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Spinach Cheese Balls

Spinach Cheese Balls

These spinach cheese balls are crisp on the outside and creamy inside, loaded with ricotta, mozzarella, Parmesan, and chopped spinach. They fry quickly and are ready in about 32 minutes, making them a great party appetizer served with pizza sauce.
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Prep Time:20 minutes
Cook Time:12 minutes
Total Time:32 minutes
Course: Appetizers
Keyword: Cheese balls, Fried, Spinach

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

  1. Squeeze the water out of the thawed chopped spinach and place it in a large bowl.
  2. Add the egg, ricotta cheese, and sour cream; stir until evenly mixed and there are no clumps of spinach.
  3. Add the shredded mozzarella, shredded Parmesan, salt, onion powder, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, crushed red pepper flakes, and extra-virgin olive oil; mix well.
  4. Stir in 1 cup of the all-purpose flour, then add the remaining flour and mix until combined.
  5. Shape the mixture into 1 1/2-inch balls; you should get 30 to 36 total.
  6. Pour about 1 1/2 to 2 inches of vegetable oil into a Dutch oven and heat the oil to 350 degrees.
  7. Combine the dry bread crumbs and salt in a pie plate, then roll each ball in the bread-crumb mixture to coat.
  8. 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.
  9. Repeat frying in batches until all the balls are cooked.
  10. Serve warm with pizza sauce.

Notes

Squeeze the spinach very well so the mixture isn't watery and the balls hold together. Keep cooked balls warm on a rimmed baking sheet in a 200 degree oven while you finish frying. Recipe yields about 30 to 36 cheese balls.