Easy Baked Spinach Balls with Gluten-free and Vegan Options

Easy baked spinach balls are low-carb, full of flavor and perfect to serve as an appetizer for holiday gatherings or any time of the year.

This recipe was posted a few years ago during the holiday season and every year it appears on my popular posts during the season. I’ve updated the pictures, and added some helpful tips to make this classic holiday appetizer even better.

These spinach balls are healthy and  super easy to make.  It only takes 10 ingredients to make them. Here is what you will need:  olive oil, spinach, onion, panko bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, garlic, eggs, sage, thyme, nutmeg, a baking sheet and parchment paper.

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The original recipe for easy baked spinach balls, which is below is made with cheese and panko bread crumbs which contain gluten.  I have included tested variations to make these tasty bites gluten-free, vegetarian,vegan and dairy free because everyone should be able to enjoy them.  I prefer the gluten-free version because I like the extra protein and texture that the almonds add.

Once you have a taste of these spinach balls, I’m sure you will agree that the ingredients blend beautifully together.  Even though they are full of nutrient rich spinach, I’ve seen plenty of non-spinach lovers chowing down on them.  You can serve them piping hot right out of the oven, at room temperature or with a dip.  We like to serve them with homemade onion dip.

Here is how to make Baked Spinach Balls

• Sautee onions and garlic
• Cook and drain spinach
• Squeeze out the water
• Mix the ingredients together
• Refrigerate the ingredients
• Roll the mixture into balls
• Bake the spinach balls

How to make spinach balls with fresh spinach

• Trim and wash the fresh spinach leaves
• Add the spinach to a pot of boiling water, turn the heat off and drain the spinach in cold water.
• Squeeze the water out of the spinach and chop with a sharp knife
• Add remaining ingredients and continue with remaining steps below

Can you freeze spinach balls?

Yes, you can freeze the spinach balls before they are baked.  Roll them up and place on plate or baking sheet and place in the freezer.  Once they are frozen, remove from baking sheet or plate and place in a freezer container. Once it’s time to bake them, place the frozen spinach balls onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake at 350 until done.  It may take a few minutes longer.

Tips for making Spinach Balls

• Squeeze as much water as you can out of the spinach before combining it with the other ingredients.  You can do this with your hands and simply squeezing the spinach or place in a salad spinner.
• Don’t skip the refrigeration step.  Once the mixture is cold it’s so much easier to form it into balls.

Make spinach balls gluten free and low-carb

• Use a food processor to chop almonds to the consistency of panko
• Substitute panko with finely 1/2 cup chopped almonds

Make spinach balls vegan

• Replace eggs with flax eggs (1 tablespoon flaxseed meal mixed with 3 tablespoons water per egg)
• Replace Parmesan cheese with an equal amount of nutritional yeast

Spinach balls variations

• Add two tablespoons of finely chopped sun-dried tomatoes
• Add a tablespoons of chopped kalamata olives
• Use feta or mozzarella cheese in place of the Parmesan cheese
• Add two to three tablespoons of pesto
• Swap out Parmesan cheese for feta, mozzarella or swiss

Spinach balls are more than a holiday appetizer!  Make up a batch of them and enjoy for lunch or a quick, healthy snack.  Store them in the fridge for up to four days.

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