Spanakopita (Greek Spinach Pie) is a rich, savory phyllo pastry layered with spinach, onions, feta, lemon, and herbs. Our lighter version has all of the flavor and half the fat of the original!
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Why You Will Love this Recipe
Spanakopita (or Greek Spinach Pie) is easily on one of our favorite all-around meals. You can dress it up and serve it warm for dining in, slice and serve for an easy lunch, or eat it cold for a fast meal on the go. It's one of the most versatile foods around!
Traditional spanakopita, as you may know, is usually high in fat, and often very heavy as well. However, after making just a few simple changes, we were able to reduce the fat in this Light & Easy Spanakopita recipe to half that of our original recipe. The outcome is a more tender, flakey pie, which Mr B and I much prefer over heavier versions.
Greek Spinach Pie can be served as a main course or a hearty side. The lemony undertones go well with chicken or fish. (It probably pairs well with lamb too; but since I don't eat lamb, I can't say for sure.) We find that a simple meal of spanakopita and table grapes is very satisfying.
Leftover spinach pie makes a delicious lunch or brunch entry. One of our favorite things to do with cold leftover spanakopita is slice it into Lincoln-log size pieces (about 1"x1"x4"), and then fry the spana-links in a skillet like sausages and serve them up with eggs for a lovely breakfast!
What Goes into this Recipe
Ingredient Notes & Substitutions
★ Spinach: We recommend using frozen spinach. You can use fresh, but we get much better results using frozen.
★ Phyllo dough: If phyllo dough intimidates you, you aren't alone. It seems so fragile, and many recipes offer warnings about how to handle it, dramatically demanding that you keep it covered at all times like a sickly newborn.
Well, I am here to tell you, don't worry! Phyllo dough is very forgiving, and if you follow a few simple guidelines, you are sure to succeed.
For best results, thaw phyllo dough overnight in the refrigerator. If you forget, you can put it out on the counter for four or five hours (or all day if you are at work), but the results won't be as even. Keep the package closed while you are thawing it.
You can keep unopened, thawed phyllo in the fridge for up to a month.
Do not thaw phyllo dough in the microwave.
★ Feta: Feta is one of the primary, key ingredients in spanakopita. Do not sub in other cheeses in this case.
★ Dill: Fresh is best, but you can use dried dill for this recipe as well.
★ Flour: You can use all-purpose flour; however, we recommend using Wondra.
★ Cavendar's Greek Seasoning: Cavender's is a unique blend of 13 ingredients that is best used on anything you would normally salt and pepper. (We use it on so many things!) If you don't have Cavender's, sub in half a teaspoon each salt and pepper.
How to Make Easy Greek Spinach Pie
Make the Spinach Filling
Defrost the spinach in the microwave, and allow it to cool until it is safe to handle. Then squeeze the crud out of it! I mean really, really squeeze it. With your hands!
You can use a sieve or colander if you want, but you are going to have to get your hands wet at some point, so it will save you some time if you just dive right in. A pound of frozen spinach will squeeze down to about the size of an orange; somewhere between a baseball- and a softball-sized.
Once you have the spinach thoroughly drained, set it aside.
Preheat the oven to 350° | 175°C.
Heat vegetable oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium heat.
Slowly cook and stir onions until softened. Add minced garlic and cook one minute more. Mix in the drained spinach and fresh dill.
Sprinkle flour over the top and stir to combine. Cook approximately 5 minutes, or until most of the moisture has been absorbed. Remove from heat.
Add the lemon juice and zest to the spinach mixture and stir.
In a separate bowl, mix feta, eggs, and seasonings. Add the feta mixture to the warm spinach mixture and stir to combine.
Assemble the Spanakopita
Spray the bottom of a 9 x 13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
Lay one sheet of phyllo dough flat in pan.
Dip a pastry brush ½" or less into the melted butter: you don't want to overload it. Brush the single sheet of phyllo dough at the bottom of the baking dish with a little butter. Do not dip the brush in the butter more than once - you don't need to completely cover each pastry sheet with butter.
Add another sheet of phyllo dough and repeat until you have five sheets total. Spread half the spinach mixture over the buttered phyllo dough layers.
Layer on 5 more sheets of phyllo, buttering lightly in between each layer, and then spread on remaining spinach mixture.
Top with the last 5 sheets of phyllo, buttering lightly between each layer.
Bake in the preheated oven for 45-50 minutes, or until golden brown.
Expert Tips & FAQs
Tips for Handling Phyllo Dough
- Prepare all your ingredients and have EVERYTHING ready to go before you open the phyllo dough package!
- Make sure your hands are dry when you handle the dough.
- When you unroll phyllo, cover it with wax paper or kitchen cloth. You can put a damp cloth over the wax paper or cloth, but don’t put it directly on the phyllo dough. (I never use a damp cloth, and everything always works out fine.)
- Work fast when it is uncovered, and don't get distracted. (Phyllo dough doesn't care about your phone.)
- If you tear a piece, just patch it – no worries. Unless it is the top sheet, no one will ever know.
- If you have sheets left over, just roll them back up and cover them tightly with plastic wrap. They will keep in the fridge for at least a week.
Spanakopita is great with so many dishes! We love to keep things simple and serve it with a Greek salad and a little tzadiki or feta-dill sauce on the side. Another meal combo that we enjoy includes cucumber-feta salad, fresh grapes, and Greek turkey burgers.
More Vegetarian Main Dish Recipes
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Light & Easy Spanakopita (Greek Spinach Pie)
Equipment
- 1 Microplane or citrus zester
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 large onion chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 pound frozen spinach thawed & thoroughly drained
- 2 tablespoons fresh dill chopped; or 1 tablespoon dried dill
- 2 tablespoons flour I use Wondra
- 8 ounces feta cheese crumbled
- 1 medium lemon zest & juice
- 4 large eggs lightly beaten
- 1 teaspoons Cavender's Greek Seasoning or Salt & Pepper, to taste
- 15 sheets phyllo dough
- Olive oil or non-stick cooking spray
- 3-4 tablespoons butter melted
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350° | 175°C.
- Heat vegetable oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Slowly cook and stir onions until softened. Add minced garlic and cook one minute more.
- Mix in the thoroughly drained spinach and dill. Sprinkle flour over the top and stir to combine. Cook approximately 5 minutes, or until most of the moisture has been absorbed. Remove from heat.
- Zest the lemon and add zest to the spinach mixture. Squeeze the juice from the zested lemon halves into the mixture as well.
- In a separate bowl, mix feta, eggs, and seasonings. Add the feta mixture to the warm spinach mixture and stir to combine.
- Spray the bottom of a 9 x 13-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Lay one sheet of phyllo dough flat in pan.
- Dip a pastry brush ½" or less into the melted butter: you don't want to overload it. Brush the single sheet of phyllo dough at the bottom of the baking dish with a little butter. Do not dip the brush in the butter more than once - you don't need to completely cover each pastry sheet with butter. (I can usually do at least two sheets with one brush dip.)
- Add another sheet and repeat until you have five sheets total.
- Spread half of spinach mixture over the buttered phyllo dough layers.
- Layer on 5 more sheets of phyllo, buttering lightly in between each layer. Spread on remaining spinach mixture.
- Top with the last 5 sheets of phyllo, buttering lightly between each layer.
- Bake in the preheated oven 45-50 minutes, or until golden brown.
Notes
Tips for Handling Phyllo Dough
- Prepare all your ingredients and have EVERYTHING ready to go before you open the phyllo dough package!
- Make sure your hands are dry when you handle the dough.
- When you unroll phyllo, cover it with wax paper or a kitchen cloth. You can put a damp cloth over the wax paper or cloth, but don’t put it directly on the phyllo dough. (I never use a damp cloth, and everything always works out fine.)
- Work fast when it is uncovered, and don't get distracted. (Phyllo dough doesn't care about your phone.)
- If you tear a piece, just patch it – no worries. Unless it is the top sheet, no one will ever know.
- If you have sheets left over, just roll them back up and cover them tightly with plastic wrap. They will keep in the fridge for at least a week.
Nutrition
This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. You are solely responsible for ensuring that any nutritional information provided is accurate, complete, and useful.
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Originally published January 21, 2014. Post has been updated with new content, images, and recipe instructions to improve reader experience.
Molly says
This looks fantastic! I love Spanakopita, but I've never really tried to make it...or thought about trying. I may just have to give it a try!
Renée ♥ says
You should try it - it's a lot easier to make than you might think!
Marina says
Look great and delicious to be honest with you, but I need to find a vegan option x
Rowena says
I love Greek food and we often visit the Greek side of Cyprus. This looks absolutely delicious and cooked to perfection. I’m definitely going to give this recipe ago so thank you so much for sharing.
Erin says
Crazy timing it’s the Greek Festival in Richmond VA this weekend! This looks so good!
Heather says
We actually JUST had this at a restaurant a couple of weeks ago. SOOOOO good!
Catherine @ To & Fro Fam says
I haven't made spanikopita since my cooking class in high school! I totally remember squeezing the life out of that frozen spinach, haha! I really appreciate your making this a healthier version of spanikopita.
Renée ♥ says
From one mom to another: This is a great recipe for picnicking or when you're out and about, Catherine. Just cut it up cold and serve it like sandwiches. Goes great with grapes, and lasts a week in the fridge.
Alexandrea Harrelson says
I haven't ever heard of this one before but it looks completely amazing! Thank you so much for sharing; I can't wait to try it myself!
Jasmine Watts says
My sister love phyllo dough while I don't., However, I can see the one above is different from what I have tasted so I would love to give it a try and hopefully, it will change my mind. 🙂
Erica Valentin says
Wowwwww this looks so good! I grew up around a huge Greek community… And this has always been one of my favorite foods growing up. Although I have always been intimidated to try making it!
Renée ♥ says
It's much easier to make than you might imagine!
Bee says
I looooooove phyllo dough. I wish I could justify cooking with it more. And the kiddos eat it even though it has spinach! Score one for mum!
Pech says
I've always been afraid of phyllo dough... the last time I played with it, I remember melting sticks.. that's right, multiple STICKS... of butter in the microwave for the recipe. However, the above sounds pretty healthy, since before you spread the butter on each sheet you already have a light spray of olive oil!
Renée ♥ says
Actually, you only spread butter on three of the sheets - the last of each stack of five. This version is much more tender and flaky than my original version, and I think the flavors of the feta and spinach come through better too.