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:
Never Miss a Recipe! Join my free e-mail list here to receive new recipes, weekly Mediterranean dinner plans, and my free E-cookbook with 15 healthy recipes to try!
Shop our online store for quality olive oils, all-natural spices and more.
Print
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.
I love spinach pie. Growing up my best friend was Greek and introduced this to me. That and mousakka prounouned moose ah ka!! But one thing critical to omit from this recipe imho is garlic!! No no no!! Otherwise fantastic!
Hi. If you are using fresh spinach, how much do you use?
Hi, Alison! You’ll need two to three times the amount listed here. And you’ll want to chop and cook the spinach down before use.
So easy! Love it so much that I make it at least once a month. I don’t always use the parsley if I can’t be bothered to run out and buy it and still tastes great. I love onions, garlic and feta so I use more. I usually make on spur of the moment as I’ve become so much more confident using Phyllo. I defrosted the spinach in a bowl with the rolled up frozen dough on top to save time. Oh ya I also add a teaspoon Italian herbs. Delicious every time 😀
Thanks so much, Janet!
Love them!!
Being the son of Greek immigrants, I was raised on Spanakopita. After I got married, my wife added pine nuts to the recipe. It was a magnificent addition to my mother’s recipe. Try it. I’m sure you’ll agree.
Should I toast the nuts? How many for this recipe? TIA
Your recipe ingredients does not list salt, but in a photo caption, you stated you added it. How much salt should I add?
Hi, Emily. Just a pinch or so… whatever amount to suit your personal taste.
I HAVE BOUGHT SPANAKOPITA AT P & A AND LOVED IT .. IT WAS DELICIOUS .. AND I MEAN IT .. I WAS BORN AND BROUGHT UP IN ALEXANDRIA, EGYPT BY THE SEA. I LOVE OUR OLD RECEPIES .. AND DREAM OF MY COUNTRY NIGHT AND DAY .. BUT LIVE WITH MY CANADIAN HUSBAND .. THINGS ARE NOT THE SAME .. BUT I TRY TO DO MY BEST TO PUT OUR FOODS ON THE TABLE.
SUZY.
Was worried about all that parsley, but made the recipe exactly as written and it was absolutely delicious! Thank you for the tips on how to handle the phyllo dough; I had no problems with it and the dish went together easily. For anyone whose onions didn’t cook thoroughly – try chopping them more finely. Then you won’t have to add the step of sauteing them.
Thanks, Ellen!
GoodGood evening I happened upon your website when I was looking for recipes on how to make the Greek spinach pie I came across your site and I fell in love with all of your recipes and the way you display preparing the food how much you need and how long it’s gonna take just a delight keep up the good work I plan on staying a while thank you
fantastic. absolutely delicious.
this has to be one of if not THE best thing ive ever made
i do have a soft spot for spinich pastries tho
pretend i spelt spinach correctly idk how to go back
Wow! Love it! Thanks, Thorn!
I’ve made this a couple times now and it’s becoming a standard in my household. Excellent recipe.
Can you use swiss chard instead of spinach? I have quite a bit of fresh organic swiss chard.
I am planning on making this but concerned about the spinach. Frozen spinach with the water removed becomes a very small amount of spinach. Should I double the amount of frozen spinach…. also… what size is your pan… 9×9 thanks for any help you give me
Hi, Deborah. We’ve found that a 16 oz. package of frozen spinach works well here. In our opinion, doubling the frozen spinach isn’t necessary. And we use a 9 ½” X 13″ baking dish for this recipe. Hope you give it a try! It’s a HUGE fan favorite!
This looks like a nice recipe but why use “inches” and “Fahrenheit” – the rest of the world uses metric measures, especially as you are dealing with Mediterranean cuisine
Because they likely live in the U.S.? Also, inches and Fahrenheit were invented first. Look up a conversion and you’ll be just fine lol.
16oz of spinach before or after it’s been thawed and well drained? I had 20oz and after it was well drained, it reduces to about 6oz.
Suzy, why can’t I ever fin our videos? I would really love to view them, but there is no buttons to click to watch them. No one else seems to mention they don’t get our videos. What is my problem? Also, I want to say I LOVE YOUR RECIPES!!!
Hi, Marcy. I’m so sorry you’re having issues viewing our videos. Not every single recipe on the site has a video, but several do. Unfortunately, some web browsers block pop ups which, for some reason, also blocks instructional videos. You may need to adjust your browser settings, or try a different browser on your end in order to see them.