Puff Pastry Spanakopita (Easy Vegan Spinach Pie)

Quick Answers

What is puff pastry spanakopita?

Puff pastry spanakopita is similar to the traditional Greek version. It is made with spinach, onions, herbs, and vegan feta cheese. Instead of buttering individual layers of phyllo dough, we use puff pastry. The result is a dish that takes less work to assemble, making it a great choice for a weeknight dinner.

What is spanakopita served with?

For a main dish, I recommend serving spanakopita with horiatiki (Greek cucumber and tomato salad) or maroulosalata (Greek lettuce salad) and a side of lemon garlic broccoli.

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 more convenient than cooking, cooling, and squeezing dry fresh spinach.

Can I serve this as a mini spinach pie appetizer?

Yes! Spanakopita, or spinach pie, is often served as an appetizer in America. Cut into bite-sized pieces that are easy to serve on a napkin and do not require cutlery.

Why I Use Puff Pastry Instead of Phyllo Dough

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Since I was young, I have always loved spanakopita. But I rarely made it because of the time needed to butter several sheets of phyllo dough.

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

Cooked with love!
– Ruth

Puff Pastry

Look for puff pastry near the frozen pies at your grocery store. Most store-bought puff pastry is vegan, but some contain butter, so always check the label. Set aside time to thaw the pastry, either on the counter for an hour or overnight in the refrigerator. The puff pastry must remain cool to the touch and not warm.

Spinach

When making spanakopita, I recommend using frozen spinach. It is fast, easy, and convenient. Once it thaws, you want to squeeze out as much water as possible. This keeps the pastry flaky.

Vegan Feta Cheese

For this recipe, you need 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 similar salty, tangy, and creamy texture to the dairy version.

Vegan Greek-Style Yogurt

Traditional spanakopita uses egg to bind the filling together. Instead, I use vegan Greek-style yogurt for binding. The Greek-style has a creamy texture that, from my testing, works best in this recipe. Avoid a vegan coconut-flavored yogurt. It has a strong coconut flavor that clashes with the savory filling.

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

One hour before you start, take rolls of puff pastry and frozen spinach out of the freezer. Both need to be thawed before you begin cooking.

Step One: Prep

• Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C).
• Squeeze as much water out of the spinach as possible. You want the spinach to be as dry as possible so that the pastry becomes flaky instead of soggy.

Step Two: Prepare the Vegetables

• Next, dice the yellow onion. Thinly slice the green onions, including the green parts. Finely chop the fresh dill and parsley.
• Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Once the oil starts to shimmer, add the yellow onion and sauté for 4 to 5 minutes. Add the green onions and continue cooking for 1 to 2 minutes, until the yellow onions are soft and lightly golden.

Step Three: Add the Spinach

• Add the spinach to the pan and cook for 3 to 5 minutes to remove any extra moisture. Remove from the heat and let it cool.

Step Four: Combine the Filling

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

Perfect Pairings

• Greek Cucumber and Tomato Salad
• Greek Lettuce Salad (Maroulosalata)
• Turkish Grape Leaves
• Vegan pistachio baklava

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. The spanakopita will stay fresh for up to 4 days. Note that the puff pastry will soften. To reheat, skip the microwave (it’ll make the pastry soggy) and reheat spanakopita in the oven. For leftovers that have been refrigerated, bake at 350°F (175°C) for 10 to 15 minutes until crispy.

Freezer

You can also freeze spanakopita, either baked or unbaked.

Freezing Unbaked Spanakopita

Follow the instructions through the assembly stage. Then, tightly wrap the baking dish in plastic wrap and freeze it for up to three months. When you’re ready to bake, preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C) and bake the frozen spanakopita for one hour.

Freezing Baked Spanakopita

Cut the spanakopita into servings and let it cool to room temperature. Store it in an airtight container and freeze for up to three months. If you are stacking portions, lay a sheet of wax or parchment paper between each layer to prevent them from sticking together. When you’re ready, preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C) and bake the frozen servings for 15 to 20 minutes.