I'm so excited to share my mom's spanakopita (σπανακόπιτα) recipe on Binge Worthy Bites, it's a very big deal. This is a perfected version of the classic cheesy, flaky Spanakopita (Greek Spinach and Feta Pie). It has a crispy, buttery, Phyllo dough crust and a delectable spinach and cheese filling.

Spanakopita (Greek Spinach and Feta Pie)

Spanakopita is a staple food found on any Greek menu, and it's usually served as an appetizer or side. You can typically find it in the frozen food aisle at the grocery store, but the frozen versions won't hold a candle to this recipe. This recipe will turn you into a Spanakopita snob, even if you're not Greek. It's a crowd favorite and always requested among our family and friends.

Do you eat spanakopita hot or cold?

There really are no rules here. You can serve your spanakopita freshly baked as a side with a meal, or have it served out on a platter as an appetizer at a warm or room temperature. It also tastes delicious right out of the refrigerator, so for a personal serving, the choice is yours. When snacking, it's great cold and I usually end up picking at it before it even reaches my toaster oven.

Tips for working with phyllo pastry

Overhead shot of spanakopita in the pan with butter brushed over it and filling inside ready to bake.

You need to mentally prepare, grab and melt a lot of butter, and follow these tips when you're working with the Phyllo dough for this recipe. This advice comes from years of experience, and years of my mom fighting with Phyllo to make these notes for future generations.

Try to handle the phyllo as little as possible.
Work with a piece of phyllo that is slightly larger than your baking sheet. DO NOT use a sheet of phyllo that is smaller than the baking sheet you're using.
Lay a damp towel over the sheet of phyllo you are about to use before lifting it to the pan.
My mom recommends using a #7 phyllo dough (I found mine at Valli Produce in the Chicagoland area).
The phyllo I'm using in my pictures measured 14"x18". It's #7 thickness and I used a 10"x15" jelly roll pan with a 1" edge.
Per my mom, "Don't let phyllo scare you...because butter fixes everything." The phyllo dough tears very easily. Use a pastry brush and melted butter to patchwork the layers of phyllo if you have tears. The melted butter will smooth out the tear and bonds the patches together.
Bake at 350°F degrees if you're baking in a conventional oven, but bake at 325°F degrees if you're baking in a convection oven.

What is in the spanakopita filling?

Overhead shot of spanakopita filling's wet ingredients and fresh ingredients. On the right side is a mixture of different types of cheese, egg, and seasonings. The right side chopped greens (green onion, dill, and spinach).

This spanakopita is filled with a mix of spinach, green onion, dill, a little seasoning, and ALL the cheese. You're going to use four different types of cheese in this mix and each one has a very unique flavor and texture. If you're not usually a fan of feta, don't worry. It's super important to the recipe, but it doesn't have a strong feta flavor at all.

What kind of spinach and feta are used to make spanakopita?

For this spanakopita recipe, fresh or frozen spinach will work. After many trials and taste tests of this recipe, frozen spinach actually produced the best outcome (but fresh was close) and it was easier to use.

Thawing frozen spinach is great because it is pre-chopped, you just need to ring out the water.
Make sure you do not use pre-cooked spinach, be sure that the chopped spinach you purchase is raw.
I think imported feta from Greece is INCREDIBLE, but domestic feta works very well for this recipe too.

Authentic spanakopita recipe

Before you get started, make note of these additional tips that will save you time and will help you succeed with this recipe...

First, put the frozen phyllo dough and frozen spinach in the refrigerator the night before you're going to prepare this. This will give both a chance to slowly thaw.
You can use a food processor to chop spinach, green onions, and dill. You need to pulse it a couple times, but don't over pulse it. If you don't have a food processor, you can also finely chop it.
Also, put your cream cheese on the counter before you get started. Let it get to room temperature before you use it. Room temperature cream cheese is much easier to use.
Cover the unused phyllo sheets with a damp towel so that it doesn't dry out as you are layering the spanakopita.
Be sure to score your spanakopita before baking. It will be much easier to cut once it's baked if it has been scored.
Enjoy!

My favorite tools to make Spanakopita

click photos for links!

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