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.

Spanakopita, Greek savory pie with spinach and feta

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.

Spanakopita pie served next to olives and fresh tomatoes. Phyllo dough box on side.

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.

Spanakopita filling ingredients in a bowl. Spinach, feta, fresh herbs, onions, garlic and eggs
Spanakopita filling ingredients: spinach, feta cheese, fresh parsley, dill weed, onions, garlic, eggs, olive oil, salt and pepper

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.

Spanakopita filling ingredients mixed together
Mix Spanakopita filling ingredients

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.

Place phyllo dough sheets between two clean and slightly damp kitchen towels
Place phyllo sheets in between two clean and slightly damp paper towels. This will keep them from tearing too much as you are working to assemble spanakopita.

-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.

Phyllo sheets being brushed with olive oil
Brush each layer of phyllo with extra virgin olive oil. This photo is about 1/2 way through the phyllo package.

-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)

Spanakopita filling is placed

-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.

Uncooked spanakopita fully assembled in casserole dish
Once spanakopita filling is spread well in the center, lay the remainder of the phyllo dough sheets on top (you will follow the same process, working one sheet at a time and brushing each layer with extra virgin olive oil.)

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.

One square piece of spanakopita Greek spinach pie served on blue plate

Watch the video for How to Make Spanakopita:

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Spanakopita Recipe (Greek Spinach Pie)


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4.8 from 206 reviews

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

Scale

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


Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
  2. Before you begin mixing the filling, be sure the spinach is very well drained, and squeeze out any excess liquid by hand.
  3. To make the filling: In a mixing bowl, add the spinach and the remaining filling ingredients. Stir until all is well-combined.
  4. Unroll the phyllo (fillo) sheets and place them between two slightly damp kitchen cloths.
  5. Prepare a 9 1/2″ X 13″ baking dish like this one. Brush the bottom and sides of the dish with olive oil.
  6. 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.
  7. Now, evenly spread the spinach and feta filling over the phyllo (fillo) crust. Top with two more sheets, and brush with olive oil.
  8. 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.
  9. 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.
  10. 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.

 

Spanakopita Recipe (Greek Spinach Pie) | The Mediterranean Dish. The best tutorial for how to make spanakopita. Greek spinach pie with crispy, golden phyllo and a soft filling of spinach, feta cheese, and herbs. A holiday recipe for make it for dinner! So easy. See it at TheMediterraneanDish.com

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I’m Suzy; born and bred right on the shores of the Mediterranean. I’m all about easy, healthy recipes with big Mediterranean flavors. Three values guide my cooking: eat with the seasons; use whole foods; and above all, share! So happy you’re here…
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Comments

  1. Maud says:

    Hi Suzie,I make Spanakopita at least once a month. My question is as I use fresh baby spinach, do I need to take the stems off. I do but do not know if this is necessary as it is quite a lot of work

    1. TMD Team says:

      Hi, Maud. No need to cut the spinach stems. There are just a few things to remember when using fresh spinach, though. You’ll need to start with two to three times the amount of frozen spinach listed here, and be sure to blanch and chop it up first. Enjoy!

  2. Helen Cherry says:

    Thank you! I followed your recipe. The steps were easy to follow. The outcome was perfect. My book club were surprised and impressed. I have had a few kitchen disasters in the past.

    1. TMD Team says:

      Haha! Haven’t we all!!

  3. Diane says:

    It was sooo good! i didn’t really know what to expect. All I know is my Best friend from Greece made it for the first time and she wanted me to taste it but some how it got eaten before I got any. So this year in honor of her birthday I made it and I pray that she enjoyed the heavenly smell up there.

  4. Kristine Cash. says:

    👩‍🍳 I found that your receipts are easy too follow & very tasty. 😋

  5. Lacy says:

    Could I precut this into smaller pieces as an appetizer before baking?

    1. TMD Team says:

      Hi, Lacy. We recommend waiting until after you bake this to cut it up into smaller pieces.

  6. Pat Wilson says:

    I have always struggled with phylo dough but the tips here made it so easy, thank you!
    This is the best spanakopita recipe ever!






  7. Kate says:

    Delicious! Thanks for the recipe.

  8. Lauren says:

    I made this spanakopita, and it was absolutely amazing! I found the secret to working with Filo dough is using a very large paintbrush, and it makes it so easy to butter the Filo dough! I did add some ricotta cheese as I read in another recipe, and I use shallots instead of onions, and I must say it was truly one of the best best spanakopita recipes I’ve ever had! I only use a half of a package of the Filo dough because I find that more than sufficient. I cooked it in 350 for one hour, and it was perfect. I was very pleased with it and can’t wait to share it with my friends!






    1. TMD Team says:

      Thank you so much for the great review, Lauren!

  9. janice says:

    Do I oil, or butter the casserole pan prior to laying down my first sheet? Can I use parchment paper to line casserole??

    1. Christine says:

      yes, oil the pan first before putting down first sheet of phyllo.

  10. Bill Knox says:

    Dill, ricotta, butter…

  11. Marsha says:

    I made this “crustless” and took a chance doing it this way. I did ask whether I could do it without a crust and never received a reply. I used 30 ounces of frozen chopped spinach and 5 eggs. I added a sprinkle of bread crumbs and parmesan cheese on top before baking. It came out great at 325 degrees for 1 hour. Saves calories!

    1. TMD Team says:

      Hi, Marsha! So sorry we missed your other comment. Thanks so much for sharing your process here. This is great to know!

  12. Julie says:

    Filling was excellent but, the crust is just so much better with butter instead of olive oil. Possibly the oil I used wasn’t the best? (Trader Joe’s.) When I redid this with melted salted butter it was perfection.






  13. Chris says:

    Good uncomplicated recipe. I used oregano instead of parsley and dill and added lemon zest and juice. Top result!

  14. Mary says:

    Could I use fresh spinach from my garden? How much and do I cook it first or just throw it in? Thanks

    1. TMD Team says:

      Hi, Mary! Yes, you can use fresh spinach here. You’ll need to start with two to three times the amount, and be sure to blanch and chop it up first. Enjoy!

  15. Brian Hannant says:

    The spanakopita was excellent. It’s pity you don’t include metric measurements in your recipe. It would save me time and annoyance at having to make the conversions. Most of the rest of the world uses metric.

    1. Mary Wood says:

      I agree Brian … to be able to convert to metric would be very helpful.

  16. Paula hurrell says:

    I noticed you said left overs a few times !!! WHAT leftovers please 😂?

    1. TMD Team says:

      Haha! I’m guessing you liked this one :).