These spinach cheese balls have a crunchy, golden exterior and a pillowy, creamy center of ricotta, mozzarella and Parmesan studded with chopped spinach and warm Italian seasoning.
They come together quickly — about 32 minutes total — and make a perfect party appetizer or game-day snack; serve them hot with pizza sauce for dipping. If you love spinach-forward starters, try Quiche Florentine (Spinach & Gruyère Quiche) for another elegant option.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
A few reasons these are great for entertaining and weeknight bites:
Yield is generous — about 30 to 36 1 1/2-inch balls — so they’re ideal for crowds or to freeze extra for quick snacks.
Ingredients You’ll Need
How to Make Spinach Cheese Balls
- Squeeze the thawed chopped spinach very well over the sink: pack it into a clean kitchen towel or several layers of cheesecloth and twist until there’s no drip. Place the drained spinach in a large bowl.
- Add the large egg, ricotta cheese, and sour cream to the spinach; stir until evenly mixed and there are no clumps of spinach visible.
- Add the shredded mozzarella, shredded Parmesan, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, and 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil; mix thoroughly so the cheeses and spices are evenly distributed.
- Stir in 1 cup of the all-purpose flour, then add the remaining cup and mix until the mixture holds together without being wet or sloppy.
- Form the mixture into 1 1/2-inch balls — you should get about 30 to 36 total. Keep them on a tray while you heat the oil to avoid overhandling.
- Pour about 1 1/2 to 2 inches of vegetable oil into a Dutch oven and heat the oil to 350 degrees. Use an instant-read or deep-fry thermometer to hold a steady 350° for even frying and safe results.
- Combine 1 cup dry bread crumbs and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a pie plate. Roll each ball in the bread-crumb mixture to coat thoroughly, pressing lightly so crumbs adhere.
- Fry 6 to 8 balls at a time (don’t crowd the pot) for 3 to 4 minutes, until golden brown; use a slotted spoon to remove and drain on a paper towel–lined plate. For safety, lower baskets or spoons slowly to avoid oil splatter.
- To keep finished batches warm and crisp while you fry the rest, place them on a rimmed baking sheet in a 200 degree oven.
- Repeat until all balls are cooked. Serve warm with pizza sauce for dipping.
Frying vs. Baking
Frying is the quickest way to get a deeply golden, very crisp crust and a pillowy interior; the recipe’s oil and time (350 degrees, 3 to 4 minutes) are tuned for that result. Baking or air-frying works when you want an easier, lower-fat option, but expect a paler, slightly less crunchy exterior.
- Fry: 350 degrees, 3–4 minutes per batch, 6–8 at a time for best oil temperature control.
- Bake: 400 degrees for 12–15 minutes on a lightly oiled sheet, flip once.
- Air-fry: 375 degrees for 8–10 minutes, shake or turn halfway; don’t overcrowd the basket.
Freeze and Reheat
These freeze well either shaped (unbreaded) or fully cooked. For best texture freeze unbreaded-shaped balls on a tray, then transfer to a freezer bag; bread them from frozen before frying or baking. If you freeze cooked balls, re-crisp in a 400 degree oven for 8–10 minutes or in an air-fryer at 375 degrees for 4–6 minutes.
- Freeze shaped, unbreaded: flash-freeze on a tray, then bag; bread from frozen before cooking.
- Freeze cooked: cool, flash-freeze on a tray, bag; reheat straight from frozen to restore crispness.
- Shelf life: freeze up to 3 months; refrigerate cooked balls up to 3 days.
Keep Them Crisp
Avoid stacking straight from frying — drain briefly on paper towels, then move to a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet in a 200 degree oven. This keeps them warm without steaming and softening the coating.
- Do not cover trays tightly; trapped steam will soften crusts.
- Finish reheating in a hot oven or air-fryer to revive crunch after refrigeration.
Short Tips
Squeeze the spinach well: If the spinach is even slightly wet the mixture will be loose and balls can fall apart — squeeze in a towel until you see no liquid drip.
Test oil temperature: Hold an instant-read or fry thermometer at 350 degrees; if oil is cooler the balls absorb oil, if hotter they brown too fast and can be doughy inside.
Air-fryer/oven swap: To bake, arrange coated balls on a lightly oiled baking sheet and bake at 400 degrees for 12–15 minutes, flipping once; air-fry at 375 degrees for 8–10 minutes, shaking halfway — expect a lighter color and slightly less deep crisp.
Keep batches crisp: Drain briefly on paper towels then transfer to a single layer on a rimmed sheet in a 200 degree oven until serving to maintain warmth and crispness.
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Frequently asked questions
Ready to serve
These spinach cheese balls are ideal for feeding a crowd and travel well from kitchen to table — serve them hot with pizza sauce or a spicier marinara for dipping.
Leftovers reheat best in a hot oven or air-fryer to restore the crisp exterior; freeze extras for an easy make-ahead snack.
Spinach Cheese Balls
Equipment
- Dutch oven
- pie plate
- slotted spoon
- rimmed baking sheet
Ingredients
- 1 9-ounce box frozen chopped spinach thawed
- 1 large egg
- 1 15-ounce container ricotta cheese
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1 cup mozzarella cheese shredded (4 ounces)
- 1 cup Parmesan cheese shredded (4 ounces)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- Vegetable oil
- 1 cup dry bread crumbs
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- pizza sauce for serving
Instructions
- Squeeze the water out of the thawed chopped spinach and place it in a large bowl.
- Add the egg, ricotta cheese, and sour cream; stir until evenly mixed and there are no clumps of spinach.
- Add the shredded mozzarella, shredded Parmesan, salt, onion powder, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, crushed red pepper flakes, and extra-virgin olive oil; mix well.
- Stir in 1 cup of the all-purpose flour, then add the remaining flour and mix until combined.
- Shape the mixture into 1 1/2-inch balls; you should get 30 to 36 total.
- Pour about 1 1/2 to 2 inches of vegetable oil into a Dutch oven and heat the oil to 350 degrees.
- Combine the dry bread crumbs and salt in a pie plate, then roll each ball in the bread-crumb mixture to coat.
- Fry 6 to 8 balls at a time for 3 to 4 minutes until golden; remove with a slotted spoon and drain on a paper towel-lined plate. To keep them warm, place on a rimmed baking sheet in a 200 degree oven.
- Repeat frying in batches until all the balls are cooked.
- Serve warm with pizza sauce.
