Spanakopita
A classic Greek savory pie, spanakopita features a delicious filling of spinach and feta cheese, seasoned with herbs, all encased in crispy, flaky phyllo dough. It's a comforting and satisfying vegetarian main course that's perfect for sharing.
An original recipe by Forkin
- Total time
- 1 hr 25 min
- Serves
- 6
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Per serving
- 682 kcal
Allergen information: may contain eggs, gluten, and milk. Always check ingredient packaging if you have an allergy.
Mise en place
Ingredients
Ingredients
- 1,000 gfresh spinach, rinsed and roughly chopped
- 300 gfeta cheese, crumbled
- 1 pcsyellow onion, finely chopped
- 2 clovegarlic, minced
- 2 pcsegg, lightly beaten
- 0.25 cupfresh dill, chopped
- 0.25 cupfresh parsley, chopped
- 0.5 tspnutmeg, ground
- 0.25 tspblack pepper, freshly ground
- 450 gphyllo dough, thawed
filling
- 3 tbspolive oil
for brushing
- 150 gbutter, melted
Equipment
pastry brush · sharp knife · large skillet · large bowl · 9x13 inch baking dish
The method
Step by step
- 1
Squeeze excess water from the fresh spinach using your hands or a clean kitchen towel. This is an important step to prevent a soggy pie.
About 5 min
Cook’s note: Work in batches to get as much water out as possible.
- 2
Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
About 1 min
- 3
Add the yellow onion and sauté until softened and translucent, about 5-7 minutes.
About 7 min
- 4
Stir in the garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant.
About 1 min
Cook’s note: Be careful not to burn the garlic.
- 5
Add the squeezed spinach to the skillet and cook until any remaining moisture has evaporated, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
About 5 min
- 6
In a large bowl, combine the cooled spinach mixture, crumbled feta cheese, beaten eggs, fresh dill, fresh parsley, ground nutmeg, and black pepper. Mix well to combine.
About 3 min
Cook’s note: Taste the mixture and adjust seasoning if needed, keeping in mind feta is salty.
- 7
Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F).
About 10 min
- 8
Lightly grease a 9x13 inch (23x33 cm) baking dish.
- 9
Lay one sheet of phyllo dough in the prepared baking dish, letting the excess hang over the sides. Brush lightly with melted butter.
About 1 min
Cook’s note: Keep unused phyllo dough covered with a damp cloth to prevent it from drying out.
- 10
Repeat with half of the phyllo sheets, layering them one by one and brushing each sheet with melted butter.
About 5 min
- 11
Spread the spinach and feta filling evenly over the phyllo layers.
About 1 min
- 12
Top the filling with the remaining phyllo sheets, brushing each layer with melted butter as before.
About 5 min
- 13
Fold the overhanging phyllo edges over the top of the pie to create a neat border. Brush the top layer generously with melted butter.
About 1 min
- 14
Score the top layers of phyllo dough into serving-sized pieces using a sharp knife, being careful not to cut all the way through the filling.
About 1 min
Cook’s note: This makes it easier to cut after baking.
- 15
Bake for 45-50 minutes, or until the phyllo is golden brown and crispy.
About 45 min
Cook’s note: If the top browns too quickly, you can loosely cover it with foil.
- 16
Remove from the oven and let rest for at least 10 minutes before slicing and serving.
About 10 min
Cook’s note: This allows the filling to set and makes for cleaner slices.
Per serving
Nutrition
- Calories
- 682.4kcal
- Protein
- 20g
- Carbs
- 53.4g
- Fat
- 44.6g
- Fibre
- 5.8g
- Sugar
- 4.8g
Estimated from the recipe’s ingredient quantities. Values can vary with brands and substitutions.
Keep it good
Store leftover spanakopita in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Reheat in a preheated oven at 160°C (325°F) until warmed through and the phyllo is crisp again.