Step 1: Gathering & Preparing Your Mise en Place
- 3 lb frozen, chopped spinach (1.36 kg or 4 cups once drained)
- 2 medium onions, minced
- 2/3 cup toasted pine nuts, roughly chopped
- 1/4 cup finely chopped mint
- 1/2 cup finely chopped dill
- 1 tsp freshly ground nutmeg
Before starting the spanakopita, be sure the phyllo and spinach are both defrosted and that the spinach is well-drained. It is essential that the spinach is well-drained, otherwise, the spanakopita will be soggy.
Next, gather and prepare your remaining mise en place.
For the pine nuts, baking in a 350°F (175°C) oven for 5 to 7 minutes, or just until they start to turn a nice golden brown color.
Step 2: Preparing the Filling
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp sea salt, or to taste
- 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
To cook the filling, heat a frypan over medium-low heat and add the oil. Once hot, add the onions and a good pinch of salt and sauté until slightly browned.
Once the onions are done, turn off the heat and add the spinach, toasted pine nuts, chopped herbs, nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Mix everything together and then taste for seasoning, adding more seasoning and/or herbs as desired.
Lastly, preheat the oven to 350*F (175°C).
Step 3: Assembling the Spanakopita
- 1 pkg phyllo dough, defrosted
- 3/4 cup non-dairy butter, melted*
- 1/2 to 1 cup Vegan Feta, optional*
To assemble the spanakopita, place a sheet of phyllo onto a cutting board and brush with the melted non-dairy butter. Cover with a second sheet of phyllo and brush again with the melted non-dairy butter. Note: Alternatively, the layers can be sprayed with cooking spray instead of butter. Just note that the flavors will be slightly different. A good compromise is to spray the layers with spray and then once rolled, use melted butter to brush the outside of the rolled spanakopita.
At this point, starting at the long end of the phyllo, cut from one end to the other. Then cut each half into 2 lengthwise. Alternatively, for larger spanakopita, the phyllo can be cut lengthwise into 3 instead of 4 long pieces.
Next, place about 2 to 3 tablespoons of the filling onto the bottom corner of the phyllo. If using a Vegan Feta or other cheese, it can either be added directly to the spinach mixture (for a feta-type cheese, break into small bite-sized pieces), if the cheese being used is spreadable, place a dollop onto the corner of the phyllo before placing the spinach mixture on top.
Lastly, roll and fold the phyllo into triangles. Place the triangles onto a baking tray that has been lined with parchment or onto a tray that has been brushed with butter. To finish, brush the outside of spanakopita with a little extra non-dairy butter.
Step 4: Baking & Serving the Spanakopita
Bake the spanakopita for approximately 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown. Once done, remove from the oven and let cool for a few minutes before serving.
These are best served with Homemade Non-Dairy Tzatziki.
Chef's Notes
Spanakopita can be made a few hours ahead or frozen raw for baking later. If freezing the spanakopita, bake from frozen, keeping in mind that the baking time will be a bit longer.