Recipes > Spanakopita | Spinach Pie

Spanakopita | Spinach Pie

Details

Wrapped in delicate phyllo dough, these traditional Greek pies are filled with spinach, fresh herbs, and tangy feta cheese.
  • Serves: 8 to 10
  • Active Time: 45 mins
  • Total Time: 1 hr 15 mins
  • Views: 67,872
  • Success Rating: 95% (?)
    0% - I fed it to the dog
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Steps

Step 1: Making the Spinach Filling

Making the Spinach Filling
  • 3 lb frozen, chopped spinach (1.36 kg or 4 cups once drained)
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 medium onions
  • 2 tsp kosher salt
  • 6 tbsp pine nuts
  • 3 tbsp fresh mint
  • 4 tbsp fresh dill
  • 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 tsp fresh nutmeg
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 1/2 cups feta cheese (preferably goat or sheep)

Method

Before you start the spanakopita, be sure your phyllo is defrosted and the spinach is well drained.

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Dice the onions. Heat a fry pan over medium heat and add the oil. Saute the onions until slightly browned. While the onions cook, toast the pine nuts over low heat, then roughly chop and set aside. Next, finely chop the mint and dill. Once the onions are done, turn off the heat and add the spinach, chopped herbs, pine nuts, pepper, and nutmeg. Mix everything together. Transfer to a bowl and let cool slightly. Add the eggs and mix until evenly combined. Lastly, break up the feta and fold into the spinach mixture.

Step 2: Assembling and Baking the Spanakopita

Assembling and Baking the Spanakopita
  • 1 package phyllo dough, defrosted
  • 3/4 cup clarified butter

Method

To assemble the spanakopita, place a sheet of phyllo onto a cutting board and brush with the melted, clarified butter. Cover with a second sheet of phyllo, brush with butter and cut into 3 strips.

Portion some of spinach mixture onto each end of phyllo and fold into a triangle. Place onto a baking tray and brush with a little extra butter.

Bake for approximately 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown. Once done, remove from the oven and let cool for a few minutes before serving.

These are best served with Homemade Tzatziki.

Chef's Notes

Spanakopita can be made into small appetizer-size bites. Just cut the phyllo into four strips before adding the filling and folding.

They can also be made a few hours ahead or frozen raw for baking later. If you do freeze them, bake from frozen, keeping in mind that the baking time will be a bit longer.

These are best served with Homemade Tzatziki (Greek Yogurt Dip).

14 Comments

  • Dave W
    Dave W
    •
    Placing unbaked spanakopitas on cake cooling wire racks within in the baking dish assures the bottoms of the pastries will brown and always be crisp after baking. It also allows any excess butter to drain so pastry does does get soggy.
  • Dawn T
    Dawn T
    •
    This recipe uses less butter than the typical spinach pies, but that is a good tip. Although I do seem to get a pretty crisp bottom without it...perhaps it's just that I don't like to clean my cooling rack after I use it to bake with...heheh. Thanks for the tip.
  • Lorraine C
    Lorraine C
    •
    We really can't call them spanakopita, but I adjusted the recipe to Caribbean flavors by using some ground beef, local aromatics such as recao and a local farmers cheese for the filling and it was excellent.
  • Renee L
    Renee L
    •
    I have always shied away from filo pastry as I was intimidated by it, but with Rouxbe by my side I was feeling brave and I'm so glad I made them! Even my four year old loved them. He was the designated butter boy, painting the butter on the parcels. He gobbled up two of them as soon as they could cool and declared them his favorite food, which is great as the spinach is so good for him. I'm having guest to lunch this weekend just to share them and I'll be making the tzatiki to go with...yum..
  • Monique G
    Monique G
    •
    I made this for a party (along with the tzaziki recipe) and it was a hit. As suggested, I cut 4 strips of phyllo instead of 3. I had just enough filling to make 36 smaller hors d'oeuvres. I love this website. Every single recipe I try is wonderful. Keep up the great work!!
  • Alex C
    Alex C
    •
    I do your recipe, great, but later i saw a movie, is call Stomach (from brasil) in the movie i saw a recipe with gorgonzola and guayaba (sweet exotic fruit), and i do your recipe but changing the ingredients,...was great! nice work and have a hug from valencia, spain. Alex.
  • Davina S
    Davina S
    •
    My step son is allergic to pine nuts. Is there a handy substitute or can they simply be left out?
  • Dawn T
    Dawn T
    •
    In this case the pine nuts only purpose is for flavor and texture so even if you left them out it would be okay. If however you still want to add something then you could try using another type of nut that you like. Cheers!
  • Cristina G
    Cristina G
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    Hi, I would like to know where i can find Phyllo dough. I can't seem to find this dough anywhere. thanks
  • Dawn T
    Dawn T
    •
    I am not sure where you live but here in Canada (and I am sure in the United States) it is available in most grocery stores, in the freezer department. It is also available in many Greek or Mediterranean delis. Cheers!
  • T. H
    T. H
    •
    Is it just a convenience thing? Could I make this with fresh spinach instead, or would that somehow compromise the final dish? And, if I *can* use fresh spinach, I imagine it wouldn't be the same volume as frozen, right? Thanks!
  • Dawn T
    Dawn T
    •
    Indeed, you can use fresh spinach. You will just need to blanch it first and squeeze out all of the excess moisture. The frozen was just for convenience purposes as you mentioned. Cheers!
  • Tony
    Tony
    •
    Needs fennel, dill and 1 lbs cottage cheese... and it is pronounced Spa na ko' pita. and no nuts.
  • Doug C
    Doug C
    •
    I'm with Dawn on this Tony

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