Spinach Pizza Bites
Posted: 12/09/2011
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.
Warm cheese filled rolls with marinara sauce for dipping, spinach pizza bites make a great dinner entree or hearty appetizer.
Creamy ricotta cheese blended with sharp Parmesan, spinach and Italian seasoning, is the yummiest filling baked inside warm bread rolls. With spicy marinara sauce for dipping, these pizza bites are pretty hard to resist. Great for parties or a light entree!
Today is a special day. It’s my friend Nelly’s (aka: Marnely, author of Cooking with Books, one of the nicest girls around, etc.) big day! She’s getting married and we’re throwing a {virtual} wedding shower in her honor. I’m bringing a quick and easy appetizer that is sure to please everyone. It tastes like pizza and who doesn’t love pizza?
We’re all giving Nelly and her man advice or words of wisdom for her new marriage. There are so many things that could be said like:
“Don’t go to bed mad” (Sometimes easier said than done. Let’s be real here.)
or
“Always make time for each other”
or
“Make sure to plan date nights” (Hubs and I? Not so good at this one!)
But really? I have one word of wisdom. Marriage isn’t always easy, any married person will tell you that. For my husband and me, not being married is not an option. We take our vows very seriously. We’ve seen “better,” we’ve seen “worse.” And I’m positive there are more “better” times and more “worse” times to come.
Because that’s life.
But we’re committed to each other and our marriage. Divorce isn’t an option for us. How can something happen if it isn’t even an option? That’s our mindset.
Sidenote: Obviously in situations where there is infidelity or abuse sometimes new “options” have to arise, but that is a different conversation for a different time. I just don’t want any nasty emails.
Honestly though? Brian cooks for Nelly and Nelly bakes for Brian. What else do you really need? I see a long and happy marriage for these two!
About these spinach pizza bites
These appetizers are pretty easy to make. The rolls are made from pizza dough, divided into twelve parts and rolled flat. You don’t have be fancy with this. They can be pretty rustic looking. My husband, who says he could eat these every day, calls them pizza “balls” if that gives you a picture of how fancy they are.
Simply place a tablespoon of filling onto each round of dough and fold it over. Press the edges gently to seal them. Pop them in the oven until they’re nice and toasty brown.
What will I need to make pizza bites?
- Frozen pizza dough, thawed and at room temperature
- Ricotta cheese
- Parmesan cheese
- Frozen spinach, thawed and excess moisture pressed out
- Italian seasoning
- Olive oil
- Marinara sauce, for serving
Add your favorite pizza toppings to these pizza appetizers. Gooey, melty mozzarella cheese is always a good choice, but small pepperoni, finely diced peppers or onions, or olives are great ideas, too.
If you prefer using your own recipe for pizza dough, by all means do that. Frozen bread dough works great, too, and whole wheat dough is an option, as well.
Pizza, Pizza!
Like I said, who doesn’t love pizza? Try one of these delicious riffs on our favorite Italian pie:
- Pizza Pasta : 1 pan, 6 ingredients, 20 minutes
- Pizza Sliders Recipe (Pepperoni Pizza)
- Pepperoni Pizza Dip
- Zucchini Pizza Bites
- Pizza Mac and Cheese Muffins
- Pizza Stuffed Spaghetti Squash
- Pizza Quesadilla on the Grill
- Pepperoni Pizza Tortilla Pinwheels
- Grilled Pizza with Pesto and Tomatoes {5 ingredients!}
Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me @rachelcooksblog on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest!
These spinach pizza bites are great for a party — kids will love them too!
Ingredients
- 1 pound frozen pizza dough, thawed and at room temperature
- 10 oz. package of frozen chopped spinach, thawed and as much moisture as possible squeezed out
- 1/2 cup part skim ricotta
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- marinara sauce for serving
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375*F. Spray an 8×8 baking dish with non-stick spray.
- Cut pizza dough into 16 pieces.
- In a bowl, combine drained spinach, ricotta, Parmesan, salt and pepper. In another small dish, combine olive oil and Italian seasoning.
- Stretch a piece of dough into a 3 inch round (it doesn’t have to be perfect!). Fill with one tablespoon of the spinach mixture and bring dough around the filling. Place in pan with seams side down. Repeat with the remaining dough and spinach mixture.
- Brush tops with your oil/seasoning mixture. Season with more salt and pepper if desired. You can also sprinkle some Parmesan on the top.
- Bake for 30 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool for 10 minutes and serve with marinara sauce.
Notes
- Add your favorite pizza toppings to the filling like mozzarella cheese, mini pepperoni, finely chopped red or green peppers, onions, etc.
- Use whole wheat pizza dough, if desired. Make your own pizza crust dough if you like.
Nutrition Information
Serving: 1g, Calories: 177kcal, Carbohydrates: 18g, Protein: 5g, Fat: 9g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g, Cholesterol: 8mg, Sodium: 324mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 2g
This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.
What advice would you give to a newlywed?
Special thanks to Sanjeeta kk at Lite Bite for hosting, and Heather for the beautiful logo.
CONGRATS NELLY! We love you!
Deanna says
These look amazing as is, but my brain keeps telling me that adding artichokes will make it Spinach Artichoke Dip Pizza Balls. My grandpa’s advice for marriage is to always make the other person priority #1. You only have a problem if they make you priority #2.
Rachel says
YUM! That sounds like a great idea. Good advice from your grandpa, too.
Mom says
These were really good! You could easily make this appetizer into a meal.
I appreciate your words about marriage. Dad and I have been married for 33 years, always loving each other, committed even when that “loving feeling” isn’t there(let’s be honest with ourselves, we’re not 100 percent lovable all the time).
Always love you, too, daughter :)
Feast on the Cheap says
Uhh, yeah. So this is pretty much exactly what I’ve been craving recently. Anything that can be dipped in marinara – yes please!
Jamie @ thrifty veggie mama says
My hubby and I aren’t very good at regular date nights either. These look great and I am putting them on my menu for our party this week!
JulieD says
Wow! This looks awesome! Pinning for later. :)