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Crispy Potato Spinach Balls

May 19, 2016 By Chuck Underwood 30 Comments

I wasn’t really planning on a new recipe last night…..especially these Crispy Potato Spinach Balls.  

But I am SO GLAD I made these!

Crispy Crunchy on the Outside – Creamy Potato Goodness on the inside!

Absolutely PERFECT for your next get together or potluck…. or just for snackin’..

potato spinach balls

Crispy Potato Spinach Balls | Brand New Vegan

Like I said, this recipe was totally unplanned.  But when I saw a tub of Spinach that looked like ….

Well….  you KNOW what Spinach can look like after you’ve forgotten it in the fridge for awhile…..  sort of like cucumbers….

You ever reach your hand into your Veggie Drawer and accidentally discover a cucumber that had been hiding in there since last winter?   Let’s just say it’s NOT a very pleasant feeling……

{shudder}

Ok, ok – my fridge isn’t really THAT bad but still ….. I knew I had to use this Spinach soon or face the slimy consequences.  

So making these Potato Spinach Balls was actually PERFECT timing!  And a special bonus just for you – they are pretty darn tasty too!

And with a splash of Malt Vinegar?  Now we’re TALKING!

And did I mention these are 100% Fat Free?

Be still my heart…..

 

 

Crispy Potato Spinach Balls

 

Wash and quarter about 4 medium potatoes.  I used Yukon Golds but any kind will work.

Drop these in a pot of cold water and bring to a boil, adding a pinch of salt if you’re so inclined.  Once the pot begins to boil, set your timer for 5 minutes.  We want them a little soft, but not TOO soft.  We’re not making mashed potatoes here!

In another pot, (yeah this is a 2 pot recipe but it cleans up easily), we’re going to add our spinach.

I grabbed about 2 good-sized handfuls of fresh spinach.  It will look like a lot – but it shrinks down quite a bit so no worries.  I suppose you could also use Kale if you’re into that sort of thing but for me…..

I had Spinach that was going to go bad if I didn’t use it up ….so Spinach it was.

Add your chopped Spinach to the pot with about 4 cloves of minced Garlic.  Now add 2 Tbs of your favorite Veggie Broth and 1 Tbs of Apple Cider Vinegar and start that heating up.

It may not look like much liquid, but it’s plenty.  Just keep stirring things around and the Spinach will begin to wilt.  After about 5 minutes on Medium Heat it should have reduced down a lot.

Not TOO mushy, but soft and….. well…..  wilted..

potato spinach balls

Crispy Potato Spinach Balls | Brand New Vegan

It’s hard to be witty at 6:00 in the morning….ok?  

Drain your potatoes really well and put them back into the pot.  Add your Spinach, all the seasonings, and the Nutritional Yeast and start mashing.  The goal is to just break up the potatoes and mix everything together.

Like I said – we’re NOT going for creamy mashed potatoes here – so some small chunks are fine.

Line your favorite cookie sheet with Parchment Paper and let’s start making Potato Balls.

Here’s the thing I learned about Potato Balls…… the smaller they are  – the more they crisp up.

I used a ¼ cup measuring cup to scoop the mixture into balls and it made about 15 of them.  Looking back, I”d go a little smaller and make more of them – but that’s just me.

As you roll up your Potato Spinach Balls – roll them around in some Panko Bread Crumbs before placing them on your cookie sheet.  This will ensure that EXTRA crunch factor we all love so much.

Now simply plop these into a 450° F oven for about 20-25 minutes or so and you’re all set for some Crispy Potato Magic.

I even turned the broiler on for an extra 5 minutes to REALLY add some crunch.

Now it’s simply a matter of finding that perfect dip.

Me?  I’m a midwestern Ketchup guy through and through.  But I got to tell you, a splash of Malt Vinegar on these things is simply AMAZING!  You gotta try it.

Enjoy those carbs!

brandnewvegan

 

 

 

4.58 from 7 votes
Print
Crispy Potato Spinach Balls
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
30 mins
Total Time
40 mins
 
These Potato Spinach Balls are Crispy & Crunchy on the Outside - Smooth & Creamy on the inside! And 100% Fat Free! Absolutely perfect for snackin'....
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: American
Servings: 15 -20 Potato Balls
Author: Chuck Underwood
Ingredients
  • 4 med Yukon Gold Potatoes
  • 2 cups Fresh Spinach
  • 4 cloves Garlic (minced)
  • 2 Tbs Vegetable Broth (low sodium)
  • 2 Tbs Nutritional Yeast
  • 2 Tbs Fresh Basil
  • 1 Tbs Apple Cider Vinegar
  • 1 Tbs Dried Parsley
  • 1 Tbs Italian Seasoning
  • 1/2 tsp Ground Cumin
  • 1/2 cup Panko Bread Crumbs
Instructions
  1. Wash and quarter 4 medium potatoes and add to a large pot
  2. Add enough cold water to cover and bring to a boil
  3. Add a pinch of salt and let boil for 5 minutes
  4. Remove from heat
  5. Wash and chop 2 large handfuls of fresh spinach
  6. Add to a separate pot along with garlic, vinegar, and veggie broth
  7. Saute until wilted - about 5 minutes on medium heat - stirring often
  8. Drain potatoes and roughly mash them in the pot
  9. Add spinach and remaining seasonings and mash/mix well
  10. Once mixture is cool to touch, form 15-20 balls and roll in bread crumbs
  11. Place on parchment lined cookie sheet and bake at 450 F for 20-25 minutes
  12. Broil an additional 5 minutes if desired for extra crispiness

 

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Filed Under: Potato Dishes, Recipes

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. rivkah30

    June 2, 2016 at 2:53 pm

    These look amazing. What would you recommend if starting with frozen spinach?

    Reply
    • Liat Marmur

      December 15, 2019 at 1:29 am

      In my experience using frozen spinach for this dish leaves too much liquid even if you drain it well.

      Reply
    • Seonaid Anderson

      July 15, 2020 at 11:07 am

      When you say “2 tbsp vegetable broth” do you mean the powder, or powder plus water?

      Reply
      • Chuck Underwood

        July 16, 2020 at 6:38 am

        Liquid broth

        Reply
  2. Janet K

    June 12, 2016 at 10:00 am

    Where do you get vegan Panko breadcrumbs? All the ones I found have milk.

    Reply
    • Chuck Underwood

      June 12, 2016 at 10:03 am

      Our local Fred Meyer has some (Kroger). I think it was the Kroger brand – but they were oil and dairy free. You could also just use your own, or a light dusting of flour, or even corn flakes….

      Reply
      • Janet K

        June 12, 2016 at 2:30 pm

        Thanks.

        Reply
  3. Jodi

    June 17, 2016 at 1:39 pm

    Hi! I just made these. They turned out so well! I made a couple of tweaks based on what i had – included white and sweet potato and used water instead of stock, as I didn’t have any. Thank you so much. I can’t wait to try more of your recipes!!!

    Reply
  4. Sarah

    June 6, 2018 at 6:32 pm

    this recipe was pretty decent but it really needs salt, in my opinion.

    Reply
  5. Teresa

    June 7, 2018 at 2:08 pm

    This are really good. I especially like the crunch! I was looking for a recipe for spinach and found this recipe because I needed to incorporate more greens into my diet. Next time I will add more spinach! And ketchup and malt vinegar are a great combination for them!

    Reply
  6. Rachel

    July 14, 2018 at 9:45 pm

    What is the best way to store these after you make them?

    Reply
    • Chuck Underwood

      July 15, 2018 at 9:43 am

      In the fridge for 3-5 days.

      Reply
  7. Kaye

    September 25, 2018 at 10:10 am

    Can’t wait to try these

    Reply
  8. Beverley

    November 8, 2018 at 10:03 am

    These are AMAZING!! Even my non-vegan meat eating son LOVED them, he said they are epic! It’s now my everyday breakfast, and I’m going to try other combos (eg sweet potato, peas, jalapeno, maybe one batch with curry powder etc). Thank you Chuck!! All your recipes are sooo good, and your instructions are the best, 🙂

    Reply
  9. Andrea

    November 15, 2018 at 5:21 am

    So we don’t peel the potatoes?

    Reply
    • Chuck Underwood

      November 15, 2018 at 5:53 am

      You can if you want to – the peel has lots of vitamins and fiber so I usually try to avoid it

      Reply
  10. Cindi Little

    November 16, 2018 at 2:01 pm

    These sound delicious! Could you air fry them instead of the oven? Timing and temp suggestions?

    Reply
    • Chuck Underwood

      November 16, 2018 at 4:11 pm

      Yes – people have used an air fryer. I would start at 375 for 10 min and adjust as needed.

      Reply
  11. Janis E

    January 29, 2019 at 6:34 pm

    So I just made these! I, too, tweaked and I used canned spinach (this time), and added paprika, turmeric, chives and CHEESE. I didn’t have basil tonite…but I had the Mexican blend of Monterey Jack, Cheddar, Colby and Mozzerella. I also added Tony’s cause I need just a lil more flavor…I’m not sure what sauce I will do with these. But oh, I can’t wait to eat these. I actually had enough to freeze for another time. Thanks for sparking my cooking creativity!

    Reply
  12. Mary Eastman

    April 1, 2019 at 11:02 am

    I just finished making these and had two so far! They are really great! I used hot sauce for dipping! Will make again! Thank you so much! I had a lot of spinach that needed to be used 😉

    Reply
  13. Jackie noor

    January 7, 2020 at 12:38 pm

    I just made these , but in the picture it shows orange pieces, mine dont look that way, did you make these with carrots? I have them cooking right now in air fryer, i didnt have fresh basil so used 1 teaspoon of dry basil, also didnt have yukon potatoes so used 2 large baker potatoes also used whole wheat panko

    Reply
    • Penny McGuire

      January 25, 2020 at 4:00 pm

      I believe the panko bread crumbs have just toasted on the outside, that’s where the orange color may be coming from.

      Reply
  14. Jackie noor

    January 7, 2020 at 12:43 pm

    I just made these , but in the picture it shows orange pieces, mine dont look that way, did you make these with carrots? I have them cooking right now in air fryer, i didnt have fresh basil so used 1 teaspoon of dry basil, also didnt have yukon potatoes so used 2 large baker potatoes also used whole wheat panko just ate one and very good

    Reply
  15. Melanie

    January 23, 2020 at 8:38 am

    I bet these would be good with your horseradish dip that you use for fried pickles.

    Reply
  16. Jenna Jensen

    June 11, 2020 at 6:16 pm

    Can’t wait to try these, they sound very delicious.

    Reply
  17. Mary Miller

    August 1, 2020 at 10:32 am

    I doubled the recipe, peeled the potatoes after boiling. Used frozen spinach after draining well.I also added some Tabasco. Cooked in the air fryer at 400 for 19 min. For the panko, a bagle in the food grinder worked great! Wonderful!

    Reply
  18. Naomi

    September 4, 2020 at 6:08 pm

    These are a game changer! I had them for lunch and again for dinner. Made a plant based garlic dipping sauce…YUM!

    Reply
  19. Sharon

    October 11, 2020 at 12:11 pm

    Wonderful! I made them smaller and cooked the.m in the air fryer. Great idea! Thanks!

    Reply
  20. Elizabeth

    October 30, 2020 at 1:57 pm

    Not bad, but the apple cider vinegar and Italian seasoning were too strong in my opinion. For the second batch, I added salt and used fresh parsley and basil, and omitted the vinegar and Italian seasoning. I did like that this recipe is forgiving enough that adding different herbs and spices didn’t affect the final outcome and texture.

    Reply
  21. Kim

    November 16, 2020 at 5:44 pm

    I found this recipe while searching for a way to use up some spinach, and this did the trick! It’s a sneaky way to get some spinach in too since it’s really not noticable in the final product. Thanks for sharing!

    Reply

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Recipe Key

OFOil Free
GFGluten Free
MMMary's Mini
NFNut Free
SFSoy Free
LFLow Fat
IPInstant Pot
VVegan
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Hi I'm Chuck, and I make switching to a plant-based diet as easy as possible by recreating all of your favorite comfort foods. You're not going to believe how good it tastes and chances are, you're not gonna miss a thing!

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