Greek Spanakopita Spinach Feta (Printable)

Flaky phyllo layered with spinach, feta, and fresh herbs baked until golden and crisp.

# What you need:

→ Filling

01 - 2 pounds fresh spinach, washed and chopped or 1 pound frozen spinach, thawed and well drained
02 - 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
03 - 2 scallions, thinly sliced
04 - 3 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped or 1 tablespoon dried dill
05 - 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
06 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
07 - 8 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
08 - 1/2 cup ricotta or cottage cheese (optional)
09 - 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
10 - 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
11 - 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
12 - Salt to taste

→ Phyllo Pastry

13 - 1 pound phyllo dough, thawed
14 - 1/2 cup olive oil or melted butter for brushing

# How to make it:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9 x 13-inch baking dish.
02 - Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add chopped onion and scallions; sauté until soft, about 5 minutes.
03 - Add chopped spinach in batches if fresh. Cook until wilted and most liquid evaporates. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
04 - Squeeze excess moisture from spinach. In a large bowl, combine spinach, dill, parsley, crumbled feta, ricotta if using, beaten eggs, black pepper, nutmeg, and salt. Mix thoroughly.
05 - Place one sheet of phyllo dough in the prepared dish, allowing edges to hang over the sides. Brush lightly with olive oil or melted butter. Repeat layering 6 to 7 more sheets, brushing each.
06 - Spread the spinach and feta mixture evenly over the layered phyllo base.
07 - Cover filling with remaining phyllo sheets, layering and brushing each with oil or butter. Tuck overhanging edges into the dish.
08 - Using a sharp knife, lightly score the top layers into squares or diamonds without cutting through to the filling.
09 - Bake for 35–40 minutes until golden and crisp. Allow to rest for 10 minutes before serving.

# Helpful Hints:

01 -
  • The contrast between crispy, golden phyllo and the creamy, herbaceous filling is absolutely addictive.
  • It looks fancy enough to impress guests but honestly comes together in about an hour.
  • Leftover spanakopita tastes just as good cold the next day, making it perfect for meal prep.
02 -
  • Squeezing moisture from the spinach isn't optional—I learned this the hard way when my first spanakopita was soggy and the phyllo wouldn't crisp.
  • Phyllo dough dries out fast; keep unused sheets covered with a barely damp paper towel or you'll end up with crumbly, unusable sheets.
  • The filling can be made ahead and refrigerated for up to two days, which makes assembly on serving day quick and stress-free.
03 -
  • If you're worried about phyllo drying out, work with one or two sheets at a time and cover the rest tightly with plastic wrap rather than a towel.
  • Make scoring marks deeper than you think necessary—they guide the knife and make serving look effortless.
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