Get ready for the holidays or for your next gathering with these Spinach Balls! They are so delicious, easy to make and can be made and frozen ahead of time.
I have been making these Super Simple Spinach Balls for many many years! My dear friend Karen gave me a spinach ball recipe way back when and because the kitchen is my playground, I have taken her original recipe and "kicked it up a notch" and added a sauce.
When to serve Spinach Balls?
It was a perfect appetizer to serve for our Gr8 dinners "Gr8 Goes Green and Friendsgiving.
This is an easy recipe to prepare, freeze, and have on hand for those last minute plans. These balls can be served as an appetizer or a fun side-dish addition to your meal.
Sauce or No Sauce? It's up to you!
They are super good all alone or served with a sauce of your choice. We came up with a 3-ingredient simple sauce combining mayonnaise, dijon mustard and paprika.
Another Gr8 sauce is the Lemon-Garlic Mayonnaise we serve with our Sweet Potato Squares (another delicious appetizer!).
My favorite is just to pop one in my mouth without sauce. I have even taken some from the freezer and added a few to each plate as a side dish with a meal.
Make-ahead Holiday Appetizer!
Right before Thanksgiving I make one batch and freeze them and then have enough to serve for Thanksgiving and Christmas. The ease of popping them in the oven straight from the freezer is Gr8!
The addition of the stuffing really gives that "holiday" flavor although they can be served anytime of the year.
Don’t forget to save a nibble for yourself!
Edited from the original publication of December 30, 2016.
Super Simple Spinach Balls
Special Equipment
- 1 ¼" cookie scoop, if available
- Cookie Sheet or Baking Pan
Ingredients
- 32 ounces frozen chopped spinach, thawed and excess moisture squeezed out
- 6 eggs, slightly beaten
- ¾ cup minced onion
- ¾ cup butter, melted
- 2 cups grated parmesan cheese
- 4 cups grated jack or pepper jack cheese, about 6 ounces
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
- ½ teaspoon cayenne
- 14 ounces Pepperidge Farm Stuffing, one large bag, classic stuffing (not cubed stuffing)
- Simple Sauce, recipe below
Simple Sauce
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- ½ teaspoon dijon mustard
- ¼ - ½ teaspoon paprika
Instructions
Spinach Balls
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
- Squeeze the excess water from the spinach and put into a large mixing bowl. (If the spinach is not chopped small enough, then go ahead and chop some more.)
- Add the remaining ingredients and mix well by hand. (I wear latex gloves while mixing and making the balls.)
- Form the mixture into 1-inch balls using a small cookie or ice cream scoop or just roll into a ball with your hands. (I use a medium cookie scoop.)
- Place the balls on a cookie sheet. They can be close together, just not touching.
- Bake for 8 - 10 minutes until warmed through and a bit golden brown.
- Let cool a few minutes and then transfer to a serving plate.
Simple Sauce
- Combine all ingredients and serve.
Video
Notes
Gr8 Do-Ahead Tip:
These spinach balls can be made through step 5 and then frozen on the cookie sheet for about an hour. Once frozen, put the balls in a plastic container or plastic freezer bag. They will keep for 1 - 2 months in the freezer. When ready to bake, take out as many balls as you need and bake as directed above for about 20-30 minutes (no need to thaw before baking).
Be a Gr8 Friend and tell us what you think!