If you have not tried Spanakopita before, you're in for a treat! Spanakopita is a delicious savory Greek pie made of perfectly crispy layers of phyllo dough and a comforting filling of spinach and feta cheese. I'm sharing my family's favorite spanakopita recipe, complete with tips, video, and step-by-step photos. Trust me, this is so much easier to make than you think!
Spanakopita makes a great side dish for large holiday dinners next to lamb or lemon chicken. But it can easily stand alone as the main dish. Serve it with a big salad like Greek salad; Balela; or this Mediterranean chickpea salad, and favorite dips like Greek Tzatziki or Roasted Garlic Hummus.
This post is sponsored by The Fillo Factory.
What is Spanakopita?
My little one describes spanakopita this way, "yummy, crispy cheese pie with lots of green stuff!"
Spanakopita is a popular Greek savory pie made of perfectly flaky phyllo dough with a comforting filling of spinach and feta cheese nestled in. If you're not familiar with phyllo dough, it is basically layered sheets of tissue-thin pastry dough, typically found in the freezer section next to things like pie crust and puff pastry.
Spanakopita can be made in a large casserole dish like in today's recipe, or in the form of hand pies shaped in triangles or even rolls.
When I was at an Atlanta-area Greek festival a few weeks ago, my daughter's lunch of choice was a piece of spanakopita and a side of Greek salad. Luckily, she allowed me a taste; it was heavenly! I ended up chatting with the woman behind the lavish lunch, her name was Yiayia Helen. We discussed family recipes and shared spanakopita lessons and tips...
Tips for How to Make Spanakopita
1. What is in the spanakopita filling?
The key filling ingredients in a classic spanakopita recipe are spinach and feta cheese. And yes, only use quality feta cheese, no other cheese qualifies for spanakopita.
To the spinach and feta, we add flavor makers in the form of fresh herbs and aromatics. I used two whole bunches of parsley (parsley stems pack a ton of flavor, by the way, so don't be afraid to throw some in) Then, onions, garlic and a little dry dill weed.
To bind everything together, I used four large eggs.
2. Do I need to cook the spinach in advance?
You need a good amount of spinach in this recipe, so using frozen spinach is the way to go. In this easy spanakopita recipe, frozen spinach--fully thawed, of course--is mixed right in with the remaining filling ingredients, no advanced cooking necessary.
But one thing you must do, be sure to drain all liquid from the thawed spinach. I ended up squeezing the spinach by hand a few times until it could no longer produce any liquid. If you do use fresh spinach, you will need to cook it with the onions and garlic, drain, and let cool completely before mixing the filling.
3. The Phyllo
Golden, crispy phyllo pastry, encasing the soft spinach filling is really what spanakopita is all about! Quality of phyllo (fillo) dough can make or break the recipe! I am a big fan of organic dough from The Fillo Factory. It's vegan and contains no preservatives; no cholesterol; and no trans fat. And be sure follow the tips below for best results.
Tips for working with Phyllo Dough:
- Thaw phyllo dough properly; too much moisture will make the dough or sheets sticky and hard to manage. When thawing, do not remove the phyllo (fillo) from the package, place it in the fridge 12-14 hours before using.
-Before you begin assembling the spanakopita casserole, unroll the thawed phyllo (fillo) sheets and place them carefully between two ever-so-slightly damp kitchen cloths. This helps the sheets remain lenient so they won't tear too much.
-Do not skimp on the oil, but don't overdo it either. Some use butter, but I use quality extra virgin olive oil here instead to keep it light. You need to brush each of the phyllo layers with a little olive oil (see the video as well)
-Remember, Phyllo (fillo) sheets will tear, and that's perfectly fine. Just make sure you save a couple good sheets for the top of your spanakopita casserole.
Can I make Spanakopita Ahead of Time? What about Leftovers?
- You can make spanakopita the evening before you need to serve it. Follow the instructions for assembling, but do not bake. Cover tightly and refrigerate overnight. When you are ready, go ahead and bake according to recipe instructions. Budget 1 hour for baking.
- Already cooked spanakopita will keep well if properly storied in the fridge for 2 to 3 evenings. Heat in medium-heated oven until warmed through. You can also portion cooked leftover spanakopita and freeze for a later time. Warm in oven; no need to thaw in advance.
Watch the video for How to Make Spanakopita:
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Spanakopita Recipe (Greek Spinach Pie)
- Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
- Yield: 12 pieces 1x
Description
Foolproof family recipe for Spanakopita! Delicious savory Greek pie made of perfectly crispy layers of phyllo dough and a comforting filling of spinach and feta cheese.
Ingredients
For the Spinach and Feta Filling
- 16 oz frozen chopped spinach, thawed and well-drained
- 2 bunches flat-leaf parsley, stems trimmed, finely chopped
- 1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tbsp Private Reserve extra virgin olive oil
- 4 eggs
- 10.5 oz quality feta cheese, crumbled
- 2 tsp dried dill weed
- Freshly-ground black pepper
For the Crust
- 1 16 oz package The Fillo Factory Organic Dough (#4 pastry sheets), properly thawed (see tips above)
- 1 cup Private Reserve extra virgin olive oil, more if needed
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
- Before you begin mixing the filling, be sure the spinach is very well drained, and squeeze out any excess liquid by hand.
- To make the filling: In a mixing bowl, add the spinach and the remaining filling ingredients. Stir until all is well-combined.
- Unroll the phyllo (fillo) sheets and place them between two slightly damp kitchen cloths.
- Prepare a 9 ½" X 13" baking dish like this one. Brush the bottom and sides of the dish with olive oil.
- To assemble the spanakopita: Line the baking dish with two sheets of phyllo (fillo) letting them cover the sides of the dish. Brush with olive oil. Add two more sheets in the same manner, and brush them with olive oil. Repeat until two-thirds of the phyllo (fillo) is used up.
- Now, evenly spread the spinach and feta filling over the phyllo (fillo) crust. Top with two more sheets, and brush with olive oil.
- Continue to layer the phyllo (fillo) sheets, two-at-a-time, brushing with olive oil, until you have used up all the sheets. Brush the very top layer with olive oil, and sprinkle with just a few drops of water.
- Fold the flaps or excess from the sides, you can crumble them a little. Brush the folded sides well with olive oil. Cut Spanakopita ONLY PART-WAY through into squares, or leave the cutting to later.
- Bake in the 325 degrees F heated-oven for 1 hour, or until the phyllo (fillo) crust is crisp and golden brown. Remove from the oven. Finish cutting into squares and serve. Enjoy!
Notes
- Tips for Working with Phyllo: As mentioned earlier in the post, remember that phyllo is paper thin and will break as you are working with it. For best results, place phyllo dough sheets in between two very slightly damp kitchen towels (step #4) before you start working with it (unless you think you will work fast enough that the phyllo will not dry out.) Also, be sure to brush each layer with oil; don't skimp.
- Make Ahead Tips: You can make spanakopita the evening before. Follow up to step #9, cover and refrigerate. When you are ready, go ahead and bake according to step #10.
- Leftover Storing and Freezing Tips: Already cooked spanakopita will keep well if properly storied in the fridge for 2 to 3 evenings. Heat in medium-heated oven until warmed through. You can also portion cooked leftover spanakopita and freeze for a later time. Warm in oven; no need to thaw in advance.
- What to Serve with Spanakopita? Spanakopita makes a great side dish for large holiday dinners next to lamb or lemon chicken. But it can easily stand alone as the main dish. Serve it with a big salad like Greek salad; Balela; or this Mediterranean chickpea salad, and favorite dips like Greek Tzatziki or Roasted Garlic Hummus.
- Recommended for this Recipe: Private Reserve Greek extra virgin olive oil (from organically grown and processed Koroneiki olives).
- SAVE try our Greek olive oil bundle and our popular Ultimate Mediterranean Spice Bundle
- Prep Time: 20 mins
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Category: Entree or Side Dish
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: Greek
*This recipe and tutorial was originally published 11/08/2016. Last updated with new information and photos on 4/15/2019.
Wow, just made this and it is DELICIOUS--thank you so much for sharing! I am not a cook by any means so I was pretty skeptical I would be able to pull it off. Followed Suzy's directions to a T Did not saute onion or garlic, used the olive oil as directed. Perfection. Can't believe how good it turned out! Thank you!!
That's awesome, Amy! So glad you enjoyed it!!
Hello! I am making this recipe today- ive assembled the pie- however I do have a question. I know it calls for 16oz of wilted spinach, according to that I bought 2 packages of 10oz of frozen chopped spinach. After I let it defrost and squeezed all the water out I weighed my spinach and I only had 9 oz. Does this recipe account for the frozen spinach weight difference that will occur? Or next time should I buy an extra package?
Hi Erica, the ounces measured reflect what is printed on the package. What you purchased should work.
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Thank you for sharing!
Hey there! I have fresh spinach right now and want to make this recipe. Should I saute it with the onion and garlic? Do I need to add butter? Also, how will I know when the spinach is done cooking? Thanks so much; this recipe looks delicious!
Hi, Julia! Yes...I recommend sautéing it with a little olive oil, garlic and onions until it's completely wilted. Be sure to drain it and let cool completely before mixing the filling.
I also have fresh spinach available only and I'm thinking it would be good to blanch them, cool them in ice water and squeezing the liquid out with the help of a cloth filter. I guess that would end up like the frozen spinach thawed and drained. Do you think I could just mix it with the rest of the filling ingredients then, without having to sautée them with the onion and the garlic? How much fresh spinach would I need?
Isabel, sure you can blanch the spinach and be sure to squeeze all the water out.
My friend added mozzerella cheese to hers and it was the bimb!!! It tasted lika little. Cream cheese was added. Do you know a recipe. Adding these ib ingreetience? Thank You--
Thanks for sharing, Carrie. Spanakopita traditionally uses creamy feta cheese. I've not used cream cheese or mozzarella in this recipe before, but I suppose a bit of each would be fine to add if that is what you are looking for.
Excellent recipe thank you! However I used fresh spinach and the filling was a bit too wet with too much liquid . Please advice his I can get it drier? Thank you!!
Hi Alice, in this recipe I typically use frozen spinach that's been thawed and very well dried. I find far more success controlling the liquid that way.
High I would try cheese cloth or a spagetti strainer to press out any liquid.
Thanks for the suggestion, Jenn!
Loved this recipe - very easy, The prep time was more like 45 minutes for me (and I'm fairly fast) due to the phyllo. I haven't worked with it in years and managing it was a somewhat comedic kitchen scene.
I've been cooking quite a few recipes from your site (I did the balela salad with this) since we're trying to eat less meat and more veggies and legumes. I'm really liking the recipes here and so is my husband - he hardly seems to miss the heavier meat dishes.
Everyone loved this Mediterranean dish. 😉 I'll definitely make it again!
Thanks, Kristin!
What an awesome idea! Who doesn’t like some good meat (or other savoury) pie? I do. But for me that’s all about a right ratio of the dough to the filling. Sometimes it’s just too much of the dough part. I think this idea of the filo pastry topping is genius. That’s the case when you can easily manage the desirable amount dough/topping, and filo pastry is relatively light, too. Needless to mention, that saves a lot of time! Wondering if you can make a simplified spanakopita using the same approach 🙂
Thank you, Ben. This is our simple Spanakopita recipe with phyllo dough, spinach and feta. Enjoy!
I do not have the fresh parsley. How much dried should I use. Please and thank you.
Monica, as far as replacement for fresh herbs, typically you can use a 1/3 of the amount in dry herb
The recipe fails to tell you any where what temperature to bake it at. That I think is important information. Too hot and it will burn in an hour, too low and it will not crisp up the way it is supposed to. Actually, I did finally find the oven temperature. It was like an Easter egg hunt, though.
Michelle, in the recipe card, under instructions, you'll see the first step is listed: 1. preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
As someone else said, this is a very forgiving recipe. Made it with dairy-free cheese and puff pastry, and it was still quite good. Used dried parsley and think I should have gone with fresh or a LOT more, but live and learn. Will definitely be making this again. Thanks!
So glad to hear it, Bridget! Thanks for sharing.
Bridget, how many sheets of puff pastry did you use? I’m more likely to use them too, and follow Suzy’s recipe for the filling. Thanks!
This recipe is so forgiving. We have family members with celiac, so I make the filling and pour into a gluten free pie crust. Bake 1 hour, and you have gluten free spanakopita. Also—have made with fresh dill, one bunch of parsley, additional fresh spinach depending on what I had on hand and it still tastes delicious. Thank you for an easy, delicious recipe.
Thanks for sharing your different methods for this one, Staci! Glad you've enjoyed it!!
Loved the flavors , but spinach mixture came up dry , not sure why.
Maybe adding some sour cream or greek yoghurt along with the feta cheese ?
Instructions are perfect and pretty easy to follow.
I'm not sure why that would have been, Laura because I have not experienced the spinach mixture being dry with all the feta and eggs added. Perhaps adding a little more feta might help you? Did you work with thawed frozen spinach or fresh spinach?
Thank you for the tutorial on spinach pie.
I did not realize that I could substitute olive oil for butter.
I will gladly try using olive oil - healthier less messy and easier to work with.
I guess one can teach an old dog new tricks!
Yes! Olive oil can be a great substitute for butter!!
Butter is actually healthier than olive oil. But only if we are talking about organic. And never buy olive oil in a plastic bottle It should be organic with a dark glass bottle
Olive oil has temperature restrictions And is a low heat oil. Coconut oil however can take the heat if you cannot locate organic butter, but again to avoid glyphosate exposure on everything -buy organic ! Take charge of your own health.
Penelope, thanks for sharing. We are talking about high quality extra virgin olive oil which is from hand-picked and cold pressed organically grown olives, low acidity and rich in polyphenols. That will beat butter every single time and will stand the heat just fine. There is a lot of misinformation out there.
Thank you for sharing this authentic recipe! It is deluxe! Your recipe & instructions were the best! It did take me a bit longer to assemble but worth every second to do. I added a bit of butter to my olive oil. I like the taste of butter & olive oil together. I served it as a main dish with crudités & hummus. Wish I could post a picture to show you how beautiful it was. Thanks again!
You'll get faster every time :). So glad you loved it!
This was so good! I have had pre-made frozen spanakopita from the big bulk stores, and it was pretty much flavorless. But it looked so good! I kept trying it because I wanted it to taste good. This recipe has finally satisfied what I was searching for in flying colors. Delicious!
The recipe doesn’t say to sauté the onion and garlic, pretty sure you have to, otherwise the flavors won’t be a good.
Hi there. Actually, no need to saute onions and garlic, they cook well in the oven. If you would rather do that, you sure can!