25+ Halloween Lunch Ideas That'll Fuel You Up For Trick Or Treating
With trick-or-treating (and Halloween parties galore) on the schedule this fall, you're going to need some serious fuel to get you through the day. So why not keep your energy up for all the frights with a solid Halloween-proof lunch on the menu? Here at Delish, we have our priorities straight, because we like to make sure we have a lunch that's equal parts spooky and equal parts gives-us-room-f0r-all-the-candy-ever. If that sounds like you, you're going to want to check out all 30 of these Halloween lunch ideas!
Spooky season is so short, so we really try to maximize all the thrills whenever possible. Kids and adults alike will get quite a fright out of all our of spooky Halloween recipes perfect for lunch time, like eyeball pasta, ghost purse ravioli, mummy hot dogs, and Jack-O-Lantern quesadillas. Our graveyard chicken enchilada dip is almost too scary to eat (emphasis on the almost part).
We're often too excited while carving up our Jack-O-Lanterns this year, but not just for all the crazy designs. Yes, we've got big plans for those pumpkins. Deliciously big plans like our pumpkin risotto, pumpkin chili, and pumpkin curry. We have a scary good feeling once you try our fall spins on classic dishes (like pumpkin carbonara and pumpkin tomato soup with grilled Swiss cheese sticks) you'll want to make them for lunch all season long (and not just on Halloween!).
Ghost Purse Ravioli
Looking for something delicious that's only a little bit spooky this Halloween? Try these adorable ravioli filled with ricotta, Parmesan, and finely chopped pear. We made these from wonton wrappers, rather than pasta dough, to make them scary easy on you too. ?? You're welcOoOme.
Get the Ghost Purse Ravioli recipe.
Pumpkin Tomato Soup With Grilled Swiss Cheese Sticks
While we love classic tomato soup, we sometimes want to shake things up a bit when fall comes around. This soup gets an extra creamy dose, not only thanks to sweet pumpkin puree, but with heavy cream and sharp Parmesan.
Get the Pumpkin Tomato Soup With Grilled Swiss Cheese Sticks recipe.
Graveyard Chicken Enchiladas
It takes fewer than 10 ingredients to throw this simple graveyard together—you might have some of them at home already! Feel free to use all store-bought ingredients to make it easier, or make your own enchilada sauce, homemade chicken, and taco seasoning.
Get the Graveyard Chicken Enchiladas recipe.
Jack 'O Lantern Quesadillas
These spooky quesadillas are a trick and a treat. ??
Get the Jack 'O Lantern Quesadillas recipe.
Mummy Hot Dogs
There are a lot of mummy hot dogs in the world, but ours is the best for a couple of big reasons. Firstly, they're stuffed with cheese. Secondly, each mummy is brushed with melted butter before baking. Buttery, flaky, and cheesy, you really can't go wrong!
Get the Mummy Hot Dogs recipe.
Butternut Squash Mac & Cheese
Creamy, sweet, and conveniently orange, butternut squash adds extra body, richness, and fun seasonality to mac & cheese. A little thyme does some heavy lifting, making the homey comfort classic a little fancy, and bringing some fall flavors to the table that are *chef’s kiss*.
Get the Butternut Squash Mac & Cheese recipe.
Sweet Potato Chili
We’ve done our fair share of experimenting with chili recipes, and this time, we’re highlighting the super spud in this weeknight dinner. Filled with sweet potatoes, Italian sausage, bell pepper, and tomatoes, this dish will warm you up without weighing you down.
Get the Sweet Potato Chili recipe.
Meatball Sub Soup
Meatball sub fans—get ready to meet your new favorite soup. All the flavors of the classic sandwich are mashed into this gloriously cheesy soup recipe that's ready in under an hour. Seriously, it's got it all.
Get the Meatball Sub Soup recipe.
Eyeball Pasta
Spaghetti and meatballs is a classic, but dinner on Halloween can't be regular—it's gotta be spooky! Our classics have been Jack-O'-Lantern stuffed peppers and ghost pizza bagels, but now we're obsessed with turning ordinary meatballs into scary works of art by making them look like monster eyeballs.
Get the Eyeball Pasta recipe.
Pumpkin Risotto
Take your favorite risotto recipe into fall with the addition of pumpkin puree, sage, and just a pinch of nutmeg. We love the creaminess the shaved ricotta salata adds, but Parm's fine if that's all you got.
Get the Pumpkin Risotto recipe.
Sheet-Pan Italian Subs
Need to feed a hungry crew, fast? Nothing better than these packed Italian subs—they're assembled and baked on a sheet pan so everyone can eat all at the same time.
Get the Sheet-Pan Italian Subs recipe.
Cranberry Apple Quinoa Salad
We don’t believe in boring salads at Delish, and crunchy apples and tart cranberries bring a lot of life to this one. The slightly sweet and lemony dressing is easy to make, so do yourself a favor and make extra to pour over everything.
Get the Cranberry Apple Quinoa Salad recipe.
Carrot Ginger Soup
Canned coconut milk makes this flavorful soup super-creamy and rich while keeping it conveniently dairy-free. Just a tablespoon of fish sauce adds depth and makes this soup feel that much more special. Want to up the presentation even more? Add crispy fried shallots and chili oil for that final chef’s kiss.
Get the Carrot Ginger Soup recipe.
Pumpkin Lasagna
At first, pumpkin lasagna might not seem as hot as, say, spinach artichoke lasagna, but don't be fooled: With layers of melty fontina and mozzarella and notes of sage and nutmeg, everyone at your potluck will definitely be wanting seconds of this veggie-filled lasagna.
Get the Pumpkin Lasagna recipe.
Reuben Squares
Is your ideal sandwich a perfect Reuben? Ours too. Corned beef, Russian dressing, sauerkraut, and Swiss cheese—what’s not to love? It’s why we made these melty Reuben squares: They’re kind of like the giant grilled cheese version (complete with a toasty buttery top) that’s perfect for sharing.
Get the Reuben Squares recipe.
Buffalo Chicken Wrap
This wrap is just as easy to customize as it is to make. Feel free to adjust the spices to add more or less heat, swap out the slaw for lettuce, the blue cheese sauce with ranch dressing, use cauliflower or tofu instead of meat, or try Greek yogurt in place of mayonnaise.
Get the Buffalo Chicken Wrap recipe.
Butternut Squash Potstickers
Making your own potstickers doesn't have to be complicated. These vegan potstickers are easy to put together and most of your time is spent roasting your squash until really tender, which can be done ahead of time. Crimping takes a little practice, but the good news is that even if they look a little wonky, they're still going to taste great!
Get the Butternut Squash Potstickers recipe.
Pumpkin Curry
Earthy, sweet pumpkin is the perfect base for a spicy, Thai-inspired coconut milk curry. We begin by roasting the pumpkin to provide some caramelization and nuttiness that adds a lot to the final dish. Then we take some of the roast pumpkin and actually blend it into the curry sauce which adds another layer of pumpkin flavor. ??
Get the Pumpkin Curry recipe.
Jack-O'-Lantern Stuffed Peppers
Making these adorable peppers is just as satisfying as carving pumpkins (and are way easier)! We went with a pretty classic filling here (rice + ground beef), but feel free to take inspiration from any of our stuffed pepper recipes if you like.
Get the Jack-O'-Lantern Stuffed Peppers recipe.
Slow Cooker Vegan Butternut Squash Soup
This vegan butternut squash soup is made in a slow cooker, so after you chop up all your vegetables, it’s essentially hands-off. Woohoo! A quick blitz with an immersion blender at the end, and you’ve got a silky, drinkable butternut squash soup in no time.
Get the Slow-Cooker Vegan Butternut Squash Soup recipe.
Butternut Squash Casserole
This savory autumnal casserole is packed with bacon and two types of cheese (mozzarella and cheddar) and just enough kale to lend the dish a healthy-ish twist (so you can eat more Halloween candy!).
Get the Butternut Squash Casserole recipe.
Italian Sub Squares
Like our sheet-pan Italian subs, these are full of your favorite sandwich fillings, this time layered between sweet, golden sheets of crescent roll dough. These savory squares are the perfect app to feed a hungry crowd, to serve for an on-the-go dinner, or eat as a midday snack.
Get the Italian Sub Squares recipe.
Big Mac Crunchwrap
Craving fast food come lunch time, but trying to avoid the processed foods (and the lines!)? Make a Big Mac Crunchwrap at home instead. It's everything you love about both fast food treats, all in one.
Get the Big Mac Crunchwrap recipe.
Baked Pumpkin Risotto
Baked, not stirred, this recipe for pumpkin risotto takes some of the work off the chef without sacrificing that classic risotto flavor and texture. And it's not just pumpkin and butternut squash that bring the fall flavor in this dish—a sprinkle of goat cheese, parsley, and the tart-sweet touch of dried cranberries round out the earthy autumnal vibes.
Get the Baked Pumpkin Risotto recipe.
Garlic Bread Pizza
Looking for a fun, easy twist on homemade pizza? Skip the dough and use frozen garlic bread instead. Crusts will never be thrown out again.
Get the Garlic Bread Pizza recipe.
Pumpkin Bacon Mac & Cheese
Sure, mac & cheese is great. But PUMPKIN mac & cheese?! That's a potluck-friendly meal worthy of any and every occasion from now until spring.
Get the Pumpkin Bacon Mac & Cheese recipe.
Brown Butter Butternut Squash Pasta
This pasta is warm and cozy and filling, but not heavy. You can even make it vegetarian by skipping the sausage—there's still plenty of butternut squash in there to fill you up!
Get the Brown Butter Butternut Squash Pasta recipe.
Pumpkin Carbonara
Your classic carbonara meets pumpkin for a creamy and silky pasta dish that's fall ready. The dish is quick and easy and the pumpkin-bacon combo is absolutely perfect. Top it with lots of Parmesan for an extra comforting lunch.
Get the Pumpkin Carbonara recipe.
Pumpkin Chili
Trick or treat—this recipe actually uses kabocha squash instead of pumpkin. It eats like a cross between butternut squash and a starchy sweet potato, complex with floral aromas and earthy chestnut notes.
Get the Pumpkin Chili recipe.
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