Spinach is packed with nutrients, vitamins and minerals. It has a lot of health and nutritional benefits. Spinach is very versatile and can be included in so many recipes. It can be eaten raw or cooked and can be added to salads, pasta, sandwiches, stews, smoothies and dips.
This recipe will turn bland spinach leaves into delicious cheesy gems that everyone will want more of. These cheesy spinach bites can be served as appetisers, are great as party food or to take with you on picnics. They are also a great addition to your lunch boxes or in salads.
It is a super easy recipe to make and it only needs a couple of ingredients, most of which you probably already have them in your kitchen. You just need to mix everything together and form into small patties. The key trick to this recipe is to take out as much excess water from the spinach as possible. This will ensure that the listed amount of dry ingredients (in the form of oats and flax meal) are sufficient to bind all ingredients together.
With regards to cheese, I have opted for a vintage cheddar cheese as it is strong in flavour. However, you can use your favourite cheese, from mozzarella to emmentaler or even a semi hard goats’ cheese.
I have used rolled oats and flax meal for a gluten free recipe. However, you can also substitute these with 75g of breadcrumbs.
These spinach bites are perfect to prepare ahead and freeze. I often make two batches at a time as they keep in the freezer for up to 3 months… however, will be long gone well before then! 🙂 On the day that I need them, take them out of the freezer and put them straight into a pan or the oven to bake. You do not need to thaw them first! They are both delicious to serve warm or cold with your favourite dipping sauce.
I hope you try this recipe and enjoy them as much as we do! 😀
Gluten Free Cheesy Spinach Bites
Great as appetisers, for parties and picnics, and to include in your lunch boxes
Ingredients
- 175g spinach, squeezed
- 75g cheddar cheese, grated
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 50g rolled oats
- 1 tbsp flax meal
- 2 eggs, lightly beaten
- Salt & pepper
Directions
- Roughly chop the spinach leaves into smaller pieces.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the spinach, cheese, garlic, thyme, oregano, oats, flax meal and season with salt and pepper. Add the eggs and mix everything together.
- Prepare a baking tray with a baking paper to place the spinach bites on.
- Take a spoonful of the mixture (30-35g) at a time and roll into a ball. Flatten the ball and place it onto the baking paper. Repeat until all mixture is used. You can either freeze them at this stage or cook them.
- In a frying pan, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil on a medium high heat. Place the spinach patties and cook for 3-5 minutes on each side or until golden. You can also bake them in a preheated oven for 10-15 minutes until golden brown, turning them once half way through.
- Serve with some homemade ketchup or sriracha sauce.
- Notes:
- I have used both fresh and frozen spinach for this recipe. If using fresh, blanche the spinach leaves and place them in cold water immediately. If using frozen, let the spinach cubes thaw first. In both cases, squeeze out as much water as possible. The weight of the spinach above is after it has been drained and squeezed.
- You can use any cheese of your preference. However, I recommend one with a strong taste for extra cheesiness.
