How to: Easy Spinach Appetizers

Add color and nutrition to your appetizers with spinach. Spinach pairs well with Parmesan cheese for two adaptable and quick appetizers. These easy spinach appetizers are ideal for parties because they are small and your guests can eat them by hand while they are mingling.

Things You'll Need

• Quick Spinach Pizza:
• 1 12-inch pizza crust
• 1 8 oz. container spinach dip
• 1/4 cup diced tomatoes
• 1 cup grated Parmesan
• Cheesy Spinach Cups:
• 12 oz. spinach
• 1/2 cup ricotta cheese
• 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 2 cloves minced garlic
• 1 tsp. parsley
• 1 tsp. onion powder

Instructions

Quick Spinach Pizza

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. Place store-bought 12-inch pizza crust on a baking sheet. Spread an 8 oz. container of spinach dip across the crust, stopping an inch away from the edge.

2. Sprinkle 1/4 cup diced tomatoes and 1 cup of grated Parmesan across the spinach dip. Place the baking sheet in the oven and bake for 10 minutes until the crust has browned and the cheese has melted.

3. Cool the pizza for five minutes. Cut into small slices, retaining the outer edge of the uncovered crust for guests to use for holding the slices. Arrange on a serving plate with the clear crust easily accessible.

Cheesy Spinach Cups

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Place 12 oz. spinach in a food processor and process until finely chopped.

2. Combine in a large bowl 1/2 cup each of ricotta cheese and Parmesan cheese, 2 eggs, 2 cloves of minced garlic and 1 tsp. each of dried parsley and onion powder. Add in the spinach and stir until well combined.

3. Spoon the mixture into the greased cups of a muffin pan. Bake for 20 minutes. Cool for five minutes, remove from pan and serve warm.

Tips & Warnings

• Serve both appetizers with extra grated Parmesan cheese sitting out for guests to use.

• You can experiment with different toppings on the spinach dip pizza. Add mushrooms, chopped olives or even crumbled bits of bacon.

References

• Eating Well: Parmesan Spinach Cakes
• Boboli Pizza: Easy Spinach Appetizer