Crispy, golden puff pastry wrapped around a creamy spinach filling might sound fancy, but spinach puff pastry is actually one of the easiest appetizers you can throw together. Each flaky, bite-sized bundle combines the convenience of store-bought puff pastry with a quick homemade filling that turns spinach into something special.
My veggie-hating kids love these appetizers! It is probably because the buttery pastry makes the spinach feel less like a vegetable and more like a treat! Now, they’re a regular part of our game day spread, sitting right next to the chips and dips.
I love how these spinach puffs feel both special and completely doable. There are no complicated techniques or hard-to-find ingredients! The puff pastry does all the heavy lifting, creating impressive golden layers with zero effort on your part.
If you haven’t worked much with puff pastry, I get it – I used to be intimidated, too. But here’s the thing: modern frozen puff pastry is incredibly forgiving. And the filling is even easier – mix, scoop, and you’re done.
Let me walk you through the steps to make these crowd-pleasing spinach puff pastries, which will have kids and adults reaching for more. They’re vegetarian-friendly, can be made in big batches, and honestly, they look way more complicated than they actually are.
Looking for more easy appetizers? Try my loaded pizza fries, French onion meatballs, and Parmesan-crusted spinach bake.
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🥘Ingredient Notes
For exact amounts needed see the recipe card below
- Puff Pastry: thaw it in the refrigerator overnight or let it sit on the counter for 30 minutes until pliable.
- Fresh Spinach: You can use frozen in a pinch. Just thaw it and squeeze out ALL the excess moisture.
- Garlic
- Ricotta Cheese
- Mozzarella
- Egg
- Salt
- Pepper
🥣How to Make Exclusive Spinach Puff Pastry
- Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. While it’s heating up, line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- For the filling, heat a medium skillet over medium heat. Toss in chopped spinach, minced garlic, salt, and pepper. Give it a quick sauté for about 2 minutes until the spinach wilts. Set it aside to cool—hot filling and puff pastry don’t play well together!
- Roll out your thawed puff pastry on a lightly floured surface. You can either cut it into 10 circles using a biscuit cutter (a 2-inch diameter works great) or just go the easy route and cut squares. Both work perfectly!
- Drop about a tablespoon of ricotta in the center of each pastry piece. Top with 1-2 tablespoons of your cooled spinach mixture, then sprinkle with shredded mozzarella. Don’t overfill them.
- Brush the tops with beaten egg.
- Bake them in the oven for 18-20 minutes until golden brown and puffy.
- Let them cool for a few minutes before serving – the filling gets super hot!
🍴Serving Ideas
I love that these spinach puff pastries are totally party-perfect, but they’re just as amazing for a casual family dinner! They are the perfect simple appetizers for when you have friends over.
You can serve these versatile little bites in so many ways:
- As an elegant appetizer for your next dinner party
- Paired with a light salad for a lovely lunch
- As part of a brunch spread (they’re always the first to go at our family brunches)
- For an after-school snack that’s way more exciting than chips
- At room temperature on a picnic
While these pastries are good at room temperature, they’re at their best when served warm.
💭How to Store
If you’ve got leftovers, store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. To bring back that fresh-from-the-oven crispiness, reheat them in the oven at 350 degrees F for about 5-7 minutes. I avoid using the microwave because it makes the pastry soggy.
You can also freeze them unbaked. Assemble the pastries completely, but don’t egg wash them yet. Place them on a baking sheet and freeze until solid, about 2 hours.
Transfer to a freezer-safe bag and store for up to 3 months. When you are ready to bake, brush with egg wash and pop them straight into the oven frozen, adding 2-3 minutes to the baking time.
⭐Tips
Be sure to check out the step by step instructions
- Keep your puff pastry cold until you’re ready to use it. It needs to be not frozen but not warm, either.
- After sautéing the spinach, make sure it’s well-drained. Nobody wants soggy pastries!
- Experiment with add-ins like crumbled feta cheese, sauteed mushrooms, or caramelized onions.
📝Reader Questions
Yes, you can! Just make sure to thaw and squeeze out ALL the excess water. I prefer fresh spinach for the best texture, but frozen works too. Use about 1/2 cup of thawed frozen spinach to replace the 2 cups of fresh.
The most common culprit is warm pastry. If your puff pastry gets too warm before baking, the butter layers melt together and won’t create those lovely flaky layers. Always keep your pastry chilled until ready to use.
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Spinach Puff Pastry Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 sheet puff pastry thawed
- 2 cups fresh spinach chopped
- 1 garlic clove minced
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ cup ricotta cheese
- ¼ cup shredded mozzarella
- 1 egg beaten
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a medium skillet, sauté the chopped spinach with garlic, salt, and pepper over medium heat for about 2 minutes, until wilted. Remove from heat and let cool.2 cups fresh spinach, 1 garlic clove, ¼ teaspoon sea salt, ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- Roll out the puff pastry on a lightly floured surface and cut into 10 equal circles by using a 2 inch biscuit cutter. You can also just cut it into squares.1 sheet puff pastry
- Spread 1 tablespoon of ricotta in the center of each pastry. Place about 1–2 tablespoons of the spinach mixture in the center. Sprinkle them with the shredded mozzarella cheese.½ cup ricotta cheese, ¼ cup shredded mozzarella
- Brush the tops of the pastries with the beaten egg to give them a golden color when baked.1 egg
- Place the pastries on the prepared baking sheet and bake for 18–20 minutes or until golden brown and puffed.
- Let the pastries cool slightly before serving. Serve warm.
Notes
- Keep your puff pastry cold until you’re ready to use it. It needs to be not frozen but not warm, either.
- You can use frozen spinach, just make sure to thaw and squeeze out ALL the excess water. Use about 1/2 cup of thawed frozen spinach to replace the 2 cups of fresh.
- After sautéing the spinach, make sure it’s well-drained. Nobody wants soggy pastries!
- Experiment with add-ins like crumbled feta cheese, sauteed mushrooms, or caramelized onions.
- You can also freeze these before baking. Assemble the pastries completely, but don’t egg wash them yet. Place them on a baking sheet and freeze until solid, about 2 hours. Transfer to a freezer-safe bag and store for up to 3 months. When you are ready to bake, brush with egg wash and put them straight into the oven, adding 2-3 minutes to the baking time.
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Nutrition Information
Nutrition facts are estimates.