Spinach Puff Pastry

Crisp and golden, these little pockets of spinach puff pastry are a delicious and easy appetizer to bake up and pile high onto a platter to pass around. Filled with a blend of cream cheese, ricotta cheese, Italian four cheese blend, baby spinach, plus herbs and a kiss of lemon, this savory spinach puff pastry recipe comes complete with a warm, tomato-caramelized onion chutney for dipping!

Two-Bite Pockets of Savory Bliss

Little beats a crisp, golden, warm, two-bite appetizer that's easy to prepare when it comes to serving up some tasty finger food for a crowd.

Savory little pockets of spinach puff pastry are just the ticket. And when filled with a simple yet delicious filling brimming with a combination of cheeses such as cream cheese, ricotta cheese, Italian four cheese blend, plus spinach, garlic, herbs and a touch of lemon for brightness, you likely won't find a single soul who could possibly pass these up.

I mean, who isn't utterly enticed by delectable little packages of puff pastry that are fresh out of the oven and oozing cheese?

Filled and baked up in no time to puffed, flaky perfection, these mouthwatering spinach puff pastry bites are paired with an earthy, zesty and warm tomato and caramelized onion chutney for dipping, making them extra irresistible!

My Spinach Puff Pastry Recipe with Tomato-Caramelized Onion Chutney

Putting this yummy little spinach puff pastry appetizer together for a little gathering is not only easy, but fun!

It's simply about mixing together the creamy, cheesy filling, rolling out a couple of sheets of store-bought puff pastry dough and cutting that into little rectangles, then filling 'em, sealing 'em, and baking 'em up!

These bites bake up crisp, golden and ooey-gooey in about 20 minutes, making this tasty little semi-homemade appetizer a breeze to whip up on the fly.

Here's a sneak peek at how I make my spinach puff pastry (or just jump to the full recipe...)

1. To get started, I simmer up my tomato-caramelized onion chutney to have warm and ready to spoon into a small bowl and serve as a dipping sauce for these yummy pockets.
2. Then, I mix together my ingredients for my cheesy filling, and set that aside for a moment.
3. To assemble my spinach puff pastry, I lightly roll out each sheet of pastry, just to thin it out slightly, then cut each into 16 rectangle/squares. I dollop a small amount of the filling in the center, brush the edges with egg wash, then fold the bottom of the pastry over the filling and press to seal and to form a little pocket.
4. Once all are assembled, I brush the tops with egg wash and bake the spinach puff pastry for about 20 to 22 minutes, or until golden and puffed.
5. To serve, I pile the little pockets up on a serving platter, and serve with a bowl of the warm chutney for dipping.

Recipe

Spinach Puff Pastry

by Ingrid Beer

Print Recipe

This spinach puff pastry appetizer is filled with a trio of cheeses, spinach, garlic and herbs, served with a zesty tomato-onion chutney!

Category: Appetizer
Cuisine: American

Yield: 32 spinach puff pastry “bites”

Nutrition Info: 232 calories (per 2 spinach puff pastry bites with chutney)

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook time: 35 minutes
Total time: 1 hour 5 minutes

Spinach Puff Pastry Ingredients:

• ½ cup whipped cream cheese
• ½ cup shredded Italian four-cheese blend
• ¼ cup whole milk ricotta cheese
• ¼ cup, packed, baby spinach leaves, chopped finely
• 1 clove garlic, pressed through garlic press
• 1 teaspoon chopped flat-leaf parsley
• 1 teaspoon chopped chives
• ½ teaspoon lemon zest
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• Pinch black pepper
• 1 package frozen puff pastry (containing 2 sheets), thawed and kept cold in the fridge
• 1 whisked egg, for egg wash

Tomato-Caramelized Onion Chutney Ingredients:

• Olive oil
• 2 white onions, cut in half, and then each half cut into thirds, then sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, pressed through garlic press
• Salt
• Black pepper
• ½ teaspoon sugar
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• 1 cup canned crushed tomatoes
• Pinch red pepper flakes (optional)
• 1 tablespoon chopped flat-leaf parsley

Preparation:

1. Begin by gathering and prepping all of the tomato-caramelized onion chutney ingredients (if preparing) to have ready and organized for use.
2. To prepare the chutney, place a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat, and drizzle in about 4 tablespoons of oil. Once it becomes hot, add in the sliced onion, and allow it to slowly caramelize, stirring frequently, for about 12-14 minutes.
3. Stir in the garlic, plus a pinch or two of salt and pepper, and the sugar. Once the garlic becomes aromatic, add in the balsamic vinegar and stir, and allow it to become syrupy and reduced, about 30 seconds.
4. Add in the crushed tomatoes, along with the chopped parsley, and stir to combine. Add a little more salt and pepper to taste, and allow the mixture to simmer gently for about 1 minute, just to meld the flavors.
5. Set aside and keep warm until ready to serve alongside the spinach puff pastry.
6. Next, gather and prep all of the spinach puff pastry ingredients according to the ingredient list above to have ready and organized for use.
7. To make the filling, add all of the filling ingredients beginning with the whipped cream cheese up to and including the pinch of black pepper to a bowl, and mix well to combine. Set aside for a moment.
8. Place a thawed puff pastry sheet in front of you on a lightly floured work surface, unfold, and gently roll out to make it even and just slightly thinner. Cut the puff pastry into 16 small rectangles/squares (that's 4 strips horizontally, 4 strips vertically).
9. Add about a ½ to 1 teaspoon of the filling into the center of each, and brush the top edges with some of the egg wash, then fold the bottom over the filling to touch the top, and carefully press with your fingers to seal the edges. Repeat until all are done, placing the little pockets onto baking sheets lined with parchment paper.
10. Repeat this process with the other puff pastry sheet.
11. Before baking, brush the tops with more egg wash, and place the spinach puff pastry into the fridge to chill for about 15- 20 minutes.
12. While the bites chills, preheat your oven to 400°. Then, bake the puffs for 20-22 minutes, until golden-brown, crispy and puffy.
13. Serve warm with warm tomato-caramelized onion chutney for dipping.

Tips & Tidbits for my Spinach Puff Pastry recipe:

• Tomato-caramelized onion chutney for bright balance: This dipping sauce is quick and simple to prepare, and offers a bit of a zesty and bright balance to these richly flavored spinach puff pastry bites. If you'd like to skip this step and serve up something pre-made, then other great options for dipping sauces would be a marinara sauce or a thin salsa. Or, you can skip the dipping sauce altogether—these are terrific on their own!
• Good quality store-bought puff pastry: I love the convenience of using store-bought puff pastry sheets for this appetizer, and you can find them in your market's frozen foods section. Typically, they come 2 sheets to a package, so you can make 16 little spinach puff pastry “bites” per sheet.
• Make this spinach puff pastry appetizer ahead: To keep things simple, you can prepare the cheese filling for these bites a day or two ahead, and keep it in a covered container in the fridge. Then, just thaw your puff pastry sheets about 40 minutes before rolling out the dough, and fill and bake these just before serving. You can also prep the chutney to have ready to warm up just before serving as well.

Craving more delectable appetizers? Check out this Tomato Tart, these Shrimp Tostada Bites, these Chicken Egg Rolls with Spinach, these Arancini, this Mexican Corn Dip, or these Chicken Taquitos with Avocado-Ranch Dipping Sauce!

Cook's Note: This recipe was originally published in 2015, and has been updated with even more love!