Caramelized Onion, Spinach, and Cheddar Flaky Pastries.
These fun little onion, spinach, and cheddar flaky pastries are the perfect fall accoutrement. Flaky puff pastry dough filled with caramelized onions, spinach, and cheese, and then baked to a golden perfection. Equally perfect on a holiday platter, and as they are on a Monday night football tray!
Happy Monday, happy fall, and welcome to the last full week of September!
Hard to believe that October first is just one week away. Truly feels like we just welcomed in September. This month has been so crazy busy and full of many ups and downs. It’s been a lot, but after spending the weekend organizing the studio space and preparing for the month ahead, I’m feeling a little more on top of things…
I mean, just slightly. Still a little overwhelmed, but getting organized always helps to calm my anxiety a bit. Plus, I’m feeling really excited for all that’s coming in these next few months. So many fun autumn recipes (did you see Friday’s mulled spiced apple cider doughnuts?), new content, and holiday talk, are in the future!
Can’t wait.
Today I’m sharing such a delicious recipe that’s kind of perfect for all situations. It’s obviously a great appetizer, but these pastries are equally great as a light dinner with a side salad. And yes, the leftovers the next day for lunch are pretty much perfection.
I made these last week. They’re one of the very first recipes I cooked and photographed in the new studio. Not going to lie, it’s been a big adjustment for me cooking and photographing in a new space. I’m not even close to feeling comfortable yet, but after hours and hours working on these, I finally decided I was happy with them.
The recipe came out great the first time around. I mean, what’s not to love about caramelized onions, spinach, and cheese all stuffed into flaky pastry dough? It’s beyond good.
The trouble I was having was more with the photos. For those who do any kind of photography you know that lighting is KEY. I only shoot with natural light and while the new studio has so much incredible natural light, it’s also very different from my old works space (aka my house) and it’s taking some serious getting used to.
I love a good moody photo with shadows and all, so finding the right window is proving to be a challenge. I’m sure over time I will find my grove, but right now there’s a bit of a learning curve, so bear with me! I spent hours on these photos and finally came away with some I am happy with and that make the tarts look just as delicious as they taste.
Speaking which, let’s talk recipe details.
These are pretty simple to make. You’ll need some pantry staples like onions, spices, frozen spinach and puff pastry.
Start with caramelizing the onions. The onions need to cook low and slow until they’re golden, sweet, and perfect. It’s about a ten minute process, so practice some patience here, and don’t walk too far away from the skillet. Trust me, I’ve done this and come back to black onions. Not good.
Once the onions have caramelized, add the herbs, spices, spinach, and cheeses. I uses a mixed of cheddar and havarti. The cheddar adds a nice sharp flavor, while the havarti adds a buttery creaminess. Both would be delicious on their own, but I love pairing them together for a sharp, buttery, and creamy cheesy flavor.
Stuff the spinach filling in between sheets of puff pastry and then bake. I brushed half of my pastries with everything bagel spice, which is delicious, but also not completely needed. I loved both versions, so use the everything spice if you’d like, these are great with or without!
What you must do however, is drizzle each pastry with honey and then sprinkle with fresh thyme and flaky salt just after they come out of the oven. I know it may seem odd, but trust me here, the honey, thyme, salt combo…game changer.
It’s the best finishing touch.
I’m loving the idea serving these up for some Monday night football snacking or just an easy, but different dinner to break out of the usual chicken and veggie situation that often happens on a Monday night.
You could also save the recipe, and use as your next party appetizer (hello Halloween parties, Friendsgiving, and Thanksgiving I’m looking at you). Better yet, serve these tonight AND at your next gathering!
If you make these caramelized onion, spinach, and cheddar flaky pastries, please be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love hearing from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to also tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Caramelized Onion, Spinach, and Cheddar Flaky Pastries
These fun little pastries are the perfect fall accoutrement. Flaky puff pastry dough filled with caramelized onions, spinach, and cheese, and then baked to a golden perfection. Equally perfect on a holiday platter, and as they are on a Monday night football tray!
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 yellow onion, thinly sliced
- 1 teaspoon honey, plus more for serving
- kosher salt and pepper
- 1 garlic clove, minced or grated
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
- 1 bag (16 ounce) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
- 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 1 cup shredded havarti cheese
- 1 box frozen puff pastry, thawed
- 1 egg, beaten
- everything bagel spice, for sprinkling (optional)
Instructions
-
1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil shimmers, add the onions and honey and cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally until softened. Season with salt and pepper and continue cooking another 5-10 minutes or until the onions are golden and caramelized. Add the garlic, thyme, nutmeg, and crushed red pepper, cook another minute. Remove from the heat.
3. Stir in the spinach, cheddar, and havarti cheese.
4. Lay the pastry sheets flat on a clean, floured surface. Gently roll the sheets out to stretch slightly. Cut each sheet into 9 squares. Evenly divide the spinach filling among half of the squares, leaving a 1/4 inch border around the edges. Brush the edges with egg. Lay the remaining 9 squares over the filling and seal the edges by crimping with the back of a fork.
5. Place the squares on the prepared baking sheet and brush the tops with beaten egg. Make 2 small slits on the top of the pastries. Sprinkle with everything spice, if desired. Transfer to the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.
6. Serve warm, drizzled with honey.
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Thank you for a beautiful two flaky pastries recipe. Made this tonight for my family and the kitchen smells divine. It tastes even better.
I am so happy to hear that! Thank you!
Looks divine. But always a challenge to find a good alternative or substitute for dark green ( Loaded with Vitamin K) veggies Hubby cannot eat them with his medication. May make his portion with Mushrooms..and some thyme. Thank you will try soon after the notorious long trip to the Groc Store.
Fall is here.. freezing out this AM..must get the fleece lined jeans out of storage. 🙂
Thank you so much Leslie!
wow. I love pastel
Thank you!
Sweet perfectionist Tieghan. Like my husband, a graphic designer, you’re always after the right angle, the right light, the right everything. Relax, do not forget that probably 95% of your readers aren’t photograph or image professionals and won’t see what annoys you 🙂 Your photos are perfect, and like people or animals, some foods are more photogenic than others.
We call these “feuilletés” (from “pâte feuilletée” = layered pastry in French) and can be sweet or savory. I made some last week with kale, goat cheese & cranberries and I will try these next time, being a fan of caramelized onions! Thanks for the recipe!
I am so glad you loved this! Thank you so much Anaïs!
I made a comment, and do not see it posted.
Puff pastry is my favourite ingredient to cook with!! These puffs look so flaky! love the caramelised onion filling. Great recipe.
Thank you so much!
Can u freeze onion, spinach, cheese pastries before u bake them??
Yes! You can certainly freeze before baking. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe. Thanks so much! xTieghan
These look immensely yum!!
Rebecca | http://www.peppermintdolly.com
Thank you!
while the recipe calls for a box of puff pastry it appears you only use two sheets. Is that because each box has only two sheets? Am I missing something?
Each box of puff pastry has 2 sheets of pastry in it. I use Peppridge Farms Puff Pastry. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe. Thanks so much! xTieghan
I’m with you on the organizing front Tieghan.. . .while it can be overwhelming at first, I always find it relaxing in the end. As for your new space. . .you will figure it out in no time. Trust me! I’ve moved a lot these past years & I always feel that it makes me a better photographer. It’s proof that I can adapt & manipulate light in a wide variety of circumstances. I’m sure you’ll agree once you get past the stress. Oh. . .and these little numbers. I can’t get over how divine that crust looks.
Thank you so much Lynn!
Can I use fresh spinach ?
Sure! Just cook the spinach down before adding to the pasties. I would use 6 cups fresh spinach. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe. Thanks so much! xTieghan
Oh my goodness the honey touch is next Level!!
(: Thank you Becky!
Tried these with a little change because of laking ingredients and it turned out beautiful. Wanted to find out how to reheat next day. Thanks
I would reheat in the oven at 325 for 15 minutes or until warm. That will be great! Please let me know if you have any other questions. So glad you love this recipe. Thanks so much! xTieghan
These pastries look so irresistible – I love the flavors and the honey drizzle sounds delicious!
Just made this for a gathering we’re having tomorrow… They look great and nice recipe… Thanks!
Made these today and they are incredible. So flavorful and delicious. I roasted my onions in the oven with thyme and butter and olive oil to make that part more hands off and it works great. Thanks for the awesome recipes. I just found your site and I’ve made 4 things already.
Thank you so much! I am so glad you loved this Melanie!
My son has been asking to make “spinach puffs” ever since we watched Emperor’s New Groove- The evil lady is chewing out her henchman and yells “I never liked your spinach puffs!” And he thought that was the funniest thing. We made these and really loved them. The red pepper is so nice!
Haha that is too great! Thank you so much Liz! I am so glad you and your son loved these!
Hi Tieghan! Love your book, it has so many tasty recipes!
Was curious about this recipe, can you use fresh spinach? Or it is recommended to use frozen? Thanks!! 🙂
Hey Lisa! Sure you can use fresh spinach! I recommend cooking down 5-6 cups of fresh spinach until it is wilted, then cool and use as directed. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe. Thanks so much! xTieghan
I can’t wait to make these! I do want to pair them with some sort of protein to make it a full meal. What would you suggest serving with these? Thanks!
HI! I think a roasted chicken would be great. Light, but still hearty! Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe. Thanks so much! xTieghan
These sound great but can you use fresh spinach and if so what would you do differently? Chop up and maybe cook lightly first?
HI! Yes you can! Cook the spinach before adding to the pastries. Use about 6 cups fresh, it will cook down a lot! Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe. Thanks so much! xTieghan
We just finished these delicious appetizers. A huge hit!! Next time I will be sure to ventilate them. Thank you!
I am so happy to hear that!
I think I might add some ricotta and a beaten egg but your flavour profile sounds really delicious.
Thank you so much Sue!
IIf you want to bake them after you have frozen them, how long would bake them or would you let them defrost first?
Hey Pam! I would bake them frozen and bake an addition 10-15 minutes until the are cooked throughout. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe. Thanks so much! xTieghan
Did you make slits in the middle of pastry before baking?
HI! Yes! I made 1-2 small slits before baking. Updating recipe! Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe. Thanks so much! xTieghan
Could you prepare the filling a day before and assemble the pastries the following day? Traveling to a Friendsgiving this weekend and would love to prep as much as possible ahead of time. Thank you!
Hey Kate! You can actually assemble the pastries the day before, cover them on the baking sheet, store in the fridge, and then bake when you get to your friends. That works great! Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe. Thanks so much! xTieghan
I made this for dinner yesterday, and it tastes superb! My family loved it a lot and I’m going to cook it again soon. Your recipe helped me a lot, Tieghan. Thank you!
I am so happy to hear that Elizabeth! Thank you so much for making this and I am so glad your family loved it!
These are absolutely delicious and elegant!! We cut our pastry dough into 16 squares to make them a bit smaller and get more bites from the recipe! Thank you for once again sharing another scrumptious recipe! There really hasn’t been anything that we all haven’t thoroughly enjoyed! THANK YOU! Oh and yes the honey drizzle and fresh thyme to finish it off takes the flavors to a whole new level!! 🙂
I am so glad you loved this recipe, Jen! Thank you so much!
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Making these tonight for NYE – so excited!
Thank you Katie!
Amazing recipe! I made it gluten free.. it turned out amazing! Your recipes are so easy to switch them to gluten free!!
I am so happy to hear that! Thank you so much Mari!
I made these last night – they were amazing. I assembled the pastries a day prior and froze them before baking. They took a little longer to cook since they were frozen – about 35 minutes. Please post more pastry recipes like this!
I am so glad you loved these pastries, Gabriella! Thank you so much!
These are delicious! The recipe was easy to follow even for a novice baker. I love the flavors of the honey, thyme, and everything bagel spice together, and the filling is just as good.
Thank you so much Sara! I am so glad you loved this recipe! xTieghan
Hey Teigen-the filling was great. I didn’t use the egg wash on the completed turnover which may account for the “crunchiness” we experienced. I’m thinking that next time, I’ll either use pie crust or down butter in between the layers…
Ooo yum! So glad you loved this recipe, Dale!! xTieghan
These were so delicious! A little more work than my usual ham, cheese, and dijon ones but so worth it for the flavor! I would cut each sheet into 4 rectangles next time and fold them over making 8 turnovers! Loved the everything bagel spice, I used it on half of them but would put it on all of them next time! Such a wonderful, delicious recipe!
I am really glad these turned out so well for you Crissy! Thank you so much for trying it! xTieghan
Amazing!! Made these thinking they’d last a few days in the house… they were gone wihin the hour! Fab combination of flavours, and pretty easy to make 😀
Haha wow that is too great! I am so glad you all loved this Lucy! xTieghan
Amidst the chaos of shopping with a 1 year old, we somehow grabbed frozen fillo dough instead of puff pastry and were extremely disappointed… until they came out of the oven! We made them into little triangles and they werel really, really good!!! Saving this recipe for the next time we go to the store to buy puff pastry. LOL
I need to make these ahead for a bridal shower and freeze them, I assume you brush them with the egg after you bring them out of the freezer to bake? thx
Hi Cathie,
Yes that is correct! I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
After you bake these, can you store in an air tight container at room temperature or do they need to be refrigerated?
Hi Nicole,
I would keep these in the fridge. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Can these be made ahead of time?? Thank you!
Hey BethAnn,
You can assemble these ahead of time, but I would recommend serving them warm. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Tastes sharp and spicy but without depth of flavor. Followed recipe. Would maybe try again with less red pepper and some sausage or bacon.
Hi! I am sorry this did not turn out as expected.. please let me know if there is anything I can help with! xTieghan
These were excellent! Easy enough to make that a relatively inexperienced cook like me had no issues, and came out delicious! The sweetness of the honey plays beautifully with the little kick from the red pepper flakes, and visually they look stunning! Will definitely be making these again!
Hey Jessie,
Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try, I am thrilled that it worked out for you. Happy Holidays! xTieghan
These are darn near perfect. I think there’s too much red pepper. It overwhelms the other flavors. Likewise, I think there’s so much garlic in the Everything But The Bagel seasoning that it too overwhelms the flavor of the filling. I would still use both but in lesser quantities
Hey Meg,
I am thrilled you liked the recipe, thanks so much for giving it a go! Happy Sunday:) xTieghan
Delish! I used fresh spinach from our garden and cooked it down with the caramelized onions.
Hey Hannah,
Thanks so much for making the recipe, I am so glad it was enjoyed! Have a great week! xTieghan