Middle Eastern Cuisine
Spanakopita – Crispy Layered Phyllo with Spinach and Feta
Prep
30 min
Cook
40 min
Servings
8
Level
Medium
Thin, crispy layers of pastry wrapped around a savory-tangy spinach and feta cheese filling — one of the legendary snacks from Greek kitchens. Every bite gives you that crispy-on-the-outside, soft-and-savory-on-the-inside sensation, perfect as an appetizer or afternoon snack. The aroma of dill and lemon makes it even fresher and distinctly Mediterranean.
🧂 Ingredients
🍽️ Servings: 8
Adjust the servings and the ingredient amounts & nutrition below update automatically.
- 1 pack (about 20 sheets) phyllo dough (thin pastry sheets)
- 500 grams fresh spinach, washed clean
- 250 grams feta cheese, crumbled
- 100 grams ricotta cheese or cottage cheese
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 2 stalks scallions, thinly sliced
- 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 2 eggs, lightly beaten
- 2 tbsp fresh dill, chopped (or fennel fronds)
- 2 tbsp parsley, chopped
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 5 tbsp olive oil
- 80 grams unsalted butter, melted
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
- 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
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👩🍳 Instructions
- 1 Boil or steam the spinach briefly until wilted, then drain and squeeze out as much water as possible until completely dry. Roughly chop the spinach.
- 2 Heat 2 tbsp of olive oil and sauté the onion, garlic, and scallions until softened and fragrant, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
- 3 In a large bowl, combine the chopped spinach, sautéed onion mixture, feta cheese, ricotta, eggs, dill, parsley, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Mix well to make the filling.
- 4 Combine the remaining olive oil with the melted butter for brushing the phyllo sheets.
- 5 Prepare a square baking pan and brush the bottom with the oil-butter mixture. Layer half of the phyllo sheets (about 10 sheets) one by one on the bottom of the pan, brushing each sheet with the oil-butter mixture before stacking the next one.
- 6 Pour the spinach-feta filling over the phyllo layers and spread it evenly.
- 7 Cover with the remaining phyllo sheets one by one, brushing each sheet with the oil-butter mixture, including the very top layer.
- 8 Using a sharp knife, score lines on the surface (without cutting all the way through) to make it easier to cut once baked.
- 9 Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C (350°F) for 35-40 minutes until the top is golden brown and crispy.
- 10 Remove from the oven and let cool for about 10 minutes before cutting along the scored lines. Serve warm.
💡 Tips
• Make sure to squeeze the spinach as dry as possible so the filling doesn't make the phyllo soggy and limp.
• Work with the phyllo quickly and keep any unused sheets covered with a damp cloth, since phyllo dries out fast and tears easily.
• If you can't find authentic feta cheese, you can mix it with cottage cheese for a softer texture while still keeping that savory-tangy flavor.
• Score the surface before baking so the slices come out neater and the crispiness is even all the way through.
📊 Nutrition Facts / serving
310
Calories (kcal)
9 g
Protein
22 g
Fat
20 g
Carbs
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