The 1 Ingredient You Need to Make Your Halloween Food Extra Spooky
Creepy or awesome? We'll let you decide.
At Cooking Light, we're big fans of Halloween. We've developed dozens of healthy Halloween recipes, including lightened-up Halloween treats, Halloween appetizers, Halloween cocktails, and even a make-ahead Halloween dinner. All of that to say, any food that's spooky, creepy, or slightly kooky is our friend come fall.
So when we saw inky-black food making the rounds on Pinterest, we wanted to make it ASAP. The only problem? A lot of recipes required funky black food dye, and we're just not into artificial ingredients. So, we scoured the Internet to find something that could make our food scary in a good way (not scary from fake ingredients).
Eating healthy should still be delicious.
We stumbled upon the holy grail: squid ink. Now, before you dismiss the thought, hear us out. Squid ink is released from a squid's ink sacs as a defense mechanism. It has a briny flavor that's decidedly more earthy than fishy, and it will transform everything from seafood dishes to cocktails. And it's not as obscure and hard-to-find as you might think — it's sold on Amazon for less than $20.
Here's how to use it this Halloween to make recipes that are Addams Family-approved.
Squid Ink Pasta
A few drops of squid ink will turn your fettuccine or spaghetti into a inky plate of goodness. Don't feel like buying and dyeing your own pasta? You can buy pre-dyed squid ink pasta here. Pair the dish with olive oil, lemon, sea salt, lots of garlic, and a healthy helping of your favorite seafood piled on top.
Black Paella (Arroz Negro)
When I was in Spain this past summer, they served us a steaming, black paella called Arroz Negro topped with shrimp, mussels, and squid that changed my life (I'm not being dramatic, it really was that good). If you're a seafood lover, this is a must-make recipe for Halloween.
Cocktails
Add a few drops (a little goes a long way) to savory cocktails like Bloody Mary's or Micheladas, or ante up your dirty martini with an even-brinier flavor. Your guests will get so excited when you bring out the "boos".