greeklunch

Spanakopita (Greek Spinach Pie)

Name: Spanakopita (Greek Spinach Pie)
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 75 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: greek
Ingredients: 500 g fresh spinach (or 300g frozen, thawed and squeezed); 300 g feta cheese (crumbled); 1 onion (finely diced); 4 spring onions (sliced); 3 eggs; Large bunch fresh dill (chopped); Small bunch flat-leaf parsley (chopped); 1/2 tsp freshly grated nutmeg; 12 sheets filo pastry; 100 ml olive oil or melted butter (for brushing); 2 tbsp olive oil (for the filling)

Crispy filo layers encasing a rich filling of spinach, feta, eggs and dill — a quintessential Greek classic.

Prep

30 min

Cook

45 min

Servings

Difficulty

Medium

★★★★★

4.7(5,630 ratings)

#greek#vegetarian#filo#spinach#feta#pastry

Share:Pinterest X WhatsApp Facebook

About This Recipe

Spanakopita is one of Greece's most beloved dishes — eaten for breakfast, lunch or as a snack. The combination of mineral-rich spinach, salty crumbled feta and fragrant dill, wrapped in shatteringly crisp filo pastry, is one of the perfect flavour combinations in Mediterranean cooking.

Ingredients

Serves 8

500 gfresh spinach(or 300g frozen, thawed and squeezed)
300 gfeta cheese(crumbled)
1onion(finely diced)
4spring onions(sliced)
3eggs
Large bunchfresh dill(chopped)
Small bunchflat-leaf parsley(chopped)
1/2 tspfreshly grated nutmeg
12 sheetsfilo pastry
100 mlolive oil or melted butter(for brushing)
2 tbspolive oil(for the filling)

Instructions

1
Prepare the spinach
If using fresh spinach, wilt in a pan with no water over high heat. Cool and squeeze out every drop of moisture — wet spinach makes soggy pastry. Chop roughly.
2
Make the filling
Sauté onion in olive oil until soft. Cool. Mix with spinach, feta, spring onions, eggs, dill, parsley and nutmeg. Season with pepper (feta provides the salt).
Taste the filling before adding eggs — feta is very salty, you may need very little or no additional salt.
3
Layer the filo base
Brush a 30×20cm baking dish with oil. Lay 6 filo sheets, brushing each with oil/butter. Let edges hang over the sides.
4
Fill and top
Spread filling evenly. Fold overhanging filo back over the filling. Lay remaining 6 sheets on top, brushing each. Tuck edges under. Score the top layer into portions with a sharp knife.
5
Bake
Bake at 180°C for 40–45 minutes until deeply golden and crackling. Rest 10 minutes before cutting through completely.

Pro Tips

→
Squeezing all moisture from the spinach is the single most important step.
→
Work quickly with filo — keep unused sheets covered with a damp cloth at all times.
→
Score before baking — scoring after shatters the filo.

Variations

•
Tiropita: replace spinach with extra feta for a pure cheese pie.
•
Add kalamata olives and sun-dried tomatoes to the filling.

Storage

Keeps 4 days refrigerated. Reheat in the oven at 160°C to restore crispiness — never microwave.

History & Origin

Spanakopita has been made in Greece for centuries, with early versions dating to Byzantine times. It's a staple of Greek Orthodox fasting cooking (made without eggs or dairy for a vegan version during Lent). It's the most popular dish in Greek bakeries (fournos) and is eaten throughout the day.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use frozen filo?

Yes — thaw in the refrigerator overnight, not at room temperature. Cold filo is more pliable and tears less easily than room-temperature filo.

Nutrition Facts

Per serving (250g) · 8 servings total

Calories320kcal

Protein14g

Carbohydrates28g

Fat18g

Fiber4g

Protein14g

Carbs28g

Fat18g

Time Summary

Prep time30 min

Cook time45 min

Total time75 min

Have Questions?

Ask our AI cooking assistant anything about this recipe — substitutions, techniques, scaling.

Chat with AI Chef →

More Greek Recipes

🫕

Traditional Greek Moussaka

135 min · Hard

🥙

Greek Souvlaki with Tzatziki

40 min · Easy

🥒

Greek Tzatziki – Thick Yogurt with Cucumber, Garlic and Dill

15 min · Easy

🥗

Classic Greek Salad – Horiatiki with Feta, Olives and Oregano

10 min · Easy

Community

Join the conversation

Ingredients

Serves 8

500 gfresh spinach(or 300g frozen, thawed and squeezed)

300 gfeta cheese(crumbled)

1onion(finely diced)

4spring onions(sliced)

3eggs

Large bunchfresh dill(chopped)

Small bunchflat-leaf parsley(chopped)

1/2 tspfreshly grated nutmeg

12 sheetsfilo pastry

100 mlolive oil or melted butter(for brushing)

2 tbspolive oil(for the filling)

Instructions

Prepare the spinach

If using fresh spinach, wilt in a pan with no water over high heat. Cool and squeeze out every drop of moisture — wet spinach makes soggy pastry. Chop roughly.

Make the filling

Sauté onion in olive oil until soft. Cool. Mix with spinach, feta, spring onions, eggs, dill, parsley and nutmeg. Season with pepper (feta provides the salt).

Taste the filling before adding eggs — feta is very salty, you may need very little or no additional salt.

Layer the filo base

Brush a 30×20cm baking dish with oil. Lay 6 filo sheets, brushing each with oil/butter. Let edges hang over the sides.

Fill and top

Spread filling evenly. Fold overhanging filo back over the filling. Lay remaining 6 sheets on top, brushing each. Tuck edges under. Score the top layer into portions with a sharp knife.

Bake

Bake at 180°C for 40–45 minutes until deeply golden and crackling. Rest 10 minutes before cutting through completely.