Matt Xiaxiang
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Main dishesSpanakopita
Posted: 16/04/2025Updated: 16/04/2025
A Greek pie made with layers of phyllo pastry filled with spinach, feta cheese, herbs, and eggs.
Spanakopita goes well with simple, fresh sides. A Greek salad with cucumber, tomato, onion, olives, and feta is a classic option. Tzatziki or plain yogurt with herbs makes a nice, cool contrast. You could also serve it with a green salad, roasted vegetables, or something starchy like lemon roasted potatoes or lentil soup. For a mezze-style meal, add dips like hummus or baba ganoush, along with olives or pita bread. It can be enjoyed on its own or as part of a larger spread.
Ingredients
Servings
FiIling
- 1 small Brown onion
- 3 Spring onions
- 2 cloves Garlic (optional)
- 500 grams Fresh spinach
- 0.5 teaspoon Ground nutmeg
- 3 tablespoons Fresh dill, chopped
- 1 tablespoon Fresh mint, chopped
- 2 large Eggs
- 200 grams Greek feta
- 2 tablespoons Olive oil
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 1 teaspoon Ground black pepper
Assembly
- 10 Phyllo sheets
- 60 millilitres Olive oil
- 60 grams Unsalted butter
Instructions
FiIling
- Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Finely dice the onion and thinly slice the white part of the spring onions.
- Sauté onion and the white part of the spring onions until soft (3–4 minutes). Add finely minced garlic (if using) and cook until fragrant.
- Blanch the spinach in boiling water for no more than a minute. Immediately drain and transfer to a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking. Squeeze out all excess moisture, then roughly chop.
- Mix in the chopped spinach, sautéed onions and garlic, dill, mint, nutmeg, and season with salt & pepper. Once cool, stir in crumbled feta and whisked eggs.
Assembly
- Pre-heat the oven to 190°C.
- Melt the butter and mix with olive oil. Lightly brush a 11x7-inch baking dish with the butter-oil mix.
- Layer 5 phyllo sheets, brushing each with some of the butter-oil mix as you go.
- Spread the filling evenly over the phyllo.
- Add the remaining 5 phyllo sheets, brushing each one again. Tuck the edges in, and cut the top layers of phyllo gently into squares.
- Bake for 35–40 minutes, until the top is deep golden and crisp. Let rest 10–15 minutes before slicing.
My notes
Cooking tips
- Use fresh spinach: Fresh spinach gives the best flavour and texture. After the spinach has cooled a bit, place it on a clean kitchen towel or paper towels. Wrap it up and then squeeze tightly to remove any remaining moisture.
- Avoid overfilling: Keep the filling even and don't overstuff the phyllo layers. Too much filling can make the pastry soggy and hard to crisp up.
- Butter and olive oil mix: For the best texture, use a mixture of melted butter and olive oil to brush the phyllo. This gives you the richness of butter with the crispiness from the oil. Olive oil gives a lighter result whereas butter can give richness but be more oily.
- Work quickly with phyllo: Phyllo pastry dries out quickly. Keep it covered with a damp cloth while you're assembling to prevent it from cracking.
- Score the top, don’t cut all the way through: Before baking, lightly score the top layers of phyllo with a sharp knife to guide slicing once baked. Don’t cut all the way through the filling, as this can cause the filling to spill out.
- Baking: If the top is getting too dark but the middle isn’t fully cooked, cover it loosely with foil and continue baking.
- Let it cool: After baking, let the spanakopita cool for about 10-15 minutes before slicing. This helps the filling set and makes it easier to cut.
Alternative ingredients
- Frozen spinach can be used but be careful to remove the excess moisture. Let it thaw completely. Then, place it in a fine mesh strainer or kitchen towel and press down to get rid of as much liquid as possible.
- Kale leaves can also be used as a replacement for spinach.
- Manouri, ricotta and even cream cheese or cottage cheese (as a last resort) can be used instead of feta.
- Leeks are also occasionally used and are sautéed until soft with the onions.
- Fresh parsley can be used in the filling as well.
Storage instructions
Let the spanakopita cool down to room temperature before storing to prevent condensation inside the container.
- Refrigeration: Place any leftover spanakopita in an airtight container or wrap it tightly in plastic wrap or aluminium foil. It will last in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- Freezing:
- Unbaked: If you want to freeze it for later, assemble the spanakopita in your baking dish but don’t bake it yet. Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, then foil, and freeze. It can be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- Baked: If you’ve already baked the spanakopita and have leftovers, let it cool completely. Then, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and foil, and freeze for up to 2–3 months.
Re-heating instructions
- Oven: To preserve the crispy texture, re-heat at 175°C for about 10–15 minutes. If it’s frozen, increase the time to 20–30 minutes.
- Air fryer: If you have an air fryer, re-heat 175°C for 5–10 minutes and 15-20 minutes from frozen.
- Microwave: You can use the microwave to re-heat individual slices, but keep in mind that it won’t keep the pastry crispy. Heat for 30-45 seconds depending on the size of the slice.
Nutrition and dietary facts
Vegetarian
(Per serving) Calories: 265kcal (12%), Protein: 8g (13%), Fat: 18.5g (23%), Saturated fat: 6.8g (45%), Carbohydrates: 17g (6%), Sugars: 1.5g (6%), Fibre: 1.5g (5%)
Note: The nutritional information provided for this recipe is an estimate based on ingredients and cooking instructions as described - it is intended for informational purposes only.