Skillet Spanakopita
Skillet spanakopita is a slightly smaller and quicker variation of this classic Greek dish. It’s full of flavour and makes a great weeknight dinner too.
What is spanakopita?
Quite simply, it’s a Greek spinach (spanáki) pie (píta). It combines spinach, herbs and eggs that are all encased in layers of filo pastry and baked until golden. Many variations also include feta cheese in the mix, which I’ve done in this recipe.
In Greece – spanakopita is traditionally served as an appetiser or snack. However, given this meal is now loved the world over it’s also served as a main dish by many.
Ingredients Needed To Make This Skillet Spanakopita
Coming from a Greek family, this is a recipe we would enjoy often. This is the version that my Nana and Mum used to make however many families will have their own adaption. Aside from the feta some people may also add ricotta. I’ve opted for parmesan in mine – not something in my family’s original recipe.
- Olive oil – Rich in antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals – this is adding flavour and plenty of health benefits to this dish.
- Leek and garlic – Traditional recipes use onion, but I prefer the milder flavour of the leek.
- Spinach – I use frozen spinach here. If you want to use fresh, I suggest English spinach.
- Feta cheese – I used Greek feta because it’s lovely and salty.
- 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 crust.
- Nutmeg – Used to bring out the flavour of the cheese.
- Dill and parsley – Both add a distinctive herby taste. The dill also gives a mildly anise flavour to the pie.
- Garlic – To add pungency and flavour.
I’ve seen some recipes omit the dill, but I think it’s what gives spanakopita it’s well-known taste. So I definitely say don’t skip on that!
How To Make Skillet Spanakopita
You can use fresh English spinach in place of the frozen if preferred however, this takes a bit of extra time. The spinach will need to be cooked and cooled, then squeezed out after cooking. This is an important step that can’t be skipped, or the spanakopita will be full of liquid and soggy.
- Preheat oven to 180ºC/350ºF.
- Place the spinach into a clean tea towel, and squeeze to remove as much liquid as possible. Set aside.
- Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil to a 25cm/10” frying pan/skillet and warm over medium heat. Add the leeks and garlic then fry until softened.
- Add the spinach and seasoning. Break up the clumps of spinach with a wooden spoon and stir occasionally to heat through. Remove the pan from the heat and set aside.
- Crack the eggs into a large bowl and beat with a fork to combine. Add the herbs, parmesan, nutmeg, leek and spinach mixture followed by the feta. Toss to combine and set aside.
- Brush the inside of the frying pan liberally with olive oil. Lay one sheet of filo in the pan going left to right, pushing down the base and sides to remove any air bubbles. Brush with olive oil.
- Add another sheet of filo on top but this time lay it top to bottom. 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 sheets and brushing each with olive oil so there are 8 sheets of filo on the base. Pour in the spinach mixture and flatten out.
Adding The Pastry Topping
- Roll up the overhanging filo so that is creates a crust around the edge.
- Scrunch the remaining sheets of filo one by one and place them around the topping to completely enclose it. Brush the top with olive oil and put the frying pan into the oven.
- Bake for 30 minutes or until the pastry is golden.
- Remove from the oven and leave to sit for 10 minutes before serving.
Spanakopita makes a very nourishing meal on its own, but I also enjoy it served with a salad and a side of tzatziki.
FAQ
Why is spanakopita healthy?
Spanakopita is brimming with nutrient dense ingredients. It’s rich in vitamins and minerals, along with antioxidants, good fats, and fibre. It’s a great way to get in lots of greens too!
What to serve with spanakopita?
Spanakopita is a meal in itself but can be served with tzatziki and a green salad to make it extra delicious.
Watch How To Make This Recipe
Skillet Spanakopita
Skillet spanakopita is a smaller, quicker variation of this classic Greek dish. It's full of flavour and makes a great weeknight dinner too.
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Servings: 6 people
Calories: 2566kcal
Equipment
- 1 25cm / 10 inch frying pan
Ingredients
- 3 packets frozen spinach, thawed in the fridge overnight (750g / 1.6 pounds)
- 2 eggs
- 1 large leek thinly sliced
- 250 g Greek feta (1/2 a pound)
- 1/3 cup grated parmesan
- 5 cloves garlic minced
- 1 cup parsley finely chopped
- 1/2 cup dill finely chopped
- 16 Filo sheets, thawed (see note 1 below) (about 3/4 of a packet)
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1/4 – 1/2 tsp salt (see note 2)
- Pepper to taste
- Pinch of nutmeg
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180ºC / 350ºF.
- Place the defrosted spinach into a clean tea towel, and bring the ends up together to enclose it. Squeeze the towel over the sink or a bowl to get out as much liquid from the spinach as possible. Discard the liquid and set the spinach aside.
- Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil to a large frying pan/skillet (mine was 25cm / 10 inches) and warm over medium heat. Add the leek and garlic and pan-fry until softened. About 5-7 minutes. If at anytime the leek sticks to the pan just add a touch more oil or a little water.
- Add the spinach, plus salt, and pepper. Break up the clumps of spinach with a wooden spoon and stir occasionally to heat through. Again if the pan seems a bit dry just add a touch more oil or a little water. About 10 minutes. You don't want a tonne of liquid left in the pan when you're done though. Remove the frying pan from the heat and set aside to cool slightly.
- Crack the eggs into a large bowl and beat with a fork to combine. Now add in the parsley, dill, parmesan, nutmeg., cooked leek and spinach then toss to combine.
- Crumble in the feta and toss through. Give the mix a taste and adjust the seasoning if you think it needs more salt and pepper. Set aside.
- Unroll the filo pastry and cover it with a damp tea towel so it doesn't dry out. Put the frying pan down on the bench in front of you and brush the inside liberally with olive oil. Lay one sheet of filo into the pan going left to right, pushing down the base and sides to get out as many air bubbles as possible. The edges will be overhanging and that's fine. Brush this sheet with olive oil.
- Add another sheet of filo on top but this time lay it top to bottom. This will create a cross shape and the pastry should now be covering the entire rim of the frying pan. Brush this sheet with olive oil too. Now repeat the process six more times so you have 8 sheets of filo on the base. Remember to lay one sheet going left to right, brush with olive oil and lay then next sheet top to bottom.
- When the final sheet has been brushed with oil, pour in the cheese and spinach mixture, and flatten out with the back of a spoon. Take it right to the edges. Next, you want to roll up the overhanging filo so that is creates the crust edge for the top (see the video or pics above if you need more help with this).
- To finish off the spanakopita – scrunch the remaining sheets of filo one by one and place around the topping to completely enclose it. Brush the top and edge with olive oil and put the frying pan into the oven.
- Bake for 30 minutes or until the filo pastry is golden brown.
- Remove from the oven and leave to sit for 10 minutes so the filling firms up. Cut into 4 or 6 slices and serve with tzatziki and a green salad.
Notes
Note 1: Both the spinach and the feta need to be thawed overnight to ensure they’re ready to use. Just pop them in the fridge on your way to bed and they’ll be ready come lunch or dinner time the following day.
Note 2: The amount of salt you need is very much going to depend on the feta you use. The Greek feta I tend to use is from Dodoni, which is very salty. As such I haven’t included much extra here. I suggest tasting your spinach/leek/cheese mix before adding it into the pastry and add more if you think it needs it.
I don’t make my spanakopita with fresh spinach, but if you would like to – English spinach with the stems trimmed would be a good replacement. 1 – 2 bunches would likely give you the same volume once cooked down. I would also suggest pan-frying the spinach on its own first and then squeezing out the liquid once it’s cooled.
It’s very important to let the spanakopita sit for 5 – 10 minutes once it’s come out of the oven. If you don’t do this it can fall apart when you cut into it.
Nutrition
Serving: 6people | Calories: 2566kcal | Carbohydrates: 403g | Protein: 62g | Fat: 74g | Saturated Fat: 20g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 9g | Monounsaturated Fat: 39g | Cholesterol: 41mg | Sodium: 4512mg | Potassium: 712mg | Fiber: 15g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 1670IU | Vitamin C: 19mg | Calcium: 390mg | Iron: 26mg
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Eggs are missing in the ingredient list. Looks so delicious!
Whoops!! Thanks so much Sharyn! All fixed now.