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These spanakopita triangles are crisp, buttery, and deeply savory, with a flaky phyllo shell wrapped around a rich spinach and feta filling. They bake up golden and shatteringly crisp, with a creamy, salty center that tastes straight out of a Greek bakery.
save this recipe!This is one of those recipes I come back to constantly, especially for hosting. I wanted spanakopita that felt authentic but didn’t require a laundry list of ingredients or an afternoon in the kitchen.
Through testing, the biggest focus was balance: enough feta to be bold without overpowering, enough egg to bind without turning the filling dense, and spinach that’s fully cooked and drained so the phyllo stays crisp.
It’s simple, reliable, and exactly the kind of vegetarian appetizer I’m proud to serve to guests. Serve it with my creamy Greek yogurt tzatziki and you have a killer combo.
Reader rating
“These turned out perfectly and very delicious. I will definitely keep this recipe and as I perfect my triangle making I may even serve to others – I am keeping this first batch all for me!!” —Nancy
Here’s what you’ll need
Jump to the recipe card for the full quantities.
- Phyllo Dough: Thin, delicate layers create that signature crisp exterior when brushed lightly with oil. Keep it covered so it doesn’t dry out.
- Fresh Spinach: Wilts down quickly and provides earthy balance to the salty feta. Proper draining is key for texture.
- Feta Cheese: Brings tangy, briny richness that defines classic spanakopita.
- Eggs: Bind the filling so it stays creamy but sliceable once baked.
- Red Onion: Adds subtle sweetness and depth without overpowering the filling.
- Pine Nuts: Optional but add gentle crunch and richness that makes these feel special.
- Olive Oil: Keeps the phyllo crisp and golden without heaviness.
mix it up
Spanakopita is a flexible recipe, so you can make some substitutions to make it perfect for you!
- Spanakopita with puff pastry: You can use puff pastry instead of phyllo dough for a puffier, more buttery crust.
- Ricotta spanakopita: Replace half of the feta cheese with ricotta cheese.
Easy Spanakopita Triangles (8 Ingredients)
Ingredients
- 8 to 10 sheets phyllo dough, thawed
- 3 Tbsp olive oil, divided
- ½ medium red onion, finely diced
- 2 cups roughly chopped fresh spinach, 400 g
- ¾ cup crumbled feta cheese, 125 g
- 2 large eggs
- ¼ cup pine nuts, 25 g
- ¼ tsp each salt and pepper
Instructions
- Prep: Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Carefully unfold the thawed 8 to 10 sheets phyllo dough. Lay it onto a damp paper towel, and cover with a second damp towel. Set aside,
- Cook Spinach: Heat a third of the olive oil in a large saute pan over medium heat, then add ½ medium red onion (diced). Cook until onion softens, about 3 minutes, then add 2 cups roughly chopped fresh spinach and cook until it wilts down completely.
- Drain: Drain spinach mixture in a sieve to remove as much moisture as possible.
- Make Filling: Into the spinach mixture, stir in ¾ cup crumbled feta cheese, 1 egg, ¼ cup pine nuts, and ¼ tsp each salt and pepper.
- Assemble: Cut phyllo into roughly 3-inch wide strips. Working one at a time, brush a strip with olive oil. Place a spoonful of filling at the bottom right of the dough strip. Fold the corner of the dough over to enclose the spinach filling and to form a triangle. Continue folding, maintaining the triangle shape, using the whole dough strip. Repeat to use the rest of the ingredients.
- Bake: Place spanakopita triangles on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet and brush with 1 egg (whisked). Bake for 25 minutes, or until golden brown.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information calculated by Sarah Bond, degreed nutritionist.
did you make this?Leave a comment below and tag @liveeatlearn on social media! I love seeing what you’ve made!
Adding directions as to what to do with the half onion (ie chop) would be helpful. Luckily, I am not a novice cook and knew to do this. Also, I weighed out 200 g of spinach and thought that looked like a huge amount, so I also put my spinach in a measuring cup. 2 cups of spinach, packed, was only 100 g. In the middle of making this recipe I had to decide whether to go with 400 grams or 2 cups (I went with 400 g, approx 8 cups). I liked your recipe as it was fewer ingredients than many and appeared simple to make – which it was after guessing how much spinach was the correct amount. Thanks
Despite my previous comments on the confusing spinach amounts, these turned out perfectly and very delicious. I used puff pastry, as I can find gluten free puff pastry but have yet to find gf phyllo pastry. I rolled the pastry as thin as I could and only folded the triangles over once. I will definitely keep this recipe and as I perfect my triangle making I may even serve to others – I am keeping this first batch all for me!!
Recipe says 8 to 10 sheets of phyllo dough … Checked today at the store and it said 2 sheets in a box for about $6 …
Are there layers that can be separated from the 2 sheets in a box?
Thanks …
Dottie
Hi Dottie! Every brand is a little different with how they describe it, but one package should have enough sheets because the sheets are paper thin.
Are these in your cookbook?
This recipe is not in the book!