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 1/2″ 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.
This was so great! I was extra nervous about handling the phyllo but the details in the recipe made it a breeze. We LOVED it and will be making again!
That’s awesome, Sarah! Thank you!!
Hi this sounds so nice! I’m sorry if someone already asked this, if it’s not too much bother would you have any tips for making this with fresh spinach? I read the recipe too quick and bought fresh and my city is in lockdown ??♂️. No worries if you wouldn’t recomend that tho!
Hi, Max! Absolutely! Just blanch the the fresh spinach and be sure to squeeze all the water out. Hope that helps!
Thank you so much!! 🙂
You are very welcome! Enjoy!
I made this a few weeks ago and it was so yummy. I had a smaller baking pan, so I ended up making 2 and freezing the other. Your notes about freezing say to warm in the oven, no need to thaw. Can you tell me how long it should be in the oven if frozen? And would it be the same temp, the 325?
Thanks so much!!
Hi Emily,
I would use the same oven temperature and begin. It may take a little bit longer, but I’d just keep an eye on it
SO happy I came across your page! I’ve made Spanakopita several times in the past and lost my tried and true recipe. This recipe looks amazing… very similar. Looking forward to trying your version for my Mom for Mother’s Day tomorrow! Mother’s Day wishes to you.. many blessings to you and your family. Can’t wait to try some of your other recipes… it all looks mouthwatering good! 🙂
Thank you so much, Meagan! So sweet of you to cook for your mama on her special day! I’m sure she was so excited!!
This recipe was easy to follow and delicious. Thank you
So glad you enjoyed it!! 🙂
LOVED this recipe. My mother-in-law taught me how to make spanakopita but when it came to doing it on my own for the first time, I used your recipe. Turned out amazing!
I added 1/2 cup ricotta because my mother-in-law’s recipe used it as well as 1/3 cup grated aged cheese (used parm). I couldn’t do two sheets phyllo as they kept moving so I brushed each sheet separately (took a tad more time) but came out perfect.
The key is cutting the first few top layers before cooking – this is the pro tip taught to me by the MIL and your recipe was the only one I saw with that advice as well. This recipe is going in the favorites box.
Yay! Thanks, Jessica!
Delicious thanks, Valerie. Followed your advice on squeezing water out of spinach thoroughly and brushing each layer. I used olive oil. I also added urbs from my garden.Kahryn
This is my first time making spanakopita, and it turned out really well. I followed the recipe except I added a little bit of chopped shallots as they were starting to go. Olive oil was great for the layers. I love the experimental cooking that I have time to do in the first year of COVID.
Great idea with the shallots! Thanks, Valerie!!
Tasted great but there is no universe in which this takes an 1h20 minutes to make. The prep was quick but the assembly took upwards of 40 minutes, and I’m no novice in the kitchen. The family was definitely starving by the time this hit the table. Active time needs to be adjusted!
Hi Mochra, glad you enjoyed it! For us, this is the time it typically takes, but yes, prep time can vary from one cook to another. We appreciate the note though and will add.
This recipe was easy to follow and delicious. Thank you x
So glad you enjoyed it, Sam!
Suzy…this was easy and delicious! We had this for
Greek Easter under quarantine with chicken lemon soup and salad. My daughter Marisa and I enjoyed cooking this together. ??
Thank you, Nicole! So glad you and your daughter were able to spend some quality time in the kitchen! Always so fun!
Great recipe for spanakopita! Easy to assemble and flavorful. I left out the dill since we do not like it at home. Next time, I would trim the edges so that the flaps are not so thick, when turning them over. Definitely will do it again and again! My family loved it! Thank you!
Reading now the other comments, I used fresh spinach because I did not have frozen at hand. I sautéed it with 1-2 tsps of olive oil and then pressed it well to discard the liquid. Also, I used frozen Phyllo dough and the recipe came out perfect! Love your recipes!
Thanks for sharing!
Thanks for your suggestions, Carmen!
Hi, is there a reason you are using dried dill instead of fresh? Also, do you have any tricks to make these in triangles instead of in a casserole dish? Hoping to make it this weekend before Greek Easter. Thanks!
Hi Nikki, you can use fresh dill if you like. I typically make it this way in a casserole dish (I have also made into rolls like in this recipe: https://www.themediterraneandish.com/phyllo-dough-recipe-meat/)
Hi, I made this recipe last year with kale from my garden and it was amazing. I am about to make it again with the lemon chicken you have suggested. Thank you, Roxanne
Yum! Thank you for sharing, Roxanne!
Why frozen spinach? Dont you have fresh over there? And never, never, use phyllo or puff pastry. C’mon, make your own. Its easy. Flour, water. Boom! You can add yogurt in there. Heaven! And you can “open” the dough in two parts, bottom and cover.
There are a million ways to make one recipe, Konstantina. Let’s be respectful of one another here. It is delicious food that we celebrate. This is a tried-n-true recipe that thousands have enjoyed.
Suzy your recipes are wonderful I enjoy every one I have ever made.
You respond to questions with such class.
Thank you, Joan. This means a lot to me. And I am so happy you’re enjoying the recipes!
I want to try this for Easter tomorrow! However, I need my oven for lamb. If I cook this tonight and then reheat tomorrow, will the bottom get soggy? Any suggestions for how long and what temp I should reheat?
Love your recipes! Thank you!
I’m so sorry I’m just answering now, Margaret! For future reference, yes, you can reheat a baked Spanakopita in a medium-heated oven, just until warmed through. I hope you had a lovely Easter!
Hi there
I would like to try the recipe today. Do I saute the onion and garlic first before adding it to the filling or do I keep it raw?
Thanks
Melanie
Hi, Melanie! I usually keep it raw, but you could sauté it if you’d prefer! Enjoy!!