This post may contain affiliate links, please see the privacy policy for details.
Turn heads at your next Halloween gathering with a savory starter that’s full of spooky charm and bold flavor. This halloween bruschetta appetizer features toasted baguette slices topped with roasted cherry tomatoes, mozzarella skulls and black pesto. The haunting appearance comes from food-safe black gel dye swirled into basil pesto, making each bite look like it was summoned from the dark side. It’s simple, satisfying and perfect for adding something unique to your Halloween spread. Who knew bruschetta could be this spooky?
This Halloween bruschetta appetizer features black pesto, roasted tomatoes and little mozzarella skulls on crispy baguette slices for a spooky party starter.
You may also like Halloween pot de creme desserts, eyeball punch, antipasto eyeball appetizers and these Halloween dinner recipes.
Why You’ll Love It
Creepy and creative: Skull-shaped mozzarella adds a spooky touch to a classic appetizer.
Packed with flavor: Basil pesto, roasted tomatoes and creamy cheese bring it all together.
Great party food: Easy to serve and fun to make for Halloween gatherings.
Customizable: Swap the toppings or use gluten free bread if needed.
Make ahead friendly: Components can be prepped ahead and assembled before serving.
Skull Bruschetta for Halloween Ingredients
A complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
Fresh mozzarella pearls: Melted and molded into skull shapes for a spooky twist.
Demi baguette: Sliced and toasted to make the perfect bruschetta base.
Basil pesto: Adds herby richness and makes a dramatic black spread when tinted.
Black gel food coloring: Transforms the pesto into a Halloween-ready topping.
Cherry tomatoes: Roasted for sweetness and depth.
Olive oil: Helps roast the tomatoes and crisps up the bread.
Spices: Salt, black pepper and red pepper flakes season the tomatoes.
Optional garnishes: Fresh basil and balsamic glaze bring color and a sweet-savory finish.
How to Make Halloween Bruschetta
For more detailed instructions with weights and measurements, jump to the printable recipe card.
Make the mozzarella skulls: Fill your skull molds (here) with mozzarella and bake until melted, then let them cool.
Roast the tomatoes: Halve the tomatoes, drizzle with olive oil and season to taste, then bake them until golden.
Toast the bread: Slice the bread and toast in the oven until just golden.
Make the black pesto: Mix black food colouring into the pesto, a little at a time, until it’s dark enough.
Assemble the bruschetta: Brush the pesto over the bread and bake, then add the tomatoes and mozzarella skulls on top.
Finishing touches: Drizzle a serving platter with balsamic glaze and scatter some fresh basil on it, then arrange the Halloween party bruschetta on top.
Substitutions and Variations
Make it gluten free: Use your favorite gluten free baguette or sliced loaf.
Use different cheese: Any meltable cheese like provolone or havarti will work in molds.
Change the spread: Swap pesto for black olive tapenade for a briny bite.
Make it spicy: Add hot sauce to the pesto or use chili oil on the bread.
Make it darker: You might like to add some minced black olives or poppy seeds to the pesto.
Serving Suggestions
With other savory snacks: Enjoy mini charcuterie boards and skull potatoes with your spooky shooters.
With sweet treats: Pair them with Halloween Rice Krispie treats, candy apples and boozy dirt cups.
With drinks or shots: Try vampire kiss jello shots, a black magic cocktail or glow in the dark coconut rum shots.
How to Store Skull Bruschetta Bites
Store: If you have leftovers, you can keep them for a couple of days in the refrigerator, but the bruschetta will get a little soggy as the pesto soaks into the toasted bread.
Freeze: This recipe isn’t freezer-friendly.
Top Tips
Use oil on your spoon: Lightly oiling the spoon helps press the mozzarella into the molds cleanly.
Don’t overbake the cheese: It should be just melted so it molds smoothly without burning.
Start small with the dye: Add black food coloring slowly to control the final shade.
Toast the bread twice: First to crisp it, then again with toppings to lock in flavor.
Bruschetta Halloween Appetizers FAQs
Although bruschetta is a bread-based appetizer, you might not want to have bread, and anyone who is gluten-free or eating low-carb will be wondering about alternatives. The toppings can be served on pita chips, plain or cheese crackers or even on slices of cucumber or a bed of salad leaves. Pizza dough squares would work too. And then you also have gluten-free breads to choose from if gluten is an issue.
The mozzarella skulls certainly do look great on these Halloween inspired bruschetta bites, but if you want to make this and have no skull molds, you can still make it. Add some black plastic spiders or other Halloween decorations!
Halloween Bruschetta Recipe
Halloween Bruschetta Appetizer
Ingredients
- 6 Ounces mozzarella pearls, fresh
- 1 baguette, demi
- ½ Cup basil pesto
- gel food coloring, black
- 12 Ounces cherry tomatoes
- olive oil
- salt
- black pepper
- red pepper flakes
Optional Garnishes
- fresh basil
- balsamic vinegar glaze
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Place the silicone skull mold onto a baking sheet. Fill the silicone skull molds with the mozzarella pearls. Place in the oven and bake for 6 to 7 minutes or until the mozzarella is just melted, not browned.
- Remove from the oven and use the back of a lightly oiled spoon to press the mozzarella firmly into the mold. If excess moisture comes to the surface, use a paper towel to soak it up. Set aside and let the mozzarella cool in the molds completely.
- Crank the oven up to 475°F.
- Cut the cherry tomatoes in half lengthwise, and place them cut side down on a parchment lined baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes.
- Roast the tomatoes in the oven for 10 to 15 minutes or until the tomatoes are soft and browned. Remove from the oven and set aside.
- Cut the baguette into ½-inch slices and arrange them on another baking sheet in one layer. Place the baking sheet with the baguette slices into the oven. Toast the bread for 8 to 10 minutes, just until it is barely starting to toast, then remove from the oven.
- While the bread is toasting, mix the pesto with the black food coloring, start with about ⅛ teaspoon and add more as needed.
- When the bread is out of the oven, spread the tops of each piece with the black pesto, making sure to cover the whole top evenly.
- Place the bread back into the oven for another 8 to 10 minutes or until the edges are golden, then remove from the oven.
- Top each piece with some of the roasted cherry tomatoes, and the mozzarella skulls.
- Serve on a platter that is drizzled with balsamic glaze and scattered with fresh basil if liked.
Notes
Don’t overbake the cheese: It should be just melted so it molds smoothly without burning.
Start small with the dye: Add black food coloring slowly to control the final shade.
Toast the bread twice: First to crisp it, then again with toppings to lock in flavor.
Nutrition
This halloween bruschetta appetizer is the perfect blend of creepy presentation and crowd-pleasing flavor. The roasted tomatoes bring sweetness, the black pesto adds boldness and the mozzarella skulls are a show-stealer. It’s a smart way to get savory bites on your Halloween table without making things complicated. Prep ahead where you can and let this eerie bruschetta become your go-to spooky starter. If you’re on the lookout for Halloween food ideas and Halloween dinner ideas, you might want to file this one away for October!
Other Recipes to Try
- Creepy Pretzel Snacks bring the crunch factor to your spooky spread.
- If you have a sweet tooth, you might enjoy Halloween Ice Cream!
- And Halloween Mummy Stromboli makes a great dinner or appetizer.
- Say cheers with these deliciously dirty looking Boozy Dirt Cups!
- Black Halloween Cosmos are a spook-tacular sipping idea.
Bella Bucchiotti
Bella Bucchiotti is a Canadian-based syndicated food, travel, and lifestyle writer, photographer, and creator at xoxoBella. She founded xoxoBella in 2015, where she shares her love for food, dogs, sustainability, fitness, crafts, outdoor adventures, travel, and philanthropy to encourage others to run the extra mile, try new recipes, visit unfamiliar places, and stand for a cause. Bella creates stress-free and family-friendly recipes for weeknight dinners and festive feasts.
Question, could you make the mozzarella skulls the day before and then store in the fridge overnight?
Yes definitely! If you want to make the mozzarella skulls ahead, just keep them in an airtight container or on a plate wrapped with foil or plastic wrap and then you can assemble the bruschetta the following day or when you’re ready.
Made these last year and they are on my list again this year!
Such a pretty dish that seems complicated but so easy and delicious! We enjoyed it so much!
Dear Xoxobella, how do you come up with your ideas for these Halloween appetizers? This one is genius! I’m definitely making these!
This bruschetta app recipe will be perfect for my friend’s Halloween party. Will you please share where you purchased the skull molds? There are so many on Amazon. I’m not sure which size to get. Thank you!!
Yes, it is this mold. I will add it to the blog post, too
https://amzn.to/3tgP5cI