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A stack of three squares of spanakopita on a white plate.

Spanakopita (Greek Spinach Pie)

Course: Appetizer or Side Dish
Cuisine: Greek
Keyword: authentic spanakopita recipe, Greek recipe, how to make spanakopita
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Chill time: 30 minutes
Servings: 8
Calories: 451kcal
Spanakopita (Greek Spinach Pie) is a truly spectacular and delicious dish to serve and eat! Layers of buttery phyllo encase an amazingly delicious spinach and cheese filling. The phyllo layers are baked to flakey perfection. Perfect for a special occasion or part of a yummy feast at home.
Print Recipe

Equipment

  • 1 9"x13" baking dish

Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 cup onion chopped
  • 2 lbs spinach fresh, washed and stems removed, or 15 oz frozen - water squeezed out
  • ¼ cup dill fresh, chopped
  • 4 large eggs
  • 8 oz feta crumbled
  • 2 tbsp Parmesan cheese grated
  • ¾ tsp Kosher salt
  • 8 tbsp unsalted butter melted, plus extra for greasing dish
  • 1 lb phyllo dough thawed and set out for 1 hour

Instructions

  • Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions and sauté until soft, about 4 to 5 minutes.
    2 tbsp olive oil, 1 cup onion
  • Working in batches, add handfuls of spinach to the pan and cook, stirring often, until completely wilted. Continue doing this until all the spinach has been cooked and is wilted.
    2 lbs spinach
  • Turn off the heat and stir in the dill. Transfer to a colander. Once cool enough to handle, use your hands or a wooden spatula to squeeze out excess liquid.
    ¼ cup dill
  • In a large bowl, lightly beat together the eggs. Stir in the cooled spinach mixture, feta, Parmesan, and salt. Stir until fully mixed.
    4 large eggs, 8 oz feta, 2 tbsp Parmesan cheese, ¾ tsp Kosher salt
  • Use softened butter or oil to grease a 9"x13" baking dish.
  • Add a layer of phyllo dough to the bottom of the dish, allowing one side to go up the side of the dish. Brush melted butter over the phyllo. Repeat this process 7 more times, allowing the sides to go up the side of the dish, alternating between the long sides of the dish and the ends, as well. Be sure to butter each layer.
    8 tbsp unsalted butter, 1 lb phyllo dough
  • Transfer the spinach and cheese filling on top of the phyllo. Carefully use your fingers to fold the dough along the sides of the dish back over the filling. Use a sharp knife to help loosen any dough that is stuck to the side of the dish. This keeps the filling from spilling over.
  • Add 8 more layers of phyllo over the top, buttering each layer as you go. (If your dough is larger than 9"x13", you can carefully cut it to 9x13, or just go ahead and use the larger size, and fold the edges back over the dough).
  • Use a thin sharp knife to score the dough into 9 squares, cutting through the top layers of phyllo, but not cutting all the way through. You can score the squares into diagonals, making 18 triangles, if desired.
  • Place the dish in the refrigerator to chill for 30 minutes. After about 15 minutes of chilling, preheat the oven to 375°F.
  • Bake, uncovered, for 35 to 45 minutes, until the dough is puffed and golden on top.

Notes

See the video near the top of the blog post for visual guidance. If you liked the video, please subscribe to our YouTube channel. 
You can use 15 ounces of frozen spinach in place of the fresh. Be sure the spinach is completely thawed and you've squeezed as much water out as possible.  Use your hands or the back of a wooden spatula to do this, or place it in a kitchen towel and wring it over the kitchen sink.  We don't recommend using fresh baby spinach.
1 stick of butter should be enough, but if you apply too much on the bottom layers, you may need a little more melted butter for the top layer(s). 
Spanakopita is best served fresh from the oven or within several hours of baking. Leftovers will keep covered for up to several days, although the flakey texture will be diminished. We don't recommend freezing baked spanakopita.   

Nutrition

Calories: 451kcal | Carbohydrates: 37g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.5g | Cholesterol: 149mg | Sodium: 963mg | Potassium: 771mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 11361IU | Vitamin C: 35mg | Calcium: 298mg | Iron: 6mg