Name: Greek Vegan Spanakopita with Puff Pastry (Easy Spinach Pie)
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 40 min
Ingredients: 1 package (2 sheets puff pastry, thawed); 1 tablespoon olive oil; 1 bunch green onions (finely chopped); 1 large white onion (finely chopped); 1 pound (16oz) frozen spinach (thawed and drained); 10 oz (280g) vegan feta cheese (crumbled); ¼ cup vegan non-flavored yogurt; ¼ cup fresh dill (finely chopped); ¼ cup fresh parsley (finely chopped); Salt and pepper to taste; 1 tablespoon vegan butter (optional)

Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my Privacy Policy for details.

Make Greek-style vegan spanakopita with puff pastry in just 40 minutes. This recipe has the same savory spinach-and-feta flavors you love. But with less work!

Prep Time
15 Minutes

Total Time
40 Minutes

Servings
6 Mains

A square of puff pastry spanakopita on a serving spoon.

What Makes This Vegan Spanakopita Recipe Different

Using phyllo dough creates a similar buttery flavor and flaky texture, but with less work.
Only 15 minutes of hands-on work makes it perfect for a weeknight dinner.
This vegan version has the same flavor as the traditional spanakopita (Greek spinach pie).

Quick Answers

What is vegan spanakopita?

Is the same spanakopita you love, but made with vegan ingredients. To start, we used puff pastry, which in most commercial versions is vegan. Then we swapped out feta cheese crumbles for vegan feta cheese crumbles. Finally, instead of using egg to bind the ingredients together, we used vegan plain yogurt. The best part is that this dish tastes the same as it’s dairy counterpart!

What is spanakopita served with?

For a main dish, I recommend serving spanakopita with a Greek cucumber and tomato salad, kalamata olives, and simple white rice. If you want something a little fancier, try Lebanese vermicelli rice.

Should I use fresh or frozen spinach when making spanakopita?

You can use either fresh or frozen spinach, but I always recommend frozen. It is convenient and makes this a fast and easy recipe.

Can I serve this as a mini spinach pie appetizer?

Yes! Spanakopita, or spinach pie, is often served as an appetizer in America. Just cut the pie into bite-sized pieces. You want bite-sized pieces because, without a knife and fork, this can get messy!

Puff Pastry Makes Vegan Spanakopita So Easy

I love vegan spanakopita! Since I was young, this simple Greek spinach pie has been one of my favorite dishes. But I rarely made it because of the time needed to butter all the sheets of phyllo dough.

Then came the solution: puff pastry! It has a richer flavor and a flaky texture. This is the perfect hack for spanakopita. Now, I save my energy for buttering phyllo dough when I make pistachio baklava, another one of my favorites!

Ruth

Key Ingredient Notes

Puff Pastry

Look for frozen puff pastry near the pies at your grocery store. Most store-bought puff pastry is vegan. Still, I recommend reading the label to be sure. (We vegans know the importance of reading labels…) Before making spanakopita. You will want the puff pastry to thaw. You can do this in the fridge overnight or take it out 40 minutes before you need it.

Spinach

When making spanakopita, I recommend using frozen spinach. It is fast and easy. Once it thaws, you want to squeeze as much water as possible. I cannot stress this point enough. If you prefer fresh spinach, you must follow the procedures used in making Julia Child’s spinach quiche: washing, blanching, and cooking before adding the spinach to the other ingredients.

Tip: If you have extra spinach, try making spanakorizo. It is Greek spinach rice and amazingly delicious!

Vegan Feta Cheese

For this recipe, you will want to use vegan feta crumbles. You can find them at most large grocery stores. My go-to brand is Follow Your Heart, which has a tangy, crumbly texture similar to traditional Greek feta. Their feta tastes the same as the real thing!

Vegan Yogurt

Traditional spanakopita uses egg to bind the filling together. I used vegan Greek yogurt in this vegan spanakopita recipe. It’s the perfect binding substitute. You want to look for yogurt that is plain (non-flavored).

See the recipe card for a complete list of ingredients and measurements.

How to Make Vegan Spanakopita

1 hour before you start, take the box of puff pastry (2 sheets) and frozen spinach out of the freezer. Both need to be thawed before you begin cooking.

Step One: Prep

Your first step is to remove the excess water from the spinach. You can do this using the bag, your hands, or a cheesecloth, and squeeze as much water out of the spinach as possible. (See pro-tip below for using the bag.)
Next, you need to dice the onion, cut the green onions, and finely chop the fresh dill and parsley.
I recommend preheating your oven to 400°F (200°C) at this step.

Squeezing excess water from thawed spinach for vegan spanakopita filling

Step Two: Prepare the Veggies

Start by heating 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Once the oil starts to shimmer, add the onions and green onions, sautéing until soft (about 5–7 minutes).
Next, add the spinach to the pan and cook for a few minutes to remove any extra moisture. Remove from the heat and let it cool.

Step Three: Combine the Filling

In a large bowl, combine the cooled spinach mixture with crumbled feta, vegan yogurt, dill, parsley, salt, and pepper. Mix until well combined.

Spinach, vegan feta, herbs, and yogurt mixed for vegan spanakopita.

Step Four: Prepare the Puff Pastry

On a lightly floured surface, gently roll out the thawed puff pastry sheets.
Cut the sheets as necessary to fit into your baking dish.

Puff pastry cut to fit a casserole dish.

Step Five: Assemble the Spanakopita

Generously butter the bottom and sides of your baking dish.
Lay the first of the two puff pastry sheets on the bottom of your dish.
Spread the spinach and feta filling evenly over the puff pastry base.
Place the second puff pastry sheet over the filling to completely cover it.

Spooning spinach filling onto the first layer of puff pastry.

Step Six: Bake

Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the puff pastry is golden-brown and crispy.
Let the spanakopita cool slightly before cutting it into squares or triangles.

Baked spanakopita being cut into serving squares.

Pro Tips

Squeezing the Water from the Spinach

First, leave the thawed spinach in the bag. Then cut off the corner. Close your hand around the corner tight enough that spinach cannot fall out, and begin squeezing. And when I say squeeze, I mean squeeze like your life depends on it!

Golden Top (Visual Appeal)

Brush melted butter on the top layer of the puff pastry before putting the spanakopita in the oven. This makes the vegan spanakopita irresistible!

A serving of Greek spinach pie on a green plate with a fork next to the pie.

Perfect Pairings

Mediterranean Kale Salad complements puff pastry spanakopita perfectly!
Serve Turkish grape leaves as an appetizer. This recipe is filled with currants and pine nuts
Balance out the flavors with Lebanese vermicelli rice. It is the perfect spanakopita side dish!
Finish this meal with my vegan pistachio baklava recipe. My recipe is fast and easy!

How to Store and Reheat

Refrigerator: Let the spanakopita cool completely. Then, wrap the serving dish in plastic wrap or store it in an airtight container in the fridge. It will stay fresh for up to 3-4 days. Note that the puff pastry will soften.
Freezer: You can also freeze spanakopita, either baked or unbaked. For baking, cool it fully, wrap it tightly, and freeze it for up to 2-3 months.
Reheat: To reheat, skip the microwave (it’ll make the pastry soggy). For fridge leftovers, bake at 350°F (175°C) for 10-15 minutes until crispy. For frozen, bake directly at 350°F (175°C) for 20-25 minutes if already baked, or follow the original recipe temperature and bake for 30-35 minutes if unbaked.

How Did It Go?

I hope you loved this Greek-Style Vegan Spanakopita as much as I do! Before you go, please leave me a rating and share your thoughts on this recipe. Your feedback is valuable to other readers and me.