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This Spanakopita (Greek Spinach Pie) recipe has crisp, buttery layers of phyllo dough and a savory spinach filling with garlic, fresh herbs, and feta. It’s easier to make than you might think and it’s a great dish to make ahead!

stacked slices of greek spinach pie with phyllo

One of my absolute favorite Greek dishes is Spanakopita, a savory spinach pie with feta cheese and crispy phyllo dough.

It’s packed with flavor from onion, garlic, and fresh herbs. Dill in particular is incredible in this recipe, and really makes it something special! It’s just a wonderful blend of flavors all around, not to mention different textures with the spinach filling and crunchy top and bottom.

This dish is a perfect side dish for anything you grill up, like steak, chicken, or lamb. Or it makes a delicious vegetarian main course paired with a salad!

baking dish with greek spinach pie with feta cut into squares

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

  • The savory spinach filling! It has a touch of sweetness thanks to onion, lots of savory flavor because of garlic and fresh herbs, and a slight hint of heat due to a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes.
  • Crunchy golden top and bottom. Both flavor and texture-wise, this is the perfect accent to the soft, flavor-packed savory spinach filling.
  • It keeps well in the fridge and reheats like a dream!
slice of spinach pie with filo on wooden cutting board

Spanakopita Ingredients and Substitutions

Ingredients Explained

In this section I explain the ingredients and give substitution ideas where applicable. For the full recipe (including the ingredient amounts), see the recipe card below.

spanakopita ingredients

Spinach Filling:

  • Extra-virgin olive oil – to cook the onion and garlic; use a good-quality Greek olive oil if available!
  • Sweet onion – I like the flavor of sweet onion here, but you can also use a regular yellow onion
  • Garlic – adds tons of flavor
  • Frozen spinach – using frozen spinach is a time-saver and money-saver
  • Parsley, scallion, and dill – these savory herbs add depth of flavor
  • Fresh lemon juice – to brighten the flavor
  • Feta cheese – for salty flavor and creamy texture
  • Eggs – we add egg to this spanakopita filling to help it set a bit; you can omit the eggs if you prefer
  • Salt and black pepper – these pantry-staple spices add the perfect seasoning
  • Crushed red pepper flakes – adds a touch of spicy heat for balance (but don’t worry, this dish isn’t spicy!)

Top and Bottom Crust:

  • Phyllo dough – look for this this paper-thin pastry dough in the freezer aisle at your local grocery store
  • Salted butter – this is to brush on the phyllo dough to add rich flavor and help it get crispy and golden; if you prefer, you can use extra-virgin olive oil instead

Step-by-Step Instructions

How to Make Spanakopita Filling

how to make spanakopita filling
  1. Add the oil to a large skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add the onion and cook until softened, but not browned, about 6 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in the garlic and cook 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Transfer to a bowl and cool until lukewarm, about 10 minutes.
  2.  Squeeze the thawed spinach very well to remove excess liquid.
  3. Add the onion/garlic mixture, spinach, parsley, scallion, lemon juice, dill, feta, eggs, black pepper, salt, and crushed red pepper flakes to a large bowl.
  4. Stir to combine.

Help Prevent Phyllo From Drying Out

how to prevent phyllo dough from drying out

Place a piece of wax paper or plastic wrap on a flat surface. Put the phyllo on top, and then place another piece of wax paper or plastic wrap on top. Drape a kitchen towel that’s dampened with cold water over the top layer of wax paper or plastic wrap.

Keep the dough covered like this until you remove a piece to use.

How to Make Spinach Feta Pie

how to layer spanakopita in casserole dish
  1. Brush the bottom and sides of a 9 by 13-inch casserole dish with melted butter. Generously brush 1 sheet of phyllo dough with butter and place it into the greased casserole dish. Repeat this process with 7 more sheets of phyllo dough so you have a total of 8 buttered sheets in the dish.
  2. Spread the spinach filling out evenly onto the phyllo dough in the dish.
  3. Generously brush 1 sheet of phyllo dough with butter and place it on top of the spinach filling inside the casserole dish. Repeat this process with 7 more sheets of phyllo dough so you have a total of 8 buttered sheets on top. Gently tuck the dough along the outside down. Make sure the top layer of dough is brushed with butter.
  4. Preheat the oven to 375F. Bake until the Spanakopita is golden and crisp, about 35 to 40 minutes. Let it cool for about 15 minutes so the filling can set before slicing and serving.
hand holding spatula with slice of greek spinach pastry

Storage and Reheating

Store Spanakopita wrapped in the fridge for up to 5 days.

This dish reheats well in the oven or air fryer. Preheat the oven or air fryer to 325F and heat the Spanakopita until warm, about 10 to 15 minutes in the oven or 5 to 10 minutes in the air fryer.

spanakopita spinach pastry squares stacked on wooden cutting board

Tips for Success

  • Use frozen spinach to save time! However, be sure to wring out all of the excess liquid to avoid a soggy bottom to your spinach pie.
  • Another great tip to save you time is to use store-bought phyllo dough (aka filo dough). Look for it in the freezer area of your regular grocery store, or at a local Greek grocery store, or buy it on Amazon.
  • If you’ve ever worked with phyllo dough, you know how fast it can dry out and become unusable! To help prevent phyllo from drying out, lay a piece of wax paper or plastic wrap on a flat surface. Put the phyllo on top, and then place another piece of wax paper or plastic wrap on top. Drape a kitchen towel that’s dampened with cold water over the top layer of wax paper or plastic wrap. Keep the dough covered until you remove a piece to use.
  • Score the Spanakopita before baking to help you cut it with less flaking after it’s baked. This results in neater slices!
greek spanakopita with filo dough cut into squares in casserole dish

Spanakopita FAQs

Is Phyllo Dough the Same as Puff Pastry?

Phyllo dough and puff pastry are not the same thing.

Phyllo dough, which is also transliterated as “filo” dough, is paper-thin pastry typically made of flour, water, and oil. When they’re used in baking, sheets of phyllo dough are typically brushed with oil or melted butter, and then stacked. The end result is a super crispy, crunchy, golden pastry. For example, baklava is made with phyllo dough!

On the other hand, puff pastry is a laminated dough usually made of flour, water, and butter. Laminated means that the dough is layered with cold butter by rolling the dough out, spreading it with butter, folding it up, letting it chill, and then rolling it out again (and so forth). The layers of butter and dough result in a pastry that’s puffed and golden with a rich buttery flavor. Picture a croissant as an example of lamination.

spatula in casserole dish of spanakopita showing crispy layers of filo dough

Do You Put Egg in Spanakopita?

In this recipe, we add 3 eggs to the Spanakopita filling. This helps the filling set, and also bumps up the protein content a bit.

However, you can omit the egg from this recipe if you prefer. The main difference is that the filling won’t set quite as much.

flaky greek spinach pie with feta cut in squares

Why is My Spanakopita Soggy on the Bottom?

There are a few different reasons why your Greek spinach pie is soggy on the bottom, but it most likely has to do with the spinach.

If you’re using frozen spinach, it’s likely that you didn’t wring all of the excess liquid out of it. I’m telling you, wring it out, wring it out again, and then do it another time. And then see if it looks like it needs it again.

If you’re using fresh spinach, it’s a similar situation. You need to cook out all the excess liquid from the spinach before assembling your pie.

Another great tip to help prevent a soggy bottom is to bake spinach pie with filo uncovered so excess moisture can evaporate off.

And lastly, if you’re still worried about a soggy bottom, if your oven’s heat source is at the bottom, you can bake Spanakopita on a rack positioned in the lower 1/3 of the oven for the last 10 minutes it bakes.

What to Serve with Greek Spinach Pie

greek spinach pie with crispy buttery phyllo dough

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Spanakopita Recipe (Greek Spinach Feta Pie with Phyllo)

5 from 2 votes
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time40 minutes
Yields: 12 servings
This Spanakopita (Greek Spinach Pie) recipe has crisp, buttery layers of phyllo dough and a savory spinach filling with garlic, fresh herbs, and feta. It’s easier to make than you might think and it’s a great dish to make ahead!

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Ingredients
 

Spinach Filling:

  • 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 large sweet onion diced
  • 6 large cloves garlic minced
  • 16 ounces frozen spinach thawed and drained well (see Notes)
  • 1 bunch parsley minced
  • 1 bunch scallion green and white parts, thinly sliced
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 2 tablespoons minced fresh dill or 1/2 tablespoon dried dill
  • 12 ounces feta cheese crumbled
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes or more to taste

Top and Bottom Crust:

Instructions
 

For the Spinach Filling:

  • Add the oil to a large skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add the onion and cook until softened, but not browned, about 6 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in the garlic and cook 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Transfer to a bowl and cool until lukewarm, about 10 minutes.
  • Add the onion/garlic mixture, spinach, parsley, scallion, lemon juice, dill, feta, eggs, black pepper, salt, and crushed red pepper flakes to a large bowl. Stir to combine.

To Assemble the Spanakopita:

  • Brush the bottom and sides of a 9 by 13-inch casserole dish with melted butter.
  • Generously brush 1 sheet of phyllo dough with butter and place it into the greased casserole dish. Repeat this process with 7 more sheets of phyllo dough so you have a total of 8 buttered sheets in the dish.
  • Spread the spinach filling out evenly onto the phyllo dough in the dish.
  • Generously brush 1 sheet of phyllo dough with butter and place it on top of the spinach filling inside the casserole dish. Repeat this process with 7 more sheets of phyllo dough so you have a total of 8 buttered sheets on top.
  • Gently tuck the dough along the outside down. Make sure the top layer of dough is brushed with butter.
  • If you want to score the top of the spinach pie, use a sharp paring knife to do it now (see Notes).

To Bake:

  • Preheat the oven to 375F. Bake until the Spanakopita is golden and crisp, about 35 to 40 minutes.
  • Let it cool for about 15 minutes so the filling can set before slicing and serving.

Notes

  • Recipe Yield and Serving Size: This recipe makes 1 (9 by 13-inch) dish of Spanakopita. As an appetizer it serves 12, and as a vegetarian main course it serves 6.
  • Frozen Spinach: I like to use frozen spinach (instead of fresh) for two reasons: 1) it’s a time-saver, and 2) it would take a pretty large volume of fresh spinach to yield the same quantity! Just be sure that you squeeze it very well to drain out the excess liquid, otherwise your Spanakopita might be soggy!
  • Salted Butter Substitute: You can use extra-virgin olive oil instead of melted butter to brush the phyllo dough.
  • Make the Filling Ahead of Time: You can make the filling up to 2 days ahead of time and keep it covered in the fridge until assembling the pie.
  • Prevent the Phyllo Dough From Drying Out: To help prevent phyllo dough from drying out, lay a piece of wax paper or plastic wrap on a flat surface. Put the phyllo on top, and then place another piece of wax paper or plastic wrap on top. Drape a kitchen towel that’s dampened with cold water over the top layer of wax paper or plastic wrap. Keep the dough covered until you remove a piece to use.
  • Scoring the Top Before Baking: This will help you cut it with less flaking after it’s baked, resulting in neater slices.
  • How to Store and Reheat This Dish: Store Spanakopita wrapped in the fridge for up to 5 days. This dish reheats well in the oven or air fryer. Preheat the oven or air fryer to 325F and heat the Spanakopita until warm, about 10 to 15 minutes in the oven or 5 to 10 minutes in the air fryer.

Nutrition

Calories: 251kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 93mg | Sodium: 545mg | Potassium: 213mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 4962IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 208mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutritional information is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximate.

Course: Appetizer, Vegetarian Main Course
Cuisine: Greek
Keyword: Greek Spinach Pastry, Greek Spinach Pie, Spanakopita, Spanakopita Recipe, Spinach Feta Pie, Spinach Pie, Spinach Pie with Filo

Share it with me on Instagram and leave a comment to let me know your thoughts!

greek spanakopita recipe pin

This post was first published on An Edible Mosaic on July 6, 2009. I updated it with more information on December 29, 2023.

Faith, author of An Edible Mosaic.
About Faith

I’m the writer, recipe developer, photographer, and food stylist behind this blog. I love finding the human connection through something we all do every day: eat! Food is a common ground that we can all relate to, and our tables tell a story. It’s my goal to inspire you to get in the kitchen, try something new, and find a favorite you didn’t know you had.

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Recipe Rating




14 Comments

  1. That looks amazing… only thing it’s missing is pine nuts! Yummy…

  2. What a delicious savory pie! I love everything about it – wonderful flavors!

  3. Angie's Recipes says:

    hi Faith
    I like about all kinds of food that made with filo pastry…..and spinach and feta are a great combination for the savory pie.

  4. pie sound heavenly delicious!! being healthy and green is the best part :)

  5. I have never worked with phyllo dough before, but I have come across so many recipes that look so yummy that require it. I need to give it a try!

  6. Karyn (French Charming) says:

    Can’t wait to give this a try…looks and sounds delicious! Love your photos, always so lovely!!

    Have a great day!
    Karyn

  7. Holly (The Healthy Everythingtarian) says:

    so i never really looks through all your recipes before, so i just did that, and now i have a list of like a billion recipes to try :) thanks for all the goodness – this pie looks amazing too!

  8. Hari Chandana says:

    very healthy recipe.. looks soo deliciousn yummyyy..

  9. Delicious pie! i must say spinach, onions and feta does go very well!

  10. Natasha - 5 Star Foodie says:

    This pie looks absolutely delicious with feta! This would definitely be a great entry for BSI this week.

  11. Actors Diet says:

    Yummy! I love how it’s pie shape…most spinach pie I order comes square.

  12. I love this!!! There are so many ingredients I love in this pie!!!

  13. 5 stars
    That was a great meal, do it more often beautiful! I loved it

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