Spinach Balls

by Dorothy Reinhold on January 26, 2024


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Spinach Balls feature nutty Parmesan, herby stuffing cubes and slightly bitter greens for a perfect poppable appetizer bite. Game day anyone?

If you think beer and pigs in a blanket are the only decent football food, you have another think coming!

As food lovers, we have our gourmet Game Day requirements for good grub, and that means we’re stepping away from the chili bowl, and towards some more interesting finger food.

I’m making Spinach Balls, which have been on the Thanksgiving menu at my friend Teri Carcano’s house ever since she got the recipe from a holiday guest decades ago. Isn’t that the way good recipes stay alive, passed from sticky hand to sticky hand, and these days from email to Facebook to text to Pinterest and Instagram and TikTok?

This recipe deserves to escape the confines of Thanksgiving, and have a long and happy life at other celebrations, because it is utterly delicious and addictive. I could make a meal out of these, and hey, they are chock full of greens, so maybe I should!

How to make Spinach Balls

Ingredients for Spinach Balls in a large stainless steel bowlGather your ingredients. For this recipe, you’ll need:

  • Frozen or fresh spinach
  • Herb-seasoned stuffing bread cubes
  • Parmesan cheese
  • Eggs
  • Butter
  • Onion
  • Tabasco
  • Dip: Mustard honey, if you like

Wilted spinach in a grey skilletDecide if you’re using frozen (thawed) spinach, or you’re going to use fresh and wilt it in a skillet. Either way works. Teri uses frozen, and I used fresh.

Spinach Ball mixture resting in stainless steel mixing bowlHeat the oven, prepare your baking sheet, and combine all the ingredients in a bowl. Allow the mixture to rest for half an hour at least so the bread moistens.

Spinach Balls on a black baking sheetShape into small balls and place on prepared baking sheet.

Spinach Balls on a black baking sheet with white spatula and white plate with a few balls on itBake until slightly golden brown, then remove and put on a plate. Offer with honey-mustard dip if you like, or serve as-is.

They pair well with a crisp, dry white wine, such as a Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc.

I’ve taken a few liberties with Teri’s recipe, but I put both versions in the recipe card so you can tweak it for yourself.

Let’s fire up the oven and get these in there. It’s nearly game time!

Spinach Balls

Prep Time: 45 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour, 10 minutes

Yield: Makes 25-28 balls (serves 12)

Spinach Balls

Spinach Balls feature nutty Parmesan, herby stuffing cubes and slightly bitter greens for a perfect poppable bite. Game day anyone?

Ingredients

  • 2 (10-ounce) packages frozen, chopped spinach, thawed, drained and squeezed of excess water (*see my variation with fresh greens in the note below)
  • 2 cups herb-seasoned stuffing (Teri likes small pieces from Pepperidge Farm; I used Mrs. Cubbison’s Herb Seasoned Cube Stuffing)
  • 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese (I used 2/3 cup shredded Parmesan)
  • 1-2 eggs, slightly beaten (I used 2 eggs)
  • 3/4 stick butter, melted (I used 4 tablespoons unsalted butter + 1/4 cup water)
  • Pepper to taste (I used 8-10 turns of the pepper mill)
  • 1/4 cup finely minced onion (I used 1/2 cup)
  • Tabasco – a couple of squirts (this is my addition; omit if you don’t like it)
  • Dip: Dijon mustard, honey, a little lemon juice and mayonnaise to thicken, stirred together in a little bowl

Directions

  1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly mist a baking sheet with nonstick spray and set aside.
  2. In a mixing bowl, combine all ingredients and mix well by hand; allow to rest for 30 minutes so bread moistens.
  3. Using your hands, shape into 25-28 small balls. Place on prepared baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes (mine took 25 minutes), until slightly golden brown.
  4. Remove from oven and place on a plate. Offer them with Honey Mustard Dip and enjoy! They are good warm from the oven or at room temperature.
  5. Makes 25-28 balls.

Notes

Recipe source: Teri Carcano of Malibu, Calif.

To use fresh greens instead of frozen greens: Instead of 20 ounces of frozen spinach, I used 10 ounces of fresh baby spinach and 10 ounces of mixed baby greens (kale, spinach, chard, etc.). Wilt the greens in a hot dry skillet, in two batches (due to volume). When wilted, remove to a chopping board and cool to room temperature. When cool, squeeze the liquid out into the sink using your hands, mass the greens on the cutting board and chop finely. Use as you would thawed frozen spinach.

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This recipe was originally published Jan. 26, 2014 and has been refreshed and republished today.

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