Spinach Balls
You’ll love these easy baked Spinach Balls! They’re the perfect vegetarian appetizer and a healthy alternative to traditional sausage or beef meatballs.
And the beauty of these is that they can easily be made ahead and frozen.
Just pop ’em in the oven if unexpected company comes by and in 20-minutes, you’ll have a healthy snack to offer your guest!
Why this recipe works
This old-fashioned Spinach Ball recipe has been around forever and you’ll find many variations out there. Even folks who “don’t like spinach” like these little happy hour poppers!
Quick and Easy – it only takes a few minutes to assemble the ingredients
Simple ingredients – nothing fancy or gourmet; frozen spinach, Parmesan, eggs and seasonings
Flavorful – the Pepperide Farm™ Herb Seasoned Stuffing Mix is what offers a lot of the savory flavor! I suppose you could use StoveTop™ stuffing as well.
Serve these alongside your cheeseboard or Classic Fondue at your next gathering!
Here’s what you’ll need
I usually make these before Thanksgiving and freeze them. That way, I’ll have an easy holiday appetizer on hand when needed.
No dipping sauce is necessary, as these small rounds of deliciousness can stand on their own.
Yield
This recipe makes about 12 Spinach Balls that are about 3/4″ inch in diameter. Basically, a two-bite appetizer. The yield will depend upon how big you make the balls.
I use a tablespoon to scoop out the mixture, then roll it around – I got a dozen out of this. Actually, a baker’s dozen…
How to make Spinach Balls
After you’ve lightly sprayed a baking dish, combine all the ingredients together and shape into balls! How easy is that?
Tips
Crush the herb-seasoned stuffing crumbs with a mallet
Cook the frozen spinach in the microwave then drain it in a colander and use a paper towel to press out any additional liquid
Mince the onion or pulse in food processor to avoid any big chunks of onion
The mixture will be soggy when forming – do not freak out! They bake up nice and semi-firm.
Let them cool first if you’re going to refrigerate or freeze them
Make ahead, storage and reheating
You can make these ahead of time and freeze them either cooked or uncooked.
To freeze uncooked: assemble on baking sheet and place in freezer; once they’re frozen, pop em into a storage bag and toss back in the freezer.
When ready to serve, place on lightly oiled baking dish; allow them to thaw a little (10-minutes) then bake at 325ºF 20-25 minutes
To freeze cooked: let them cool first, then pop into a storage bag and freeze for up to 2 months.
When ready to serve already cooked, frozen spinach balls, let them sit at room tem for about 10-minutes, then place on a lightly oiled baking dish; loosely place a sheet of foil over them and bake at 325ºF until warm throughout.
(The foil tent keeps the already cooked breadcrumbs from becoming too brown.)
To refrigerate: store in an air-tight container for up to 5 days
Serving suggestions
These work great as a holiday or tailgate appetizer.
They also pair beautifully with eggs; consider serving a few of these with your Eggs Benedict or brunch quiche!
No need to fuss over appetizers – whip up a batch of these easy baked Spinach Balls to keep on hand!
Related recipes
- Cheddar Cheese Wafers
- Easy Sausage Balls
- Sausage Stuffed Mushrooms
- Hickory Almond Stuffed Dates
- Classic Cheese Fondue
- Baked Brie with Pear Compote
If you make this recipe, please scroll down and leave a comment and rating! I love to hear from you!
Ingredients
- 10 ouncees frozen spinach
- 1½ cups herb seasoned stuffing mix (finely crushed)
- 3 whole eggs, beaten lightly
- ¾ cups finely chopped onion
- 6 tablespoons melted butter
- ¼ cup grated parmesan
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon ground thyme
- spray oil for baking pan
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325ºF; place parchment paper on baking sheet and spray lightly with oilspray oil for baking pan
- Place frozen spinach in microwave safe bowl and cook on high 6-minutes10 ouncees frozen spinach
- Place cooked spinach in fine-meshed strainer; press with paper towel to remove all liquid
- Place herb seasoned stuffing mix in plastic bag and crush with mallet until there aren't any big chunks
- Combine spinach and remaining ingredients in large mixing bowl1½ cups herb seasoned stuffing mix (finely crushed), 3 whole eggs, beaten lightly, ¾ cups finely chopped onion, 6 tablespoons melted butter, ¼ cup grated parmesan, ½ teaspoon black pepper, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon garlic powder, ¼ teaspoon ground thyme
- Use a tablespoon to form about a 3/4" inch ball
- Place on prepared baking sheet and bake 15-20 minutes until they're brown on top and slightly firm to the touch
Please give nutrients as they relate to a serving (ex: calories/ spinach ball rather than per cup.) I know that a cup is 16 T, but this recipe makes 12 T sized balls. That’s a lot of conversions to make.
It’s impossible to give accurate nutritional information per spinach ball because everyone makes them their own size. The nutritional information is provided by a third-party entity and is an estimate.
These were AMAZING! I made them as part of our New Year’s Eve Appetizer Feast
( a yearly tradition!) We LOVED them!! But I goofed and realized after I baked them, I left out the butter which was still in the microwave!) So I just went ahead and brushed the baked balls with butter, which actually used a LOT less butter so…healthier!! Everyone raved about them so it was a win!!! Thanks so much for a great recipe!