Spanakopita is a Greek spinach and feta pie. It’s crispy and flaky on the outside, cheesy and tender on the inside.
For more Mediterranean recipes check out spinach stew, cauliflower salad, tzatziki, horiatiki Greek salad, and easy pita bread.
Introduction
Greek spanakopita is savory spinach pie that’s surprisingly simple to make with store-bought phyllo dough and a filling of spinach, spring onions, leeks, eggs, olive oil, and plenty of delicious Greek feta cheese.
Phyllo or filo dough, also used in Turkish recipes such as Baklava and Börek is made with flour and olive oil, is low in fat and gets incredibly crispy, crinkles and flakey.
This savory Greek spinach pie is an excellent recipe for picnics and potlucks, breakfasts and brunches, but also as part of a healthy mediterranean meal.
Louise and I love serving spanakopita as part of a spread with recipes like baba ganoush, muhammara, and swimming chickpeas. As a salad we usually add a Tabouli or Shirazi salad.
How to make spanakopita
Find complete ingredient list, quantities, and substitutions in the recipe box at the bottom of the page.
Step 1: Cook greens.
Sauté finely chopped leeks and green onions in heated extra virgin olive oil for 5 minutes until soft.
Add fresh or frozen spinach, season with salt and black pepper, and cook for a few minutes until most of the water in the skillet has evaporated.
Step 2: Make filling.
Transfer to a bowl and let cool down for 10 minutes, then add crumbled feta cheese, beaten eggs, and fresh herbs. Traditionally parsley, dill, and mint are used. Mix well and set aside.
Step 3: Fill spinach pie.
Oil you baking pan and cover it with 8 sheets of phyllo dough. Leave a bit of dough hanging over the edges. Add a drizzle of olive oil in between each sheet.
Let the dough crinkled so that the hot air flows through the cracks and the base cooks better.
Add the spinach filling and spread it flat and even.
Step 4: Top and tuck in.
Cover with 8 more layers, arranging them like before, and drizzling oil in between each layer.
Tuck overhanging dough in the pan, creating a rim. Brush top with oil, including the rim. Cut top layers into squares. Don’t cut all the way through the bottom.
Step 5. Bake and serve.
Bake in a preheated oven at 340°F or 170°C for 1 hour until golden brown and crisp.
Let cool down 10 minutes before cutting squares and enjoy.
Tips
Phyllo dough will dry out quickly if you leave it out. To prevent this, open the phyllo dough package only when you are ready to use it.
Pan size: we recommend using a 9 1/2″ x 13″ (24 x 33cm) pan or a slightly larger one.
Frequently Asked Questions
Let spanakopita cool down at room temperature, transfer it to an airtight container and keep it in the fridge for up to 3 days.
I recommend freezing spanakopita before baking for best results. Freeze assembled in the baking pan wrapped in parchment paper and plastic wrap until solid.
Bake from frozen in a preheated oven at 340°F or 170°C for 60 to 70 minutes.
We prefer fresh spinach as they contain less water and cook faster. Frozen spinach can also be used but make sure that most of their water evaporates before you mix feta and eggs in.
You can substitute a mixture of ricotta cheese and grated parmesan for the feta. Add 3/4 of ricotta and 1/4 of grated parmesan.
You can easily make vegan spanakopita following our recipe. Substitute non-dairy feta (Vio life is best) or vegan ricotta. Omit eggs, the recipe works well without. That’s it!
I reheat spanakopita in the air fryer at 400°F or 200°C for 10 minutes because it’s the best way to keep it crisp and flaky. A preheated oven at the same temperature for 15 minutes also works well.
Avoid reheating this spinach pie in the microwave as the phyllo dough will get soggy.
If you tried this Greek spanakopita recipe or any other recipe on our blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let us know how it goes in the comments. We love hearing from you!
Spanakopita (Greek Spinach Pie)
Equipment
- 9 1/2″ x 13″ (24 x 33cm) baking sheet or pan
Ingredients
- 11 ounces phyllo dough 16 sheets – fresh is easiest, frozen must be thawed overnight in the fridge in its sealed package before use.
- 2 pounds fresh spinach substitute frozen
- 2 tablespoons olive oil extra virgin
- 3 green onions
- 1 leek
- ½ cup parsley fresh
- ¼ cup dill fresh
- ¼ cup mint fresh
- 1 pound feta cheese
- 2 large eggs
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- COOK GREENS: In a large skillet, sauté 1 leek and 3 green onions (finely chopped) in 2 tablespoons olive oil for 5 minutes or until soft.Add 2 pounds fresh spinach, season with ½ teaspoon salt and ⅛ teaspoon black pepper, and cook for a few minutes until most of the water in the skillet has evaporated.
- MAKE FILLING: Transfer to a bowl and let cool down for 10 minutes, then add 1 pound feta cheese (crumbled), 2 large eggs (beaten), ½ cup parsley, ¼ cup dill, and ¼ cup mint (finely chopped).Mix well and set aside.
- FILL PIE: Oil you baking pan and cover it with 8 sheets of phyllo dough. Leave a bit of dough hanging over the edges. Add a drizzle of olive oil in between each sheet.Let the dough crinkled so that the hot air flows through the cracks and the base cooks better.Add the spinach filling and spread it flat and even.
- TOP AND TUCK IN: Cover with 8 more layers, arranging them like before, and drizzling oil in between each layer.Tuck overhanging dough in the pan, creating a rim. Brush top with oil, including the rim. Cut top layers into squares. Don’t cut all the way through the bottom.
- BAKE AND SERVE: Bake in a preheated oven at 340°F or 170°C for 1 hour until golden brown and crisp.Let cool down 10 minutes before cutting squares and enjoy.
Video
Notes
- Spinach: substitute kale to make a Greek-inspired kale and feta pie.
- Leek: substitute onion.
- Spring onions: substitute shallots.
- Phyllo dough: you could substitute puff pastry, although that’s not authentic Greek.
- Feta cheese: substitute 3/4 ricotta cheese and 1/4 parmesan cheese. You can also use non-dairy feta blocks.
- Fresh herbs: use what you can find. Parsley is most important.
- Eggs: omit if vegan.
- Phyllo dough will dry out quickly if you leave it out. To prevent this, open the phyllo dough package only when you are ready to use it.
- Pan size: we recommend using a 9 1/2″ x 13″ (24 x 33cm) pan or a slightly larger one.
- Using frozen phyllo? You must thaw it first. It’s best to do it in the fridge overnight (6 to 10 hours) while still in its package. Then bring it to room temperature leaving it 2 hours on the counter. Keep phyllo package sealed until you are ready to use it.
Nutrition
Hi! We are Nico & Louise
Welcome to The Plant-Based School, a food blog with vegetarian and vegan recipes.
Looks yummy! Thanks for sharing, love your recipes!
It’s our pleasure, Emilia! Thanks for taking precious time to comment 🥰
Happy Sunday to you!! Best, Louise
Lovely. I love Spinach pie of any sort
But I would never the think of all those herbs. Tks
Looking for recipe thankyou.