Food

How to Make Spanakopita at Home: Easy Spanakopita Recipe

Written by MasterClass

Last updated: Oct 18, 2024 • 2 min read

Typically eaten as a side dish or appetizer, spanakopita (spah-nah-KO-pee-tah), or Greek “spinach pie,” is a cheesy, indulgent treat that’s been a central part of Greek cuisine for centuries.

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What Is Spanakopita?

Spanakopita is a savory pie consisting of layers of soft-cooked spinach and salty feta cheese, sandwiched between crackly sheets of phyllo, a dough composed of many paper-thin, buttery layers. This finicky pastry is tricky to make, but can be found in the frozen section at most grocery stores. You can also use puff pastry for slightly thicker layers and quicker assembly.

Spanakopita Recipe

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makes

prep time

20 min

total time

12 hr 50 min

cook time

30 min

Ingredients

  1. 1

    Thoroughly defrost the phyllo dough in the refrigerator for about 12 hours before cooking. An hour before cooking, remove the dough from the refrigerator and bring to room temperature. Preheat the oven to 375°F.

  2. 2

    To make the spinach filling, heat olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the onion and green onions, and season with salt and pepper. Cook until the onion has begun to soften and turn translucent, then add the spinach. (Working in batches will allow the greens to wilt, allowing more room in the pan.) Add the chopped herbs and nutmeg, and stir to combine. Taste, and season with more salt or pepper as needed.

  3. 3

    Transfer the spinach mixture to a large bowl to cool completely, draining off any excess liquid as needed.

  4. 4

    In a second bowl, combine the cheese and eggs, and mix until well-incorporated. Season with salt and pepper. Add to the bowl of cooked spinach, and stir to combine.

  5. 5

    Lightly grease a rectangular baking dish with some of the melted butter or olive oil. Unfold the phyllo, and cut or slice with a sharp knife into two even stacks to fit the size of the pan.

  6. 6

    Working with one stack at a time (cover the other with a damp kitchen towel or paper towels to keep it from drying out), brush each individual phyllo sheet with melted butter and layer into the pan.

  7. 7

    When you reach 10–15 sheets, stop and top with a thick, even layer of the spinach-cheese filling. Repeat brushing and layering with the second stack of phyllo.

  8. 8

    Bake spanakopita until golden brown and crispy, about 30 minutes, rotating halfway through.

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