Wherever you go in Greece, a warm slice of freshly made spinach and feta pie (spanakopita!) is never far away. I miss it a lot, but luckily this show-stopping version is super easy to make at home with just store-bought filo pastry and a few more fresh, simple ingredients.
A spinach feta filo pie is perfect for every occasion from lunch with friends or an easy midweek meal to a party, picnic or snack. Everyone will love the golden, crispy layers of pastry and the healthy and delicious spinach and feta filling inside!
It’s slightly embarrassing how many spinach and feta recipes there are on this blog, but I’m not going to apologise for adding one more!
Go to any Greek bakery, or Greek party, and you’d be shocked if there wasn’t some kind of feta and spinach pie on offer.
In fact, there really aren’t many occasions when a big fresh piece of spinach and feta pie (called spanakopita in Greece) doesn’t do the job. It’s wonderful for breakfast, brunch, lunch, dinner for guests, or even an after clubbing snack (I’m too old for all that now, but the Greeks do love their all-nighters followed by some typical Greek comfort food!).
Why you’ll love it
Spinach and feta cheese is a match made in heaven. Well, in Greece at least, which many would say is the next best thing to heaven! Add fresh herbs, sundried tomatoes, spring onions (scallions) and the lightest, crispiest filo crust and you have one extraordinarily delicious savory pie.
Spinach feta pie of any kind tastes amazing, and you’d think it was difficult to make, but really it couldn’t be easier. It’s especially easy if you make it this way – with ready-made paper-thin sheets of filo pastry.
You don’t have to make the pastry or roll it, pre-bake it, or even fit it neatly into a pie dish. You don’t have to pre-cook anything for the delicious but very simple spinach and feta cheese filling, either. Not even the spinach! You simply empty it into a springform pan lined with several layers of the paper-thin pastry and scrunch it around and on top of the filling.
Bake until the top is irresistibly golden and crispy. It looks delicious, impressive, and perhaps a little complicated. But you’ll be shocked how easy this simple version of a classic Greek dish is to make!
Make this next time you have guests over for lunch and you won’t hear any complaints!
5 star review *****
“Hi Helen – I’ve made your Spanakopita recipe probably half a dozen times now, so I feel that I can say: it is delicious, it is a cinch to make, and thank you for sharing it! My Dad especially adores it, so thank you for giving me a way to show him some love 🙂 xx” (Maya)
Ingredients
It’s amazing how few ingredients you need for making this easy spanakopita with filo pastry. Here’s what you need to know:
Filo pastry: Sometimes called ‘phyllo dough’. I usually grab a box of fresh filo pastry but frozen is fine, too. Just make sure you let it defrost in its box in the fridge overnight or at room temperature for at least 2 hours.
Olive oil: You’ll need a small bowl of olive oil (around 3 tablespoons) to brush all over the pastry layers and on the top of the pie before baking. I always prefer good quality extra virgin olive oil, but use what you have.
Spinach: I prefer to use fresh baby spinach that doesn’t need much chopping. You only need around 5 cups or 200 grams/7 ounces, unlike some other recipes for spinach filo pie which use ridiculous amounts of the stuff!
For sure it’s also possible to use a package of frozen spinach instead. You’ll need around half a 10-ounce frozen package to get the equivalent amount.
Feta cheese: I prefer using an authentic Greek style feta. However, you can use any type. I occasionally use Danish style feta instead, which is creamier in texture. Crumble before adding to the filling.
Fresh parsley: A whole bunch to chop up and mix in with the spinach feta mixture.
Eggs: You’ll add 2 large eggs to the filling to bind everything together.
Sundried tomatoes, fresh dill, spring onions/scallions: These are all optional ingredients. Just in case you don’t have or can’t find any of them. I do recommend adding all of these if you can, though, especially the dill and spring onions.
Just in case… here is a list of the 20 best dill substitutes for this recipe and more.
How to make it
The first thing I always do when making this very easy feta and spinach filo pie is to make the filling.
Step 1: Wilt the spinach by pouring boiling water over it in a metal colander. Rinse with cold water, then squeeze out as much of the water as you can. I use the back of a metal spoon, pressing it down into the colander. Then to finish simply squeeze it with your hands!
Step 2: Roughly chop the wilted, squeezed spinach and throw it into a large bowl. Then mix in the rest of the filling ingredients. Finally, stir through the 2 lightly whisked eggs.
Then set the filling aside because it’s done! I told you this filo pie was easy!
Step 3: Now you need to layer 4 or 5 of the thin filo sheets into a loose-bottomed (spring-form) round baking tin. Each sheet should overlap onto the next and with the sides hanging over the edge.
You should brush olive oil over the empty spingform pan and then between each layer of pastry.
Like this:
Step 4: Then pile in the filling.
Step 5: Fold and scrunch the over-hanging pastry over the top of the pie.
Step 6: Brush with more olive oil. Then bake for around 30 minutes until very browned and crisp on top.
Then simply slice and enjoy!
Helen’s top tips
- As filo pastry sheets can come in different sizes, go for the largest if there’s a choice. If not no worries! You’ll be overlapping the sheets and scrunching them up to cover the top of the pie in a very rustic fashion!
- While you’re layering up the pastry sheets, drape a damp tea towel over the rest of them because they can dry out easily.
- My top tip when it comes to the spinach is to pile it into a big metal colander and pour boiling water all over it to wilt it (I usually just boil a kettle). Then squeeze the water out of it. No pre-cooking necessary! Spend a few extra minutes doing this thoroughly – it’s worth it.
- Try adding jarred roasted peppers instead of sundried tomatoes, finely chopped onion instead of scallions, and different fresh herbs if you can’t find dill.
How to serve
FUN FACT: Traditionally, spanakopita is served as part of a big holiday dinner alongside Greek lamb or Greek lemon chicken. But equally you can grab it from a bakery for breakfast or a snack on the run, and it’s also served at parties of every description!
This filo spinach & feta pie makes an absolutely delicious impressive but easy lunch for guests (or just for yourselves!).
Serve it with a simple salad (maybe a perfect Greek salad?) and maybe a dip such as Greek tzatziki (cucumber and yogurt dip) or hummus on the side.
It’s also fantastic made for a picnic or party.
If you’d like to make it part of a larger Greek feast, You will NEVER go wrong with this famous Greek potato recipe. Prefer rice? This Greek lemon rice is so simple made on the stove-top or in your pressure cooker (Instant Pot).
Keep your meal vegetarian, or add some delicious and easy Greek baked chicken.
For more incredibly delicious Greek recipe ideas, browse my popular Greek category.
Recipe FAQ
Yes, you can make a spinach and feta filo pastry pie up to a couple of hours in advance. It doesn’t need to be served piping hot. Don’t make it much far ahead than this, though, because the pastry does lose its crisp pretty quickly.
If you have leftovers, you can easily crisp the pastry up again in the oven (about 15 minutes at 180C/355F should do it).
These days, I reheat pretty much everything in my air fryer at 340F/170C for around 5 minutes. This pie is no exception and reheats perfectly in an air fryer!
Why not make a ‘spare’ spinach feta pie and freeze it for another time? Simply assemble it as if you were cooking it immediately, but don’t brush over the top layer of pastry with oil. Wrap all around the baking pan tightly with plastic wrap and/or aluminium foil, and store in the freezer for up to 3 months.
When you’re ready to cook your delicious spanakopita, brush a little olive oil over the top. Then cook from frozen, adding about 10 minutes on to the cooking time.
Yes, you can, if your air fryer is large enough. I have an oven style air fryer, which is fine. The pan may also fit into an extra large basket style air fryer, too.
Cook the pie for 20 to 25 minutes or until the top is golden and crispy.
I always use an 8″ loose-bottomed baking pan for my filo spinach and feta pie. This way, it’s super easy to get the cooked pie out of it.
However, it’s fine to use any roughly 8 inch round baking pan such as a metal cake pan or a baking dish.
For another quick and simple lunch for yourself or guests, try this delicious zucchini slice. It isn’t quite a quiche, it isn’t quite a pancake, and it isn’t quite cornbread. It’s an absolutely delicious something between the three!
More spinach and feta recipes
- These Greek quesadillas with tzatziki are one of my older posts, but still a firm family favourite!
- These spinach and feta stuffed chicken breasts are moist and juicy, and (unbelievably) take just 30 minutes to make. Don’t skip the easy lemon butter sauce!
- Don’t miss these Greek filo parcels. They’re the cute little sister of a classic spanakopita, and always so popular at parties!
- This Greek mac and cheese bake takes just 30 minutes to make and has a lighter evaporated milk ‘cheat’s sauce’. No flour and roux sauce needed!
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Greek Spinach And Feta Filo Pie
Equipment (affiliate links)
Ingredients (UK/Australia? Click below for grams/ml)
- 7 ounces fresh spinach around 5 cups (alternatively, use frozen: around 5 ounces/140 grams)
- 5 sundried tomatoes chopped (optional), or 5 teaspoons of ready chopped from a jar
- 1 bunch spring onions optional (= salad onions or scallions (US), chopped) Use finely chopped ordinary onion as a substitute.
- 5 ounces feta cheese crumbled
- 1 bunch parsley fresh, chopped
- 2 tablespoons dill fresh & chopped (optional)
- 2 large eggs lightly whisked
- 5 sheets filo pastry large
- 3 tablespoons olive oil for brushing over the pastry
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- Pre-heat the oven to 355F / 180C.
- Pour boiling water over the spinach in a colander to wilt it, then squeeze out as much of the water as you can with the back of a spoon (and your hands!). Chop the spinach and put into a large bowl.7 ounces fresh spinach
- Add the sundried tomatoes, salad onions, feta (crumbled), parsley, dill, eggs and pepper to the spinach and combine well. Set the filling aside.5 sundried tomatoes, 1 bunch spring onions, 5 ounces feta cheese, 1 bunch parsley, 2 tablespoons dill, 2 large eggs
- Now prepare the pastry. Lightly brush or spray an 8 to 9" loose-bottomed baking pan with olive oil. Then drape a sheet of filo pastry in the centre of it at an angle, with about half of it hanging over the edge. Repeat with the other 4 sheets of pastry, rotating the pan as you go so that the whole of the bottom of the pan and the sides are covered with pastry. Brush lightly with olive oil between each layer.5 sheets filo pastry, 3 tablespoons olive oil
- Tip the filling into the centre of the pan, on top of the pastry, then gather the overhanging pastry over the top of the pie, scrunching a little as you do. Brush a final layer of olive oil over the top.
- Bake for 30 minutes or until the pastry is golden and crispy. Serve immediately with a simple salad, and tzatziki if you like.
Brigitte says
Sounds absolutely delicious. Could you do a recipe for Greek (giant or otherwise) white beans in tomato sauce please- gitantes plaki?The recipes I have tried never seen right
Helen says
Hello Brigitte! I’m so glad you like the look of this recipe. And actually, it would go really well with gigantes! I have thought about giving them a try before but haven’t got around to it yet. I’ll add it to my list of recipes to start working on. Thank you so much for the reminder! 🙂
Linda says
Excellent recipe – I like the spinach wilting part as opposed to cooking it, it makes it really easy. I ate most of it cold as a picnic dish and it worked really well, then heated the remains in the microwave and crisped it back up under the grill. Worked perfectly
Helen says
Hello Linda! I’m so happy you liked this and found it easy to make. I really like your idea of reheating in the microwave, then crisping up the top. It would also reheat well in an air fryer for a few minutes!
Frugal says
Hw about using international 21st century measurements that everyone can understand?
Helen says
Hi do you mean grams? Just click the little button above the ingredients to change to metric 😉
Melissa says
This is a great recipe, easy and delicious and I plan to make it again!
thanks for sharing.
Melisssa
Helen says
Hello Melissa! Thank you so much for the great feedback. I’ve been making this recipe for years and it never lets me down. I’m so glad you enjoyed it too! 🙂
Stephanie says
It was so easy to make and not only that it was also delicious xx
Helen says
Hi Stephanie! This is a long time favourite of our family’s. I’m so glad you like it too!
Jessica says
Totally delicious! I brushed butter on it instead of oil- worked great. Served with chicken kebabs. Thank you for making such a tasty and easy to follow recipe!
Helen says
Hello Jessica. I’m so glad you enjoyed this and found the recipe easy to follow – that’s always my aim with my recipes but it isn’t always easy to achieve. Also, chicken kebabs is the perfect thing to serve this with – you’ve inspired me to try that combo soon!
Colleen says
The Greek Spinach and Feta Filo Pie was a huge hit with my family tonight. It was so delicious and easy to make. Thank you sharing the recipe.
Helen says
This is so lovely to hear, Colleen! I’m so glad you enjoyed it as much as we always do! We sometimes serve it as part of a kind of Greek mezze for guests, too, and I find it always goes down really well then too. I usually serve Greek potatoes (recipe also on the blog) and a Greek salad and tzatziki with it, and some other ‘bits’ depending on how many guests I have. Anyway, again so glad you liked it, and… Happy New Year!
Millican Pecan says
Many years ago, when I first began cooking, I ran across a recipe for spanakopita. I had no idea what it was, but I was intrigued by the combination of ingredients. It was delicious! But it was also labor intensive. This recipe is easier and beautiful!
Helen says
Hi! Until I discovered this way of making filo pies, I always thought they were difficult to make, too! Hope you try this soon!
Meredith says
Yum! Spinach and Feta pie is one of my favorite dishes to order at a Greek restaurant. I am so excited to try making it at home!
Helen says
Thank you, Meredith! I really hope you do make it. I think you’ll love it!
Brandi says
Crispy delicate filo dough is amazing in a pie like this. Totally agree that spinach and feta combo was made in heaven !
Helen says
Hi Brandi – so glad you like this recipe. It’s one of my absolutely favourites and I hope it becomes one of yours too!
Nellie Tracy says
I have never tried anything like this until now but it is amazing! Excellent recipe!
Helen says
Thank you so much for leaving your feedback, Nellie. So glad you enjoyed it!
Maya says
Hi Helen – I’ve made your Spanakopita recipe probably half a dozen times in the past 4 or 5 months now, so I feel that I can say: it is delicious, and it is a cinch to make, and thank you for sharing it! My Dad especially adores it, and I adore my Dad, so thank you for giving me a way to show him some love 🙂 xx
Helen says
Hi Maya! Aww, this is a lovely message – you’ve made my day. Thanks so much for taking the time to share your experience. I love any Greek food as you may have noticed! Have you tried the feta and spinach filo parcels? They’re yummy too! https://scrummylane.com/greek-filo-parcels-with-tzatziki/
Maya says
Ohhhhhh yes, they look delicious too! Thanks for highlighting that one to me. Thank you again xx
Helen says
Enjoy!!
Linda says
Hi
I’m just about to do a test run if this. Can you tell me if it could make it ahead of time
and warm it up?
Many thanks
Linda
Helen says
Hi Linda, this is always best eaten fresh as the pastry is at its crispiest then. I don’t see why you couldn’t reheat it though to crisp the pastry up again. I’m afraid I haven’t tried it but I’m pretty sure it would work well. I’d say about 20 mins at 180C (cover with foil then remove for the last 10 minutes so it crisps up but doesn’t burn).
Eva says
Tu réussies à merveille les recettes grecs.J’adore les épinards et la feta, je ne me laisse pas et avec la pâte filo ça doit être vraiment très bon!
Ps: J’aime beaucoup ta nouvelle photo, on te voit mieux 😉
Helen says
Merci, Eva. Je suis d’accord – c’est beaucoup mieux sans les lunettes de soleil!!
Marissa says
There could never be too many recipes with spinach and feta…keep ’em coming! 🙂 We order something really close to this at a local restaurant, but I’ve never made it myself. That’s going to change pronto!
Helen says
Hi Marissa! There’s always another spinach and feta recipe to post… lol! I really hope you do give this a go – I think you’ll love it!
mira says
This looks absolutely beautiful and so authentic! Need to try your recipe! Love spinach and feta!
Helen says
Thanks Mira – I really enjoy making this (and eating it of course!)
[email protected] says
Sign me up for anything with crispy filo. One day I will make it to Greece and sampling all of their delicious offerings, but for now I can enjoy this lovely pie at home.
Helen says
You MUST visit Greece some day Janette. The food is superb!
Mariana says
I will add feta to anything, mainly to salads at the moment…maybe time to add it to some pie!
Helen says
Hi Mariana! How are you? Please dooooo try the pie some time!
Bam's Kitchen says
I can almost here the crunch of the pie as my fork cuts into this special treat. I love your easy carefree version. Perfect Sunday Brunch! Take care
Helen says
Hello Bam! Yes! It’s crunches! Hope you do give it a go for Sunday Brunch some time!