How To Make Spanakopita (Greek Spinach Pie with Feta)

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Learn How To Make Spanakopita with this step-by-step guide. Spanakopita is a traditional Greek pastry dish that can be served as an appetizer, snack, or even a main course! This crispy and flavorful pastry is filled with spinach, feta cheese, and other ingredients that come together to make a delicious savory treat.

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How To Make Spanakopita

I know that readers like to skip to the recipe card, but I recommend reading the blog post all the way through so that you don’t miss any tips or substitution suggestions, to ensure that you have all the ingredients and equipment required and understand the steps and timings involved.

I’ve shared lots of Greek, Greek-inspired, and Authentic Greek Cypriot Recipes from Cyprus over the years, and it’s now time for a classic pastry – spanakopita.

Spanakopita is a Greek savory spinach pie that often contains feta cheese. In northern Greece, it is called spanakotiropita when made with cheese.

This pie is loaded with lots of vitamins such as C, A, D, Iron, etc., and it is a great option to load yourself up with vitamins and minerals, especially at the end of winter.

Filo (phyllo) dough is most commonly used to make spanakopita, but it can also be made with puff pastry.

During religious fasts, such as Lent, a dairy-free version without cheese and eggs is made. This version would be a great option for vegans, as would non-traditional versions that use tofu instead of cheese.

We cut our large Greek spinach pie into squares for serving, but you could also cut it into triangles, or indeed make spanakopita into individual triangular servings.

Ingredients & Equipment Used In This Recipe

While most ingredients can be bought in grocery stores, for your convenience, any specialized or notable ingredients and equipment needed for this recipe have been linked to Amazon or other stores if available online.

Equipment Needed For This Recipe

• Sharp Knife
• Chopping/Cutting Board
• Large Frying Pan/Saute Pan
• Large Saucepan
• Pastry Brush – for brushing on the egg wash which will give the baked spanakopita a golden-brown finish
• Rubber/Silicone Spatula – or you could use a:
• Wooden Spoon if you prefer.
• Large Baking/Cookie Sheet – for cooking the spinach and feta pie on

Recipes on The Purple Pumpkin Blog use cups and/or weighted measurements. American cups and kitchen food scales are handy pieces of equipment to have in your kitchen as it means you’ll be able to make all of the different recipes on my blog. I try to give American US customary, imperial, and metric measurements in my recipes. Please note, that you can mix cup measurements with weighted measures, but never mix US customary/imperial (pounds, ounces, pints, etc.,) with metric (kilograms, grams, liters, etc.,).

More Recipes Using Feta

One of the hero ingredients in this dish is feta, so here are some more recipes using the same:

• North African Shakshuka Recipe (Eggs in Spicy Tomato Sauce with Feta)
• Greek Shrimp Saganaki Recipe with Kalamata Olives & Feta
• Whipped Feta Dip with Black Olives and Cherry Tomatoes
• Watermelon Feta Salad with Lime-Cilantro Vinaigrette
• Easy To Make Spicy Roasted Red Pepper and Feta Dip (Htipiti)

How To Make Spanakopita

The printable recipe card with the full ingredients list and instructions can be found at the end of this post.

Step 1 – Cook Spinach: Roughly chop the spinach.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the chopped spinach and cook for 2 minutes. Drain well and squeeze to remove excess water.

Step 2 – Sautée Onions & Garlic: Heat olive oil in a large frying pan or skillet over medium heat.

Add the onions and cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently until they begin to soften.

Add the garlic and dill to the pan, and cook for a further 5 minutes, stirring frequently until the onions are soft and caramelized.

Step 3 – Prepare Filling: Remove the pan from the heat and stir in parsley, green onions, lemon juice, and ground pepper.

Add the cooked spinach to the skillet. Stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Set aside and allow to cool. Add 1 lb (450g) of the feta cheese and slightly beaten eggs.

Step 4 – Preheat Oven: Preheat oven to 425°F/220°C/Gas 7.

Step 5 – Build the Spanakopita: If using homemade filo/phyllo dough, cut it into 4 pieces and roll all the pieces out.

Place one layer of pastry on a greased baking sheet with edges and brush with melted butter using a pastry brush.

Add the spinach filling and place the second piece of the pastry on top. Brush with butter and add half of the remaining feta cheese.

Top with the third piece of pastry, brush with butter and add the remaining feta cheese.

Top with the fourth layer of dough. Pinch or roll seams to seal. Brush with butter and sprinkle with sesame seeds.

Step 6 – Bake Spanakopita: Bake for 10 minutes then decrease the heat to 350°F/180°C/Gas 4 for 35-40 minutes or until golden brown and flaky. Remove the spanakopita from the oven. Cut into squares and enjoy!

Alternative Method:

If using sheets of filo/phyllo, you will need 16 large sheets. Lay 8 sheets of the dough, brushing in between each layer with melted butter, onto a greased baking sheet with edges.

Place the spinach filling on top, leaving a 1″/2.5cm border. Brush the border with more butter, then place a sheet of dough on top. Brush with butter and add the remaining feta. Add the remaining sheets of dough on top, brushing between each one.

Fold up the edges and pinch or roll to seal. Brush with butter and sprinkle with sesame seeds.

Bake for 25-30 425°F/220°C/Gas 7 until crispy and golden brown.

NOTE: Depending on the size of your pastry sheets, you may have to make two smaller spanakopita with the amount of filling listed.

More Greek Recipes

Looking for more Greek dishes to make? Check these recipes out next:

• Greek Baklava Recipe with Honey & Walnuts
• Greek Shrimp Saganaki Recipe
• Grilled Greek Chicken Skewers
• Greek-Style Lemon Potatoes
• Greek Steak Salad with Feta & Kalamata Olives

Recipe Tips

• Use large fresh leafy spinach in this recipe for more texture and crispiness.
• You can also use frozen spinach. Thaw it and squeeze it really well to remove excess moisture.
• Filo/phyllo pastry is typically found in the freezer section of the grocery store.
• You will need 2 – 2.5 lbs / 0.9 – 1.1 kg for this recipe.
• The pastry dough should be thawed in the refrigerator overnight, then left out on the counter for approximately 30 minutes prior to use, or as directed in the package instructions.
• Filo/phyllo dough is very thin and delicate and can break or tear as you’re using it. Don’t panic as this is quite normal.
• The dough also dries out quickly so cover it with a slightly damp towel when you are using it.

Storing Leftovers & Freezing

• Storing Leftovers:
  Cool (within 1-2 hours), transfer to an airtight container, and store in the fridge for 2-3 days.
• Freezing Instructions:
  • You can freeze the spanakopita whole or in portions.
  • Cool the cooked spanakopita completely and wrap it in a double layer of plastic wrap and a layer of foil to help prevent freezer burn and keep out unwanted freezer smells. You can also place it into an airtight freezer-safe container, or food bag. If using a bag, squeeze out as much air as possible.
  • For best results (from frozen), freeze the unbaked spinach and feta pie (stored as mentioned above) and bake it from frozen. Brush the pastry with butter before cooking. Watch the pastry so that it doesn’t burn – cover it if necessary. Ensure the pie is piping hot throughout.
  • Label with the name of the dish, thawing/reheating instructions, and the date to keep track of your food storage.
  • Spanakopita will last in the freezer for up to 3 months.
  • To defrost the spanakopita, unwrap it completely and place it in the fridge to thaw overnight (or at least 12 hours).
  • Reheat in the oven until piping hot throughout.
• Safe Minimum Internal Temperature Chart for Cooking
• With all leftovers, make sure the food looks and smells okay before consuming.
• You can always consult the Food Standards Agency in your country for the most up-to-date advice on storing and freezing foods: Food Standards Agency (UK) | Food Safety (USA).

Printable Spanakopita Recipe Card

To save ink, any demonstration photos do not print on the recipe card.

Continue to Content

Spanakopita

Yield: 16-20

Prep Time: 40 minutes

Cook Time: 50 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes

Learn how to make Spanakopita with this step-by-step guide.

Print

Ingredients

• 3 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 5 garlic cloves, minced
• ¼ - ½ cup fresh dill, chopped (to taste)
• 1 tsp dried mint
• ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley leaves
• 4 green onions, roughly chopped
• 2 tsp fresh lemon juice
• ½ tsp ground black pepper
• 1½ lbs (700g) crumbled feta, divided
• 2 lbs (900g) fresh spinach, washed and patted dry
• Salt and black pepper, to taste
• 2 oz (50g) unsalted butter melted
• 2 lbs (900g) filo/phyllo pastry or 16 extra-large sheets
• 2 eggs

Instructions

1. Roughly chop the spinach. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the chopped spinach and cook for 2 minutes. Drain well and squeeze to remove excess water.
2. Heat olive oil in a large frying pan or skillet over medium heat.
3. Add the onions and cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently until they begin to soften.
4. Add the garlic and dill to the pan, and cook for a further 5 minutes, stirring frequently until the onions are soft and caramelized.
5. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in parsley, green onions, lemon juice, and ground pepper.
6. Add the cooked spinach to the skillet. Stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
7. Set aside and allow to cool. Add 1 lb (450g) of the feta cheese and slightly beaten eggs.
   
   
   
8. Preheat oven to 425°F/220°C/Gas 7.
9. If using homemade filo/phyllo dough, cut it into 4 pieces and roll all the pieces out.
10. Place one layer of pastry on a greased baking sheet with edges and brush with melted butter using a pastry brush.
11. Add the spinach filling, leaving an edge.
    
    
    
12. Place the second piece of the pastry on top. Brush with butter and add half of the remaining feta cheese.
13. Top with the third piece of pastry, brush with butter and add the remaining feta cheese.
14. Top with the fourth layer of dough. Pinch or roll seams to seal. Brush with butter and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
15. Bake for 10 minutes then decrease the heat to 350°F/180°C/Gas 4 for 35-40 minutes or until golden brown and flaky. Remove the spanakopita from the oven. Cut into squares and enjoy!
    
    
    
16. Alternative Method: If using sheets of filo/phyllo, you will need 16 large sheets. Lay 8 sheets of the dough, brushing in between each layer with melted butter, onto a greased baking sheet with edges. Place the spinach filling on top, leaving a 1″/2.5cm border. Brush the border with more butter, then place a sheet of dough on top. Brush with butter and add the remaining feta. Add the remaining sheets of dough on top, brushing between each one. Fold up the edges and pinch or roll to seal. Brush with butter and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Bake for 25-30 425°F/220°C/Gas 7 until crispy and golden brown. NOTE: Depending on the size of your pastry sheets, you may have to make two smaller spanakopita with the amount of filling listed.
    
    
    

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Nutrition Information:

Yield: 20 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 80Total Fat: 6gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 28mgSodium: 108mgCarbohydrates: 5gFiber: 1gSugar: 2gProtein: 2g

This site uses Nutritionix to provide estimated nutrition. Nutritional information is always approximate and will depend on the quality of ingredients used and serving sizes. If you need exact calories and macros, please do your own calculations.

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Recipes To Make A Special Dinner

Spanakopita would work well as an appetizer/starter, or as a vegetarian main dish. But what about the rest of the courses?

Here are additional recipes to create a menu for a dinner party or special meal:

• Soup: Authentic Greek-Cypriot Avgolemono – Egg Lemon Soup
• Salad: Cypriot Village Salad
• Side Dish: Greek-Style Lemon Potatoes
• Beverage: Mediterranean Journey Cocktail with Cointreau
• Dessert: Paris on Ice Greek Cypriot Gelatin Dessert

There are 500+ Recipes on The Purple Pumpkin Blog for you to enjoy – please feel free to check them out too.

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