Easy Spanakopita Triangles

mini spanakopita pies on a white plate lined up.

Course: Appetizer

Cuisine: Greek

Prep Time: 20

Cook Time: 25

Total Time: 35

Servings: People

Calories: 72kcal

Author: Aleka Shunk

Cost: $12

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.

Print Recipe

Ingredients

½ cup salted butter
⅔ cup onions, large dice
3 oz. fresh spinach leaves (about 3 cups fresh) (2 ½ oz. frozen spinach)
1 8 oz. roll phyllo dough (you need 16 sheets)
6 oz. feta cheese, crumbled
⅓ cup ricotta cheese
1 egg yolk
½ tablespoon freshly squeeze lemon juice
1 teaspoon freshly chopped dill
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon salt
Sesame Seeds *Optional

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 375° F.
Saute your chopped onion in a skillet with 2 tablespoon of butter for about 10 minutes or until translucent.
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.
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!
Add drained/cooled spinach, ricotta cheese, feta cheese, salt, onions, lemon juice, dill and garlic powder to a medium sized bowl and mix.
Melt your butter in a saucepan or in a small bowl using your microwave. Scramble your egg in another bowl.
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!
Carefully brush one sheet of phyllo dough lightly with butter. Add another layer of dough and brush again. You should have two buttered layers.
Cut your phyllo dough into thirds lengthwise. Add 1½ - 2 tablespoon of filling to the bottom of each strip of phyllo dough.
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.
Bake in the center of your oven for 12-15 minutes or until your dough turns golden brown.

Video

Notes

Yield: 24 triangles

You want to fill your triangles with as much filling as you can without having it spill out.
Make these ahead of time and store in the fridge. Then reheat in the oven at 350°F until just warmed through and crispy again.
To freeze your triangles, you need to first make sure your spanakopita are fully cooled. Then, to prevent sticking, flash-freeze them in a single layer. After about 20 minutes, they should be hard enough to combine and freeze together.

Nutrition