta night. Edamame spaghetti is made from young green soybeans (usually just edamame flour and water), so it's naturally gluten free and packed with fiber and protein. I like The Only Bean Organic Edamame Spaghetti, which has about 9g net carbs and 25g of protein per 2 oz serving. It also has a lovely green color that looks extra spooky once it's coated in pesto! When I first made this recipe I used Liviva edamame spaghetti, which is much harder to find now, and any edamame or black soybean spaghetti works the same way. For a lower-carb swap, see my list of low carb spaghetti alternatives.
- Small mozzarella balls. Ciliegine (cherry-sized fresh mozzarella) are the perfect size for eyeballs. Bocconcini work too if you cut them in half, or use small rounds of string cheese.
- Cream cheese. Just a tiny dab acts as the "glue" that holds the pupil in place. Soft goat cheese works as well.
- Cherry tomato. A tiny piece makes the red center of each eye. A sliver of red bell pepper is a little firmer and easier to cut neatly.
- Large black olives. Sliced into rings, they make the iris. Look for large pitted olives so the rings are wide enough to frame the tomato.
- Basil pesto. Store-bought is totally fine; just check the label for added sugar. You can also make your own, like my Spinach Pesto, which gives the noodles an even brighter green color.
One serving (half the recipe) has about 40 grams of protein, thanks to the edamame noodles and mozzarella, so this is a dinner that actually keeps you full through a long night of trick-or-treating.
Helpful Tips
Make the eyeballs ahead. They're the fiddly part of this recipe, so I recommend making them earlier in the day or even the night before. Keep them covered in the fridge and dinner comes together in about ten minutes when you need it.
Pat the mozzarella dry. Fresh mozzarella is packed in liquid, and wet cheese makes the cream cheese slide right off. A quick pat with a paper towel helps everything stay put.
Don't overcook the noodles. Edamame pasta cooks much faster than wheat pasta, usually in 3 to 5 minutes. Start tasting early, because it goes from tender to mushy quickly. Drain it well so the pesto clings instead of sliding off.
Toss the pesto in the warm pot. Returning the drained noodles to the warm pot before adding the pesto helps it coat every strand evenly. If it seems a little thick, add a splash of olive oil or a spoonful of the cooking water.
Add the eyeballs last. Nestle them on top right before serving so they stay cool and don't melt into the warm noodles. That way they keep their creepy staring look for the photos!
Variations
- Different colored eyes. Swap the tomato for a tiny piece of green bell pepper, a slice of pimento-stuffed olive, or a bit of orange pepper for a whole range of monster eyes.
- Bloody red sauce. Skip the pesto and toss the noodles in a no-sugar-added marinara for a gory "bloody" version.
- Add meatballs. Serve with The Best Low Carb Meatballs for an extra hearty monster dinner.
- Spaghetti squash. For an even lower carb plate, use roasted spaghetti squash, like in my Pesto Spaghetti Squash.
- Add chicken. Toss in some shredded rotisserie chicken or grilled chicken strips with the pesto.
Serving Ideas
This spaghetti is filling enough to be dinner on its own, but a simple green salad or some roasted broccoli on the side makes it a complete meal. For a Halloween party, serve it on a big platter in the middle of the table and let everyone dig in.
If you're going all out for the holiday, pair it with a spooky appetizer or two and a festive drink for the grown-ups. There are lots of ideas in the list at the bottom of this post.
Storing & Freezing
Store leftover pesto spaghetti in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Keep any leftover eyeballs in a separate container so they don't get soggy. Reheat the noodles gently in the microwave or in a skillet with a splash of water, then add the eyeballs on top once warmed.
I don't recommend freezing this dish. Edamame noodles turn soft and mushy after thawing, and fresh mozzarella gets rubbery. It's so quick to make that it's best enjoyed fresh.
FAQ
Is edamame pasta low carb?
Yes. A 2 oz serving of edamame spaghetti has about 20g of total carbs, but around 11g of that is fiber, which leaves roughly 9g net carbs. Regular wheat spaghetti has about 40g net carbs for the same amount, so edamame pasta is a big improvement.
Are edamame noodles keto?
Edamame noodles can fit a keto diet in moderation, but they aren't carb-free like shirataki noodles. At about 9g net carbs per 2 oz, a serving uses up a good chunk of a typical 20g daily keto limit. This recipe comes in at around 12g net carbs per serving, so I call it low carb rather than strict keto. Plan the rest of your day around it and you'll be fine.
Can I use regular spaghetti?
You can, but it won't be low carb anymore. For other options, try zucchini noodles, spaghetti squash, or palmini noodles; the eyeballs look great on any of them.
More Low Carb Halloween Recipes
If you loved this recipe, here are a few more spooky treats you might enjoy:
- Low Carb Monster Bites - a Halloween appetizer!
- Low Carb Mummy Hot Dogs
- Halloween Spider Deviled Eggs
- Halloween Witch Fingers (Keto, Low Carb)
- Low Carb Halloween Recipes
📖 Recipe
Low Carb Halloween Spaghetti
Ingredients
Equipment
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Make the eyeballs first. Pat the mozzarella balls dry with a paper towel, then dab a small dot of cream cheese on top of each one.
- Cut 8 tiny pieces from the cherry tomato (or red bell pepper) and press one onto each dot of cream cheese.
- Slice the olives into rings and press one ring over each piece of tomato so the red shows through the middle like a pupil. If you're making the eyeballs ahead, cover and refrigerate them for up to 24 hours.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the edamame spaghetti and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, or according to the package directions, until just tender.
- Drain the spaghetti well and return it to the pot. Add the pesto and toss until every strand is coated.
- Pile the spaghetti onto a serving platter or two plates, nestle the eyeballs on top and serve right away.
Nutrition
Notes
Tried this recipe?
Let us know how it was!Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is my best approximation. Net carbs are calculated as the total grams carbs minus the total grams of fiber.
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