Skillet Spanakopita (Feta And Spinach Pie)

This Skillet Spanakopita recipe  is a slightly smaller and quicker variation of this classic Greek dish. It combines spinach, herbs and eggs that are all encased in layers of filo pastry and baked until golden. It’s full of flavour and makes a great weeknight dinner too.

Pin

What Makes This Recipe So Good?

This traditional Greek dish is packed with greens meaning it’s also brimming with nutrients. Leafy greens have substantial health-promoting activities due to their diverse nutritional composition. They’re rich in vitamins (particularly vitamin K, which supports heart health and blood clotting) and minerals (like calcium and iron) in addition to antioxidants that help our cells combat oxidative stress and fight off disease. Spinach is also rich in fiber, which is great for gut health and keeping you regular.

Ingredients Needed To Make This Skillet Spanakopita

This hearty spanakopita brings together a delicious combination of flavors and textures. The flaky phyllo dough provides a crispy exterior, while the creamy filling of spinach, feta cheese, and eggs offers a deliciously savory interior. Fresh dill and parsley add a greener flavor to the dish, creating a truly nourishing Greek-inspired meal.

Pin

• Olive oil – Rich in antioxidants – this is adding flavour and plenty of health benefits to this dish.
• Leek and garlic – The leek adds a lovely sweet and mild onion flavour while the garlic adds pungency.
• Spinach – I use frozen spinach and defrost it in the fridge overnight. See the substitutions section if you’d like to use fresh spinach.
• Greek feta cheese – Adds tanginess and saltiness to the pie.
• Parmesan cheese – A non-traditional ingredient that adds some extra bite.
• Eggs – Just enough to hold the pie together but without giving off big eggy flavour.
• Filo pastry – This wonderfully delicate pastry provides the spanakopita’s flaky layers.
• Nutmeg – Used to bring out the flavour of the cheese.
• Fresh dill and parsley – Both add a distinctive herby taste. The dill also gives a mildly anise flavour to the pie.
• Salt and black pepper – add these to your taste.

This can always be made in a small baking dish if preferred, or if you don’t have a skillet large enough to encase the pie.

How To Make Skillet Spanakopita

In Greece, spanakopita is traditionally served as an appetiser or snack. That said, there is so much nourishment with every bite its equally good as a main meal and it makes a great dish for special occasions too.

Pin

Pin

Pin

Pin

1. Preheat oven to 350ºF/180ºC.
2. Place the spinach into a clean tea towel, and squeeze to remove as much excess liquid as possible. Set aside.
3. Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil to a 25cm/10” cast iron skillet/frying pan and warm over medium-high heat. Add the leeks and garlic then fry until softened.
4. Add the spinach and seasoning to the sautéed leek. Break up the clumps of spinach with a wooden spoon and stir occasionally to heat through. Remove the pan from the heat, tip the spinach mix into a bowl and set aside. Give the skillet a light wash or just wipe out.
5. Crack the eggs into the bowl with the cooled spinach mixture. Add the herbs, parmesan, nutmeg and feta. Toss well to combine and set aside.
6. Use a pastry brush to coat the inside of the frying pan liberally with olive oil. Lay one sheet of phyllo dough in the pan going left to right, pushing down the base and sides to remove any large air bubbles. Brush the pastry with olive oil.
7. Add another sheet of filo on top but this time lay it top to bottom so the pastry layers are in a cross. Press down and brush with olive oil. There should be a crisscross shape in the pan and the pastry will be covering the entire rim. Repeat the process 6 more times crisscrossing the pastry sheets and brushing each with olive oil so there are 8 sheets of filo on the base. This becomes your pie crust.
8. Pour in the spinach mixture and flatten out with the back of a spoon.

Pin

Pin

Adding The Pastry Topping

1. Roll up the overhanging phyllo so that is creates a crust around the edge.
2. Scrunch the remaining phyllo sheets one by one and place them around the topping to completely enclose it and form the top layer of the pie. Brush over with olive oil.
3. Put the skillet into the preheated oven and bake for 30 – 35 minutes or until the pastry is golden brown.
4. Remove from the oven and leave to sit for 10 minutes before serving.

Serve slices of spanakopita with a drizzle of fresh lemon juice and a dollop of tzatziki. It’s also perfectly paired with Greek salad as a side.

Pin

Substitutions And Variations

Use fresh spinach in place of frozen if preferred. One 10oz/~250g packet of frozen spinach is roughly 1.5 pounds/700g of fresh spinach, which can vary depending on the type of spinach you use. For this recipe I’d recommend either English spinach or baby spinach, which will first need to be cooked down. I also recommend buying a bit more than you think you need just to ensure you have enough.

Add in some chopped green onions/shallots for a little extra flavour.

Melted butter can replace the olive oil to brush the pan and layers of pastry with in need. 

Add in half a cup of ricotta cheese for a slightly creamier filling.

Tips For Success With This Recipe

Never skip on squeezing out the spinach. This is a very important step given how much water spinach retains. Not doing so usually results in a spanakopita that’s soggy and full of liquid.

​If you have forgotten to defrost the spinach overnight, add to a microwave-safe bowl, and use the defrost setting on your microwave for 2-3 minutes. Continue on with the recipe once this is done.

Make sure you’re using an oven-safe skillet! You don’t need a handle on your favourite pan disintegrating in the oven.

Pin

Storing/Freezing/Make Ahead

This spanakopita can be made ahead, but it will lose that lovely crunch in the pastry. The same is true for any leftovers you would like to store. It is still utterly delicious though so save any leftovers in an airtight container. If you intend to serve it as lunch or dinner for guests I recommend making it fresh.

Spanakopita can be frozen but this is best done before it’s cooked in the oven. In this instance, it’s also best prepared in a small baking dish rather than the skillet. Simply follow the recipe to step 10, then cover tightly with cling wrap or a beeswax wrap, cover with foil, and freeze. It can be baked from frozen when you’re ready to enjoy it. To do this remove foil and cling wrap, place in a preheated oven and add an extra 10-15 minutes to the cooking time. It’s done when the pastry is golden brown.

FAQ

More Main Meal Ideas

• Lamb Pilaf
• Yoghurt Marinated Chicken
• Pine Mushroom Risotto
• Greek Leek Pie

If you try this recipe, I’d love to know. Leave a comment, rate it, and remember to tag @wholenaturalkitchen in your pics or reels on Instagram, Facebook or TikTok!

Pin This Recipe For Later

Pin