Greek Spanakopita Savory Pie (Printable)

Flaky phyllo layered with spinach, feta, dill, and herbs baked to golden perfection.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Filling

01 - 2 lbs fresh spinach, washed and chopped (or 1 lb frozen spinach, thawed and drained)
02 - 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
03 - 2 scallions, thinly sliced
04 - 3 tbsp fresh dill, chopped (or 1 tbsp dried dill)
05 - 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
06 - 2 tbsp olive oil
07 - 8 oz feta cheese, crumbled
08 - 1/2 cup ricotta or cottage cheese (optional)
09 - 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
10 - 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
11 - 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
12 - Salt, to taste

→ Phyllo Pastry

13 - 1 lb phyllo dough, thawed
14 - 1/2 cup olive oil or melted butter for brushing

# How-To:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F and lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat; sauté onion and scallions until soft, about 5 minutes.
03 - Add chopped spinach in batches and cook until wilted and most moisture evaporates; remove from heat and cool.
04 - Drain excess moisture from spinach and combine in a bowl with dill, parsley, feta, ricotta (if used), eggs, pepper, nutmeg, and salt; mix thoroughly.
05 - Place one sheet of phyllo in the baking dish with edges overhanging; brush lightly with oil or butter and repeat with 6-7 more sheets, brushing each.
06 - Spread the spinach and cheese mixture evenly over the phyllo base.
07 - Cover with remaining phyllo sheets, brushing each layer with oil or butter and tucking edges inside the dish.
08 - Use a sharp knife to lightly score the top layers into squares or diamonds without cutting through entirely.
09 - Bake for 35 to 40 minutes until golden brown and crisp; let rest for 10 minutes before serving.

# Expert Hints:

01 -
  • The phyllo bakes into shards of pure crispness that somehow stay tender inside, no soggy edges or tough corners.
  • It comes together faster than you'd think, and tastes like you spent all day in the kitchen.
  • Leftovers actually taste better the next day when the flavors settle and meld together.
02 -
  • Moisture is the silent killer of spanakopita—if your spinach isn't squeezed dry and your phyllo isn't brushed generously with oil, you'll end up with something soft and soggy instead of crisp and shattered.
  • Phyllo dough is fragile but tougher than it looks; work calmly and it'll cooperate, but rushing leads to tears and frustration.
  • The phyllo needs to be thawed completely before you start, or it'll crack like parchment and you'll waste sheets trying to piece them back together.
03 -
  • Thaw phyllo overnight in the refrigerator, not on the counter—slow thawing keeps the sheets from sticking to each other and tearing.
  • If you have leftover spinach filling, it freezes beautifully for up to three months, which means you can have spanakopita ready in the time it takes to assemble and bake.
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