Savory Feta Spinach and Sweet Red Pepper Muffins
These taste as good as they sound. Normally we associate muffins with something sweet, but let’s get away from sweet snacks and breakfasts and try something savory. These feta and spinach muffins were inspired by a recipe I saw in an old issue of Bon Appetit and made a bit more Greek and Mediterranean. Obviously, I used a mild extra virgin olive oil instead of the generic vegetable oil the recipe recommends. It pairs beautifully with the feta, spinach and the red pepper. The peppers I used here are the Greek red marinated peppers known as Florina peppers (Piperia Florinis) which are cultivated in the Greek region of Macedonia near Florina. I had the opportunity to spend some time there during New year’s. These peppers are sweet and usually served with olive oil and vinegar as a meze. I also use them in sandwiches, with rice, pasta and quinoa too. They are delicious and you can get them roasted in a jar or fresh (in Greece). If you are not able to find them, you can use regular jarred red peppers.
The kids loved the muffins and had them as a snack and for breakfast the next day. They are great as an appetizer or as an accompaniment to a large salad. I used baby spinach but as long as you cut the spinach very thinly it will blend in fine. You can also substitute some of the all purpose flour with whole wheat flour.
What type of feta?
When using feta, make sure you do not buy already crumbled, it may not be as fresh and there are other ingredients often added to it. Greek feta (in Europe only Greek feta can be called feta) is preferred, but if you are unable to find it, make sure the feta you do buy is made with sheep’s milk not cow’s (there is no such thing as cow’s milk feta). Check here for more tips on buying feta.
Savory Feta Spinach and Sweet Red Pepper Muffins
Ingredients
- 2 ¾ cups all purpose flour you can substitute partly with whole wheat flour
- ¼ cup sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup low fat milk
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 eggs
- 1 ¼ cup thinly sliced fresh spinach
- ¾ cup crumbled feta
- 1/3 cup drained and patted dry jarred Florina peppers or other red pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven at 375 F (190 C).
- In a large bowl mix the dry ingredients: flour, sugar, baking powder, paprika, and salt)
- In another bowl mix the olive oil, eggs, milk.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix just until blended with a wooden spoon. The dough will be thick.
- Add the feta, spinach and peppers and mix gently until all ingredients are spread throughout the whole mixture.
- Divide mixture in muffin pan that you have lined with muffin/cupcake liners or you can use a silicon muffin tray and grease it with a bit of olive oil (I have used it here). You should have enough for 12 medium muffins.
- Bake for about 25 minutes. Remove when toothpick comes out clear when inserted in the muffin.
- Let them cool for 10 minutes and remove from tray. Let them cool a couple of hours before serving.
Photos by Elena Paravantes © All Rights Reserved
Question: Do these need to be refrigerated if we’re going to eat them within 2-3 days?
I made these today and thought they were pretty good when they were still warm. But once they cooled to room temperature, they were delicious!
Made this recipe yesterday, it was so easy to make and they are delicious. I used fresh sweet peppers and sun dried tomatoes chopped small. Great recipe, thank you.
This recipe is excellent! I ground up some oat groats using a coffee grinders and used 3/4 cup of this oat flour for some of the wheat flour.
Thank you Peggy, great way to add more fiber!
Hi Elena!
This is one of my favorite grab-and-go breakfast recipes, to be enjoyed with some homemade yogurt. I’ve been making this recipe with whole wheat pastry flour. The protein content of whole wheat pastry flour is usually between 8-10% while all-purpose flour is around 10-12%. The lower protein content makes the muffins more tender. It can be subbed one for one with all-purpose without having to change anything else. Plus, you get all the whole-grain goodness.
Thanks so much for another great recipe!
This looks so good! I wish I could see all the nutrition details, especially carb and protein. I’m following a bariatric program. Any chance of seeing this in an egg-bite version?? Thanks!
Hi Judy, Approximately 25 g carbohydrates and 6 g protein.
Hi Lou , Letting them cool too long may make it harder. Also make sure you also grease the liners.
What should the red pepper marinade consist of? There are a few such products available at our grocery store, but none are specifically Greek, and the ingredients include things like “f irming agent” that I doubt are anything I’d want in my food. I’d like to try roasting and mar inating my own fresh peppers. Thanks for a wonderful site. I’m slowly converting my white bread and mayo husband with your recipies!
Made these today to accompany a red lentil soup. I used a cup of whole wheat flour. They’re delicious and a great compliment to the soup.
Thank you for sharing Lauren. By legal definition, feta is a cheese made with sheep or goat’s milk not cow’s milk. So while a manufacturer may call it “feta”, it is not (by the EU (European Union) official definition). Outside of the EU white brine cheese is often sold as feta. This post explains: https://www.olivetomato.com/what-is-feta-and-why-is-it-greek/
What if you can’t find jarred peppers can use use red bell peppers from the shop?
Hi Aikaterina,
It will have a slightly different flavor, and I recommend you saute them a bit before you add them to the dough.
These look wonderful. Have you tried them with honey instead of sugar? Also do you recommend the marinated or jarred peppers over self roasting them? I cannot wait to try these.
Hi Linda, I used jarred Greek peppers, as they are marinated they have a somewhat ore intense flavor, but I think grilled peppers would be interesting too.
I made these this morning and they were delicious – I swapped 1/3rd of the flour for wholemeal rye flour and added a little sundried tomato. Personally I’d halve the sugar in the recipe and have them slightly less sweet, but they were really easy and a great recipe. Thanks
Great additions Damen, thanks for sharing!
They look amazing and I’ll be doing a batch today – I’m just wondering if these freeze well please?
Yes, just make sure they are completely cool before freezing.
These muffins were just delicious! Very colorful, added nutrition with the olive oil, peppers, and I served it with some roasted salmon and roasted asparagus and it was a perfect meal. – even some protein with the feta! Just lovely! I served it with some roasted salmon and roasted asparagus and it was a perfect meal.
Thanks for sharing Nancy! Nice combination!
I am diabetic and count carbs. Any idea what the carb count is per muffin…I plan to make these anyway – I can always count the carbs separately – just wondered if you have that information. Thanks
Hi Judy, About 25 grams
I am a diabetis, have heart and lung issues, and I absolutely swear by your recipes. Not only are they easy to follow, but equally tasty, and my sugar is perfect!!!! Looking forward to trying any new recipes you publish.
Thank you Constantina! Glad your sugar levels are good!