This spanakopita recipe is a wonderful way to incorporate more spinach into your diet, and it shows how delicious spinach can be if it isn’t a veggie you normally prefer.
Spanakopita is an iconic Greek recipe made by layering crisp phyllo dough with a rich combination of spinach, feta cheese and herbs. The buttery phyllo dough pairs well with the grassy spinach, herbaceous seasonings and tangy feta cheese, while the creaminess of the spinach filling contrasts with shatteringly crisp dough to create a pie that’s flaky on the outside and perfectly soft in the middle.
This savory spinach pie is versatile too. It’s light enough to serve as an appetizer or snack but complex enough to stand as a vegetarian main or a side dish for your favorite Mediterranean recipes. And don’t forget about breakfast—the leftovers are a fantastic way to begin the day.
Tips for Working with Phyllo Dough
Phyllo (also spelled “filo”) dough is paper-thin pastry dough used for savory treats and sweet dishes like baklava. The word phyllo comes from the Greek word for leaf, referring to the thinness of the sheet. The flaky dough tears easily, so working with it can be a little intimidating. Just keep these tips in mind, and you’ll be a pro in no time!
- Thaw the phyllo dough: Phyllo dough can be tricky to work with when fully thawed, but it’s impossible to unroll when frozen. To briefly thaw the phyllo dough, take it out of the freezer and let it sit on the counter while you prepare the spinach mixture.
- Brush phyllo with oil: Brush each sheet with oil to achieve the crispest, flakiest texture. Use a light hand, though, as too much oil can weigh the sheets down and give them a greasy finish.
- Cover the phyllo dough: Phyllo dough dries very quickly. Have all the other ingredients ready to go before unwrapping the dough. Then, once the dough is unwrapped and unrolled, keep it covered with a damp towel.
- Handle phyllo dough gently: The delicate sheets are very thin and tear easily. Work on a smooth, dry surface and handle the sheets carefully to avoid tearing the fragile dough. If the dough does tear, it’s not the end of the world: Just save one perfect sheet for the top layer, and no one will know about the torn layers underneath.
- Refrigerate leftover dough: We use the entire box of phyllo dough in this recipe, but if you halve the recipe, you will end up with extras. Wrap opened phyllo dough tightly, and store it in the refrigerator for up to three days (or in the freezer for up to three months).
Ingredients for Spanakopita
- Phyllo dough: You can find phyllo dough in the freezer section at the grocery store. Be sure to plan ahead and give the dough enough time to briefly thaw.
- Olive oil: We like to brush the phyllo with oil to keep the sheets light,