Cheesy Spinach Puffs (One Pan)

Quick and easy spinach puffs, homemade with simple ingredients in one pan in 30 minutes. Flaky pastry is filled with cream cheese, mozzarella cheese, frozen spinach, garlic and Italian herbs.

These savory, creamy puffs are the best appetizer ever. They are loaded with cheese, spinach, and seasonings. Combine that together and you end up with a phenomenal flavor all packed in a tender flaky pastry. If you love puff pastry as much as I do, then this Chicken Puff Pastry and these Cranberry Brie Bites will also be a hit in your house.

How To Make Spinach Puffs From Scratch?

1. Unroll puff pastry sheets- Cut out 9 square pieces.
2. Make filling- By mixing together cream cheese, mozzarella cheese, spinach, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper.
3. Fill pastry- A tablespoon is enough.
4. Add cover- Cover filling with another square piece of puff pastry.
5. Bake- Until golden brown.

What To Serve With Spinach Puff Pastry?

You can enjoy it on its own but it can also be served along with other appetizer dips such as: Easy Hummus (One Bowl), Baba Ganoush (One Bowl), or Roasted Red Pepper Hummus (One Bowl). You can also serve alongside ranch sauce or sweet chili sauce or just plain ketchup.

It would also be a nice side dish with soup like Curried Butternut Squash Soup (One Pot), Carrot Ginger Soup (One Pot), or Sweet Potato Soup (One Pot).

Stews, pot roasts and chilis are another nice accompaniment because they have a lot of liquid or broth that can be absorbed into the puffs. Try this Easy Beef Stew or this Easy Chili.

Variations For Spinach Pastry

Spinach and ricotta pastry- Add ricotta for additional texture and flavor.

Spinach and feta puff pastry- Add feta for a salty cheese flavor.

Make rolls or other shapes- Such as triangles, half-circles, or whole circles.

Make one big puff pastry- Instead of creating individual bites. Then, prior to serving, slice this large pastry.

Add bacon- For an added salty flavor.

Add caramelized onions- For a savory sweet flavor addition.

Add other vegetables- Such as kale or artichokes.

Add meat- Such as shredded rotisserie chicken or leftover Creamy Lemon Garlic Chicken (One Pot)

Add pine nuts- For a subtle crunch and texture change.

Add other herbs/seasoning- Such as Greek seasoning or other fresh herbs such as chives or dill.

Tips And Techniques

How do you use puff pastry? Use puff pastry as a flaky crust for desserts such as turnovers, for appetizers like this, or to hold savory or sweet fillings. The possibilities are almost endless.

Do you poke holes in puff pastry? No, that is not necessary. This releases all the steam and will cause the pastry to become flat. For this recipe, you want a puffy flaky crust.

Why is my puff pastry soggy? If you leave uncooked puff pastry out too long before using it, the dough will become soggy because the butter will melt. Simply chill it in the fridge till it is the right consistency again. Another reason could be they were baked too close together and didn't get a chance to evenly bake and air out. Furthermore, another reason is that the filling was heavily water-based and that excess liquid got absorbed into the pastry.

How do I know when the spinach puffs are done? They are typically done when they become golden brown on top and firm along the edges and they also rise and become "puffy."

How many squares do I cut in total? There should be 18 (3x3inch) squares total. This means 9 squares per sheet of pastry puff.

Make sure the edges are pressed together tightly– Because this prevents the filling and cheese from oozing out from the sides during baking.

Do I thaw the puff pastry before cutting it? Yes, make sure to thaw it or else it would be rock solid and you can't cut it and it will break if you try to put force.

Can I use fresh spinach in the puffs? No, I recommend using frozen spinach that has been thawed, and the excess water removed. This yields the best results. Fresh spinach will release too much water in the pastry and make it soggy.

Line baking trays with parchment paper- Because this prevents sticking and burning. Also, don't use wax paper because that can catch fire in the oven.

Don't over-fill- Because the filling can leak out during baking and make a mess.

Storage

Refrigerate- These taste best when served immediately but leftovers can be stored in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 2 days.

Freeze- Once baked, these puffs cannot be frozen because they will become soggy upon thawing.

Reheat- In the microwave or oven but they won't be as crispy any more. 

More One Pot Appetizers

• Baked Buffalo Cauliflower Wings (One Pan)
• Caprese Skewers (One Pan)
• Easy Pigs In A Blanket (One Pan)
• Buffalo Chicken Dip Recipe (One Pot)
• Mini Cheese Balls (One Bowl)

Recipe