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overhead view of greek spinach pie with feta in a baking dish.
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5 from 3 votes

Easy Puff Pastry Spanakopita

Puff pastry spanakopita, a delicious recipe for Greek spinach and feta pie made easy by using puff pastry instead of phyllo.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time25 minutes
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: Greek
Diet: Vegetarian
Servings: 4
Calories: 566kcal
Author: Adina

Equipment

  • Medium baking dish (Note 1)

Ingredients

  • 1 lb frozen spinach 500 g
  • 1 sheet puff pastry Note 2
  • 1 egg large, divided
  • 3 spring onions
  • 3 garlic cloves
  • 9 oz feta 250 g, Note 3
  • ¼ teaspoon dried mint or 1 tablespoon fresh and chopped
  • 2 tablespoons dill fresh or frozen
  • ¼ teaspoon lemon zest
  • ½ tablespoon lemon juice
  • ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
  • ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon milk
  • ½ teaspoon black sesame seeds Note 4

Instructions

  • Thaw the frozen spinach and squeeze it thoroughly (Note 5).
  • Puff pastry: If using frozen puff pastry, thaw and roll it according to the package instructions. If using refrigerated and already rolled pastry, remove it from the fridge about 10 minutes before baking.
  • Preheat the oven to 375°F/ 190°C. Brush the baking dish with olive oil.
  • Beat the egg in a cup. Remove about ¼ of the egg and keep it separated for later; you will need it to brush the pastry before baking.
  • Filling: Place squeezed spinach in a medium bowl. Add the egg (except for what you saved for brushing) finely chopped onions, grated garlic, crumbled feta, dried mint, chopped dill, lemon zest and juice, salt, and black pepper. Combine well and adjust the taste if necessary.
  • Drape the dough sheet over the baking dish.
  • Spread the feta and spinach filling inside the pastry, then fold in the corners and sides of the dough toward the center. The filling will not be fully covered in the middle. Trim a bit of the dough corners and sides to make the pie look nice.
  • Egg wash: Mix the beaten egg you’ve saved with the milk and brush the pastry with the mixture. Sprinkle it with sesame seeds.
  • Bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes until the pastry is puffed up and deeply golden.
  • Let sit for about 5 minutes before slicing.

Notes

  1. Baking dish: a medium-sized baking dish, oval is nice but not mandatory. You can use a round, rectangular, or square dish as well.  The oval dish I used is 11 inches/ 28 cm long, 8 inches/ 20 cm wide (at the widest point), and 2 inches/ 5 cm deep.
  2. Pastry: I use store-bought refrigerated puff pastry. One sheet weighs 275 g/ 9.7 oz and is about 25 cm/ 9.8 inches long.
     If using frozen pastry, thaw and roll it according to the package instructions.
  3. Feta: You can use Greek, Turkish, Bulgarian feta cheese, sheep, goat, or cow’s feta. Make sure you use good quality brined feta and not pre-crumbled.
  4. Seeds: Sub with white sesame seeds or Nigella seeds. Or leave them out.
  5. Spinach: Let the spinach thaw and drain in a sieve, then take handfuls of it and squeeze it over the sink until it no longer produces any liquid.

Nutrition

Serving: 1slice | Calories: 566kcal | Carbohydrates: 37g | Protein: 20g | Fat: 39g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 17g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 98mg | Sodium: 1130mg | Potassium: 531mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 13742IU | Vitamin C: 10mg | Calcium: 493mg | Iron: 5mg