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Spanakopita is a classic Greek savory pastry featuring seasoned spinach and feta filling wrapped in buttery phyllo dough and folded into triangles, then baked until golden and crispy. The key to success is thoroughly squeezing moisture from the spinach and layering the phyllo with melted butter before baking.
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Defrost the frozen spinach completely. Use your hands or a dish towel to squeeze out all excess moisture from the spinach, then transfer to a bowl.
Add the spinach, crumbled feta, egg, minced onion, nutmeg, and salt to a small bowl. Mix until combined. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Preheat the oven to 375°F.
Melt the butter in a small saucepan or in the microwave. Have it ready to go.
Cut the phyllo dough sheets in half vertically from top to bottom, giving you two sets of sheets approximately 4.5 inches x 17 inches. Cover with a dry dish towel.
Take one 4.5 x 17-inch piece of phyllo and lay it on a flat surface. Brush with melted butter, covering the entire surface. Place a second sheet on top and brush with butter again. Place a third sheet on top and brush with butter once more.
Place two heaping tablespoons of filling at the bottom of the phyllo strip. Take the bottom right corner and fold it up into a triangle, spreading the filling evenly. Brush lightly with butter.
Continue folding the dough back and forth into triangles, brushing with a little butter after each fold, until no dough remains. If there is a small tail of dough, cut it off. You should have one neat, sealed triangle with no filling exposed.
Repeat with the remaining phyllo dough and filling.
Line all the spanakopita on a large baking sheet. Brush the tops with a little more melted butter.
Bake in the preheated oven until crispy and golden brown, about 20 minutes.
Let cool for 3–4 minutes before serving.
Written automatically by CookOS, not by the creator.
Store cooled spanakopita in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days; reheat at 350°F for 5–7 minutes until warmed through and phyllo re-crisps.
Written automatically by CookOS, not by the creator.
Yes. Assemble the triangles, place them on a baking sheet, cover tightly, and refrigerate up to 24 hours before baking. Bake as directed; add 2–3 minutes to the bake time if baking from cold.
Frozen spinach releases a lot of moisture. Defrost it completely, then squeeze it hard with your hands or wrap it in a clean dish towel and wring it out thoroughly before mixing with the other filling ingredients.
Ricotta can replace feta for a milder flavor (1:1 ratio). Avoid soft cheeses like cream cheese, which will make the filling watery.
Small tears are fine and won't affect the final result. Keep a few extra phyllo sheets on hand in case of larger damage. The butter seals the pastry as it bakes, so minor imperfections will not show.
Bake for about 20 minutes until the phyllo is crispy and deep golden brown. The triangles should feel light and sound hollow when tapped.
