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    Home » Cuisine » Greek » Authentic Greek Spinach Pie called Spanakopita

    Authentic Greek Spinach Pie called Spanakopita

    Published: Apr 29, 2021 Modified: Jan 17, 2023 by Lizzy

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    Greek Spinach Pie

    Recipe from my Greek Neighbor! An authentic Greek Spinach Pie called Spanakopita is a savory Greek pie made of crispy layers of phyllo dough and a delicious filling of spinach and feta cheese in the middle.

    Greek-Spinach-Pie

    I am fortunate to be living next door to a wonderful Greek family that has been cooking in their own restaurants for years.

    One of the things that are traditionally cooked for Greek Orthodox Easter is a Spanakopita which is better known to most Americans as a Greek Spinach Pie. Who better to make this tasty pie than Yιαγιά (meaning grandma) which has been making this recipe for 60 years. Now that is a lot of Greek spinach pies!

    Greek-Spinach-Pie
    Contents hide
    1 A Little About Greece
    2 How do people celebrate Greek Orthodox Easter?
    3 How to Make Authentic Greek Spinach Pie
    4 Ways to Serve
    5 Tips
    6 Different Types of PIE RECIPES
    7 BEACH TRAVEL GUIDES
    8 Authentic Greek Spinach Pie called Spanakopita

    A Little About Greece

    Greece is one of the sunniest places on the planet, it’s no wonder that it is a popular vacation destination for so many around the world. With a population of over 10 million people, Greece is known for its beaches, from the black sands of Santorini to the party resorts of Mykonos.

    Greece

    With 18 UNESCO World Heritage Sites to see along with 6000 islands to visit, Greece ranks number 5 as the best destination to visit. What is interesting to me is the United States is the 2nd country with the largest Greek population in the world. I have always been able to find a Greek neighborhood which where I live right now is Tarpon Spring, Florida.

    How do people celebrate Greek Orthodox Easter?

    Most Greek families will roast lamb on a spit or as the Greek say, "souvla," this is often on the menu for Easter. According to the Apostle John, Jesus is the Lamb of God so eating lamb on this day honors his sacrificial death.

    In addition, many Greeks dye their eggs red to represent the blood from Christ’s tomb. This is sometimes baked into a sweet bread known as ‘Tsoureki 'or just a hard-boiled egg dipped in a red food dye.

    How to Make Authentic Greek Spinach Pie

    This recipe comes from Yιαγιά herself to make a smaller pie for just one sheet pan. It's very simple and easy to make just need a little time and a love of cooking from scratch!

    Spinach-Mix

    Spinach Mix

    1. Wash spinach and cut stems into small pieces and put in a pot of cold water. 
    2. Leave for 2 minutes soaking then drain the spinach in a colander.
    3. Place spinach in a bowl, mix 6 eggs to pour into the spinach, and mix.
    4. Put 2 tablespoons of butter and saute onions and parsley in a pan. Once it is translucent, pour over the spinach and mix.
    5. Crumble the feta over the spinach mix, add cooked rice, then mix everything together. Add pepper as desired to the mix.

    Assemble the Spinach Pie

    1. Melt the butter and mix with olive oil in a bowl.
    2. Prepare a 9 ½" X 13" baking dish and brush the bottom and sides of the dish with butter mix.
    3. To assemble, line the baking dish with two sheets of phyllo letting them cover the sides of the dish then brush with butter mixture. Add two sheets in the same way and brush them with the butter mix. Repeat until two-thirds of the fillo box is used.
    4. Evenly spread the spinach and feta filling over the crust. Tap it down to make it nice and firm. Top with two more sheets, and brush with butter mix.
    5. Continue to layer the phyllo sheets, two at a time, brushing with butter mix, until you have used up all the sheets. Brush the very top layer with a butter mix.
    6. Enjoy!

    Ways to Serve

    This is great to serve with a tomato salad and a variety of olives to pick. I also like to put our a variety of cheese on a platter with sliced oranges to eat. It's a wonderful lunch or brunch for spring and summer. Can be eaten cold or warm but either way, it's delicious.

    Tips

    One of the things that my neighbor said to do when you can't find curly spinach and just have baby spinach sold at the market, add 2 leeks chopped to the mix.

    Different Types of PIE RECIPES

    • Gluten-Free Summer Vegetable Quiche {France}
    • Gluten Free Butternut Squash With Sage Quiche
    • How To Make Apple Pie Filling {President Obama Pie}
    • Mini Vegan Pecan Pie Recipe

    BEACH TRAVEL GUIDES

    • Vacation in Bermuda
    • Travel Clearwater Florida
    • 10 Things To Do In Key West
    • Clearwater Beach In Florida

    ★ Like this post? ★ Tried this recipe? Give it a star rating below! ★ Let us know in the comments below or on social media using #LizzyLovesFoods and tag us @LizzyLovesFoods You can connect with us on Instagram and Facebook account or on Pinterest. Don’t forget to sign up to our newsletter & stay up to date with our latest Recipes & Travel Adventures.

    Greek-Spinach-Pie

    Authentic Greek Spinach Pie called Spanakopita

    Lizzy Cascalheira
    Authentic Greek Spinach Pie called Spanakopita is a savory Greek pie made of crispy layers of phyllo dough and a delicious filling of spinach and feta cheese in the middle.
    4.67 from 3 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 20 minutes mins
    Cook Time 1 hour hr
    Course Lunch
    Cuisine Greek
    Servings 12
    Calories 678 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    • 1 lb Filo dough
    • 2 cups butter
    • 1 cup olive oil
    • 1 cup Feta
    • 4 oz cottage cheese
    • 6 eggs
    • 1 onion chopped
    • 3 scallions chopped
    • ½ cup parsley chopped
    • ¾ cup rice cooked
    • 24 oz spinach chopped

    Instructions
     

    Spinach Mix

    • Wash spinach and cut stems into small pieces and put in a pot of cold water.
    • Leave for 2 minutes soaking then drain the spinach in a colander.
    • Place spinach in a bowl, mix 6 eggs to pour into the spinach and mix.
    • Put 2 tablespoon of butter and saute onions and parsley in a pan. Once it is translucent, pour over the spinach and mix.
    • Crumble the feta over the spinach mix, add cooked rice, then mix everything together. Add pepper as desired to the mix.

    Assemble the Spinach Pie

    • Melt the butter and mix with olive oil in a bowl.
    • Prepare a 9 ½" X 13" baking dish and brush the bottom and sides of the dish with butter mix.
    • To assemble, line the baking dish with two sheets of phyllo (fillo) letting them cover the sides of the dish then brush with butter mix. Add two sheets in the same way and brush them with the butter mix. Repeat until two-thirds of the fillo box is used.
    • Evenly spread the spinach and feta filling over the crust. Tap it down to make it nice and firm. Top with two more sheets, and brush with butter mix.
    • Continue to layer the phyllo (fillo) sheets, two-at-a-time, brushing with butter mix, until you have used up all the sheets. Brush the very top layer with butter mix.
    • Fold the flaps or excess from the sides and brush the folded sides well with the butter mix.
    • Puncture with a paring knife on the top a few times to let it vent while cooking.
    • Bake at 325 degrees for 45-60 minutes, or until the fillo crust is crisp and golden brown.
    • Remove from the oven and cut into squares and serve. Enjoy!

    Video

    Notes

    One of the things that my neighbor said to do when you can't find curly spinach and just have baby spinach sold at the market, just add 2 leeks chopped to the mix of the baby spinach.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 12gCalories: 678kcalCarbohydrates: 33gProtein: 11gFat: 56gSaturated Fat: 25gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 176mgSodium: 706mgPotassium: 450mgFiber: 2gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 6688IUVitamin C: 21mgCalcium: 162mgIron: 4mg
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
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    Filed Under: Cuisine, Dinner, Europe, Greek, Lunch, Vegetarian

    About Lizzy

    I love to cook, eat and find good places to have a great meal so no matter where I go I always ask the locals the same question, “Where’s a good place to eat?”

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Cher

      June 12, 2021 at 7:23 pm

      5 stars
      I can’t wait to try this!

      Reply
      • Lizzy

        June 13, 2021 at 11:59 am

        Hope you enjoyed!

        Reply
    2. Cher

      May 06, 2022 at 11:49 am

      5 stars
      Love this recipe - made it this week

      Reply
      • Lizzy

        May 09, 2022 at 10:19 am

        Thank you! Enjoy

        Reply
    3. Kathy

      January 17, 2023 at 5:34 pm

      Nooooo Rice please. You do not add rice in Spanakopita.

      Reply
      • Lizzy

        January 17, 2023 at 7:21 pm

        Thanks, Kathy for reaching out. I thought the same thing about the rice but my neighbor who is 87 years old said that was how her mother made it and who was I to disagree! LOL I kept the recipe original from her family, where she was born and raised near Metsovo Greece. All my best, Lizzy

        Reply

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