Spanakopita Recipe (Greek Spinach and Feta Pie)

This spanakopita recipe has crisp, flaky phyllo wrapped around a spinach and feta filling with fresh dill, parsley, and mint. It’s a lovely lunch with a salad, and you can cut smaller pieces for a party table.

There’s no need to make your own pastry. Store-bought phyllo works well, and a few torn sheets won’t ruin the pie. The step that matters most is squeezing the spinach properly. Dry filling gives the bottom layers a much better chance to turn crisp.

Below, I’ll show you how to layer the pie, make small triangles instead, and freeze a batch for another day.

What Is Spanakopita?

Spanakopita is a Greek spinach pie, often made with feta, herbs, and thin layers of phyllo pastry. Say it spah-nah-KOH-pee-tah.

It can be baked as one large pie and cut into pieces, or folded into small triangles. This recipe makes a 9×13-inch pie with 12 squares.

You can serve it warm or let it cool a little first. Either way, give it time to rest after baking. Cutting it straight from the oven lets the hot filling spill out and crushes the delicate top layers.

Key Ingredients & Substitutions

Spinach: Frozen chopped spinach is handy here because it’s already trimmed and chopped. Use a 16-ounce package, weighed before thawing and squeezing. If you prefer fresh spinach, start with about 2 pounds, remove tough stems, wilt it, and squeeze it well.

Feta: Buy a block and crumble it yourself. Feta stored in brine usually has a nicer texture than dry, pre-crumbled cheese. Drain it before adding it to the filling.

Phyllo: Use a 16-ounce package of thin phyllo sheets, sometimes labeled #4. Sheet sizes vary, so check the package rather than relying on a fixed sheet count. Phyllo and puff pastry are different; puff pastry won’t give you these thin layers.

Onion or scallions: Either works. Cook them briefly to soften their flavor, then let them cool before mixing with the eggs.

Fresh herbs: Dill and parsley give the filling its familiar flavor. A little mint adds freshness without taking over.

Eggs: Three large eggs help the filling set so you can cut neat squares.

Nutmeg and pepper: A little nutmeg works well with spinach. Add black pepper, then taste the filling for salt before the raw eggs go in.

Olive oil: Use it to cook the onion and brush the pastry. You want a light coating between layers, without puddles.

Fresh Spinach or Frozen? How to Get It Dry

Both work, but frozen spinach saves some prep. Thaw it completely, then put it in a clean kitchen towel over a bowl or sink. Gather the towel and squeeze firmly.

Open the towel, loosen the spinach, and squeeze again. One quick squeeze usually leaves more water than you think. Keep going until very little liquid comes out when you press firmly.

The spinach will look like a small, tightly packed bundle. Pull it apart before mixing so you don’t end up with clumps in the filling.

For fresh spinach, wash it well and wilt it in a large pan in batches. Let it cool in a colander, then squeeze it in a towel and chop it. Don’t add the hot spinach straight to the eggs.

For this recipe, use 16 ounces frozen spinach or about 2 pounds fresh. These are practical alternatives, rather than an exact weight conversion. Fresh bunches vary in their stems and water content, so the amount left after draining will vary too.

How to Work With Phyllo Without Tearing It

Thaw frozen phyllo in its sealed packaging in the refrigerator overnight, following the package directions. If the package says to bring it to room temperature before opening, allow time for that too. Unrolling partly frozen sheets is an easy way to tear them.

Set out your filling, oil, pastry brush, and a 9×13-inch baking pan before opening the dough. A metal pan is useful if you want a crisp base.

Unroll the sheets and cover the stack with plastic wrap, then a slightly damp towel. Lift the cover only long enough to take the next sheet. The towel should help keep the dough from drying out without making it wet.

Brush each layer lightly with olive oil. Gentle strokes work better than dragging a dry brush across the pastry.

If a sheet tears, lay the pieces together in an inside layer. They’ll still bake into the pie. Save a couple of whole sheets for the top, where they’ll be most visible.

This is also useful when working with phyllo for baklava: keep the stack covered, work steadily, and don’t worry about every little tear.

Butter or Olive Oil?

I use olive oil here. It suits the spinach, herbs, and salty feta, and helps the thin pastry layers turn crisp.

Melted butter also works if you prefer its richer flavor. Replace the brushing oil with the same volume of melted butter, but keep the olive oil used to cook the onion.

Whichever you choose, brush lightly and evenly. Dry patches can bake up floury, while too much fat leaves the bottom greasy.

How to Make Spanakopita, Step by Step

1. Prepare the Filling

Thaw and squeeze the spinach, or wilt, cool, squeeze, and chop fresh spinach.

Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a skillet. Cook the chopped onion or scallions for about 5 minutes, until softened. Set aside to cool.

Mix the spinach, crumbled feta, cooled onion, dill, parsley, mint, nutmeg, and pepper in a large bowl. Taste now and add a little salt only if needed. Then stir in the beaten eggs.

2. Get the Pan and Phyllo Ready

Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C) with a rack in the lower third.

Lightly oil a 9×13-inch pan. Open the thawed phyllo and keep it covered while you work. Divide it into two roughly equal stacks: one for the base and one for the top.

If your sheets are much larger than the pan, trim them to fit. Use clean offcuts to patch inside layers.

3. Layer the Pie

Lay one sheet in the pan and brush it lightly with olive oil. Repeat with the first half of the phyllo, keeping the unused sheets covered.

A little overhang is fine. Spread the spinach filling evenly over the base, right into the corners, without pressing it down hard.

Add the remaining phyllo a sheet at a time, brushing each layer. Fold or tuck in the loose edges and brush the top and border.

4. Score and Bake

Use a sharp knife to score the top pastry into 12 squares. Cut through the upper sheets without slicing through the bottom crust.

With damp fingertips, flick just a few drops of water over the top. It should not look wet.

Bake for 45–55 minutes, until deeply golden and crisp, with the filling set. If the top browns too quickly, cover it loosely with foil and keep baking.

5. Rest Before Cutting

Let the pie rest for 15–20 minutes. This gives the filling time to settle and makes the squares easier to lift.

Cut through the scored lines and the bottom crust. Serve warm, or let the pieces cool a little more before serving.

How to Stop Spanakopita Getting a Soggy Bottom

Wet spinach is the first thing to check, but a few other small steps help too:

• Squeeze more than once. Spinach can look drained while still holding plenty of water.
• Cool the cooked filling ingredients. Hot spinach or onion adds steam while you’re building the pie.
• Use a metal pan when possible. It usually browns the base more readily than a thick ceramic dish.
• Bake in the lower third of the oven. This gives the bottom more direct heat.
• Score the top before baking. The cuts make serving easier and give steam places to escape.
• Rest uncovered. Covering a hot pie traps steam and softens the pastry.

For a metal pan, you can also preheat a sturdy baking sheet in the oven and set the pan on it. Avoid putting a cold glass or ceramic dish onto a hot tray.

Some cooks add a tablespoon of fine semolina or cooked rice to absorb a little extra moisture. Treat that as a small backup, not a fix for dripping spinach.

Make Spanakopita Triangles Instead

Small triangles, called spanakopitakia, are handy for parties or a freezer batch.

Use the same filling. Lay down a phyllo sheet, brush lightly with oil, and add a second sheet. Brush again, then cut lengthwise into strips about 3–4 inches wide.

Put a small spoonful of filling near one end. Fold one corner across to make a triangle, then keep folding the triangle along the strip, like folding a flag. Keep the filling tucked inside without packing it too tightly.

Place the triangles seam-side down on a lined baking sheet. Brush the tops and bake at 350°F (175°C) for about 25–35 minutes, until golden and crisp.

Expect roughly 40 small triangles, depending on the sheet size and how much filling you use. Divide the filling into small portions as you work so the final triangles aren’t left mostly empty.

Freeze them unbaked in a single layer, then pack them into a container once firm. You can bake just a few at a time.

Make-Ahead, Storage, and Freezing

You can assemble the pie up to 24 hours ahead. Cover and refrigerate it, then uncover before baking. A chilled pie may need a few extra minutes in the oven.

For the crispest result, another option is to prepare the filling a day ahead and layer the phyllo shortly before baking. Keep the filling covered in the refrigerator.

Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours. Store covered for 3–4 days.

Freezing Before Baking

Assemble and score the pie in a freezer-to-oven-safe metal or foil pan. Wrap it well and freeze for up to 2 months for best quality.

Remove the wrapping and bake straight from frozen at 350°F (175°C). Allow roughly 15–25 extra minutes, checking that the middle is cooked through as well as the top being golden. Cover loosely with foil if needed.

Freezing After Baking

Let the pie cool, then wrap individual portions and freeze for up to 3 months. The pastry may be a little less crisp than a freshly baked pie, but the smaller portions are easy to reheat.

Reheating Without Softening the Pastry

Place chilled squares on a baking sheet in a 350°F (175°C) oven for about 15–20 minutes, until hot in the center and crisp outside. Larger pieces take longer.

You can also use an air fryer at about 325°F (160°C), checking after 6–8 minutes and continuing until heated through.

Frozen portions need longer in the oven, often 25–35 minutes depending on their size. Cover loosely if the top gets dark before the middle is hot.

The microwave works if you’re in a hurry, but it softens the phyllo.

What to Serve With Spanakopita

For lunch, serve a warm square with a traditional Greek salad. The tomatoes and cucumber are a nice match for the salty feta filling.

Add homemade tzatziki on the side for dipping. Keep it beside the pie rather than spreading it over the pastry, so the top stays crisp.

For a bigger meal or a holiday table, serve smaller squares alongside Greek roast lamb. It also makes a good side for a simple bowl of soup.

If you’re serving it at a party, cut the squares into smaller pieces after the pie has rested. They’re easier to pick up, and the filling is less likely to spill.

Spanakopita, Spanakotiropita, and Other Greek Pies

Spanakopita means spinach pie. You may also see the name spanakotiropita, which makes the cheese part clear. In everyday use, spinach-and-feta pie is commonly called spanakopita too, so both names make sense here.

Cheese-free versions exist as well, including versions made for fasting that leave out the eggs.

If you enjoy this pie, try Greek cheese pie, tiropita, for a filling centered on cheese, or zucchini pie, kolokithopita, for another vegetable option.

Cretan boureki combines potatoes and zucchini, while Greek meat pie with phyllo is a good choice when you want a meat filling.

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