This authentic Greek Spanakopita recipe brings Mediterranean magic to your kitchen in just 1 hour.
A flaky, golden phyllo crust embraces a savory filling of fresh spinach and crumbled feta cheese – creating the ultimate vegetarian comfort food.
Perfect for beginners, this simplified version delivers all the classic flavors without complicated techniques.
Whether served as a light main dish or crowd-pleasing side, this traditional spinach pie promises restaurant-quality results with minimal effort.
The buttery layers and herb-infused filling make every bite a celebration of Greek cuisine.
Ingredients for Greek Spinach Pie
- Vegetables: 500g fresh spinach (washed & chopped), 2 small red onions (halved & sliced), 1 spring onion (finely chopped, optional)
- Aromatics: 2 garlic cloves (crushed), pinch of nutmeg, 1-2 tbsp fresh dill (optional)
- Dairy & Eggs: 200g feta cheese (crumbled), 2 beaten eggs, butter for brushing
- Pastry: 1 pack filo pastry (400g), alternatively use Horiatiko phyllo
- Seasonings: Salt and pepper to taste
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Preparation: Thaw filo dough overnight in refrigerator for best results
- Preheat: Set oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6
- Prepare Filling: Sauté onions in butter until golden, add garlic, then wilt spinach in batches
- Mix Filling: Combine cooled spinach mixture with nutmeg, feta, eggs, and spring onion. Season well
- Assemble: Layer filo sheets in 20-22cm baking pan, brushing each with butter. Add filling and fold excess pastry over
- Finish: Brush top with butter, score with knife
- Bake: Place in preheated oven for 30 minutes until golden and crispy
- Serve: Let cool for 10-15 minutes, then cut into portions
Working with Phyllo Tips
Phyllo can be a bit tricky at first, but don’t worry! Keep your phyllo sheets covered with a slightly damp kitchen towel while you work – this stops them from drying out.
Work quickly but gently when brushing each layer with butter. If a sheet tears, just patch it up with another piece – the layers will hide any mistakes. The butter between layers is what creates that gorgeous flaky texture, so be generous!
Make It Your Own
Love to play with flavors? Try adding chopped fresh herbs like mint or parsley along with the dill. Not a fan of feta?
You can swap in ricotta cheese for a milder taste. Some home cooks like to add a handful of toasted pine nuts or chopped walnuts to the filling for extra crunch. Just keep the total amount of filling about the same so your pie bakes evenly.
Serving Tips
Spanakopita tastes amazing when served warm, but it’s also yummy at room temperature – perfect for picnics! Cut it into squares for a starter or larger pieces for a main dish.
Besides the suggested Greek salad, try serving it with a dollop of tzatziki sauce or a simple lemony yogurt dip. For a full Greek-style meal, add some kalamata olives and cherry tomatoes on the side.
Storage and Leftovers
Keep any leftover spanakopita in the fridge for up to 3 days. To reheat, pop it in the oven at 350°F/175°C for about 10-15 minutes – this helps keep the phyllo crispy.
You can also freeze uncooked spanakopita for up to 2 months! Just wrap it well, and when you’re ready to eat, bake it straight from frozen, adding about 10-15 minutes to the cooking time.
Easy Greek Spinach pie for Beginners (Spanakopita)
Equipment
- non stick baking pan
Ingredients
- 2 small red onions halved and sliced
- 1 spring onion finely chopped (optional)
- 2 cloves garlic crushed
- 500 g spinach washed and roughly chopped
- 1 pinch grated nutmeg
- 200 g feta cheese crumbled
- 2 eggs beaten
- 1-2 tbsps fresh dill chopped (optional)
- 1 pack filo pastry 400g / 14 oz typically
- butter
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- If you choose to prepare this Greek spinach pie recipe with commercial phyllo dough, it is important to thaw completely the phyllo dough by putting it in the fridge from the previous day. For the beginners at working with phyllo, check the handling tips before start making the spanakopita.
- Heat the oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6.
- To prepare this spinach pie recipe, sauté the onions in a large knob of butter until soft and turning golden. Add the garlic and cook for a couple of minutes. Add the spinach in batches and cook until wilted. Cool, then tip into a bowl (leaving behind any excess liquid from the spinach) and mix in the nutmeg, feta, eggs, spring onion and season.
- For this spinach pie recipe you will need a non stick baking pan, about 20-22cm. Put the first sheet of filo in the pan and brush with butter, letting the excess hang over the sides. Keep going with the rest of the sheets, turning a little before adding each additional pastry sheet and brushing all over with butter. When all the pastry is used up, tip in the filling of the spanakopita and fold over the excess pastry to cover.
- Butter the top of the spinach pie with melted butter and scar with a sharp knife. Bake in preheated oven for about 30 minutes until the filo is crisp and golden.
- Leave the spanakopita cool down for 10-15 minutes before cutting into pieces. Serve the spinach pie with Greek feta salad. Enjoy!