spinach feta stuffed soft pretzels
Every good deed deserves a giant soft pretzel. Isn’t that the saying?
Maybe not. I daresay you deserve a soft pretzel for enduring the first week of February (what in the world, February already?) and for Sunday. The big day approaches, folks! I could not wait to share these Spinach and Feta Stuffed Soft Pretzels because they are one of my prouder accomplishments, alongside yesterday’s Spicy Pineapple Ginger Margarita. They take a little patience and love, but overall are easy and so worth the extra bit of time to rise, stuff, and bake.
All required for the pretzel dough is flour, yeast, water, salt, a bit of sugar to proof the yeast, a few spices, and coconut oil. Treat it like a normal bread dough with some kneading and rising. While the dough hangs out, prepare a simple filling of roasted red peppers (jarred or homemade, your choice!), feta cheese, spinach, lemon zest, and red pepper flakes.
The trickiest part of forming the pretzels is performing a twist that doesn’t mangle the pretzel shape. No one’s going to call the cops if you happen to make them look a bit more like wads of Play-Doh than pretzels. They’ll still taste nice. Before you worry about that, though, roll and gently stretch long ropes of dough with a few inches of space to spread some filling. Once filled, seal the ropes with a gentle pinch, then proceed to wind the dough to make something resembling a pretzel. The photo below gives a good low-down of the twisting motion required.
Now, to the crucial bit that makes a pretzel a pretzel: the baking soda bath. Boil a pot of water with a good heap of baking soda and give the pretzels a scrubbadubdub – okay, no, just drop them in and let them float for about 30 seconds. Drain, and set on a baking sheet prepared with parchment paper. Once all the pretzels are bathed, brush them with a beaten egg and sprinkle with a generous pinch of thick salt (pretzel salt, or a large grain kosher salt work). Toss into an oven preheated to 425 and drool a bit over the luscious smells engulfing your kitchen. Your only task thereafter is to devour! Maybe let them cool a slight bit so you still have a tongue after the first bite.
I used to buy the spinach and artichoke pretzels from a bookstore at which I worked way back when, and these guys were inspired by those monstrosities. We both have a soft spot for any kind of pretzel – a whole bag of Snyder’s often vanishes after two days – and these guys kick a whole slew of cravings out the door in one go. Or two, or three, depending on how many pretzels you wish to eat.
Tried this recipe out? Leave a comment below with your thoughts! Don’t forget to come say hi and show me what you’ve made on Instagram, I’m always around and ready for a chat.
Ingredients
- 1 package active dry yeast
- 1 cup warm water
- 1 tbsp granulated sugar
- 4-4.5 cups all purpose flour
- 2 tsp kosher salt
- 2 tbsp dried oregano
- 1 tbsp garlic powder
- 6 tbsp melted coconut oil
- 8 oz feta cheese
- 4 cups spinach
- 2 roasted red peppers (or about 1 jar)
- 2 tsp lemon zest
- 1/4-1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
- 1/4 cup baking soda
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- pretzel salt, or another large flake salt
Instructions
- In a glass measuring cup, combine yeast, warm water, and sugar. Stir and let sit about 5-10 minutes or until yeast foams and bubbles.
- In a large bowl, mix 4 cups flour, salt, oregano, and garlic. Pour in yeast mixture and melted coconut oil and stir until a soft dough ball forms. Turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead for about 5 minutes until cohesive. If dough feels too sticky, add flour 1tbsp at a time. The dough should be soft and pliable but should not leave a lot of residue on your hands. Oil a clean bowl and place dough inside, turning once to coat both sides with oil. Cover with a sheet of plastic or a tea towel and let rise in a warm, draft-free area until doubled in size, about an hour.
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees and line two baking sheets with parchment.
- Bring 3-4 quarts of water and baking soda to a boil. While the water heats, form your pretzels! Divide dough into 8 roughly equal-sized balls. One at a time, roll into a long rope about 14 x 3 inches. Spread about 2 tbsp filling across the length of the rope, leaving an inch of room on all sides. Roll the piece from the long side until filling is fully covered and pinch the seam gently but firmly, then lightly roll along the seam until smooth. To form the pretzel shape, take the right end and loop over to the left side, then the left end and weave through the right end once, sealing the end on the right (see photo above if confused!) Set completed pretzel onto baking sheets and repeat with remaining dough and filling.
- Once water comes to a boil, drop 1-2 pretzels carefully into the liquid and cook for 30 seconds. Remove with a slotted spoon or spatula and allow excess water to drip back into the pot. Set onto parchment lined baking sheet. Once all pretzels are boiled, brush generously with egg wash and sprinkle liberally with salt.
- Bake pretzels 15-18 minutes or until a rich golden brown in color. Remove from oven and cool for 5 minutes. Serve! Highly recommend pairing these with tzaziki sauce.
