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🥬 🫒 Greek Cuisine

Spanakopita

Greece's beloved spinach and feta pie wrapped in shatteringly crisp phyllo pastry — layers of buttered dough encasing a savory filling of wilted greens, creamy feta, and fresh herbs. Perfect for a crowd.

⏱35 min prep 🔥50 min cook ⏰85 min total 🍽8 servings 📊Medium

The Cultural Story

Spanakopita exists across the entire Greek-speaking world in the same form it has for centuries, which says something about recipes that are already perfect. Every Greek grandmother has a method for layering the phyllo that she will describe as the only correct method. The butter must be clarified (or it can be olive oil). The spinach must be well-squeezed (non-negotiable). The feta must be real (non-negotiable). Beyond that, you have some latitude. In homes, spanakopita is a rectangle baked in a pan. At village festivals, it is rolled into individual triangles and eaten standing up. In Athens bakeries, it arrives as a flaky spiral. The filling is always the same. The joy is always the same.

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. 1Prepare the filling: If using fresh spinach, wilt it in batches in a large dry skillet, then transfer to a colander and squeeze out as much water as possible — this is the most important step. The filling must be dry or the phyllo will become soggy. Chop the squeezed spinach coarsely.
  2. 2In a large bowl, combine spinach, crumbled feta, beaten eggs, onion, spring onions, garlic, dill, mint, and nutmeg. Mix well. Taste — the feta carries most of the salt, so add black pepper but go carefully on salt.
  3. 3Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F). Brush a 23x33cm (9x13 inch) baking pan generously with melted butter.
  4. 4Layer phyllo: lay one sheet in the pan (it will hang over the edges). Brush with butter. Add another sheet, brush. Continue with 6–8 sheets total for the bottom layer, brushing each with butter. Work quickly — phyllo dries out fast. Keep unused sheets covered with a damp towel.
  5. 5Spread the filling evenly over the phyllo base. It should be about 3–4 cm deep.
  6. 6Layer the top: place another sheet of phyllo over the filling, brush with butter. Continue with 6–8 more sheets, brushing each. Fold the overhanging bottom sheets up over the top to seal the edges. Brush the top generously.
  7. 7Score the top layers with a sharp knife into portions (but don't cut all the way through). This prevents the phyllo from cracking when baked and makes it easier to cut when hot.
  8. 8Bake for 45–55 minutes until the top is deeply golden and audibly crisp when you tap it. Let cool for 15 minutes before cutting — the filling needs to set. Serve warm or at room temperature. Spanakopita is arguably better the next day.

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