Spinach Balls

My ten year old daughter thinks it's not Christmas without Spinach Balls. My original recipe called for a dash of fresh cayanne pepper which is very tasty with the combination of flavors. I always have to double this recipe and this year I should have tripled it. I had a lot of visitors this holiday season and even those that don't care for spinach tried and liked this appetizer. I baked these for 13 minutes; cooled completely; stored in an air tight container and refrigerated. When I wanted to serve, I baked spinach balls on a cookie sheet for 10 minutes at 350 and served warm. Perfect!

I have made these for years and they are always a big hit! These can be prepared days ahead and frozen. On the day of your party, just pull them out of the freezer and bake. I freeze them in the aluminum foil type pans, so they are ready to go right in the oven.

Yum! These are similar to the breaded spinach bites I got from Costco but with WAY less sodium. I just made my own bread crumbs from the heels of whole grain bread and added extra dried oregano & basil. I also added a handful of toasted and ground pecans which gave a nice flavor and some extra protein. I used less melted butter and added some olive oil instead. Next time I will throw in a handful of wheat germ also. I used them as faux meatballs with spaghetti. I will make these again!

These freeze beautifully before they are baked to have on hand as needed. Just thaw for 30 minutes and bake as directed. I have always doubled the recipe but only use 3/4 cup butter rather than a full cup.

I added onion and 1/2 parmesian, 1/2 feta cheese. They were delicious! Even people who don't normally like spinach enjoyed them.

Had lost my original recipe for Spinach Balls and made this recipe for a wedding this past weekend. I was in Oklahoma and many thought they were sausage balls. However, they were a big hit! I didn't change any of the ingredients. I strongly agree with the previous 5* ratings. FYI: For 150 people, we made the used 12 boxes of spinach. Definitely plan on 3 bites per person, many had more. We made them on Wednesday, cooled and stored them in large zip lock bags. We thawed and reheated them for the wedding on Saturday night. No problem!!

Delish!!! I like making these with other cheeses like cheddar and mozzarella too. I put all the ingredients into the food processor and whir them together - super fast, super easy, and super yummy!

Good but was lacking something. I altered recipe to include 1/2 chopped and sautéed onion, dash cayenne pepper, 1 clove of minced garlic and 1/2 cup of feta cheese. Took the recipe to 5 stars then. I served with another reviewers suggestion of: mustard sauce 1/2 c sour cream, 1 tsp yellow mustard, dash of worcestershire and 1 tsp soy sauce. Good.

I make this recipe all the time. Today I used the mix to stuff mini pumpkins. Baked at 375 for 45 minutes. It turned out great and looked amazing. I added the picture.

This recipe is very forgiving. Realized I had no spinach, so I subsituted frozen broccoli instead. So good! I recommend making the balls bigger though, the small ones come out too crispy. Will make again and try with fresh broccoli.

Made a healthy version: 1 10oz pkg of frozen chopped spinach thawed and drained 2 cups of Italian Style Panko 3/4 cup of reduced fat Sharp Cheddar Cheese 2 tsp garlic powder 1/2 tsp black pepper 1 tsp Italian Seasoning 2 tsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil 2 Eggs 2 tbsp of Bragg's Amino Acid (or Tamari) This was so delicious without the butter and the panko is made with wheat flour instead of white!

I have made these before, and really liked them. I think the problem some people are having is using breadcrumbs instead of stuffing mix. I think the breadcrumbs compact too much, and when I use stuffing mix, I actually use the 1 cup of water and make the stuffing. My spinach balls are tender and soft, and absolutely delicious. I also tweak the recipe, and add different cheeses etc. I DO NOT add any butter or oil, and they are fine. I use a one inch ice cream scoop and it works perfectly for the 20 minutes at 350, and use silicone aluminum foil, so they do not stick. I also have made broccoli balls, and they are great too. Am now thinking about cauliflower balls, lord help me.

I made these last night, but I had to adjust the recipe quiet a bit. First I scaled the recipe to make about 30 spinach balls. I used three 10 oz packages of spinach. About 2 cups of Italian bread crumbs instead of the 5 cups it said. I also adjusted the butter and eggs. Otherwise it would have been too mushy. Even with less butter it still was a bit too much. The way I made them they turned out perfect. The prep and cooking time was longer though. I put the spinach in the toaster oven to dry it out easier and I ended up baking these for about 30 minutes instead of 20. This recipe is a good guide though.

Made these as an appetizer for a party last week- double the recipe they go fast! Really delicious~ thanks Jen!

Really good for finger food at a dinner party, but a little dry.

Wow! I had never heard of spinach balls, but had to use up some fresh spinach, so I thought I would try these. These are really good! I didn't have stuffing, so I used italian style bread crumbs. I added garlic and white onion cooked in EVOO, then added the spinach in and added just 2 tbsp of butter at the end, then added to the dry ingredients, plus a little cayenne. I used shredded parmesan (didn't have any grated) and the result was sooo yummy. Even my super picky 5 year old, and my non-spinach loving hubby liked them! Thanks for the delicious recipe!

I found these quite bland - definitely use sharp cheese and don't be afraid to spice them up a bit more - I'll put in crushed garlic and a heap more herbs next time.

I made these twice over the Mardi Gras season, the first time using co-workers as my testers and next for a Lundi Gras party with minor changes. The first batch dripped butter after baking, but co-workers loved them. I thought it wouldn't hurt to reduce the butter to about 2 tablespoons. Then I added about a half cup of finely chopped walnuts (I like crunch!). Pecans or pine nuts would be good too. Shorter baking time - about 12 to 15 minutes - less butter and the addition of nuts really enhanced the balls. I also made them a little smaller - about 3/4" in diameter, and got about 4 dozen. My friend's husband had the leftovers over spaghetti sauce and loved them even more! Thanks!

Wow! I just made them and followed the recipe almost exactly, except for putting in slightly less butter. I am typing this as my two kids, ages 2 and 4, are stuffing their mouths. Phenomenal! My kids haven't touched spinach for quite some time. I love this recipe, it's a keeper!!! UPDATED: Spinach-hating hubby loved it too!

LOVE these!! I followed the recipe exact and they're just delicious. Everyone liked them but my son & I really loved them and (DON'T TELL HIM) he hates stuffing, he hasn't had any of any kind in years - he's refused to eat any since he was little so needless to say I didn't tell him that these are made with stuffing mix lol and he said quote "the spinach balls were a lot better than I thought they would be!" I'm so happy about that - we'll definitely have these regularly :)

Added chopped green onions and a dash of nutmeg. Good served with a nice honey bourbon mustard for dipping.

We really enjoyed this recipe. Does anyone have any suggestions on how to keep them warm after you remove them from the oven. They became cold very quickly.

These are very good! I think they can become salty easily- so watch out for that! My family really likes these, and they're quick and easy!

These are PERFECT for Thanksgiving and Christmas appetizers, we make them every year! My personal recipe, which I got from somewhere else, requires 2 packages of spinach and also half of an onion, chopped. I think that helps with the dryness. Also substituted garlic salt for powder, and made them even tastier!

These are fantastic! I brought them to a party, and people loved them! I think I'll try subbing some of the bread crumbs with ground oatmeal, and using some olive oil in place of some of the butter.

I have been making this recipe for years. I freeze them in a container lined with wax paper and bake when needed. I keep them on hand for last minute party guests. These always go quickly even with the youngsters.

These were delicious!! I added a lot more cheese. Any kind of cheese can be used. Served with a spicy marinara sauce. Will def be making again!

These were delicious! I had never made spinach balls before and they turned out great and everyone loved them!

Excellent recipe! For me, they tasted even better the next day. I will definitely use this one again. Thanks!

These are very dry. I think they contain too many bread crumbs and too little spinach.

Very good! Followed recipe exactly. Would make a great appetizer.

These were good, these were okay, nothing too spectacular. I followed the recipe except I added more spices to try and get more flavor into these balls. I baked for 17 mins. I served with a marinara sauce. Again, these were good, just don't expect greatness.

Absolutely delectable!!! I make these for every party and they are gone in seconds. I have had to photocopy the recipe a million times for friends. Preparation is quick and easy and most people have the ingredients on hand. It's just a great recipe.

These are a great nutritious snack to have on hand or for a party. Instead of stuffing I used what I had, which meant a mix of quinoa, chopped walnuts, and breadcrumbs. And cheddar cheese instead of parm. They're like spinach cookies haha!

I just love spainch balls it is as simple as that!

If you chop the spinach up really really fine in the food processer, they look much better when they are done baking. They are best dipped in marinara sauce. Super good!

Very good! I have friends that don't eat meat and I have been looking for a good appetizer for them and this turned out PERFECT! I froze the left overs and reheated them a week later and they were still very good! I will make this again! Thanks for the recipe!

These are easy and outstanding! Now if you want to take it into another stratosphere, serve with this easy but AMAZING sauce (so not kidding) that I found when making appetizers for our NY eve party: http://hostthetoast.com/crab-cakes/#comment-191639

an awesome appetizer!

They were ok, not a huge hit, but pretty good.

Ok taste. I've had other spinach balls that were better. These were too dry.

great recipe! i made a dip w. mayo, sour cream, lemon juice, garlic & dill it went really well w. these. next time i make these i'll roll them a little smaller & double the recipe cause they went so fast

Fantastic however that is my opinion. For whatever strange reason was not a hit with my extended family when I made them a few Christmas's in a row!! Try dipping them in a little green Tabasco sauce for a kick. My opinion is they are Super tasty & very easy. Definately Superior to the breadcrumb version on this site. I think my family who didn't like them are nuts.

Wow! These exceeded my expectations by far! I made them to add a vegetarian option for a party, and they ended up being the most popular dish of all. So quick and easy to mix in the stand mixer, then portioned out with a cookie scoop. These are going to become a standard for us...and I didn't change the recipe a bit. Thanks for sharing!!!

I really liked these. Mine did come out a little dry, but dipped in various sauces is delicious!!! These little tasty morsels will be revisiting my kitchen again :)

I was looking for vegetarian appetizers and found this. They were very good. I sub-ed a can of artichoke hearts for one of the packages of spinach. (Just because) Just drained and chopped them. Also sautéed onions and garlic in the butter. And used bread crumbs instead of the stuffing mix, so I upped the Italian seasoning a bit. Served with Marinara sauce and there were none left!

Watch out - these little guys are lethal. My husband came home late from a flight and he ended up eating half the batch, just standing and chatting. I've started the second go-around now. I used fresh spinach on hand, boiled it down. I'd use some Pam spray on the pan, they sorta stuck. Dipped in homemade marinara sauce - yum!!!!

absolutely delicious! i made it with broccoli. it was super

I make these all the time and almost never get any because they are gone before I have a chance. The only thing I do different is season the mixture with minced garlic, garlic powder pepper. I also sautee bacon and onions then mix them in the mixture. It comes out awesome. One time I also added ground beef and that turned out well too.

This recipe isn't bad, but it was better when I made the changes recommended by previous posters. I reduced the garlic and the butter, just slightly; but I increased the spinach to 12 oz. I also added one third of an onion, diced and sautéed. They were great!

Made this as an hors d'oeuvre for Thanksgiving and they flew off the plate. I took the advice of some reviewers and added a pinch of cayenne. Served with marinara sauce for dipping. This recipe is a winner!

VERY good and VERY easy. I made a whole bunch of them thinking I would freeze them....and they all got eaten before I could sneak them to the freezer!

I *love* this recipe. This is a very easy recipe to bring to holidays or office parties. They're almost as good cold as they were warm. They go great with a rich sauce or dip like a hollendaise as well. Next time I'm adding some chopped up broccoli form a little more texture. Delicious.

I made these and froze them. They were good, but not great. They definitely need a dipping sauce.

I thought these were very very bland and completely dry. I think the basis of the recipe is a good concept, but definitely needs alot of work to jazz them up.

Thank you for this delicious recipe.

These were too dry. I followed the recipe exactly and was very disappointed. Not one person at our party had seconds.

Deliciously moist. My 3 year old just entered the "veggies are yucky" phase and these fooled her into thinking that they're regular meatballs. I melted some mozzarella on top and she loved it.

super easy! you can keep ingredients on hand so you can make as a last minute appetizer (or even side dish) mine came out a little dry. I think I let them cook to long (25 mins) because they didn't look golden. but I fixed it by dipping them in pizza sauce (or marinara). I think this could be really good as an appetizer or as a side dish with pasta (in place of garlic bread) good as is but now that I have tried it I can see how the other suggestions with cheddar cheese and cayenne pepper would be delicious too

My spinach balls were too moist and tasted heavy with butter. I first measured out my stuffing to 2 cups BEFORE crushing them so I might have had too little stuffing to soak up the butter. Still delicious however. Served it with marinara sauce. Added 2 teaspoons of chili flakes b/c I like things hot.

Mediocre and a bit dry.

Thank you for the recipe. I remember these from my childhood Christmas. My Mother always made these. They are delicious!

Very good. I thought they could use more garlic, but I LOVE garlic.

My Gram always makes these for christmas and thanksgiving. I made them to take to a picnic this summer. Everyone thought they were delicious (even the kids). I enjoy any way to get the kids to eat spinach. Also they were good for a picnic because leaving them sit out for the afternoon didn't affect them at all.

Loved these, so easy to make and very tasty. Followed recipe exactly and came out with perfect results. Used a small cookie scoop to make the spinach balls. My family and company raved over these little appys. Perfect to make up, freeze and store in a zip lock bag and cook when you want. Will make again. Thanks for a tasty recipe!

They tasted good, had good potential, but were dry. Probably won't make again unless I can come up with a way to make them a bit more moist.

sooo easy and sooo yummy!!!

I'd been looking for this recipe for a while after having leftovers of these at a friends house. Turns out though I prefer them reheated leftovers then fresh out of the oven!

Wonderful! I made these as a side dish for dinner today following the recipe exactly, only cutting back a bit on the bread crumbs. My husband flipped for these and between the two of us, we ate all but three of them! I am going to love adding these to my menu as an appetizer for my next party!

My best bud made these nice little appetizers last night and they were delicious! They were moist and just perfect as is. Thanks so much!

They were a big hit!

Very easy and tasty! I added mushrooms and cayenne pepper, but otherwise followed the recipe to a T. I served them over spaghetti with marinara sauce for a simple, fast dinner.

I used fresh spinach and a food processor just on pulse / chop. Baked the balls as a side to my tilapia dish. Everyone loves them! So simple!

I love this recipe. Everyone who has tried it loves this recipe. It is a spot on, perfect recipe. No changes required.

I was looking for a vegetarian app and am so glad I found these. They flew off the plate at the party I attended! The only adjustment I made was adding about a quarter of an onion, sauteed. I make them often now due to request. Dee-licious!

Oh these bring back memories... my grandma always made these, so they remind me of her. I love spinach balls :) They're so addicting! I think she used mozzarella cheese, can't remember.

The taste was pretty good, but no other family member wanted them. They smelled great cooking, but definitely cooled off too quickly for my little ones. They wouldn't touch them unless they were warm. I tried them because I needed some vegetarian apt. for Thanksgiving...will keep looking.

I have made these before for an appetizer on Christmas Day! So easy and they go quick;-)!!! Will make again!

oh my gosh...these were such a big hit. I cut the recipe in half to start off. I did make some changes though, which i thought would be for the best. I used hard crutons instead of stuffing mix, cheese & garlic and restaurant style---3:1 ratio. I also put in handful of pine nuts for some added protein, since we're vegetarian. hmm i think that was it...oh yeah i flipped em half way through. They were great by themselves and with spaghetti noodles and sauce. YUMMY will do again real soon!!!

I have also made these for years, and they are always popular. I recommend a tangy sauce to dip them in-- I have used a dijon sauce and a mustardcranberry sauce that both went very well with the spinach balls.

I was pleasantly surprised by these! I really just wanted to use up some stuffing mix but these were so easy and tasted really good, considering the simple ingredients! I let the stuffing mix soak in the beaten egg (used egg substitute, actually) until it was mushy, then added the rest of the ingredients. I think that might have helped them stay moist. I used melted non-hydrogenated butter spread to make it a little healthier, and fresh spinach. If you do use fresh, make sure to chop it very finely or else you'll end up with ugly spinach balls - next time I might even whip it up a bit in the food processor.

I tested these out on my picky 8-year-old (who refuses to eat meat) and her two friends. They looked at them kind of funny at first, but then grabbed them and ran outside. Five minutes later they came running in for more. Next time I might use unsalted butter to cut down on sodium.

These are an excellent appetizer for any event. I love making them when it's convenient and then popping them in the freezer in a plastic bag. I pull out as many or as few as I need to serve myself or guests.

I used this recipe as a loose guide. My changes: 1/2 C Parm- 1/4 C Chevre- 1/4 C Feta. 1/3 C melted Earth Balance margerine- 1/3 C Olive oil. 1 teaspoon Garlic powder-1/2 teaspoon pepper. 1 Cup italian bread crumbs.

If I could give 4 1/2 stars I would. These were just a little dry for my taste. I think if I made them again I would reduce the amount of stuffing.

I liked these, although bf didn't, so I'll give them a 3 to be fair. I had about 2/3 cup of butter so I just used that. I also used about 1/2 cup less of the stuffing mix, although I didn't use stuffing mix--used seasoned breadcrumbs that I had. I mixed the breadcrumbs in a 1/2 c at a time until it seemed the right consistency. I also used fresh spinach, as I didn't have frozen, and I think that might have changed the amount of breadcrumbs needed since fresh is much less wet that frozen. I used the food processor to cut up the spinach so that it was cut very finely. Mine were perfect at 20 minutes in the oven.

Everyone raves about these whenever I make them. Great recipe!

Really really good! .It’s simple, healthy, and delicious! I will definitely be making this recipe again!

Wonderful recipe...very similar to my grandma's. I would recommend using unseasoned stuffing mix or omitting Italian seasoning...it can be a bit overpowering. Great way to get kids to eat spinach, my 5yr old loves them. Also great for vegetarians...use as a replacement for meatballs in spaghetti :)

Easy to make and went over well for an appetizer at holiday time! I might even consider making these into larger pancake sizes and serving them as a side dish.

Not very spinachy tasting. Bland. And very dry (even though I took them out of the oven prior to the 20 minutes listed in the directions).

This is one of my favorite snacks! I used a combo of fresh/frozen spinach. I prefer less breading, so I ended up picked a lot of it out and throwing it away. But the flavors are great. Excellent substitute for french fries or other starchy foods. Thanks!

Very good --- kids enjoyed eating them. Will try them next time with modified ingredient amounts --- think we can cut down on the butter.

excellent recipe! Made exactly as stated.

Made these for Christmas eve and they were great...fastest thing to go by far. I made them exactly as the recipe calls for, and served them with hot marinara sauce, which I think was a good touch.

Super easy & very good...but using that much butter and the high sodium kind of negates the healthy spinach. If I were to make them again I'd use 2 packs of spinach & cut the butter to 1/4 cup. They are dry, so marinara sauce is a plus.

I doubled the recipe and I debated about the amount of bread crumbs and I was right, 4cups was way too much. So watch out even on doing it single.

It's so yummy and delicious. I love this recipe, and it is a very easy for me to make for to bring to holidays or parties. I will make them again in the future.

Good but too unhealthy to make again.