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.
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!
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).
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.
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.
What to serve with this savory muffin recipe
Need some ideas to round out your brunch? How about:
- an egg dish like a bacon kale frittata or butternut squash quiche.
- orange zest French toast.
- waffles like these peanut butter waffles or waffles with ham and cheese.
- a breakfast cake like my blackberry lemon loaf or coffee walnut pound cake.
- scones with chocolate chips or Earl Grey scones.
- yogurt or a mixed berry smoothie bowl topped with homemade granola.
Recipe FAQs
No, you don’t have to do anything, but you will have more consistent results if you weigh your ingredients, especially for baking.
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.
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.
Related muffin recipes
Check out some other Ugly Duckling Bakery muffin recipes like:
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.
Spinach and Feta Muffins
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
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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Previous challenges
Week 1: New Year new recipe – blueberry galette
Week 2: seasonal – Smitten Kitchen’s grapefruit pound cake
Week 3: Great British Bake Off – Kate’s sticky toffee apple caramel cake
Week 4: Australia – sausage rolls
Week 5: bite sized – bite-sized cookies
Week 6: Chinese New Year – mushroom bao
Week 7: new tool – baguette baker
Week 8: chocolate – chocolate peanut butter bonbons
Week 9: timed bake – under 1 hour! chocolate chip scones
Week 10: allergy/diet restriction – macarons
Week 11: quick breads – kale bread
Week 12: signature bake – purple cow bread
Week 13: enriched breads (kale and cheese babka fail)
Week 14: childhood favorite –fudgy triple layer chocolate cake with chocolate ganache frosting
Week 15: decorating challenge – purple velvet cake
Week 16: crispy crunchy – bacon cheddar popcorn
Week 17: p52 of a favorite cookbook, or your favorite blog – chocolate peanut butter drip cake
Week 18: pâte à choux – bacon cheese puffs
Week 19: veggies turned sweet – red velvet beet waffles
Week 20: plating – mini chocolate chip cookies
Week 21: Birthday Party! – chocolate orange cake
Weed 22: Scandinavian – Swedish apple cake v sourdough apple cake
Week 23: Layers – Pecan apple oat bars (post is pending)
Week 24: Tarts – rainbow fruit tart
Week 25: Bagels and donuts – maple donut cake
Week 26: Surprise inside – surprise heart yeast bread (pending)
Week 27: Local favorite – Rainier cherry crisp
Week 28: Seasonal ingredients – blackberry lemon bread
Week 29: French dessert – peanut butter banana clafoutis (a classic with non-classic flavors!)
Week 30: Savory baking – Ooni pizza dough recipe
Week 31: Unusual ingredient – juniper lime drizzle cake
Week 32: Gelatin (homemade marshmallows) and 33: Picnic – peanut butter Rice Krispie treats
Next week: Laminated dough
