Spinach Egg Muffins or "bites" with feta cheese are a low-carb version of fancy Greek spinach pie and they start with frozen spinach! It's hard to believe they have just 3 ingredients!
If you want to eat more spinach, then these spinach bites are the way to go! We tweaked our popular Cauliflower Muffins to come up with this healthy recipe that makes spinach something any kid or adult would love for an appetizer, snack, or even breakfast!
That's the thinking behind all our Healthy Veggie Egg Muffins. They're mostly vegetables with an egg and cheese gluing everything together. They could also be described as a "bite" or a "tot" because there's no flour at all.
Broccoli Muffins and Zucchini Egg Muffins use the same technique!
Ingredients and Variations
Here's what you'll need to make spinach muffins. And, I'll swear by it. You only need 3 ingredients!
- Spinach - frozen, chopped spinach that has been defrosted. In the next section, we talk about an easy, no-mess process for squeezing out the excess water.
- Frozen spinach comes in lots of different packaging sizes. We used a 15-ounce package (steam-in-the-bag product) that yielded about 1 ½ cups of packed spinach.
- If you use a slightly larger bag, then you may want to add another egg.
- If you use a 10-ounce bag, then cut back to about ⅓ cup of feta cheese.
- Feta Cheese - crumbled, full- or low-fat, depending upon your preference. Use a four-ounce container.
- Egg - One large or extra-large egg, which helps holds the spinach muffin together.
- Use 2 eggs for a more "eggy" cup. And, there is nothing wrong with that!
Additional ingredients you may want to add:
- Salt - add a pinch if desired. We did not need it.
- Garlic - couldn't hurt!
- Finely minced onion - don't add more than ¼ cup.
How to squeeze water out of frozen spinach
This tip will have you making Spinach Egg Muffins ALL THE TIME!
The main ingredient in this recipe is defrosted, chopped spinach, with excess water REMOVED. If you're like me, then you're thinking messy, messy, messy!
Here's how to easily remove it with minimal mess:
- Place an unopened package of frozen spinach in a bowl in the refrigerator, overnight. Trust me, the closed package will leak!
- The next day, pour spinach into a strainer and then press down on top of the spinach with another bowl or your hands to release the liquid into the sink or a plate.
- Very little spinach should escape the strainer, but you can always pick it up off the plate if it does.
- If necessary, blot it further with a paper towel. However, I did not need to do this.
Expert Tips
- Once water is removed from spinach it will be very compact. Use a fork to really break it up.
- Crumble any large pieces of feta cheese. The smaller the better!
- Mix really well so the egg and cheese is fully incorporated. These two ingredients help the muffins stick together.
- Use a 1 Tablespoon quick-release scoop to portion the spinach mixture into the muffin tin wells.
- Once the mixture is in the muffin tin, press down on it with a spoon or your fingers to compress it.
- Allow the spinach egg muffins to rest in the pan for 5 minutes after they've been removed from the oven before gently removing from them from the pan. They're delicate. But, they should be firm enough to pick up and eat with your fingers!
FAQ
Yes. Add about 5 minutes to the total cooking time. However, the bigger the muffin size, the easier it will break apart. Some people find it's better to add an additional egg for this size.
Be sure to spritz the wells of the muffin pan with non-stick cooking spray.
Yes! The easy way is to defrost the package of spinach in the refrigerator overnight. Otherwise, follow the microwave directions on the package for cooking the spinach. Either cook at a lower power level or cook it for a shorter period of time. It doesn't need to be piping hot, just completely defrosted.
Yes, if you prepare it first. Spend with Pennies has a nice tutorial on How to Substitute Fresh Spinach for Frozen.
Storage and Re-heating
Refrigerator: Store Spinach Feta Egg Muffins in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. For best results, reheat in a toaster oven for 2-3 minutes until warmed.
Freezer: Place muffins in a freezer bag in a single layer until frozen solid. After that, move them around as needed. But, you'll still need to be careful because they are delicate and spinach will chip away. Reheat from frozen for about 10 minutes or until warmed through.
Did you love this recipe? Please leave a rating and tag @DinnerMom or #DinnerMom on social media. We love to see and SHARE your creations!
Recipe Instructions
Spinach Egg Muffins - Just 3 Ingredients!
Ingredients
- 15 ounces chopped spinach defrosted; To yield 1 ½ cups of spinach once water is pressed out
- ½ cup feta cheese well crumbled; about 4 ounces
- 1 egg large or extra-large
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 °F.
- Remove excess water from defrosted spinach by placing it in a strainer and pressing down on top with a bowl or with hands, allowing water to drain onto a plate or in the sink.
- Combine spinach and feta cheese in a large bowl using a fork to break up clumped spinach and distribute feta cheese throughout the mixture.
- Lightly whisk one egg and stir it into the spinach/feta mixture until well-combined.
- Mound spinach mixture into a mini muffin tin that has been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray.
- Press mixture down with the back of a spoon or fingers.
- Bake for about 20 minutes or until firm and starting to brown.
- Allow spinach feta muffins to rest in the pan for about 5 minutes before serving and then enjoy!
Video
Notes
Nutrition
This recipe was originally published 10/22/2019. It was updated to improve the reader experience.
wilhelmina
These are the answer for my busy mornings! I have been looking for something easy to grab but still healthy. These are incredibly delicious, even my 5 year old loved them! I am going to try your broccoli version next!
Marjory Pilley
I'm so glad you enjoyed them!
Jessica Formicola
These little bites are so perfect for breakfast on the go! And I love how much spinach is packed in there! So delish!
Rocio
So easy and so delicious! COngrats for the recipe.
Lauren
Can you use fresh spinach?
Marjory Pilley
Hi! I've not tried it with fresh spinach. However, you should be able to. Love to know if you try it!
Debbie
These look delicious, healthy and easy! The pictures are of regular muffin tins but instructions say mini. So how many “mini” muffins does one recipe make? I have a pan of 48 and am trying to figure out the ingredients. I was planning to double it. Would that work for 48 minis?
Marjory Pilley
Hi! The pictures in the post are a mini muffin tin! The yield is 18 mini muffins. To make 48 you would need to triple the recipe! Let me know if you need more info. You should be able to adjust the servings in the recipe card!