Best Healthy Gluten-Free Savory Feta Spinach Muffins
This is the best-tasting gluten-free savory feta spinach muffins recipe with almond and cassava flour, feta cheese, cottage cheese, parmesan cheese, sun-dried tomatoes, and toasted pine nuts. And they’re perfectly seasoned with garlic, onion, paprika, and Italian spices for a healthy breakfast or afternoon snack.
Start your day with a delicious feta spinach muffin that’s perfect for breakfast or an afternoon snack. They’re made gluten-free with almond and cassava flour and perfectly seasoned with garlic, onion, paprika, and Italian spices. Since everything tastes better with cheese, they get a protein boost from cottage cheese and are filled with feta cheese and topped with parmesan cheese. They also have sun-dried tomatoes for added flavor and are topped with toasted pine nuts for a satisfying crunch.
This recipe combines the flavors of Italian and Mediterranean diets, creating a healthy addition to your collection of healthy recipes. Ideal for easy meal prep, these savory muffins are the perfect recipe if this is your first time, but they are also ideal for school snacks. With its savory blend of ingredients, this recipe stands out among Italian recipes, offering a tasty and nutritious option for any time of day.
Why You’ll Love This Savory Feta Cheese Muffin Recipe
- You only need a few simple ingredients.
- It is super easy to make for an impressive result.
- The flavor-rich ingredients make it taste amazing!
- All the ingredients are easily digestible for a gentle tummy.
Ingredients & Substitutions
Here is everything you need to make healthy spinach feta muffins:
Eggs: For an egg-free version, use flax eggs (1 tablespoon ground flaxseed mixed with 2.5 tablespoons water per egg) or a commercial egg replacer.
Avocado Oil: Substitute with olive oil, coconut oil, or a vegetable oil.
Cottage Cheese: Use Greek yogurt or a non-dairy yogurt (like almond or coconut yogurt) for a similar texture and protein content.
Feta Cheese: Substitute crumbled feta cheese or creamy feta with goat cheese or a plant-based feta alternative.
Parmesan Cheese: You can use any grated cheese, including cheddar cheese, Monterey Jack cheese, and Provolone cheese.
Milk: Replace with any plant-based milk, such as almond milk, soy milk, or oat milk.
Baby Spinach: You can use fresh chopped spinach or frozen spinach. I prefer the convenience of buying frozen spinach.
Almond Flour: You can replace it with oat flour. Or, you can use coconut flour, but reduce the amount by about half, as coconut flour is more absorbent. Alternatively, use a gluten-free all-purpose flour blend.
Cassava Flour: Substitute with tapioca flour or a gluten-free all-purpose flour blend.
Italian Seasoning: Create your own blend using equal parts of dried basil, oregano, thyme, rosemary, and marjoram.
Garlic Powder: Use 1 teaspoon of minced fresh garlic for every 1/4 teaspoon of garlic powder.
Onion Powder: Use 1 tablespoon of minced fresh onion for every 1 teaspoon of onion powder.
Paprika: Substitute with smoked paprika for a different flavor profile or chili powder for some heat.
Salt: Use sea salt, kosher salt, or a salt substitute if watching sodium intake.
Sun-Dried Tomatoes: Instead of sundried tomatoes, you can use fresh cherry tomatoes, oven-dried tomatoes, or roasted red peppers.
Toasted Pine Nuts: Substitute with chopped walnuts, almonds, sunflower seeds, or omit for a nut-free version.
How to Make My Healthy Spinach Feta Muffin Recipe
Here are easy, detailed, step-by-step instructions for making my easy savory muffins recipe. The instructions are also repeated in the recipe card at the bottom of this blog post.
Step 1: Prepare the Spinach
If using fresh spinach, heat a frying pan to medium heat and add 1 teaspoon of oil. Add the spinach and stir until wilted. Allow to cool on a paper towel to soak up the excess moisture.
If using frozen spinach, allow it to thaw completely. Then, using a sieve, paper towel, or towel, squeeze out the excess moisture from the thawed spinach.
Blend the cottage cheese and milk in a blender or food processor until smooth.
Step 2: Make the Muffin Batter
Preheat the Oven: Preheat your oven to 425°F (175°C). Line a non-stick muffin tin with paper liners or grease it with cooking spray or oil.
In a large mixing bowl, add the wet ingredients, including eggs, avocado oil, whipped cottage cheese and milk, crumbled feta cheese, and grated parmesan cheese. Mix until well combined.
Add the dry ingredients, including almond flour, cassava flour, baking powder, baking soda, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, dried paprika, and teaspoon salt. Stir until evenly mixed.
Using a spatula, fold in the spinach and sun-dried tomatoes.
Step 3: Assemble and Bake the Muffins
Scoop the batter into the greased muffin tins filling nearly to the top. Sprinkle additional shredded parmesan cheese and toasted pine nuts on top of the muffins.
For a higher muffin top, bake the muffins for 5 minutes at 425°F. Then, leave the muffin tray in the oven, lower the temperature to 350°F, and set the timer for an additional 20-22 minutes. Or, you can bake them at 350°F for 25-28 minutes.
Remove once they are lightly golden brown on top.
Allow the muffins to cool in the tin for about 5 minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack to cool completely. Enjoy warm or at room temperature.
Helpful Recipe Notes
Sun-Dried Tomatoes: If using oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, be sure to drain and pat them dry with paper towels to avoid excess oil in the batter.
Vegetable Add-Ins: You can add other vegetables such as grated zucchini (squeeze out excess moisture), chopped bell peppers, or sautéed mushrooms to increase the nutritional value and flavor.
Seasoning Adjustments: Adjust the seasonings to your taste. If you prefer spicier muffins, add a pinch of red pepper flakes, chilli flakes, or a dash of hot sauce to the batter.
Do you love muffins? Check out more of my easy and nutritious muffin recipes:
Best Healthy Gluten-Free Savory Feta Spinach Muffins
Ingredients
- 4 eggs
- 1/4 cup avocado oil
- 1/3 cup cottage cheese
- 3/4 cup feta cheese
- 1/4 cup parmesan cheese
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1-1/2 cups almond flour
- 1/2 cup cassava flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon dried paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 8 oz frozen spinach
- 1/4 cup sun dried tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts
Instructions
- If using fresh spinach, heat a frying pan to medium heat and add 1 teaspoon of oil. Add the spinach and stir until wilted. Allow to cool on a paper towel to soak up the excess moisture.If using frozen spinach, allow it to thaw completely. Then, using a sieve, paper towel, or towel, squeeze out the excess moisture from the thawed spinach.Blend the cottage cheese and milk in a blender or food processor until smooth.
- Preheat the Oven: Preheat your oven to 425°F (175°C). Line a non-stick muffin tin with paper liners or grease it with cooking spray or oil.In a large mixing bowl, add the wet ingredients, including eggs, avocado oil, whipped cottage cheese and milk, crumbled feta cheese, and grated parmesan cheese. Mix until well combined.Add the dry ingredients, including almond flour, cassava flour, baking powder, baking soda, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, dried paprika, and teaspoon salt. Stir until evenly mixed.Using a spatula, fold in the spinach and sun-dried tomatoes.
- Scoop the batter into the greased muffin tins filling nearly to the top. Sprinkle additional shredded parmesan cheese and toasted pine nuts on top of the muffins.For a higher muffin top, bake the muffins for 5 minutes at 425°F. Then, leave the muffin tray in the oven, lower the temperature to 350°F, and set the timer for an additional 20-22 minutes. Or, you can bake them at 350°F for 25-28 minutes. Remove once they are lightly golden brown on top.Allow the muffins to cool in the tin for about 5 minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack to cool completely. Enjoy warm or at room temperature.
Video
We loved the muffins — they are a great savoury alternative to sweet muffins. I will definitely make again, but your written recipe (as of August 13, 2024) does not contain the quantity of spinach needed. I had to go back to the video for the quantity. I used freshly grated parmesan cheese rather than store bought grated parmesan as that is what we prefer. I have tried several of your recipes and just want to thank you for posting them. We have Celiac Disease in the family and we are so appreciative of new recipes that remind us of “normal” favourites.
Hi Cher, thank you for the feedback and for catching the missing spinach amount 🙂 I fixed it! I’m so sorry you have Celiac Disease in your family!! That is a challenge to navigate, for sure!! I hope my recipes make it a little easier and delicious! 🙂
I was looking for a healthy muffin recipe to make ahead of time so I could it on the go. These are delicious!! I used cheddar cheese instead of parmesan. The flavor is amazing and they have a great texture.
I’m so excited to share this savory muffin recipe with you! It’s a yummy option when you need a portable snack. And the Italian flavors are so delicious! Please let me know what you think 🙂