Name: Halloween Eyeball Salsa
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: American, Mexican
Ingredients: 6 cups tomatoes chopped. 40 ounces total or 3 pounds; ½ cup green onions sliced. About 4 scallions; 4 Tablespoons cilantro leaves minced; 4 cloves garlic minced; 1 teaspoon ground cumin; 1 teaspoon kosher salt; 1 teaspoon garlic powder; ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper; 2 pinches red pepper flakes; 4 teaspoons lime juice; 16 mozzarella balls ciliegine or cherry sized mozz balls, NOT pearls; 8 pimento olives sliced in half

This Halloween eyeball salsa starts with a chunky fresh salsa base loaded with tomatoes, garlic, and plenty of spices and seasonings. Top it off with floating mozzarella and pimento eyeballs and you have a creepy-fun Halloween party appetizer that’s sure to get a lot of “stares”.

Why this recipe works

It’s almost as if someone or something is watching you shovel chips and salsa into your mouth… Without judgment of course.

A few years ago at a Halloween party, our friend Pat showed up with our homemade salsa fresca recipe with an extra fun little spin to fit the holiday theme. He added mozzarella eyeballs to the top which he made using bocconcini (or mozzarella balls) with sliced olives stuffed into the center. We loved his idea so much that we knew we had to conjure up a recipe to share so you can make it for your Halloween parties too.

This recipe is really easy to make using fresh ingredients. Start by chopping, dicing, and compiling the salsa fresca. Then, simply use 1/4 teaspoon to scoop a hole into the mozzarella balls where the pimento olives can rest easily. Plop them on top of the salsa, and enjoy by the scoopful!

Ingredients you will need

Get all measurements, ingredients, and instructions in the printable version at the end of this post.

Ingredient Info and Substitution Suggestions

SALSA – A combination of tomatoes, garlic, lime juice, cilantro, green onion, cumin, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes come together to make a flavorful pico de gallo. If you are able to find Serrano peppers at your local grocery store, feel free to substitute them in for the red pepper flakes. We’ve toyed with the idea of using restaurant-style salsa, the kind that’s pureed, in place of salsa fresca, but the mozzarella eyeballs are likely to sink to the bottom. You can certainly try your hand at it if desired!

EYEBALLS – To make the eyeballs you will need mozzarella balls and pimento olives. The quantity of eyeballs is up to you, however, we used about 16 mozzarella balls and 8 pimento olives cut in half. Grab regular sized pimento olives for this recipe, not the large variety. Look for mozzarella balls labeled “ciliegine” (cherry size). Mozzarella pearls will be too small to carve a hole and place an olive in.

How to Make Halloween Eyeball Salsa

These step by step photos and instructions are here to help you visualize how to make this recipe. You can Jump to Recipe to get the printable version of this recipe, complete with measurements and instructions at the bottom.

Chop the tomatoes and slice the scallions. I always like to use my Vidalia Chop Wizard when making fresh salsa. Place in a large bowl.
Trim leaves from cilantro and mince.
Mince the garlic. Add cilantro and garlic to the bowl.
Add remaining salsa ingredients and stir.
Slice pimento olives in half, set aside.
Using a 1/4 teaspoon, gently create a hole in the center of the mozzarella ball, scooping the excess out. This will make a divet for the pimento to sit in. Be careful when doing this step as you can tear the mozzarella ball. If your olives are too large, try slicing them into 3’s or 4’s instead of in half.
Place the sliced pimento olives inside the mozzarella balls where you created a hole.
Set the pimento eyeballs on top of the salsa. Enjoy!

Frequently Asked Questions & Expert Tips

Can I make it ahead of time?

Yes, you can prepare the salsa the morning of your event, wrap with plastic wrap or store it in an air-tight container kept in the refrigerator until you are ready to serve. This will allow the flavors to mingle a bit more.

How do I store leftovers?

Store leftovers in an air-tight container kept in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Serving Suggestions

Serve Halloween eyeball salsa chilled or at room temperature with tortilla chips. I always like making this salsa at least 30 minutes to an hour before serving to give the flavors a chance to mingle together more.

More Halloween Recipes

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