When I first decided to do a Coraline movie night for this week’s date night, I had no idea just how popular this eerie, whimsical movie really was. After receiving countless requests from all of you to bring the Coraline world to life in my kitchen, I couldn’t resist. Even though I had only watched short snippets of the movie, I knew all along that other mother’s dinner scene would take center stage for this creepy meal.
Coraline has such a fascinating mix of creepy and magical elements, which made recreating this dinner a blast. From the cozy Leek and Potato Soup to the golden roasted chicken, served with the best gravy OF. ALL. TIME., the entire night felt went off without a hitch.
If you've missed out on the previous movies in this Halloween Dinner and a Movie Series, they can be found here! Hocus Pocus, Beetlejuice, Ghostbusters, and The Addams Family.
All of the recipes I used for this meal, and many more, can be found in my Spooky Dinner and a Movie Cookbook, which you can download now to recreate this magical night for yourself.
Recreating the Other Mother’s Dinner Scene
For this Coraline Movie Night, I wanted to bring the iconic other mother’s dinner scene to life. If you remember, Coraline sits down to a meal that looks both comforting and a bit too perfect. It’s a classic example of how things in the other world seem ideal but have a sinister twist. I recreated the entire meal: a comforting Leek & Potato Soup, a beautifully golden roasted chicken, buttery mashed potatoes, sweet corn on the cob, and, of course, the hauntingly whimsical Welcome Home cake.
The meal came together over two days of cooking, which honestly made the whole thing feel like Thanksgiving. I made the cake and the Leek & Potato Soup the day before to keep the prep manageable, and on the big day, I focused on the roasted chicken and the rest of the sides. The flavors were comforting but with a little bit of mystery—just like the movie itself.
Appetizer: Leek & Potato Soup with Tarragon and Gruyere.
For Coraline Movie Night, I started with a cozy Leek & Potato Soup. This dish was inspired by the scene where Coraline’s father serves her leek and potato stew, complete with a tarragon garnish and melted Gruyère cheese. While Coraline is hardly impressed with her father's culinary skills, this dish ended up being a delicious, comforting start to the meal. My husband, who doesn't generally like soups or stews (or leftovers), asked me to freeze the leftovers so he could eat them later.
The tarragon and Gruyère added layers of flavor that gave the soup a luxurious vibe. It reminded me of my favorite baked potato soup, but with a twist that made it feel both familiar and unique. Though I had never had this soup prior to recipe testing, it has definitely been added to my arsenal of soups!
The full recipe for this soup can be found in my downloadable Spooky Dinner and a Movie Cookbook.
Main Course: Mother's Golden Chicken with Sides
The star of our Coraline Movie Night was 100% the golden roasted chicken. Inspired by the dinner scene where the other mother serves Coraline a too-perfect home-cooked meal, I seasoned the whole chicken with olive oil, garlic, and herbs, then roasted it to perfection. It was exactly what you’d imagine from the other world—delicious, comforting, yet with a hint of something being too perfect.
Accompanying the chicken were buttery mashed potatoes, sweet corn on the cob, and homemade dinner rolls. These sides completed the “Thanksgiving-esque” meal, which took two days to bring to life. I prepared the cake and soup the day before, which made the day-of cooking much more manageable. One of my favorite parts of this course was making the gravy. Using a homemade garlic herb butter, I created a rich, flavorful gravy that was, without exaggeration, the best gravy I’ve ever made.
This entire meal felt like Christmas to me. Matt and I try to stick to a more low-carb diet throughout the week, and only have carbs on the weekend—and between the fresh buttery dinner rolls, mashed potatoes, and that perfect gravy—I happily ended the night in a glutenous carb coma.
Dessert: Welcome Home Cake
For dessert, I recreated the famous Welcome Home cake from Coraline. This strawberry "Welcome Home" cake was the perfect way to wrap up our Coraline Movie Night.
Initially, decorating this cake was a major challenge for me, but I actually ended up really having fun with this cake. Cake decorating has always been my Achilles heel. I’m no professional cake decorator by any means, but, surprisingly, with the help of a few decorating tools, I was able to pull this cake off pretty nicely—to the point that I couldn't believe that I had decorated it myself. The pink drip frosting on top added an extra layer of visual appeal, making this cake one of my proudest creations. Despite its eerie look, the cake turned out beautifully and tasted even better!
You can never go wrong with a nice home-baked cake—and this one made for the perfect sweet ending to our wonderful night of good food.
All the tools I used for this meal can be found here.
Coraline’s Mango Milkshake
To finish off our Coraline Movie Night, I made two versions of Coraline’s favorite drink: the mango milkshake. I made both an alcoholic and non-alcoholic version. My husband enjoyed the boozy twist with a splash of coconut rum, while I opted to hold the alcohol for the classic Mango Milkshake. The frozen mango blended perfectly with milk and a scoop of vanilla ice cream, creating a completely satisfying milkshake. Whether you go for the boozed-up version or have the mocktail like me, you cannot go wrong. This was the perfect sweet ending to our Coraline Movie Night.
Our Coraline Movie Night was a magical, eerie experience, just like the movie itself. From the comforting Leek & Potato Soup to the golden roasted chicken and that tasty Welcome Home cake, each dish transported us right into the world of Coraline. It was one of those dinners that left us feeling full and satisfied, but with a lingering sense of mystery, much like the movie does.
This entire meal was a labor of love, spread over two days to bring every detail of the other mother’s dinner scene to life. The fun of recreating this meal and the joy of seeing it all come together made this Coraline Movie Night one to remember.
If you’re planning a spooky-themed dinner or just want to bring some movie magic into your home, be sure to check out my Spooky Dinner and a Movie Cookbook. It features 10 planned Dinner and a Movie nights, each with a full 3-course menu and a cocktail/mocktail for every movie. Download it now to make your own magical memories!
