Description
This Spanakopita (Greek Spinach Pie) features layers of crisp, buttery phyllo pastry wrapped around a rich, creamy filling of spinach, feta, and fresh herbs. It’s elegant yet comforting—perfect for dinner parties, brunch, or a flavorful main dish.
Ingredients
- 2 (10‑oz) packages frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
- 10 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided and melted
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- 4 scallions, chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, chopped
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- 6 oz crumbled feta cheese
- 1 cup cottage cheese
- ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
- 1½ teaspoons kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 16 sheets frozen phyllo dough (9″×13″), thawed
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 °F (190 °C). Butter a 9×13‑inch baking dish generously.
- In a skillet, melt 1 tablespoon butter over medium heat. Sauté onion, scallions, and garlic for about 8–10 minutes until soft and fragrant. Let cool slightly.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the sautéed onion mixture, dry spinach, beaten eggs, feta, cottage cheese, parsley, dill, salt, and pepper. Stir until evenly mixed.
- Layer the phyllo dough: lay two sheets at a time in the prepared dish, brushing every second sheet with melted butter, until you’ve built eight sheets for the base.
- Spread the spinach‑cheese filling evenly over the phyllo base.
- Top with the remaining eight phyllo sheets in the same layered, butter‑brushed fashion. Drizzle any remaining butter over the top layer.
- With a sharp knife, lightly score the top layer into 15 squares (but don’t cut through). Bake 45–55 minutes, until the pastry is deep golden brown and crisp.
- Let the pie rest about 10 minutes before slicing and serving.
Notes
- Using frozen spinach saves time—just thaw and squeeze completely dry so the filling isn’t watery. :contentReference[oaicite:0]{index=0}
- Work quickly with phyllo and keep unused sheets covered with a damp towel to prevent drying. :contentReference[oaicite:1]{index=1}
- For individual portions, cut into triangles (spanakopitakia) instead of baking one large dish. :contentReference[oaicite:2]{index=2}
- You can add chopped fresh spinach in place of frozen (about 2 lbs wilted and squeezed) if preferred. :contentReference[oaicite:3]{index=3}
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 55 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Greek
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 piece (1/15 of loaf)
- Calories: 250
- Sugar: 2g
- Sodium: 450mg
- Fat: 15g
- Saturated Fat: 8g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 19g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 7g
- Cholesterol: 70mg
