Spinach and Feta Muffins

These Spinach and Feta Muffins are beautifully moist and packed with greens and salty feta. That healthy dose of greens makes them a great option if you have picky eaters at home.

Not only that, but these spinach feta muffins are easy to make and come together in well under an hour. Whether you make them for a leisurely weekend brunch with scrambled eggs and Nutella waffles, or you grab one as you’re running out the door in the morning, these savory muffins are perfect every time.

a basket filled with spinach and feta muffins.
Jump to:

Ingredients

  • spinach – I use pre-washed baby spinach for convenience.
  • feta – my go to is Valbreso because it is tangy and creamy. If you can’t find that, try to use a feta that is in block form and not pre-crumbled.

Variations and substitutions

  • If your garden overflows with kale like mine, make kale muffins! Or chard muffins. Or use beet greens.
  • Sub in cheddar, gruyere, or even a crumbly blue cheese for the feta in these muffins.
  • Play around with the secondary flavors. Use orange zest in place of lemon or skip it altogether. Add some garlic powder or dried herbs too.

Recipe tips and tricks

Baking ratios

In Ratio: The Simple Codes Behind the Craft of Everyday Cooking, Michael Ruhlman notes that quick breads and muffins have the same standard ratios. That is, by weight, two parts (or 8 ounces) flour to two parts liquid to one part egg and one part butter. You can see examples of this in my kale and cheese quickbread.

But the ratios don’t stop there. You can check out other baking ratios in these lemon lavender shortbread cookies and orange poppy seed waffles.

Step by step

Step 1: cook the spinach and squeeze out the water. This controls the moisture content in the batter and makes it easy to incorporate the spinach. Just imagine trying to make the feta and spinach muffin batter with those two cups of raw spinach!

three panels showing raw spinach reducing in volume after cooking.

 

Now make the muffin batter using the muffin method:

Step 2: combine all of the dry ingredients in a medium to large bowl. Whisk together the egg, milk, and butter and add them to the dry ingredients (Panel #1, below). Do not over-mix. The goal is to mix the dry and wet ingredients only just until you can’t see any more traces of flour.

Step 3: add the spinach and feta (Panel #2) and stir gently until just combined (Panel #3).

three panels showing ingredients being lightly stirred together.

Step 4: use a large cookie scoop or spoon to fill the muffins about two-thirds of the way full with the spinach feta muffin batter. Then sprinkle Parmesan on top.

two panels showing the spinach feta muffins in the muffin tray before and after adding Parmesan topping.

Step 5: bake the muffins until a toothpick inserted into the center of one comes out clean. If the Parmesan topping has not browned, you can stick the pan under the broiler for a minute or two.

Cool the feta and spinach muffins in the muffin tin for about 5 to 10 minutes. Then turn them out onto a cooling rack to cool completely.

spinach and feta muffins on a cooling rack.

What to serve with this savory muffin recipe

Need some ideas to round out your brunch? How about:

Recipe FAQs

Do I have to weigh my ingredients to make these feta and spinach muffins?

No, you don’t have to do anything, but you will have more consistent results if you weigh your ingredients, especially for baking.

Can I freeze these muffins?

Yes! Muffins freeze very well. Just let them cool, place them in a freezer bag, and squeeze out all of the air. To serve, pop them into an oven wrapped in foil.

Can I make these as mini muffins?

Yes, you can usually use the same recipe to make quick breads in loaf pans, muffins, or mini muffins like these banana bread mini muffins. Bake at the same temperature a few minutes less for mini muffins or longer for loaves.

Love this recipe? Please leave a 5-heart 💜💜💜💜💜 rating in the recipe card below. Let me know how much you loved it, or any problems you had, in the comments section further down.

Recipe

Spinach and Feta Muffins

5 from 2 votes
Category: Snack
Cuisine: Unspecified
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 22 minutes
Total Time: 42 minutes
Servings: 12 muffins
Calories: 198kcal
These spinach and feta muffins are beautifully moist, balanced with salty and rich flavors, and packed with greens. It's an easy savory bake for those of you with picky eaters in your home.
Print Recipe

Equipment

  • Standard muffin tin

Ingredients

  • 2 cups packed spinach
  • 1¾ cups (8 ounces or 226 grams) all-purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon lemon zest
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • pinch cayenne pepper
  • 1 cup (8 ounces or 226 grams) whole milk measure in a 2 cup measuring cup to save one bowl!
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 stick (8 tablespoons or 4 ounces or 113 grams) unsalted butter, melted plus more for greasing the muffin tin if desired
  • 1 cup (5.3 ounces or 150 grams) crumbled feta cheese
  • 2 tablespoons (0.5 ounce or 14 grams) grated Parmesan

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F.
  • Butter a twelve-cup muffin tin or line it with muffin liners.
  • Blanch or steam the spinach for 2 to 3 minutes until soft. Then drain it and squeeze out as much water as you possibly can.
    2 cups packed spinach
  • Combine the dry ingredients (flour, sugar, baking powder, lemon zest, salt, and cayenne pepper) in a medium-large bowl.
    1¾ cups (8 ounces or 226 grams) all-purpose flour, 1 tablespoon granulated sugar, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 1 teaspoon lemon zest, ½ teaspoon salt, pinch cayenne pepper
  • Add the eggs to the measuring cup with the milk and whisk.
    1 cup (8 ounces or 226 grams) whole milk, 2 eggs
  • Add the butter and the egg and milk mixture to the dry ingredients.
  • Stir just enough to wet the dry ingredients, and then add the spinach and crumbled feta and stir until combined.
    2 cups packed spinach, 1 stick (8 tablespoons or 4 ounces or 113 grams) unsalted butter, melted, 1 cup (5.3 ounces or 150 grams) crumbled feta cheese
  • Use a large cookie scoop or large spoon to fill the muffin cups.
  • Sprinkle the Parmesan on top of the muffin batter.
    2 tablespoons (0.5 ounce or 14 grams) grated Parmesan
  • Bake for 18 to 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the muffin comes out with just a few crumbs.
  • Switch your oven to broil and broil the muffins for 1 to 2 minutes until the Parmesan starts to brown.
  • Cool in the pan for 5 to 10 minutes and then remove to a cooling rack to cool completely.
  • Store in an airtight container at room temperature for a couple of days or in the refrigerator for a week.

Notes

  • Once the spinach has been blanched, these spinach and feta muffins come together quickly.
  • Remember not to over-mix your muffin batter or your muffins may become tough.
 

Nutrition

Calories: 198kcal | Carbohydrates: 17g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 61mg | Sodium: 345mg | Potassium: 96mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 836IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 148mg | Iron: 1mg
Love this recipe?Mention @Uglyducklingbakery or tag #uglyducklingbakery!

This recipe for spinach and feta muffins was originally created August 19, 2021 for the reddit 52 week baking challenge (Week 34: Brunch). It was last updated June 2, 2023.

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