Spooky Halloween Salad Recipe

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Spooky Halloween Salad is an eerie holiday side dish made with mixed greens, mushroom skulls, mozzarella eyeballs, and blood red vinaigrette.

Prep Time20

Total Time20

Course: Salad

Cuisine: American

Servings: servings

Calories: 570kcal

Wipe mushrooms with a damp cloth to clean, removing any dirt and debris. Trim off the end of the mushroom stem with a paring knife to get a nice, clean end.
Look at each mushroom and find the best shape for the skull. Place the mushroom with the stem facing up, and slice the mushroom in half.
Place the mushroom halves on a cutting board and use the end of a straw to cut out two round eyes. Carefully remove the “eyes” with a skewer or the end of a sharp knife.
Next, use the tip of a sharp pairing knife to cut two nostrils between the eyes, and small slices for “teeth” on each stem.

Slice the black olives in half lengthwise. With the cut side facing up, use a straw to cut a hole in the center of each olive. Set the olive “pupils” aside and discard the leftover olive pieces.
Place the fresh mozzarella balls on a cutting board. Look at each one to find the best side to be the “top” of the of the eyeball. Cut a small circle in the top with a sharp paring knife, making a well to hold the pesto that is about one-quarter inch deep.
Use a small spoon to fill each eye with pesto almost to the top. Place an olive "pupil" in the center of the basil pesto to create the eyeballs. Set aside.

Add the ketchup, vinegar, honey, paprika and Worcestershire to a small bowl, and whisk to combine. Slowly stream the oil into the mixture while whisking, Add salt and pepper to taste, and whisk to combine.

Place the mixed greens in a salad bowl, then add the black olives and cherry tomato halves. Drizzle some of the dressing over the salad and toss to coat.
Top with mushroom skulls and mozzarella eyes and adjust so they are peeking out between the lettuce leaves.
Serve immediately with additional dressing on the side.

For added texture, add crunchy nuts, crispy croutons, or creamy avocado pieces.
Use mini cookie cutters to create orange pumpkins or jack o’lanterns out of cheddar cheese slices or orange bell pepper, pepperoni bats, or ghosts out of white cheese slices with a ghost cookie cutter.
You can carve the mushrooms, prepare the mozzarella eyeballs, and make the vinaigrette a day ahead. Just keep everything refrigerated and assemble the salad right before serving for freshness.