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 my first time working with phyllo dough. This recipe was so easy to follow and my spanakopita turned out delicious! Thank you so much for sharing this very tasty recipe!
So glad to hear your first time was a success, Linda! Now, on to Baklava :).How to Make Baklava
I really hope someone can answer this question. Feel free to email me at mcnerney.patty@gmail.com. I love dill, especially in spanakopita. My husband would absolutely love this dish, if there were not dill in it. Does anyone know if cilantro could be substituted for the dill? Or is there something else I can use? Thank you so much for this recipe!
Hi, Patty. I can’t speak on behalf of using cilantro here, as we’ve never tried that and I’m not sure how it would affect the overall flavor profile. Honestly, you could just simply omit the dill and it will still be delish!
You can leave out the dill. In many regions of Greece it isn’t used.
I’ve made this dish without Dill Weed and it turned out just as good. My family loves this and I make this about once a month and forgot dill once and it turned out great.
Filo factory is THE best filo to work with in your kitchen!
Love this brand
Can fresh spinach be used. I just got a ton of fresh to use up!
Hi, Lynn. Yes, you can use fresh spinach, but remember that frozen spinach has already been blanched, so you’ll need a lot more fresh spinach (two to three times, I believe). You’ll want to chop and cook the spinach down before use.
Can you use mediterranean
Seasoning spice for spanakopeda?
Hi, Linda. Just for a little clarification… what do you mean by “Mediterranean Seasoning Spice?”
Greek way is sauté spinach with all the ingredients, take it off from the stove add eggs and parsley. Lay fillo pastry in baking dish brush olive oil 3 times for the bottom then add the spinach mix, lay again the fillo pastry brush with olive oil 4 times (for extra crispy). My greek husband favourite the recipe is from my mother in law. Is this American spanakopita? Just curious!
Hi, Jo! This is just the way Suzy’s family prepared this dish growing up. As you’re likely aware, each family tends to put their own twists on beloved recipes. Thanks so much for reaching out!
Your description isn’t really much different than the recipe presentex here. Not sure why you would characterize it as “American”
I followed all the steps and it wasn’t hard to make.
The dish came out great!
I don’t need to buy spinakopita when I know how to make it now.
Thank you!
This was the main course for the vegetarians at Christmas lunch but…the meat eaters gobbled it up too! Followed the recipe exactly and it was perfect.
Suzy, I’ve made spanakopita before but your recipe is definitely the BEST. So much flavor, it’s incredible! This is now my “go-to” Spanakopita recipe, and yes it’s great with your Greek Salad. I’m so glad I made both yesterday and am looking forward to leftovers today:)
You don’t have to squeeze spinach so hard, use onion and garlic powder that will pick up the moisture. But fresh parsley and dill is a must, I have my own frozen dill that I use in pierogi recipes and always fresh parsley from the garden. I also make individual wrappers from my own dough that I stretch thin. If any dough is left I cut it up for soup noodles. I use my own NZ spinach, much better texture and it is fresh till December and then I freeze lots. So my wrappers make the package like spanako pita that is much more practical for the kids to eat, no mess or nothing cracking and falling apart like the Phyllo dough.
I have made spanikopita a few times, each time tweaking it. I make it ahead and freeze it then bake it on the day I’m serving at 350 degrees. Couple of questions. You use dried dill instead of fresh dill. Is there a reason because that is much easier and it’s not easy to find fresh dill that is in good condition. Also, would you recommend adding either parmasean cheese in addition to the feta? I have used Kefalotyri in addition to the feta. Again not easily found.
I also liked the fact that you lay the phyllo dough in one direction both on the bottom and top layers.
I enjoy your recipes a great deal!
Hi, Sharon! Yes, Suzy uses the dried dill here because it’s more readily available. You can use fresh dill, though, if you can find it (3 teaspoons fresh equals 1 teaspoon dried). Also, you can definitely add some parmesan cheese if that’s something you enjoy.
Looking forward to trying your Spanikopita recipe
Many years ago, my uncles parents came over from Greece to visit for a while. For Christmas, she made a spanakopita that that was absolutely delicious. She also made one that looked just like the one made with spinach, except it was made with butternut squash. I have been searching the internet for a spanakopita recipe made the butternut squash and not spinach, but I have not been able to find anything. I was wondering if you might have a recipe for one that is made with the squash. In the mean time, I am looking forward to trying your recipe this Christmas for my family. I’m sure it will taste as good as it looks.
Hello! We don’t have a version with butternut squash… YET! Thanks for the idea, though! We definitely need to explore that one :).
Honeymooned in Greece 52 years ago. Love EVERYTHING Greek!
SAME! 🙂 Hope you give this recipe a try!
How do I bake this. Made it but froze it since want it fresh for Thanksgiving. Thanks.
Hi, Deborah. To reheat frozen spanakopita, you can place in the oven at a low temperature until heated through. No need to thaw first. I’m not sure if your spanakopita was baked before you froze it or not, but just for the future, this works best with unbaked spanakopita. It should be okay even if you pre-baked it, but sometimes the result of reheating this way can dry it out a bit.
You should update the total time adding in the 12-14h to thaw phyllo dough properly — I think this would be helpful. Excited to give this a go this evening — got my dough in the fridge!