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Frankenstein's monster face made from green pesto pasta, cheese, and olives on a plate.

Frankenstein Pasta for Halloween

This Frankenstein Pasta is the Halloween dinner that looks like you spent hours crafting a monster, when really you just made pesto pasta and gave it a face. With basil pesto, whole wheat pasta, crunchy cucumber, mozzarella eyes, and black olive details, it is cute, creepy, and suspiciously easy.
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Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 8 minutes
Course Main Course
Servings 5

EQUIPMENT (PAID LINKS)

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup fresh basil leaves
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 1 tablespoon pine nuts
  • ⅓ cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • ⅛ teaspoon salt
  • ⅓ cup olive oil
  • 16 ounces whole wheat pasta shells
  • 3 medium cucumbers
  • 4 ounces mozzarella cheese
  • 1 cup canned black olives

Instructions

  • Make the Pesto: Add the basil, garlic, pine nuts, Parmesan cheese, salt, and olive oil to a food processor. Blend until smooth, then taste and add a little more salt or garlic if needed.
    1 cup fresh basil leaves, 2 garlic cloves, 1 tablespoon pine nuts, ⅓ cup grated Parmesan cheese, ⅛ teaspoon salt, ⅓ cup olive oil
    Food processor filled with fresh green pesto surrounded by ingredients on a marble counter.
  • Cook the Pasta: Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the pasta shells and cook according to the package directions, then drain well.
    16 ounces whole wheat pasta shells
  • Mix and Cool the Pasta: Add the pesto to the drained pasta and stir until every shell is coated. Let the pasta cool to room temperature before adding the cucumbers and decorating the Frankenstein face.
  • Add the Cucumbers: Peel and chop about 1 ½ cucumbers. Stir the chopped cucumber into the pesto pasta to add crunch and keep the monster nice and green.
    3 medium cucumbers
  • Shape Frankenstein: Spoon the pasta onto a large serving platter and shape it into a rectangle. This will be Frankenstein’s face, so don’t worry about making it perfect—he is a monster, not a wedding cake.
    A rectangular block of green pesto rotini pasta mixed with cucumber pieces on a plate.
  • Make the Face: Cut two round slices of mozzarella for the eyes. Use black olives to make the hair, pupils, nose, and mouth.
    4 ounces mozzarella cheese, 1 cup canned black olives
    Frankenstein monster face made from pesto pasta, cheese, and olives on a plate.
  • Add the Bolts: Cut the remaining cucumber into thick pieces and place them on each side of the pasta rectangle to make Frankenstein’s neck bolts. Serve right away, or chill until dinner.