This Spanakopita recipe is made with a rich spinach and feta filling layered between buttery crispy sheets of phyllo. This irresistible Greek spinach pie can be served as a side dish, appetizer or main entree.
You can serve this spinach pie recipe with Greek Lemon Oven Roasted Chicken Thighs or with a simple Chopped Greek Salad for a lighter meal.
Spanakopita is one of my favorite Greek recipes. This savory dish is so versatile. It is often served as an appetizer shaped like small triangles of golden brown phyllo filled with hearty spinach and feta. But spanakopita is also made layered in a casserole or baking dish and served as a side dish or as a meatless main dish.
What Is Spanakopita?
Spanakopita is a traditional savory Greek pastry consisting of layers of phyllo dough and a mixture of spinach with fresh dill, garlic, lemon, nutmeg and feta cheese.
What Is Phyllo Dough?
Phyllo dough, also known as filo, are sheets of unleavened paper-thin buttery pastry. Although phyllo can be made at home, it is very finicky and a long process (believe me I had that assignment in culinary school and I didn’t enjoy it). Thankfully phyllo is sold in boxes in the freezer aisle of most supermarkets.
Phyllo is not the same as puff pastry which is a thicker pastry that puffs when baked.
Greek Spinach Pie Ingredients
Detailed measurements can be found in the printable recipe card below.
- Spinach: I prefer using frozen spinach to make this Greek pie. It is important to thaw out the spinach completely and squeeze out any excess water.
- Cheese: Authentic spanakopita is made with feta cheese which is the cheese I am using for this recipe. Buy a good quality block of feta, not crumbles. I also use a little bit of Parmesan cheese to sprinkle between the filo sheets.
- Plain Greek Yogurt: I use full fat yogurt.
- Scallions: Also known as green onions, thinly sliced.
- Eggs: I use large eggs. Eggs are a binding agent that bring the filling together.
- Dill: It is important to use fresh dill. Dill gives a wonderful flavor to the spinach filling.
- Garlic: I use fresh garlic.
- Lemon: Both the zest and the juice are used to make Greek spanakopita.
- Spices and Seasonings: Salt, ground black pepper and nutmeg. Ground nutmeg is a must when making spinach feta pie.
- Phyllo Dough: I use frozen phyllo dough. Allow the phyllo to thaw out completely in the refrigerator. This recipe uses about 1/2 pound of phyllo (about 18 sheets). I always buy and defrost extra sheets because although working with phyllo is quite easy, I sometimes tend to mess up a few sheets. I prefer to have extra sheets handy.
- Butter: I prefer using unsalted butter to have better control of the salt content in the pie.
How To Make Spanakopita
For detailed instructions, check the printable recipe card below!
You will use a total of 18 sheets of phyllo dough to make this easy spanakopita recipe. Make sure you keep the sheets covered with a damp towel to prevent them from drying out and cracking.
- Drain: Drain the spinach well.
- Mix: Place the drained spinach in a large bowl. Add the feta cheese, yogurt, scallions, eggs, dill, garlic, lemon zest and lemon juice, nutmeg, ground pepper and salt and mix until well combined.
- Get oven ready: Adjust the oven rack to the lower-middle position then preheat the oven.
- Prep: Line rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and brush lightly with melted butter.
- Don’t let the phyllo dry-out: This is a very important step that should not be overlooked. Keep the phyllo dough covered with a damp kitchen towel while working with the phyllo sheets.
- Layer 1 = 10 phyllo sheets: Lay 1 phyllo sheet on the buttered parchment. Brush the sheet thoroughly with melted butter. Repeat with 9 more phyllo sheets, brushing each one with butter. You should have a total of 10 layers of phyllo.
- Layer 2 = Spinach mixture: Spread the spinach mixture evenly over the phyllo, leaving about ¼ -inch border on all sides.
- Layer 3 = 8 phyllo sheets: Cover the spinach mixture with a sheet of phyllo, brush it with butter and sprinkle it with about 2 tablespoons of Parmesan cheese. Repeat with 5 more phyllo sheets brushing each one with butter and sprinkling with Parmesan. Lay two more layers, brushing each with butter (don’t sprinkle any cheese on the last 2 layers).
- Score Top: Working from the center outward, use the palms of your hands to gently compress the layers and press out any air pockets. Using a sharp knife, score the spanakopita through the top 3 layers of phyllo into 24 equal pieces.
- Bake: Bake for about 20 to 25 minutes or until the phyllo is golden and crisp. Remove from the oven and allow it to cool for about 10 minutes (or up to 2 hours).
- Serve: You can slide the spanakopita to a cutting board or serving platter. Cut into squares and serve.
Can I Make Spanakopita In Advance?
You can assemble the spanakopita up to 12 hours in advance. Wrap it, unbaked and keep it in the refrigerator until ready to bake. You may need to add a few minutes to the baking time since the spinach mixture will come out of the fridge cold.
How Long Will My Spinach Pie Leftovers Keep?
Baked spanakopita will last up to 3 days in the refrigerator. Make sure it is properly stored in an airtight container. Reheat spanikopita in a preheated 350 degree Fahrenheit oven until warm and crispy.
Can You Freeze Spanakopita?
Yes, spanakopita freezes well when unbaked. Freeze the unbaked spinach pie and when ready to bake simply place it in the oven. Thawing out is not necessary. Additional baking time will be needed (about 10 minutes). If the top layer of phyllo is getting too dark, tent it with a piece of aluminum foil.
What To Serve With Greek Spanakopita?
This tasty spinach and feta dish can be served as a starter at the same time you serve appetizers. Spanakopita can also be served as a side dish for large dinners or dinner parties and as a main dish for smaller gatherings. If served as a main dish, I like to serve it with a simple salad.
Greek Spanakopita Recipe Tips
- I prefer making this recipe with chopped frozen spinach but fresh spinach can be used.
- If using fresh spinach, you must wilt, chop and dry the spinach before making the filling.
- Squeeze as much liquid from the spinach as possible. Wet spinach can ruin the whole dish.
- Phyllo dough is sold in different sizes. Large phyllo sheets measure 14 x 18 – inches. You can cut them in half to make 14 x 9 – inch sheets.
- Phyllo should be thawed out in the refrigerator overnight. It’s best to keep it in its original package until ready to use.
- You can make the filling a day in advance and keep it in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
- This recipe serves 6 to 8 people as a main dish or 10 to 12 as an appetizer.
Take A Look At These Other Delicious And Easy Greek Recipes:
- Greek Meatballs (Keftedes)
Greek Spanakopita
Ingredients
Filling
- 2 (10-ounces) packages of frozen spinach, defrosted
- 12 ounces feta cheese, small diced
- ¾ cup full fat plain Greek yogurt
- 3 scallions, thinly sliced
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- 2 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
Phyllo Layers
- 7 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 18 sheets, about ½ pound of phyllo dough (14 by 9-inch sheets), thawed
- 2 ounces about ¾ cup Parmesan cheese, finely grated
Instructions
- Drain the water from the spinach. Place the spinach in a clean kitchen towel or in layers of cheese cloth and squeeze out all the water. Try to drain as much of the water as possible.
- Place the drained spinach in a large bowl. Add the feta cheese, yogurt, scallions, eggs, dill, garlic, lemon zest and lemon juice, nutmeg, ground pepper and salt and mix until well combined.
- Adjust the oven rack to the lower-middle position. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Line rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Using a pastry brush, lightly brush the parchment paper with melted butter to cover the area where the phyllo dough will be placed.
- Keep the phyllo dough covered with a damp kitchen towel while working with the phyllo sheets. This will prevent the phyllo from drying out.
- Lay 1 phyllo sheet on the buttered parchment. Brush the sheet thoroughly with melted butter. Repeat with 9 more phyllo sheets, brushing each one with butter. You should have a total of 10 layers of phyllo.
- Spread the spinach mixture evenly over the phyllo, leaving about ¼ -inch border on all sides.
- Cover the spinach mixture with a sheet of phyllo, brush it with butter and sprinkle it with about 2 tablespoons of Parmesan cheese. Repeat with 5 more phyllo sheets brushing each one with butter and sprinkling with Parmesan. Lay two more layers, brushing each with butter (don’t sprinkle any cheese on the last 2 layers).
- Working from the center outward, use the palms of your hands to gently compress the layers and press out any air pockets. Using a sharp knife, score the spanakopita through the top 3 layers of phyllo into 24 equal pieces.
- Bake for about 20 to 25 minutes or until the phyllo is golden and crisp. Remove from the oven and allow it to cool for about 10 minutes (or up to 2 hours).
- You can slide the spanakopita to a cutting board or serving platter. Cut into squares and serve.
Notes
- Phyllo dough is sold in different sizes. Large phyllo sheets measure 14 x 18 – inches. You can cut them in half to make 14 x 9 – inch sheets.
- Phyllo should be thawed out in the refrigerator overnight.
- You can make the filling a day in advance and keep it in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
- This recipe serves 6 to 8 people as a main dish or 10 to 12 as an appetizer or side dish.
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