These crispy golden Spinach Puffs make the perfect party appetizer or snack. The pastry cups are filled with a spinach, ricotta and feta cheese mixture and a touch of sun dried tomatoes for a flavor bomb in each bite!
I absolutely love anything to do with puff pastry! They're usually the first thing I grab from the appetizer table whenever I go to an event or gathering. I can never say no to crispy flaky puff pastry, especially when it's filled with a yummy mixture. I mean it's all in the filling right?? A lot of the time though, they're filled with cream cheese, and commonly with bacon…which I don't eat, so I've come up with a better combo!
In my opinion, spinach and ricotta have always been a match made in heaven and equally, spinach with ricotta too. So why not put all 3 together to make the perfect spinach puffs! The ricotta cheese is creamy and smooth, the feta cheese is tangy and salty so both complement each other perfectly. The final piece are the sun-dried tomatoes...they're smoky, full of flavor and bring these puffs together for the perfect bite.
Some other puff pastry ideas to try are my mushroom tart, upside-down puff pastries and vegetable pot pie.
What's great is that these spinach puffs are incredibly versatile. Everytime I serve them as a party appetizer to friends, they're always polished before anything else! You can also enjoy them as a savory snack, take them to a picnic and add to a brunch spread. They’re delicious warm or at room temperature, so you can pack them for kids or work lunches as well. I usually like to make a double batch of them and then freeze the extras, well thats if there are any left 😊
Table of Contents
What makes this recipe special
- Quick & Easy: Made with frozen puff pastry and easy steps anyone can make
- Delicious Combo: Crispy golden brown pastries filled with a delicious spinach, ricotta and feta cheese mixture
- Family-Friendly: Kids including picky eaters love the cheesy spinach filling
- Versatile: These puffs make the perfect appetizer for parties and also great for a snack
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Puff pastry is the base for our puffs. Frozen puff pastry dough is a huge time-saver and turns out beautifully golden, crispy and flaky once baked
- Spinach is the key part of the filling, I prefer frozen spinach for convenience. It's important to squeeze out the excess water so you don't have a soggy filling. Fresh spinach works as well, you'll have to just sauté or boil it first
- Ricotta cheese makes the spinach mixture creamy without being too heavy. It's also important to drain the excess liquid. Cream cheese is quite popular in making puffs, and can be substituted if you prefer
- Feta cheese adds a lovely salty flavor that pairs perfectly with spinach. You can substitute with parmesan cheese, or mozzarella cheese for a milder taste
- Sun-dried tomatoes bring a pop of tangy smoky flavor and a great vegetarian option rather than using bacon. You can also swap with roasted red peppers, caramelized onions or artichokes
How to make Spinach Puffs
These spinach puffs are one to impress and pack a punch of flavor. The best part is they are so easy to make! Follow my simple steps below.
Cut ricotta in pieces and place on paper towels for 10 minutes to drain excess liquid
Squeeze out the excess water from the spinach
In a large bowl, use kitchen scissors and chop spinach into pieces
Add the ricotta cheese and season with salt and black pepper. Mix to combine
Use scissors to chop up the sun dried tomatoes and crumble in the feta cheese. Mix to combine and taste for seasoning
Preheat oven to 375℉ / 190℃
Slice the puff pastry sheet into 9 equal rectangles or squares depending on your sheet
Spray a muffin tin with olive oil and place each sheet into the pan. Using your fingers gently press down the sheets to cover the insides of the cups (Note, you will have excess pastry over the sides - as pictured)
Add a heaped tablespoon of filling to each pastry and divide it evenly
Fold the two opposite sides of the puff pastry edges together in the middle so they meet, then fold the remaining two sides together and gently press in the middle to seal
Spray the tops with olive oil and bake for 20 - 25 minutes
Allow to cool for 5 minutes in the tray to set. Then remove one at a time by sliding a knife underneath to pop them out
Allow to cool for 5 minutes on a wire rack and its ready to serve!
Tips and Tricks
- Thaw the puff pastry slightly so it's easier to handle, however it's best not to be too soft. Slicing it on the parchment paper helps also
- It's important to squeeze out as much water as possible from the thawed spinach to avoid soggy puffs. I also like to roughly chop the spinach
- Draining the ricotta cheese is key as it holds a lot of liquid and moisture. Breaking into pieces and leaving on a paper towel is an easy and effective way
- I prefer to spray or brush the tops with oil before baking for a golden color. You can also brush with an egg wash if you prefer
- Don’t overstuff, as too much filling can lead to leaks. Stick to about a tablespoon per puff
- You can also make mini spinach puffs as canapés by slicing the puff pastry into smaller sizes with less filling
Storage Instructions
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days
- Eat at room temperature, or reheat in the oven, air fryer or a toaster oven for a few minutes until warm and crisp. The microwave will lose the crunch
- You can freeze leftovers too. Place in the freezer on a baking sheet then once frozen, transfer them to a freezer bag. Thaw in the fridge or at room temperature and reheat once ready
FAQs
Yes of course! Just boil or sauté it first, and make sure to remove any excess moisture
Absolutely! Mushrooms, parmesan cheese, artichokes, olives, or sautéed onions and garlic would make excellent additions
More Easy Appetizers
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
I love seeing your creations and remakes, so be sure to rate the recipe, comment and share your photo on Instagram so I can share the love!
Recipe
Spinach Puffs (Cheesy Feta and Ricotta)
Ingredients
- 7oz frozen spinach - thawed
- 7oz ricotta cheese
- 1 puff pastry sheet - approx 14 x 9 inches
- 2oz feta cheese
- 1oz sun dried tomatoes
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Drain ricotta by slicing into quarters and place pieces on a plate lined with a few paper towels for 10 minutes to remove the excess liquid
- In the meantime prepare the spinach by squeezing out all the excess water. Then using kitchen scissors roughly chop spinach into pieces
- Place the spinach and drained ricotta cheese in a large bowl and season with a good pinch of salt and black pepper. Mix to combine
- Crumble in the feta cheese and using kitchen scissors chop up the sun dried tomatoes into small pieces and add them in. Mix to combine and taste for seasoningPreheat oven to 375℉ / 190℃
- Slice the puff pastry sheet into 9 equal rectangles or squares depending on your sheet. Spray a muffin tin with olive oil spray and place each puff pastry sheet into the muffin pan
- Using your fingers gently press down the sheets to cover the insides of the cups. Note, you should have excess puff pastry over the sides (refer to pictures in post under the How to Make section as needed)
- Add a heaped tablespoon of the filling to each pastry and divide the mixture evenly. Fold the two opposite sides of the puff pastry edges together in the middle so they meet, then fold the remaining two sides together and gently press in the middle to sealSpray or brush the tops with olive oil and bake in the oven for 20 - 25 minutes depending on your oven strength. They should have puffed up and become a beautiful light golden brown color
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes in the tray to setCarefully remove them one at a time by sliding a knife underneath to pop them out. Allow to cool for 5 minutes on a wire rack then serve your golden crispy spinach puffs warm or at room temperature and enjoy!
Commandria says
Amazing.
Ayeh Manfre says
So happy to hear!
Maria says
So easy to make and so tasty. Thank you Ayeh, I love them and so does my family xo.
Ayeh Manfre says
Thrilled you loved them Maria 🙂
Pat says
Lovely recipe. Can you freeze these before baking?
Ayeh Manfre says
So glad you loved them Pat! I haven't tried freezing before baking myself yet, but I have frozen them after baking and they turn out great once thawed and reheated xx
Jeanie Waters says
I made these for the first time last night, without the tomatoes because I didn't have any. I added some sauteed mushrooms and onions instead. While they were cooling, I went into my room, when my roommate started screaming, calling my name. I rushed out the door, and she said "these are the BEST things I've tasted in my entire life!"
Thanks for the wonderful recipe!
Ayeh Manfre says
What a lovely comment! So happy you both loved them 🙂
Dawn parkyn says
Thank you for the recipe,my supermarket had sold out of filo today
So bought ready puff pastry,they turned out lovely,and such a quick recipe …
Ayeh Manfre says
Wonderful to hear Dawn 🙂