Spanakopita Recipe (Greek Spinach and Feta Pie)
Easy spanakopita recipe: flaky golden phyllo filled with spinach, feta, dill and spring onion. A classic Greek spinach pie, plus how to say it.
This spanakopita recipe gives you a classic Greek spinach pie with a shatteringly crisp phyllo crust and a soft, green filling packed with feta, dill and spring onion. It is baked in one big tray and cut into squares, so it works as a vegetarian main, a party snack or a picnic lunch, and it tastes just as good warm as it does at room temperature the next day.
The name is simple once you break it down. Spanaki means spinach in Greek and pita means pie, so spanakopita is literally spinach pie. Savoury pies, or pites, are everyday food all over Greece, especially in the mountain region of Epirus, where cooks roll their own paper-thin sheets and fill them with whatever greens are growing: spinach, chard, leeks, nettles or wild herbs. Spanakopita is the best known of the family, sold in every bakery from Athens to the islands.
The most important technique is getting the water out. Spinach is mostly water, and if it goes into the pie wet the bottom layers turn soggy instead of flaky. Here the spinach is wilted with the onions to drive off moisture, then cooled and squeezed hard in your hands. Brushing every sheet of phyllo with olive oil is the other key step; the oil fries the layers in the oven so they puff into crisp, separate flakes. Olive oil is traditional, but melted butter gives a richer, more golden top if you prefer.
Fresh spinach is best, but frozen chopped spinach works well and saves a lot of washing: thaw it and squeeze it very dry. Swap part of the spinach for chard or leek, use mint instead of dill, or replace some of the feta with ricotta or a mild Greek cheese such as myzithra for a creamier filling. Feta is salty, so taste the filling before you add any extra salt.
Serve spanakopita with a Greek salad, a bowl of thick yogurt or tzatziki, and a few olives. Let it rest for at least 15 minutes before cutting so the filling sets and the squares hold their shape. Leftovers reheat beautifully in the oven, never the microwave, which softens the phyllo.
Watch how it is made on our YouTube channel: https://youtube.com/shorts/GTJNrA0g-FM
Watch how it is made
Ingredients
- 1000 g fresh spinach, washed and roughly choppedSubstitute: 800 g frozen chopped spinach, thawed
- 140 ml extra virgin olive oil, dividedSubstitute: melted butter for brushing
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 6 spring onions, thinly sliced
- 30 g fresh dill, choppedSubstitute: fresh mint
- 15 g fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
- 300 g Greek feta cheese, crumbled
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 0.25 tsp ground nutmeg
- 0.5 tsp black pepper
- 0.5 tsp salt, only if needed
- 450 g phyllo pastry sheets, thawed
- 1 tbsp sesame seeds (optional, for the top)
Method
- Soften the onions. Heat 2 tbsp of the olive oil in a large wide pan over medium heat and cook the onion and spring onions for 5 minutes until soft and sweet but not browned.
- Wilt the spinach. Add the spinach in handfuls, letting each batch collapse before adding the next, and cook for 5 to 6 minutes until all the liquid has steamed off. If using frozen spinach, squeeze it dry first and just cook it for 3 minutes with the onions.
- Cool and squeeze. Tip the spinach into a colander and leave it to cool for 15 minutes, then squeeze it firmly in your hands or a clean towel until no more liquid comes out. A dry filling is the secret to a crisp bottom crust.
- Mix the filling. In a bowl combine the spinach, dill, parsley, crumbled feta, nutmeg and pepper. Taste it and add salt only if needed, since feta is already salty, then stir in the beaten eggs.
- Prepare the tray. Heat the oven to 180°C (fan 160°C) and brush a 23 x 33 cm baking dish with olive oil. Keep the phyllo under a lightly damp towel while you work so it does not dry out and crack.
- Build the base. Lay in one phyllo sheet, letting the edges hang over the sides, and brush it with oil. Repeat with half the sheets, turning each one slightly so the overhang covers all sides of the dish.
- Add the filling. Spread the spinach mixture in an even layer, then fold the overhanging pastry back over it. Top with the remaining sheets one at a time, brushing each with oil, and tuck the edges down the sides of the dish.
- Score the top. Brush the top generously with oil, sprinkle a few drops of water over it and scatter on the sesame seeds. With a sharp knife cut through the top layers only into 8 to 12 squares, which makes neat slicing easier later.
- Bake until golden. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes until the pastry is deep golden and crisp and you can hear the filling gently bubbling.
- Rest before cutting. Leave the spanakopita in the dish for at least 15 minutes so the filling sets, then cut along the scored lines all the way through and serve warm or at room temperature.
Thaw frozen phyllo slowly in the fridge overnight, because sheets thawed fast on the counter often stick together and tear. Torn sheets are fine in the middle layers, so save the best ones for the top. Do not drown the phyllo in oil; a light, even brush on every sheet gives more flaky layers than a heavy coat on a few. You can assemble the pie up to a day ahead, cover it and keep it chilled, then bake it straight from the fridge with 5 to 10 extra minutes. Baked spanakopita also freezes well; reheat it from frozen at 180°C for about 20 minutes.
Frequently asked questions
What is spanakopita?
Spanakopita is a Greek savoury pie made with layers of crisp phyllo pastry around a filling of spinach, feta cheese, herbs and onion. It is eaten as a main, a snack or part of a meze spread.
How do you pronounce spanakopita?
Say it spa-na-KOH-pee-tah, with the stress on the third syllable. In Greek it is written Σπανακόπιτα, from spanaki (spinach) and pita (pie).
Can I use frozen spinach for spanakopita?
Yes. Use about 800 g of frozen chopped spinach, thaw it completely and squeeze out as much water as you can before mixing it with the other filling ingredients.
How do I stop spanakopita from getting soggy?
Cook off the spinach liquid, cool it and squeeze it very dry, brush every phyllo sheet with oil, and bake until deep golden. Resting it before slicing also keeps the base crisp.
Is spanakopita vegetarian?
Yes, the classic version is vegetarian because it uses spinach, feta, eggs and herbs. Check that your feta is made with a vegetarian rennet if that matters to you. A version without cheese and eggs, called spanakopita nistisimi, is made during Lent.
Can I make spanakopita ahead of time?
Yes. Assemble it up to 24 hours ahead and keep it covered in the fridge, then bake it with a few extra minutes. Baked squares keep for 3 days in the fridge and reheat well in the oven.
