Spanakopita, a traditional Greek dish, is a savory pie made with layers of flaky phyllo dough filled with a mixture of spinach, feta cheese, onions, and herbs. Often served as an appetizer or main course, it's a versatile dish that can be enjoyed for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. This article provides three unique recipes for spanakopita: a classic recipe, a vegan recipe, and a gluten-free recipe. Each recipe offers a detailed guide with step-by-step instructions to ensure a perfect spanakopita every time. Discover the authentic flavors of Greece with these delicious spanakopita recipes.
Here are our top 6 tried and tested recipes!
SPANAKOPITA (GREEK SPINACH PIE)
This is an authentic, really rich pie stuffed with spinach, onions, cheeses and herbs that are all enfolded by crispy, flaky phyllo dough.
Provided by SILVERWOLF
Categories World Cuisine Recipes European Greek
Time 1h30m
Yield 5
Number Of Ingredients 11
Steps:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly oil a 9x9 inch square baking pan.
- Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Saute onion, green onions and garlic, until soft and lightly browned. Stir in spinach and parsley, and continue to saute until spinach is limp, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
- In a medium bowl, mix together eggs, ricotta, and feta. Stir in spinach mixture. Lay 1 sheet of phyllo dough in prepared baking pan, and brush lightly with olive oil. Lay another sheet of phyllo dough on top, brush with olive oil, and repeat process with two more sheets of phyllo. The sheets will overlap the pan. Spread spinach and cheese mixture into pan and fold overhanging dough over filling. Brush with oil, then layer remaining 4 sheets of phyllo dough, brushing each with oil. Tuck overhanging dough into pan to seal filling.
- Bake in preheated oven for 30 to 40 minutes, until golden brown. Cut into squares and serve while hot.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 494.1 calories, Carbohydrate 31.5 g, Cholesterol 100.3 mg, Fat 34.7 g, Fiber 7.4 g, Protein 18.2 g, SaturatedFat 11.5 g, Sodium 893.9 mg, Sugar 5.4 g
SPANAKOPITA
Provided by Rachael Ray : Food Network
Categories main-dish
Time 30m
Yield 4 servings
Number Of Ingredients 10
Steps:
- Place oven rack in center of the oven and preheat to 400 degrees F.
- Preheat a small pan over medium to medium high heat. Add oil and onion and saute 5 minutes. Place onion in a bowl. Add chopped dry, defrosted spinach and season with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Add feta to the bowl and combine it with spinach. Add beaten egg and sour cream to the bowl and combine with cheese, spinach and onion.
- On a large work surface, place 1 sheet of phyllo. Paint half of the sheet with a little melted butter, paying extra attention to your perimeter. Fold sheet in half. Pile 1/4 of your spinach mixture into a log shape working 2 inches from bottom and each side. Tuck bottom up and fold both sides in, then roll and wrap upwards until you reach the edge of the dough sheet. Each pastry will resemble an egg roll. Paint the seam and the ends of the roll with butter and set roll seam side down on a cookie sheet. Repeat and make 4 rolls. Bake 15 minutes or until lightly golden all over and serve.
SPANAKOPITA
Spanakopita, the classic Greek savory pie, is elegant and impressive, yet easy to make. The star ingredient is spinach, and lots of it (two pounds to be exact). This pie tastes best when made with fresh spinach, though you could also use the same amount of frozen spinach - just be sure to thaw completely and squeeze out all the excess water before using. This recipe can be baked a day ahead and stored in the refrigerator overnight, then rewarmed at 400 degrees until heated through, about 15 minutes. Cut into small squares or triangles to serve as an appetizer, or for a more complete meal, serve larger squares of the pie alongside soup or salad.
Provided by Kay Chun
Categories casseroles, vegetables, main course
Time 2h
Yield One 9-by-13-inch pie
Number Of Ingredients 12
Steps:
- In a large pot, heat oil over medium. Add onion, scallions and garlic, season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 5 minutes.
- In batches, stir in spinach until wilted, about 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Strain spinach mixture through a sieve, pressing out excess liquid to prevent a soggy crust. Transfer to a large bowl and cool for 5 minutes. Add eggs, feta, Parmesan and parsley and stir until combined.
- Heat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly grease a 9-by-13-inch pan (2 inches deep) with butter. Lay one half sheet of phyllo dough in baking dish. Using a pastry brush, brush dough with butter. Repeat 7 more times to form crust. Spread spinach mixture evenly over crust. Brush one half sheet of phyllo dough with butter and lay on top of filling, butter side up. Repeat with remaining 7 sheets of dough. Using a serrated knife, lightly score top layer of dough into squares (this will make it easier to cut once baked). Bake until crust is lightly golden and filling is heated through, 50 to 60 minutes. Serve warm.
SPANAKOPITA (SPINACH TRIANGLES OR PIE)
Provided by Food Network
Categories appetizer
Time 1h25m
Yield 60 triangles or 1 (9 by 13inch
Number Of Ingredients 9
Steps:
- Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large saute pan, add half of the spinach and saute until spinach wilts, tossing with tongs, about 2 minutes. Remove spinach and squeeze out excess liquid, then chop roughly. Repeat with remaining spinach, using 1 more tablespoon of olive oil. Pour off any liquid from the pan, and add remaining olive oil. Add scallions and saute until soft, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add the spinach to the scallions, along with the parsley, salt and pepper. Cook over low heat for 1 to 2 minutes, then remove from heat to cool. (This part can be done ahead and kept refrigerated).
- Stir the feta and as much beaten egg to moisten the cooled spinach mixture.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Brush a baking sheet with some of the melted butter.
- Unroll the filo dough on a flat surface and keep it covered with waxed paper and a damp towel so it doesn't dry out and become brittle. Using a sharp knife, cut the filo into 3 by 11 inch strips, and recover with the towel. Use a pastry brush to brush a strip of filo with melted butter. Place a small spoonful of spinach filling 1 inch from the end of the pastry. Fold the end over the filling to form a triangle, then continue to fold up the strip in triangles, like folding up a flag. Continue with remaining strips of dough, placing filled triangles on the baking sheet and keeping them covered with a towel until all are ready to bake.
- Brush the triangles lightly with butter, then bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until golden and crisp. Serve hot. (These may be frozen before baking, layering waxed paper between layers of triangles to keep them from sticking. Bake frozen triangles an extra 10 minutes.)
LEEK SPANAKOPITA
Crisp phyllo tops this traditional-with-a-twist savory Greek pie that boasts sharp feta, delicate spinach, and mild leeks. Cut into small squares and served at room temperature, this Spanakopita makes a terrific hors d'oeuvre.
Provided by Martha Stewart
Categories Appetizers
Time 1h10m
Number Of Ingredients 8
Steps:
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees. With a pastry brush, brush bottom and sides of a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with oil. In a large skillet, heat 1/4 cup water over medium-high. Working in batches, add spinach and cook, tossing, until completely wilted, about 8 minutes. Transfer to a colander to drain, pressing out as much water as possible. Return skillet to heat and add 1 tablespoon oil. Add leeks and cook until softened, about 8 minutes. Stir in garlic, season with salt and pepper, and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in nutmeg. Transfer spinach and leek mixture to a food processor; pulse until coarsely chopped.
- Cut phyllo sheets to fit baking dish. Place 1 sheet in dish (keeping remaining sheets covered with a damp towel) and brush lightly with oil. Stack 7 more phyllo sheets on top, brushing each with oil. Spread half the spinach mixture over phyllo and evenly sprinkle half the feta on top. Add 8 more phyllo sheets, brushing each with oil. Spread with remaining spinach mixture and feta. Top with remaining 8 phyllo sheets, brushing each with oil.
- Bake until phyllo is golden and crisp on top, about 30 minutes. Let cool 15 minutes before cutting into squares. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 388 g, Fat 21 g, Fiber 5 g, Protein 11 g
EASY SPANAKOPITA APPETIZERS
I love having appetizers on hand in the freezer, especially when the holiday season is fast approaching. This easy spanakopita recipe is one of my all-time favorites. Everyone loves them, they're easy to prep and they bake up in about 20 minutes. —Shannon Dobos, Calgary, Alberta
Provided by Taste of Home
Categories Appetizers
Time 1h
Yield 2-1/2 dozen.
Number Of Ingredients 12
Steps:
- Preheat oven to 425°. In a large bowl, mix the first 9 ingredients. Place 1 sheet of phyllo dough on a work surface; brush with butter. Layer with 2 additional phyllo sheets, brushing each layer. (Keep remaining phyllo covered with plastic wrap and a damp towel to prevent it from drying out.), Arrange 3/4 cup spinach mixture in a narrow row along the long end of phyllo to within 1 in. of edges. Fold bottom edge of phyllo over filling, then roll up. Brush end of phyllo dough with butter and press to seal. Repeat 4 times with phyllo sheets, butter and the spinach mixture. Place rolls on a parchment-lined 15x10x1-in. baking pan, seam side down., Cut rolls diagonally into 2-in. pieces (do not separate). Brush tops with remaining butter. Bake until golden brown, 12-15 minutes. If desired, serve with tzatziki sauce, lemon wedges and dill sprigs. , Freeze option: Cover and freeze unbaked rolls on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet until firm. Transfer to a freezer container; return to freezer. To use, bake rolls on a parchment-lined 15x10x1-in. baking pan in a preheated 375° oven until heated through and golden brown, about 25 minutes.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 96 calories, Fat 8g fat (4g saturated fat), Cholesterol 29mg cholesterol, Sodium 155mg sodium, Carbohydrate 5g carbohydrate (1g sugars, Fiber 1g fiber), Protein 2g protein.
Tips:
- Use fresh, high-quality ingredients: The quality of your ingredients will directly impact the taste of your spanakopita. Make sure to use fresh spinach, feta cheese, and phyllo dough.
- Don't overcook the spinach: Overcooked spinach will be mushy and watery. Cook it just until it is wilted, about 2 minutes.
- Squeeze out excess moisture from the spinach: Before adding the spinach to the filling, squeeze out as much excess moisture as possible. This will help prevent the spanakopita from becoming soggy.
- Use a generous amount of feta cheese: Feta cheese is one of the key ingredients in spanakopita. Don't be afraid to use a lot of it. The more feta cheese you use, the richer and more flavorful the spanakopita will be.
- Layer the phyllo dough properly: When layering the phyllo dough, make sure to brush each layer with melted butter. This will help the layers stick together and prevent them from drying out.
- Bake the spanakopita until it is golden brown: The spanakopita should be baked until it is golden brown on top. This will ensure that the phyllo dough is cooked through and the filling is hot and bubbly.
Conclusion:
Spanakopita is a delicious and versatile dish that can be served as an appetizer, main course, or side dish. It is perfect for any occasion, from casual get-togethers to formal dinner parties. With its combination of fresh spinach, feta cheese, and crispy phyllo dough, spanakopita is sure to be a hit with everyone who tries it. So next time you are looking for a new recipe to try, give spanakopita a try. You won't be disappointed!
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