Spanakopita (Greek Spinach Pie)

Layers of golden, flaky filo pastry wrapped around a salty, cheesy spinach filling. Spanakopita is one of those dishes that looks impressive but is secretly simple to make. Don’t be put off by filo; I’ll show you exactly how to layer and butter it so you get those crisp, delicate sheets. The best part? You can freeze it and bake whenever you need a showstopper on the table.

Serves: 6–8
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 45 minutes
Total time: 1 hour 5 minutes
Special equipment: 1 large baking dish

Let’s learn how to make it.

This Greek classic is a crowd-pleaser. The spinach is mixed with feta, yogurt, herbs, and onion for a creamy, salty filling, wrapped in layer upon layer of crisp filo. Each bite is cheesy, herby, and golden. Whether you make it for dinner with a salad on the side or freeze one for a rainy day, this Spanakopita is comfort and elegance rolled into one.

Ingredients

Filling

• 500g frozen spinach, defrosted and squeezed dry (or fresh, salted and drained)

• ½ onion, finely chopped (or spring onions if you have them)

• 200g feta cheese

• 2–3 tbsp thick Greek yogurt (or cottage cheese/ricotta)

• 1 large egg

• 2 tbsp dried dill (or fresh if available)

• 1 tsp salt (adjust depending on feta saltiness)

• Black pepper, to taste

Pastry

• 1 pack filo pastry (about 12–14 sheets)

• 100g butter

• 3 tbsp olive oil

 Method

1. Prepare spinach: Defrost frozen spinach, then squeeze out as much water as possible. If using fresh spinach, chop, season with salt, and let it sit before squeezing dry.

2. Make the filling: In a bowl, combine spinach, chopped onion, feta (crumbled into chunks), yogurt, dill, salt, black pepper, and egg. Mix well until everything is bound together. Taste for seasoning before adding the egg.

3. Melt butter & oil: In a small pan, gently melt butter with olive oil. This will be used to brush between the filo layers.

4. Layer the pastry: Preheat oven to 175°C (350°F). Grease your baking dish and line the base with baking paper. Lay 7 sheets of filo one at a time, brushing each with butter-oil before adding the next. Keep the unused filo covered with a damp tea towel to prevent drying out.

5. Add the filling: Spread the spinach and feta mixture evenly over the base layers.

6. Top layers: Add another 6–7 sheets of filo on top, brushing with butter-oil between each. Fold in the edges neatly. Brush the top with extra butter.

7. Portion before baking: Using a sharp knife, cut the pie into squares or diamonds before baking, this helps steam escape and makes serving easier.

8. Bake: Bake for 45-55 minutes at 175°C until golden brown and crisp. Let cool for 5 minutes before serving.

Chef’s Tip

Spanakopita freezes beautifully. Assemble the pie (but don’t bake it), wrap tightly, and freeze for up to 3 months. Cook straight from frozen, adding an extra 10 minutes to the bake time.

Enjoy – Del x

Looking for another crispy, golden bake? Try my Potato, Caramelised Onion & Tomato Bake .