# Greek Spanakopita with Spinach and Feta

> Spanakopita is a spinach and feta pie between crisp layers of filo. Its single secret: **the spinach must be squeezed until the last drop of water is out**. Any moisture left turns to steam in the oven and leaves the bottom filo layers soft and wet.

**Greek Cuisine · 75 min · 8 servings · 320 kcal per serving**

Spanakopita is one of Greece's best-known pastries, eaten hot or cold, for breakfast, lunch or on a journey. It illustrates the logic of Greek cooking clearly: few ingredients — spinach, feta and dill — with technique making all the difference.

## Ingredients


### The filling
- 1 — Fresh spinach (or 700 g frozen)
- 300 — Feta, crumbled
- 2 — Onion, chopped
- 4 — Spring onions, sliced
- 0.5 — Fresh dill, chopped
- 2 — Eggs
- 0.5 — Nutmeg
- 0.5 — Black pepper

### The dough
- 450 — Filo pastry
- 150 — Butter, melted
- 3 — Olive oil

## Method

1. **Wilt the spinach** — Wilt the spinach in a large pan over high heat until it collapses completely — about two minutes for fresh. Frozen spinach should be thawed and drained first.
2. **Squeeze it dry** — **This is the crucial step**: put the spinach in a clean cloth and squeeze with all your strength until not a drop comes out. It will reduce to a third of its volume.
3. **Soften the onion** — Soften the onion in olive oil until translucent and golden, then let it cool. Hot onion would begin to cook the egg in the filling.
4. **Mix the filling** — Combine the squeezed spinach with the onion, spring onion, dill, feta, eggs, nutmeg and pepper. **No salt** — the feta is salty enough.
5. **Layer the base** — Butter the tray and lay down **eight sheets of filo**, brushing each with butter before the next. Keep the remaining filo under a damp cloth so it does not dry out.
6. **Assemble** — Spread the filling evenly and top with **eight more buttered filo sheets**. Fold the edges inward and brush the top.
7. **Cut, then bake** — Cut the pie into squares **before it goes in the oven**, with a sharp knife — baked filo shatters under a blade. Bake at **180°C for forty-five minutes** until golden.

## Tips

- Squeeze the spinach to the last drop — that is the difference between a crisp pie and a soggy base.
- Cut before baking, not after. Baked filo crumbles under the knife.
- Filo dries out within seconds — keep it under a damp cloth while you work.
- No salt in the filling: the feta is salty, and extra salt draws water out of the spinach.

## FAQ

### Why is the base soggy?
The spinach was not squeezed enough. It should reduce to a third of its volume with no water coming out when pressed.

### Can I use frozen spinach?
Yes, and it is easier. Thaw it completely and squeeze just as hard — frozen spinach holds even more water.

### What can replace feta?
A salty white cheese, drained, or a mix of curd cheese and hard cheese. Sheep's feta is closest to the original.

### Can I freeze it?
Yes, unbaked, for three months. Bake straight from frozen with an extra fifteen minutes.

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Source: https://hanakoleah.com/en/greek-cuisine/greek-spanakopita
Edited by: Marwa Mohamed
Last updated: 2026-10-29