Spinach & Feta Triangles - Greek Spanakopita

An easy recipe for spinach and feta triangles, which are made with filo (phyllo) pastry and called spanakopita in Greece.

Spinach & Feta Triangles - Greek Spanakopita

I came home from work tired tonight, but determined to use up that bag of spinach!

Luckily I had already bought some filo pastry in anticipation, so I was able to try out Spinach and Feta Triangles or Spanakopita as they are known in Greece.

Pretty much knew what was going to be in them, but I was playing about. 

I had everything I needed which was a good start and they came out amazingly good.

For another traditional Greek dish try giant beans in tomato sauce.

What is Greek Spanakopita?

Spanakopita is a savoury spinach and feta pie from Greece made with filo (phyllo) pastry.

It's usually a pie cooked in a square or rectangular dish and cut into slices but can be made as individual triangular hand pies.

In northern Greece it is sometimes called spanakotiropita.

There is a similar dish in Turkey called Borek where spinach and halloumi hand pies are made into a cigar shape instead of a triangle.

Try my vegan version of Spinach and Halloumi Borek. Not vegan? Just use regular halloumi.

Here in Britain, it is often found in delicatessens baked in a filo triangle parcel.

Can you make spanakopita with puff pastry?

Spinach and feta pies are also delicious when made with puff pastry.

Of course, that's totally veering away from the original Greek dish, but they are so, so good.

I make them into mini little spinach and cream cheese puff pastry parcels and everyone loves them.

Are spanakopita pies vegan?

Traditionally spanakopita pies are made with dairy so vegetarian, but of course most dishes can be veganised these days.

You can do a mixture of spinach, vegan feta and cream cheese or spinach, vegan feta and tofu.

The tofu holds it's texture more as the vegan feta can melt quite a bit.

Definitely doable though.

Should spinach and feta triangles be served hot or cold?

Spinach hand pies can be served hot, well warm is better or cold.

I rather like them cold. 

The flavour comes through better I think.

What you need to make spinach and feta triangles

Here are the simple ingredients you need to make these filo triangles.

• Filo Pastry
• Olive oil
• Spinach
• Feta cheese
• Egg 
• Onion
• Butter - melted for brushing
• Nutmeg
• Salt & pepper

Can you use frozen spinach?

You can definitely use frozen spinach.

Add it straight in to cook with the onion, it will take a bit longer as you need to cook off the water that will melt from the spinach.

Alternatively, you could sit the frozen spinach in hot water to defrost, then drain and squeeze out as much water as possible before adding to the pan.

I always have frozen spinach in the freezer to add to dishes.

Can you bake spanakopita in an air fryer?

Yes, you can bake spinach and feta triangles in an air fryer.

Preheat the air fryer at the recipe recommended in the recipe, then bake for the time recommended, but check on them a few minutes before the end of bake time, as air fryers generally bake a bit quicker.

If you are baking on more than one shelf, rotate the triangles during the bake as the top of the air fryer bakes hotter.

How long do spinach and feta hand pies keep?

Once cool you can keep spinach and feta triangles in the fridge for 3-4 days.

They won't be quite as crisp after time in the fridge but still utterly delicious.

Can you freeze spinach and feta pies?

Spinach and feta filo pies can be frozen.

Wrap them individually in freezer-friendly baking paper, then pop them in freezer bags or a freezer tub for 3-4 months.

Defrost in the fridge overnight before serving.

What to serve with spinach and feta triangles

I like to serve spinach and feta pies with sweet chilli sauce or mango chutney for dunking.

They are also great served for lunch or a light dinner with baby potatoes and salad.

Or you could serve them with a buttered baked potato, broccoli and carrots.

More recipes made with filo pastry

Here are a few more tasty recipes made with filo pastry for you to try both sweet and savoury.

1. Caramel Banana Filo Hand Pies
2. Easy Filo Apple Crumble Pies
3. Pear and Mincemeat Strudel
4. Vegan Cheese & Red Pepper Hand Pies
5. Vegan Spinach & Halloumi Borek

spanakopita, spinach and feta triangles, spinach hand pies, spinach filo pies, Greek pastries, Greek pies

lunch

Greek

Yield: 6

Author: Jacqueline Meldrum

Spinach & Feta Triangles - Greek Spanakopita

An easy recipe for spinach and feta triangles, which are made with filo (phyllo) pastry and called spanakopita in Greece.

Prep time: 15 MinCook time: 25 MinTotal time: 40 Min

Ingredients

• 150g (5 1/3 oz) spinach, rinsed and chopped
• 150g (5 1/3 oz) feta cheese, crumbled
• 1 egg
• 250g (8 3/4 oz) filo pastry (12 sheets)
• 1/2 onion, finely chopped
• 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• melted butter, for brushing
• fresh nutmeg, grated
• salt & pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Preheat an oven to 190c/170c fan/375f/gas mark 5. If you are using an air fryer, you can just heat it a few minutes before baking.
2. Heat the oil in a frying pan and cook the onion and garlic until translucent.
3. Add the spinach and cook for a couple of minutes, until the spinach has started to wilt. Season with grated nutmeg, salt and pepper.
4. Whisk the egg in a bowl, add the feta cheese and then stir in the spinach mixture. Set aside to cool.
5. Lay down your first sheet of filo, brush sparingly with butter and layer the next sheet on top. Do this for a total of 4 sheets.
6. Slice down the middle, lengthways.
7. Lay a dollop of mixture at the bottom of one layered strip to one side and fold the pastry over the mixture from the corner to make a triangle.
8. Keep folding triangles up the pastry (hope that makes sense)! Do the same with the rest of the pastry until you have used up all the mixture.
9. You should have 6 filled triangles.
10. Brush with butter and place on a baking tray (you will probably need two) in the oven and bake for 20 minutes until golden.
11. If using the air fryer, these could bake a few minutes quicker, so keep an eye on them. If you are using shelves, rotate the triangles as the top of the air fryer is hotter.
12. Serve and enjoy!

Notes

• If you use frozen spinach you can either add it straight into the pan with the onion and cook until the water is melted away and the mixture is quite dry or defrost first ad squeeze as much water as possible before adding.
• You can skip the butter and brush with olive oil.
• Once cool these triangles will keep in the fridge for 3-4 days.
• To freeze wrap them individually in freezer-friendly baking paper, then pop them in freezer bags or a freezer tub for 3-4 months. Defrost in the fridge overnight before serving.

Nutrition Facts

Calories

239.84

Fat

11.81

Sat. Fat

5.01

Carbs

25.04

Fiber

1.58

Net carbs

23.45

Sugar

0.69

Protein

8.3

Sodium

554.63

Cholesterol

51.32

https://www.tinnedtomatoes.com/2007/05/spinach-feta-triangles.html