Quick Spinach Cheese Balls - is an easy and quick appetizer. This is a healthier version of traditional croquettes. You can make them healthier by baking them in the oven or the air fryer. Let us see how to make spinach cheese balls with step-by-step instructions and photos.
Appetizers!!! Who doesn't love them? Easy to make and delicious finger foods are the most loved foods irrespective of the age group. These are again one of the favorite food for toddlers and kids.
My kid who is 4 yrs old now loves potato bites and any cheesy appetizers. Since we know they love such food we try to include healthy ingredients in this. This is one of the ways we have to introduce green leafy vegetables to the kid's diet.
Apart from being kids-friendly, these spinach cheese balls are great vegetarian appetizers and snacks. This is also keto-friendly. So if you are following the keto diet and craving home yummy snacks, make these cheese balls and treat yourself. These cheese balls are vegetarian since they have cheese stuffing.
Also read similar healthy appetizers on my blog like Vegetable Seekh Kabab, Crispy Corn Kabab, Hara Bhara Kabab, and Veg Shammi Kabab. Check out 31 vegetarian appetizers. Also, read my super hit recipe Easy & Quick Potato Lollipops.
Highlights -
Easy to make
Quick/ less than 30 minutes
Few ingredients required
no planning of recipe
healthy snacks
can be baked in the oven and air fryer
Spinach - A Superfood
Do you agree spinach is one of the healthiest vegetables? This is low in carb, low (or zero) in fat, and has tons of health benefits. You must include this in your diet but with a limited portion size. If you have any medical condition like kidney stones, etc, that says no to spinach, please avoid taking spinach. For more about the benefits of spinach leaves read it here. It also has the best 15 vegetarian spinach recipes.
How to make spinach cheese balls?
These spinach cheese balls are also super easy to make. Here I'm using mozzarella cheese and you can take any processed cheese. I'm stuffing diced cheese cubes. You need to dice and thaw them for 10 - 15 minutes at room temperature. This will give you the best melting cheese after being fried.
Ingredients you will need -
Bunch of spinach leaves - these are the main ingredients along with cheese. Cut out the spine stalk part of the spinach. Take it whole for the tender greens. You don't need to overcook the spinach. Just wilt them and give them a cold bath.
Cheese - You can take any cheese that's been available to you. Any cheese that melts is absolutely fine for this recipe. You can also take mozzarella sticks and dice them into 4 - 5 equal parts.
Garlic powder + Onion powder - garlic and onion powder add the most flavor to the spinach leaves. garlic flavor doubles the taste of spinach recipes in fact.
Other Seasonings - Salt + Pepper + Chili flakes. These are enough for the spinach cheese balls. However, you can add some other seasonings of your choice and try.
Vegetable oil - Originally this recipe is a deep-fried one. You can also bake them or air fry them to reduce the oil intake as well.
Instructions -
Blanch the spinach leaves for 3 minutes or till it's just wilted. Then remove from hot water immediately and place in ice water. Let it cool down completely.
Then remove from the water and squeeze out completely (as much as possible). Take the help of a muslin cloth to remove excess water.
Add bread crumbs and seasonings. Mix them nicely and make a dough-like consistency. Place it in a bowl and cover with a cling wrap and place in the refrigerator for 15 - 20 minutes. This helps it to set a little more.
In the meanwhile remove the cheese cubes and dice them into desired sizes. Thaw it for 5 - 10 minutes at room temperature for the best melting cheesy experience. If you are taking grated cheese for stuffing, add a little Italian seasoning and chili flakes too.
Now remove the spinach mixture and divide it into equal-sized balls approximately the size of a lemon. Grease your palms with little oil. Flatten the ball and make space for the cheese.
Place cheese cube or cheese mixture and seal the disc from all sides making it a ball again. Roll it gently in between palms making sure there are no cracks on the balls. Else it will fall apart when deep frying.
Now heat oil in a frying pan. And drop the balls one by one. Fry them nicely for 3 - 4 minutes or till they look done nicely. Don't overcrowd the pan. Fry them in batches of 5 - 6 maximum for every batch.
Baked spinach cheese balls
Alternatively, you can bake them in the oven or in the air fryer. Preheat the oven. Place the croquettes or spinach cheese balls on a greased baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Cook at 400 F for 15 minutes. Then remove from the oven and flip once. Again cook for 10 minutes minutes.
This is a no potato recipe. So this is one best appetizers for diabetic patients as well. However, I would suggest if you are making it, especially for kids, you may consider adding mashed potatoes also for enhanced taste. Also read Spinach Corn Sandwich for kids.
This is an easy appetizer and healthy as well. It's good food for them also who are undergoing Keto Diet. Read more about Keto Diet and keto vegetarian dishes.
Recipe Card for Cheese Spinach Balls
Quick Spinach Cheese Balls
Equipment
Ingredients
- 8 oz Spinach leaves (½ pound )
- 1 tsp onion powder
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp red chilli powder optional
- 1½ tsp chili flakes
- salt to taste
- 3 cubes mozzarella cheese
- ¼ - ½ cup bread crumbs as required to make required consistency
- 1 cup oil for deep frying
Instructions
- Blanch spinach leaves for 2 - 3 minutes. Remove from hot water and transfer to iced water to retain color and stop further cooking. Then remove and strain out excess water.
- Squeeze out the water. Grind to a paste without water.
- Add bread crumbs, salt, red chilli powder, onion powder, garlic powder. Mix them together and make a dough like mixture.
- Keep in refrigerator for 30 minutes to set properly. Then take out and divide into equal portions of lemon size.
- Apply oil on palms and flatten the spinach ball making a disc shape.
- Divide one cheese cube into 4 equal parts. Place the 1/4 of one cheese cube on spinach disc.
- Cover it from all ends. Roll on palms till it turns complete circle.
- Make sure there is no crack left on ball.
- Repeat for all balls.
- Heat oil in a pan. Deep fry the balls till they turn their color slightly. Remove from heat and place on paper napkins.
- Spinach balls are ready to serve.
Video
Notes
- Remove the central stalk part for a smooth spinach mixture.
- Wilt the spinach greens (don't overcook).
- Remove and place them in ice water to stop overcooking.
Nutrition
If you like the recipes and want to stay updated, subscribe via email. Also, I would request you to like and share my Facebook Page. Follow My Dainty Kitchen on Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest.
PIN IT FOR LATER
Leave a Comment (And a 5 Star Rating)