By Alexa Weibel
- Total Time
- 1 hour, plus cooling
- Rating
- 4(1,516)
- Notes
- Read community notes
Buttery, bright and herbaceous, this recipe is a faster take on the Greek spinach and feta pie and far less effort than forming individual triangular spanakopita pastries. A combination of stovetop cooking and oven baking ensures that the filling stays moist while the crust gets crisp. First, the spinach is cooked down in a mixture of butter, garlic and leeks until it wilts enough to release any moisture. Then, the filling is prepared, and the spanakopita assembled in the skillet. Give the phyllo a head start on the stovetop, then transfer to the oven so the spinach filling cooks through at the same time the phyllo becomes flaky. The timing may be precise for the cooking, but you can eat it whenever you want: This spanakopita is just as good at room temperature as it is warm.
or to save this recipe.
Print Options
Include recipe photo
Advertisem*nt
Ingredients
Yield:6 to 8 servings
- 8tablespoons unsalted butter (1 stick)
- 2medium leeks (about 1½ pounds), white and pale-green parts only, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced crosswise (about 3 cups)
- 6garlic cloves, chopped
- Kosher salt and black pepper
- 1½pounds fresh baby spinach
- ¾cup chopped fresh parsley leaves
- ½cup chopped fresh dill
- ½cup freshly grated Parmesan
- 2teaspoons lemon zest, plus 2 teaspoons juice (from 1 large lemon)
- Pinch of ground nutmeg
- 2large eggs, beaten
- 6ounces fresh Greek sheep’s-milk feta in brine, drained and crumbled (about 1½ cups feta)
- 8sheets phyllo dough of any size (see Tip), thawed, laid flat on a sheet pan and loosely covered with a towel
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (8 servings)
319 calories; 21 grams fat; 12 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 6 grams monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 21 grams carbohydrates; 3 grams dietary fiber; 2 grams sugars; 13 grams protein; 597 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
Powered by
Preparation
Step
1
In a large (preferably 10-inch) cast-iron skillet, melt 3 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Add the leeks and garlic, season generously with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 5 minutes. Add one large handful of spinach at a time, sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper and stir until wilted, until you’ve added and seasoned all of the spinach and the mixture is thoroughly combined, about 12 minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat and let cool.
Step
2
Arrange an oven rack in the middle position, and heat the oven to 400 degrees. In a large bowl, combine the parsley, dill, Parmesan, lemon zest and juice, and nutmeg, and stir to combine. Working with about 1 cup at a time, transfer the spinach mixture to a fine-mesh strainer or sieve set in the sink and press the mixture to remove as much liquid as possible, then add to the parsley mixture. Stir to combine, and season to taste with salt and pepper. (Feta is salty, so season very lightly with salt here.) Stir in the eggs, then gently fold in the feta, doing your best to leave the larger chunks intact.
Step
3
Prepare the phyllo crust: Wipe the skillet clean with a paper towel. In a small saucepan over low heat or in a microwave-safe bowl in the microwave, melt the remaining 5 tablespoons butter; set aside. Brush the bottom and sides of the skillet with melted butter. Working quickly with one phyllo sheet at a time, lightly brush the top of one sheet with butter, then lay it in the skillet, buttered-side up, with an overhang on all sides. Gently press it in to eliminate any large air bubbles between the phyllo and the pan. Repeat with the remaining phyllo sheets, rotating each sheet in a different direction as you add it.
Step
4
Spoon the spinach-feta mixture into the skillet, spreading in an even layer. Working with one tip of overhanging phyllo dough at a time, starting with the top layer first, lift it over the spinach-feta mixture and toward the center of the pan, loosely crinkling it as you go. Repeat with all of the phyllo sheets, then lightly brush the exposed surface of the phyllo with butter. (You should have a circle of uncovered spinach-feta mixture in the center, surrounded by a ring of crinkled phyllo dough.)
Step
5
Cook over medium heat on the stovetop for about 5 minutes to crisp the bottom crust. Transfer to middle rack of the oven, and bake until phyllo is golden and the filling is warmed, 20 to 25 minutes.
Step
6
Remove from oven, and let sit 10 minutes to cool and firm up. Sprinkle small sprigs of parsley and dill over the spinach-feta mixture, if desired. Slice into 6 to 8 wedges to serve. The spanakopita can be served warm or at room temperature.
Tip
- Phyllo sheet sizes may vary by brand, but any size will work here. Any overhanging phyllo will be scrunched up to form the top crust.
Ratings
4
out of 5
1,516
user ratings
Your rating
or to rate this recipe.
Have you cooked this?
or to mark this recipe as cooked.
Private Notes
Leave a Private Note on this recipe and see it here.
Cooking Notes
Christina X
It's an interesting concept, but a lot easier to make in a 9 x 12 baking dish (a much more common method among Greeks) where you will have less overhang of the phyllo. Just up the spinach to 2 pounds and up the feta a bit as well. You'll have to use 8 sheets of phyllo on the bottom and 8 on the top. Scoring before you bake. When you use that size dish, you get 12 pieces and it'll be easier to cut: https://bit.ly/33M1cw5
LynnG
Curious. Why wouldn't you cook and wring water from spinach before adding it to the leeks and garlic? Seems you are wasting all those yummy seasonings down the drain.
Judy Smith
Haven't cooked this yet--though I plan to. But as far as expressing liquid from the cooked spinach, a humble potato ricer--the unsung hero in my kitchen--works exceptionally well.
Thom
An easy, tasty version of traditional spanakopita. However, I have a bone to pick with NYT Cooking. For the past 2 years, I've used NYT recipes for 90% of my meals. Y'all need to be more honest w/ cook times. This recipe says 1 hr + 10 min cooling. Just the time on the stove and in the oven is 50 mins. It's another hour for prep, at least. This is not the only recipe that has taken twice as long, or more. It happens a lot. You're going to ruin my marriage to a woman who expects dinner at 8:00p.
Nona
Using fresh spinach is tedious and needlessly expensive. All versions of Spanakopita that I have tried work very well using thawed, good quality chopped frozen spinach. You can thaw it in the microwave or take it out the night before or in the morning or a couple of hours ahead of time and then wring out the moisture and add it to the leeks, etc.
Gina
I just made this for the first time and wow, what a delicious feast. This is a great showstopper for a dinner party. One note: I did not keep the sheets of phyllo stacked as I spread butter on them but rather buttered each individual sheet on the baking sheet while the others stayed covered with the towel.
Kerry
Terrific recipe. I brushed butter on the bottom and sides of the pan, then added a sheet of phyllo and brushed butter on it once in the pan, then repeated with all 8 sheets. Much easier than buttering first then trying to lift and place without tearing
Kathy
This is delicious but method for cooking spinach is needlessly tedious. Just cook all the spinach at once in the biggest pot you have, cool, squeeze out excess moisture with your hands then put in large bowl to combine with rest of ingredients. This avoids over-salting and squeezing out flavor as someone else has stated. Don’t skip the lemon. It’s marvelous! Will definitely make again & again & love it in my old cast iron skillet!
Chris T
I'm Greek and I have made spanakopita dozens of times but I found this recipe to be easy and a novel way of making it. The trick of cooking the spanakopita on the stove in order to crisp up the bottom is pure genius.
Janet
I made this yesterday afternoon and it was absolutely delicious! It takes some time but it is quite easy to make overall. I didn't have phyllo dough but I did have Trader Joe's frozen puff pastry. The puff pastry is very easy to work with and the resulting pie was amazing!
Liz
It is spectacular and delicious (restaurant quality), as long as you don't overdo the salt, which means don't salt the spinach after each addition -- just 2 or 3 times will do it. Allow 2 hours from start to finish. I made it on a weeknight for two of us, so, yes, I'd like to know if the finished product will freeze well.
Leslie
The crust should freeze well if baked just to a light brown. Then you could make filling on a weeknight and heat it at a lower temp to revive and give a little extra browning for the crust. The large baking dish version cited by Christina X also freezes very well. The original NYT Cookbook has a recipe for the best "spinach & feta strudel" I have ever had (P. 30). It's from the home kitchen of Leon Leonides who was the owner of The Coach House, a big name Manhattan restaurant in the 1950's.
PSS
This looks wonderful - I am eager to try it! One hint when you are trying to squeeze liquid from your spinach: take out that potato ricer you rarely use and use that; works like a charm!
sujatha92
General question here about working with phyllo. Anyone ever try brushing with olive oil rather than butter?
Bess
Excellent question. I'm Greek, have been making spanakopita most of my life - I don't precook the spinach! Use the baby spinach or if using large leaf bundles spinach, chop 'em up. Spinach will cook just fine in a hot oven.
Danielle
Made exactly as written. Used ricer as recommended by another to get rid of water from spinach. Enjoyed by all. Leftovers were good as well.
JMV
My husband could only find puff pastry squares and I realize that was not the meaning of this recipe but it was delicious!
LHRow
Save yourself some trouble and make it with puff pastry. I have made it twice and the filho dough is a pain and comes out no better than puff pastry. I also used beet greens and spinach which were delicious.
Janet
Sop up leftover butter with remaining sheets of phyllo, scrunch up and lay on top of already scrunched phyllo.
linde
This is the first time I've used an iron skillet to make this dish and it worked very well.
bocaboy
This came out beautifully. The prep was a bit of a chore, but easy enough to do. Everyone finished their dinner and asked for more!
LTB123
I just made this tonight - it's my new favorite recipe! I used New Zealand spinach (from my garden) instead of baby spinach and I was out of dill so I ground some dill seed (again, from the garden and sieved it after grinding) and this was exceptional. Thank you for this delightful recipe!
Lee G
An excellent recipe and one that I should have followed to the tee. Instead, I thought it would be a good idea to try to cook the bottom before adding the spinach mixture because I was scared it might not cook properly after the moisture was added. I therefore cooked it without folding the phyllo in, but this resulted in the excess pastry on the sides getting crispy, so it was already flaky when I added the spinach and tried to fold the pastry in. Won't do that again!
AD
Save time by subbing a 10 oz package of frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained (a potato ricer works especially well for draining), and add it to the sautéed leeks/garlic.
Sharon J
I made with frozen spinach otherwise as directed. This was super and fun to make. Its even better at room temp. My husband whom isn’t big on leafy greens loved it.
Diana D
Thom is definitely correct. Prep/cooking time for many NYT recipes are grossly underestimated. Perhaps NYT has a sous chef doing all the prep work so the assembly time is correct. This recipe took me more than 2 hours.
Dorothy Drennen
Good, but a bit too lemony. And I agree with another comment… took much longer than indicated by the recipe!
Daryl
I loved this recipe! Delicious spinach pie. Will keep this recipe and use it frequently. Thank you.
Anya Karapetian
This was the best spanikopita I've ever made. I added extra lemon zest and juice and I so that was a unique add for me, in addition to the dill- which did not overwhelm but complimented the flavors. I've had problems with getting a good-enough bake on the bottom, historically. The 5 minutes on stove-top did the trick! I will make again and again.
Sharee
This is a great riff on spanikopita. I riffed further using collards for the spinach, baby swiss for the parmesan, gorgonzola for the feta, and tarragon for the dill. Using the last of the garden and what was in the pantry. Delicious.
Private notes are only visible to you.
