Spanakopita
Spanakopita is a classic Greek spinach appetizer made with a savory spinach and feta filling tucked between layers of flaky phyllo dough. It’s surprisingly easy to make at home and will bring fresh Mediterranean flavors to any gathering or event.
If you’ve ever ordered spanakopita at a Greek restaurant, you already know how good that combination of crispy pastry, savory spinach, and salty feta can be.
The filling is flavorful without being heavy, while all those thin layers of phyllo bake up golden and wonderfully crisp around the edges.
I mean really, you can put almost anything in buttery phyllo dough and it’s instantly delicious, but the herby cheese and spinach filling really is top notch.
It’s so yummy that it tastes super impressive and looks like a beautiful little triangle present of golden flaky dough.
And homemade spanakopita is actually pretty easy to make despite looking fancy.
It makes an impressive appetizer for parties and holidays, but it’s also hearty enough to serve as a light lunch or dinner alongside a simple Greek salad or your favorite Mediterranean inspired sides.
Ingredients
To make this you’ll need:
- Frozen spinach– A 10 ounce package. Thaw the spinach and squeeze out the excess liquid.
- Cheese– Shredded mozzarella, feta cheese, and ricotta cheese.
- Eggs
- Spices– Minced parsley, garlic powder, salt, cracked black pepper.
- Butter– Melted.
- Phyllo pastry– 1 package.
How to Make
Spanakopita is easier than you might think to make!
Mix together the spinach, mozzarella, feta, ricotta, eggs, parsley, garlic powder, salt and pepper in a large bowl until it is well combined.
Set the mixture aside.
Lay one phyllo sheet on a clean work surface and use a pastry brush to brush it with melted butter.
Top the buttered phyllo sheet with another phyllo sheet and brush that sheet with butter.
Then top the 2 buttered sheets with one more sheet and slice the stack lengthwise into thirds.
Put about two tablespoons of the cheese mixture on the top of each strip.
Fold the dough stack into a triangle along the length of the phyllo around the cheese mixture.
Repeat this process until you have used all of the cheese mixture.
Place folded triangles onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
Brush the triangles with remaining butter and then bake in 375° oven for 18-20 minutes or until golden brown.
Serve immediately.
Enjoy!
Storing
Let any leftovers cool to room temperature before transferring them to an airtight container.
Refrigerate the leftovers for up to 4 days, reheating in a 350° air fryer or oven until warmed through for best texture.
Freezing
You can also freeze baked spanakopita for longer storage.
To freeze it, let the baked pieces cool and then wrap the individual pieces tightly.
Put the wrapped pieces in a freezer safe container or ziplocking bag for up to 2 months.
Reheat from frozen in the oven or air fryer until they are hot and crisp or thaw overnight in the refrigerator first for slightly faster reheating.
Tips and Tricks
- Make sure to squeeze as much moisture as you can out of the spinach. This will help make sure the filling isn’t runny.
- Don’t overfill the spanakopita. Stick to just about 2 tablespoons so the filling doesn’t leak out.
- If you’re making spanakopita ahead for a gathering, you can assemble it in advance, cover it tightly, and refrigerate it until you’re ready to bake. This makes it especially convenient for holidays and entertaining.
Other Greek Appetizers
Spanakopita is a delicious Greek appetizer perfect for entertaining.
Make it to liven up your next gathering with some Mediterranean flavors and enjoy!
Looking for other Greek appetizers?
Try these:
- Zucchini Bruschetta
- Greek Seasoned Oven Fries
- Nonna’s Authentic Greek Tzatziki Sauce
- Air Fryer Halloumi Cheese
If you’ve tried this SPANAKOPITA, or any other recipe on my site, let me know in the comment section how it turned out, we love hearing from our readers! You can also follow along with me on PINTEREST, FACEBOOK, and INSTAGRAM to see more amazing recipes and whatever else we’ve got going on!
Spanokopita
Ingredients
- 1 10 oz pkg frozen spinach thawed and excess liquid squeezed out.
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- ½ cup feta cheese
- ½ cup ricotta cheese
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tablespoons minced parsley
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon cracked pepper
- ½ cup melted butter
- 1 16 oz pkg phyllo pastry dough
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375, line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a large bowl, mix together the spinach, mozzarella, feta, ricotta, eggs, parsley, garlic powder, salt and pepper until well combined; set aside.1 10 oz pkg frozen spinach, 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese, ½ cup feta cheese, ½ cup ricotta cheese, 2 large eggs, 2 tablespoons minced parsley, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ¼ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon cracked pepper
- Lay one phyllo sheet on a clean work surface and brush with melted butter, top with another phyllo sheet and brush with butter again. Top with one more sheet then slice lengthwise into thirds.1 16 oz pkg phyllo pastry dough, ½ cup melted butter
- Add about two tablespoons of the cheese mixture to the top of each strip, then fold into a triangle along the length of the phyllo.
- Place folded triangles onto the prepared baking sheet and repeat until the cheese mixture is gone.
- Brush with remaining butter, then bake in the preheated oven for 18-20 minutes or until golden brown.
- Serve immediately.
Notes
- Make sure to squeeze as much moisture as you can out of the spinach. This will help make sure the filling isn't runny.
- Don't overfill the spanakopita. Stick to just about 2 tablespoons so the filling doesn't leak out.
- If you're making spanakopita ahead for a gathering, you can assemble it in advance, cover it tightly, and refrigerate it until you're ready to bake. This makes it especially convenient for holidays and entertaining.
Nutrition
