Description
Celebrate Halloween with this spooky and delicious Halloween Salad featuring mozzarella shaped into skulls, fresh mixed greens, sweet cherry tomatoes, and a flavorful combination of basil, olive oil, and balsamic glaze. Perfect as a festive appetizer or light meal that combines fun presentation with fresh, vibrant flavors.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 8 oz mozzarella balls (about 16 small balls or a large ball cut into cubes)
- 6 oz mixed salad greens
- 1 pint sweet cherry tomatoes
- 3 tablespoons fresh basil, thinly sliced
For Dressing and Seasoning
- Olive oil (good quality finishing oil)
- Balsamic glaze
- Flaky sea salt
- Freshly cracked black pepper
- ½ lemon (optional)
Instructions
- Make the mozzarella skulls: Preheat your oven to 350°F. Place one mozzarella ball into each skull mold. Optionally, grease the molds lightly with olive oil to aid in removal, though it’s usually not necessary. Bake the mozzarella balls at 350°F for about 6 minutes until they become soft but are not fully melted.
- Shape the skull molds: Remove the molds from the oven and immediately press each mozzarella ball into the mold with the back of a spoon to ensure it fills all crevices, creating detailed skull shapes. Place the molds in the fridge for 10-15 minutes to let the cheese cool and set.
- Remove and store mozzarella skulls: Carefully pop the mozzarella skulls out of the molds once cooled. Serve them immediately on your salad or store them refrigerated until needed.
- Assemble the salad: In a large mixing bowl, add the mixed salad greens and drizzle with olive oil. Optionally squeeze fresh lemon juice over the greens and toss gently to coat.
- Add toppings: Top the greens with sliced cherry tomatoes, mozzarella skulls, and thinly sliced fresh basil.
- Finish and serve: Drizzle additional olive oil and balsamic glaze over the salad. Sprinkle flaky sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste. Serve immediately and enjoy the festive flavors and spooky presentation.
Notes
- Use a good quality mozzarella for best flavor and texture when shaping skulls.
- Greasing molds with olive oil is optional but can help with easy removal of mozzarella skulls.
- The lemon juice is optional but adds a nice brightness to the salad.
- Serve the salad immediately for best texture and freshness or keep components refrigerated until ready to serve.
- If you don’t have skull molds, use any silicone mold with fun shapes or serve mozzarella balls as a simpler alternative.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl (approximately 1/4 of recipe)
- Calories: 230 kcal
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 320 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 6 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 10 g
- Cholesterol: 22 mg
