Spinach Feta Muffins
These Spinach Feta Muffins are a flavorful twist on classic breakfast fare, packed with Mediterranean flair. Sautéed spinach, olive oil, garlic, and onion form a fragrant base, enriched with creamy Greek yogurt for a moist, tender crumb.
Crumbled feta cheese adds tangy richness, while a touch of oregano and freshly cracked black pepper bring spicy, herbaceous depth. Perfect as a hearty snack, a brunch addition, or a grab-and-go breakfast, these muffins are satisfying, wholesome, and irresistibly savory.
Featured Ingredients
- Flour: A mix of all-purpose and whole wheat flour makes the perfect crumb.
- Leavening agents: Baking powder, baking soda and eggs.
- Herbs and spices: Dried oregano, garlic and onion powders, crushed red pepper flakes and freshly cracked black pepper on top.
- Milk and yogurt: A mix of milk and plain Greek yogurt make for tender muffins.
- Spinach: Fresh spinach is best, chopped and and sauteed before mixing into the batter.
- Olive oil: Used to saute the spinach and as the fat in the batter. It provides that classic Mediterranean flavor.
- Feta: Adds a tangy, salty flavor.
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Coat a 12-cup muffin tin with cooking spray.
- In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil to medium heat. Add spinach; cook 3-4 minutes or until wilted. Remove from the heat; set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together milk, yogurt, remaining 4 tablespoons olive oil and eggs until thoroughly combined. In a small bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, oregano, salt, garlic powder, black pepper, onion powder, baking soda and red pepper flakes (if using) until combined. Stir dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just combined. Fold in cooked spinach and crumbled feta cheese. Top each with freshly cracked black pepper.
- Spoon mixture into the prepared muffin wells, filling to the top. Bake 20-25 minutes or until muffins are lightly golden on the edges and a knife inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean.
- Let muffins cool in the tin for 10-15 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Recipe Substitutions and Alterations
- For the flour: Use one or a combination of all-purpose, whole wheat, whole wheat pastry or whole wheat white flour(s).
- For the milk and yogurt: Use alternative milk and/or yogurt if desired/necessary, such as soy, almond or coconut milk/yogurt.
- For the spinach: If you don’t have fresh, you can use frozen loose leaf spinach. If you use the frozen box spinach, be sure to thaw it and squeeze out ALL of the water.
- For the herbs and spices: Alter the amount you use based on personal preference.
Nutrition Considerations
- To make these gluten-free: Use gluten-free all-purpose flour (one-to-one ratio flour).
- Be sure all other ingredients you choose are gluten-free.
- To make these dairy-free: Use dairy-free milk and yogurt, such as soy, pea, almond, coconut or oat.
- To make these vegan: Use plant-based milk and yogurt, such as soy, pea, almond, coconut or oat.
- Use an egg substitute such as Bob’s Red Mill Egg Replacer or make flax ‘eggs’.
- To make these nut-free: This recipe does not contain nuts.
- Be sure all ingredients you choose are nut-free.
- To make these egg-free: Use an egg substitute such as Bob’s Red Mill Egg Replacer or make flax ‘eggs’.
Mediterranean-style recipes to go with ’em
- Antipasto Ricotta Pizza
- Mediterranean Turmeric Rice
- Mediterranean Tabouli with Poached Eggs
- Mediterranean Chickpea Tuna Salad
- Simple Mediterranean Kale Salad
- Mediterranean Flatbread Pizza
- Mediterranean Breakfast Skillet
- Edamame Falafel with Spicy Lemon Aioli
Spinach Feta Muffins
Savory muffins with sauteed spinach, feta, olive oil, garlic and oregano.
- Prep Time: 15 min.
- Cook Time: 20 min.
- Total Time: 35 min.
- Yield: 12 muffins 1x
- Category: Baked-Goods
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Mediterranean-style
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 5 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 3 cups fresh baby spinach, roughly chopped*
- 1 1/2 cups milk (of choice)
- 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 2 large eggs
- 2 1/2 cups flour*
- 1 tablespoons baking powder
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon coarse salt
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
- 1 cup crumbled feta cheese
- Freshly cracked black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Coat a 12-cup muffin tin with cooking spray.
- In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil to medium heat. Add spinach; cook 3-4 minutes or until wilted. Remove from the heat; set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together milk, yogurt, remaining 4 tablespoons olive oil and eggs until thoroughly combined. In a small bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, oregano, salt, garlic powder, black pepper, onion powder, baking soda and red pepper flakes (if using) until combined. Stir dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just combined. Fold in cooked spinach and crumbled feta cheese. Top each with freshly cracked black pepper.
- Spoon mixture into the prepared muffin wells, filling to the top. Bake 20-25 minutes or until muffins are lightly golden on the edges and a knife inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean.
- Let muffins cool in the tin for 10-15 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
Substitution Tips:
- For the spinach: Use 2 cups frozen loose-leaf spinach instead of fresh (the box of frozen spinach has a lot of water in it, so if you use that, be sure to cook it according to package directions, then wring the water out of it in a kitchen towel before adding it to the muffin mixture).
- For the flour: I use half-and-half all-purpose and whole wheat flour. Whole wheat pastry flour is also an option. You can use any one of or combination of all-purpose, whole wheat, whole wheat pastry or whole wheat white flour.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 muffin
- Calories: 212
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 398mg
- Fat: 10g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 21g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 8g
- Cholesterol: 54mg