Spanakopita is the Greek phyllo spinach pie that defines Mediterranean vegetarian comfort food. The kitchens of Crete have been making it for centuries – spinach foraged from the hillsides, fresh dill from the garden, salty feta from the village dairy, all wrapped in paper-thin phyllo dough and baked until the top shatters under a fork. The dish is impressive enough for dinner parties and simple enough for Tuesday night.
This is the canonical Greek version – 10 sheets of phyllo on bottom, generous spinach-feta-dill filling, 10 sheets on top, butter (or olive oil for traditional Cretan) brushed between each layer. Baked at 180 C for 45 minutes until the surface is deeply golden and crispy. Best served warm, never hot from the oven. The whole production takes 85 minutes and feeds 8 people for dinner or 12 as an appetizer.
Quick Read — At a Glance
| Yield | 8 servings |
| Total time | 1h 25min (40 prep + 45 bake) |
| Difficulty | Intermediate |
| Texture | Shattering crispy phyllo top, creamy spinach-feta filling |
| Critical | Spinach must be completely dry – squeeze water out with hands or towel |
⚠ Three Fatal Errors
- Wet spinach – water seeps into phyllo bottom and produces soggy crust. Squeeze every drop out with hands or kitchen towel.
- Phyllo drying out during work – cover unused sheets with damp towel. Dried-out phyllo cracks like paper.
- Not brushing every sheet – missing butter between layers = phyllo stuck together, no flaky layers. Brush EVERY sheet.
Phyllo Technique
Phyllo dough (Greek: phyllo, Turkish: yufka) is paper-thin pastry sold frozen in supermarket freezer sections. Brand: Athens (American mainstream), or Greek imported (thinner, better) if available. Thaw in fridge overnight before using.
Handle quickly: phyllo dries out within 30 seconds of air exposure. Keep unused sheets covered with damp kitchen towel. Brush each sheet with butter or olive oil before stacking the next – this creates the flaky layered structure. Small tears are invisible in the final pie.
The Filling
Classic spanakopita filling: spinach (fresh or frozen), feta cheese, onion, garlic, fresh dill, fresh parsley, lemon zest, eggs, nutmeg. The dill is non-negotiable – it’s the herb that makes spanakopita taste Greek, not just like spinach pie.
Squeeze every drop of water out of the spinach. This is the single most important step. Use clean kitchen towel and twist, or hand-squeeze portion by portion. Wet spinach = soggy phyllo bottom. The filling should be moist but not wet.
Ingredients
- 1 kg (2.2 lb) fresh spinach (or 500 g frozen, thawed)
- 2 medium onions, fine diced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 60 ml (1/4 cup) extra virgin olive oil
- 30 g (1/4 cup) fresh dill, chopped
- 30 g (1/4 cup) fresh parsley, chopped
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 250 g (9 oz) Greek feta in brine, crumbled
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
- Salt and black pepper
- 450 g (1 lb / 20 sheets) phyllo dough, thawed
- 170 g (12 tbsp) unsalted butter, melted (or olive oil for traditional)
Making It
- Saute onion. Olive oil, 10 min until soft. Add garlic, 1 min. Cool.
- Wilt spinach. Batches in same pan. Drain. SQUEEZE all water out with hands.
- Combine filling. Onions, spinach, dill, parsley, lemon zest, feta, eggs, nutmeg, salt, pepper.
- Preheat 180 C (350 F). Butter 9×13 dish.
- 10 sheets phyllo bottom. Brush each with butter as you stack. Overhang edges.
- Spread filling. Evenly over phyllo base.
- 10 sheets phyllo top. Brush each with butter. Tuck edges in.
- Score top. 8 portions with sharp knife – easier slicing.
- Bake 40-45 min. Deeply golden crispy top.
- Rest 15 min. Slice along scored lines.
Frequently Asked Questions
Fresh or frozen spinach?
Both work. Fresh = brighter but more work. Frozen = faster, very acceptable. KEY: squeeze water out completely regardless. Wet spinach = soggy phyllo.
Phyllo handling?
Dries out in 30 sec. Cover unused with damp towel. Small tears invisible. Each sheet brushed with butter/oil. Athens brand mainstream; Greek import better.
Butter or olive oil?
Both traditional. Butter = richer (modern diaspora). Olive oil = lighter, Mediterranean (traditional Crete, Lent). 50/50 also works. Both authentic.
Make ahead?
Unbaked refrigerated 24h (add 10 min bake). Baked reheats next day (175 C, 10 min). Unbaked frozen 2 months (60 min from frozen).
Sources
- Serious Eats — Spanakopita — Detailed Greek technique.
- Bon Appétit — Spanakopita — Modern American adaptation.
- USDA FoodData Central — Nutritional data.
Each serving contains roughly 385 calories, 12 g protein, 24 g fat, 32 g carbs.
Please note: Contains dairy (feta + butter), gluten (phyllo), eggs. Not suitable for these allergies. Consult a dietitian.
Rachel Summers
Rachel grew up in a Pacific Northwest kitchen, learning Sunday roasts from her mother and pie crust from a grandmother who never wrote a recipe down. CookingZone began as a way to save her family's cooking before it was forgotten, and grew when her cousins started sending in their own. Her work covers foundational American, Italian, French, and Mexican recipes, with an emphasis on weekend baking, comfort food, and the techniques that span both European and American home kitchens.
