Name: Mediterranean Savory Muffins {with feta, spinach}
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 40 min
Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Ingredients: 6 ounces of fresh spinach (you can also sub 1 cup frozen spinach thawed and SQUEEZED DRY - see notes); 1 bell pepper, diced (you can also substitute 1/2 cup chopped sun-dried tomato - see notes); 1 teaspoon olive oil *omit if using frozen spinach + sun-dried tomatoes; pinch of salt *omit if using frozen spinach + sun-dried tomatoes; 3/4 cup milk - 178grams; 1/4 cup yogurt - 63 grams; 1/4 cup neutral oil (canola, avocado, vegetable) - 55 grams; 2 whole eggs; 2.5 cups flour - 312 grams; 3 teaspoons baking powder; 1/2 teaspoon baking soda; 1 teaspoon kosher salt - half if using table salt; 2 teaspoons oregano; 2 teaspoons black pepper; 1 cup crumbled feta cheese - 208 grams/8oz; 1 bunch of scallions (about 10 scallions), chopped

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A Mediterranean Savory Muffin - it is as good as it sounds! These are for my savory breakfast lovers. Filled with spinach, feta and spices, they are the perfect accompaniment to jammy eggs and a fresh spring salad.

Savory muffins in a loaf pan with cloth napkin underneath.

For the past two years my daughter has been part of her school high school dance team. The demands are high for the dancers and as parents, we do everything we can to keep them fueled and nourished.

Our team parents make meals for the dancers on competition days. This allows us to not only keep our budget low but also gives us the opportunity to cater to the likes, dislikes and allergies of the dancers and make sure they are eating filling food they enjoy.

If you've followed me for a while, you know my oldest daughter has a number of food allergies so I'm always trying to invent new things for her to enjoy and not feel limited. This recipe came about because egg muffins or mini quiches are a super common breakfast food items - unfortunately she is allergic to eggs so those are out of the question for her. I thought, what about a savory muffin? Something that still has those savory notes but not egg forward like a quiche.

I developed a muffin base and filled it with delicious mediterranean ingredients that we use regularly: feta cheese, spinach and oregano are the main ones. I added some bell pepper (because she isn't into sun-dried tomatoes but those are PERFECT in here too) and a good dose of black pepper for a little bite.

You're left with a savory muffin that is packed with flavor on its own or pair it with a jammy egg for a complete breakfast. Mostly one bowl and quick to come together. You'll be snacking on these for breakfast, lunch and dinner! Let's jump in to see how to make them!

Close up of savory muffin top inside tin.

A few ingredient highlights

This is a great pantry muffin, most well equipped pantries should have everything on hand.

Top down shot of all the ingredients used in savory muffin.

Milk - I'm using whole milk in this recipe but any milk or milk alternative would work well, it's truly to give the muffins the moisture they need.
Yogurt - Yogurt is a wonderful binding ingredient and also helps to give the muffins a slight tang. I use traditional whole milk yogurt but a thicker Greek yogurt works just fine too.
Dried Oregano - I really do prefer using dried oregano in this recipe over fresh. After several tests, the dried oregano yielded a more savory and earthy flavor where the fresh fell short.
Feta Cheese - Feta cheese is crucial in this recipe, especially to create that salty bite. Whether you use a pre-crumbled feta or crumble yourself, it's a key ingredient.
Spinach - I'm using fresh spinach in this version but I have also made with frozen spinach with great success. Jump down to the "no skillet method"

See recipe card for quantities.

Instructions

These Mediterranean Savory Muffins come together really quickly - the hardest part is cooking up your spinach and pepper. I will also list a no-cook option down below as well using frozen spinach.

Sauteed spinach and peppers in a skillet.

In a large skillet, heat 1 teaspoon of olive oil and add in your chopped pepper. Allow to cook for 2-3 minutes then add your spinach and a pinch of salt. Cook for another 3-5 minutes until the spinach is wilted. Set aside and preheat oven to 400.

Whisk your wet ingredients into a large bowl: eggs, milk, yogurt and oil.

Dry ingredients added to wet ingredients in a bowl, in the process of folding together.

Add your dry ingredients to the wet: flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, oregano, black pepper and fold until just combined.

Add-ins added to the bowl including spinach and peppers, scallions and feta cheese.

Next add your add-ins: chopped scallions, cooked spinach and peppers and feta cheese. Fold until just combined.

Savory muffin batter fully mixed in bowl.

Your mixture will be quite thick. Prepare your muffin tin with liners or spray with non-stick spray.

Savory muffin batter filled in a muffin tin topped with black pepper.

Fill your muffin tin until the batter is at the top edge. Grind a little extra black pepper on the tops. You should get about 10 muffins per batch. Bake for 20-25 minutes until golden and skewer comes out clean when inserted.

Photo of baked savory muffin on its side in the muffin tin.

No Skillet Required Method

I am 100% about using the least number of pans and bowls when baking. Here is a quick little idea for a substitution that doesn't require cooking anything:

Frozen Spinach - If you have frozen spinach on hand, you can use in place of fresh. You'll want to take a cup of frozen spinach and defrost, you can soak into cold water for a few minutes then strain and SQUEEZE DRY - very important to squeeze completely dry. Once dry, add to your muffin batter! You can add your chopped bell peppers raw to the batter without any problem.