spanakopita

Spanakopita is a Greek spinach pie with flaky filo and creamy feta, ready in under an hour. Get real tips for crisp pastry at home.

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Total Time 1 1

Servings: 6 pieces

Course: Appetizer

Cuisine: Greek

Calories: 320

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

Filling

500 g fresh spinach
1 medium onion
2 cloves garlic
200 g feta cheese
100 g ricotta cheese
2 units eggs
3 tablespoons olive oil
0.5 bunch fresh dill
0.25 teaspoon nutmeg
0.5 teaspoon salt
0.25 teaspoon black pepper

Assembly

8 sheets filo pastry
4 tablespoons olive oil

Method

Filling

Wash and dry the spinach. Chop roughly.
Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet. Add the chopped onion and cook 3–4 minutes until softened.
Add the garlic. Stir for 30 seconds, just until fragrant.
Add spinach by handfuls. Let it wilt a bit as you go. Cook, stirring, until all the water is gone—about 5–6 minutes. Don’t skip this step or your pie turns soggy.
Let the spinach cool for a couple minutes, then squeeze out any remaining moisture with your hands or a clean towel.
Mix spinach, crumbled feta, ricotta, eggs, chopped dill, nutmeg, salt, and pepper in a big bowl. Taste before adding all the salt—some feta can be pretty salty naturally.

Assembly

Preheat your oven to 190°C (375°F).
Brush a baking dish (about 20 x 30 cm) with olive oil. Cover unused filo with a damp towel—it dries out in minutes.
Lay one sheet of filo at the bottom, brush lightly with olive oil. Repeat until you have 4 layers.
Spread the entire spinach filling over the filo, smoothing it gently.
Layer 4 more sheets of filo on top, brushing each with oil. Fold overhang in neatly or trim with scissors.
Use a sharp knife to score the top layers into portions—don’t cut all the way through. This makes serving easier and keeps the top flaky.
Bake for 35–40 minutes until golden and crisp. Let it rest at least 10 minutes before cutting, otherwise the pieces fall apart.

Notes

I only make spanakopita on weeks when I know I’ll crave real comfort food, but need something I can eat cold or hot for three days straight. The crispy filo and creamy spinach-feta layer is that good leftover.

Get the filo crisp (without losing your mind)

Filo can feel intimidating. My best trick is keeping it covered with a lightly damp towel from the second I open the package—don’t walk away to do anything else. And when brushing olive oil, don’t soak each sheet. Use a soft pastry brush and just enough oil to make it shiny—too much and the pie gets greasy, too little and it dries out fast.

If you want deeper flavor, let the filling cool completely before assembling. Hot spinach straight from the pan steams in the filo as it bakes, so the bottom layers go a little soggy. Room temp is best.

About salt: I always taste the filling just before adding eggs and decide if I really need that half teaspoon. Some feta is saltier than others.

Swaps that actually work

If you can’t find dill, flat-leaf parsley or a few sprigs of mint also work. Chard is a decent substitute for spinach, but frozen spinach isn’t great here; too wet—even when squeezed out, it tends to water down the filling. For cheese, I’ve used all feta (skip the ricotta) in a pinch, but don’t swap in mozzarella or cheddar—it turns rubbery.

Meal prep and storage

Spanakopita keeps well in the fridge, covered, for up to three days. I usually reheat it in a toaster oven (10 minutes at 180°C/350°F) so the pastry stays crisp. Microwaving makes it limp but still tasty. You can freeze it baked or unbaked, but for best crispness, bake straight from the freezer—just add 10–15 minutes to your bake time.