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mini spanakopita pies on a white plate lined up.
AGT Editorial Team

Easy Spanakopita Triangles

4.96 from 25 votes
These Easy Spanakopita Triangles are traditionally served as a Greek appetizer or snack. Mini spinach pies made with feta cheese, ricotta cheese and spinach leaves wrapped in flaky, buttery phyllo dough.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings: 12 People
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: Greek
Calories: 72
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • ½ cup salted butter
  • ⅔ cup onions, large dice Measure ⅔ cup chopped raw onion before cooking
  • 3 oz. fresh spinach leaves (about 3 cups fresh) About 3 cups loose fresh leaves before cooking; substitute 2½ oz thawed, well-drained frozen spinach
  • 1 8 oz. roll phyllo dough (you need 16 sheets)
  • 6 oz. feta cheese, crumbled
  • ⅓ cup ricotta cheese
  • 1 large egg, for egg wash
  • ½ tablespoon freshly squeeze lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon freshly chopped dill
  • ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • Sesame Seeds *Optional

Method
 

  1. Preheat your oven to 375° F.
  2. Saute your chopped onion in a skillet with 2 tablespoon of butter for about 10 minutes or until translucent.
  3. If using fresh spinach, add it to your onions and saute for another 5 minutes or until the leaves are wilted down and water is fully evaporated. Take off heat.
  4. If using frozen spinach, make sure it is fully thawed. (A microwave can help do this quickly.)
    *There is a lot of excess water in frozen spinach so make sure to drain it very well. Take a few paper towels or a dish cloth and squeeze out any excess water. You do not want a watery filling!
  5. Add drained/cooled spinach, ricotta cheese, feta cheese, salt, onions, lemon juice, dill and garlic powder to a medium sized bowl and mix.
  6. Melt your butter in a saucepan or in a small bowl using your microwave. Scramble your egg in another bowl.
  7. Pull out your defrosted phyllo dough and lay one sheet down on the table.
    Make sure to cover your phyllo dough with a slightly damp dishtowel so it does not dry out!
  8. Carefully brush one sheet of phyllo dough lightly with butter. Add another layer of dough and brush again. You should have two buttered layers.
  9. Cut your phyllo dough into thirds lengthwise. Add 1½ - 2 tablespoon of filling to the bottom of each strip of phyllo dough.
  10. Begin folding from the bottom up. You will want to maintain a right triangle. Continue folding the triangle upward until you reach the top. (See photos.) You should end up with 24 triangles.
    Scramble 1 egg with a splash of water and brush it generously over the top and sides of your triangles. Place finished triangles on a nonstick baking sheet. Repeat until finished. Sprinkle sesame seeds on top if you prefer.
  11. Bake in the center of your oven for 12-15 minutes or until your dough turns golden brown.

Notes

Yield: Approximately 24 triangles (12 servings if serving two each).
Onion and spinach amounts: Use ⅔ cup raw chopped onion and 3 oz fresh spinach (approximately 3 cups of loose leaves). These are raw measurements. After cooking, the spinach can wilt down to roughly ⅓ cup, and the onion also shrinks. This version is relatively onion-forward; adjust only as a personal variation.
  • You want to fill your triangles with as much filling as you can without having it spill out.
  • Already baked: Refrigerate within 2 hours and use within 3–4 days, or freeze. Reheat on a baking sheet at 350°F; allow around 8–12 minutes from the fridge or about 15–20 minutes from frozen (times depend on size). Check that the center reaches 165°F before serving. No thawing is required when reheating baked, frozen triangles.
  • Freezing: For already-baked triangles, let cool and freeze in a single layer until firm, then transfer to a covered freezer container. For assembled but unbaked triangles, freeze uncooked on a tray and bake from frozen at 375°F until golden and fully cooked, allowing extra time compared with the 12–15 minutes for fresh triangles. Do not confuse these two methods.
Food Safety Tip: Refrigerate cooked spinach-and-cheese pastries promptly (within 2 hours, or 1 hour in weather above 90°F). USDA recommends reheating cooked leftovers to 165°F; a food thermometer is the way to confirm. Source: USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service.