Greek Vegan Spanakopita

My vegan Greek spanakopita merges authentic cooking with a plant-based approach. I use flaky phyllo pastry, bright green spinach, and a creamy vegan feta filling to create delicious nostalgic bites. This recipe is a staple during family dinners, holidays, and casual gatherings.

Spanakopita has been part of Greek cooking for centuries, and every family has their own special version. This vegan Greek spanakopita recipe is mine. I recreated a traditional dish to suit a vegan lifestyle, while keeping all the characteristics and flavors that make it so distinctive, similar to what I did with my Greek vegan pastito. If you love Greek-inspired meals as much as I do, try this spanakopita recipe this week.

Creating a vegan version took plenty of testing since I wanted every bite to remind me of the spanakopita I grew up sharing with my family. Once I perfected the creamy vegan feta filling, my husband and kids went back for seconds and filled up on it, leaving no room for the rest of dinner. After the success of this recipe, I set my sights on another classic dish and made my vegan moussaka, which was also very well received.

🥘 Ingredients

I use simple Mediterranean ingredients that work together to create a creamy, savory filling for my Greek vegan spanakopita. This is what I need to capture the traditional flavors and textures:

Fresh spinach: This cooks down to a tender filling, which adds color and loads of nutrients. 

Scallions: These add a mild onion flavor without overpowering the filling. I use the white and light green parts for the best flavor. 

Herbs: Fresh dill and parsley create the fresh and unmistakable flavor that spanakopita is known for. 

Seasoning: I use sea salt and black pepper as a simple seasoning blend to let the herbs shine.

Olive oil: I use olive oil for sauteing and brushing the phyllo so it bakes into crisp golden layers. 

Phyllo pastry: Thick phyllo sheets are my first choice as they are easier to layer and bake into flaky pastry. 

Vegan feta: This turns the filling into something that tastes very close to traditional spanakopita. You can use store-bought, but I prefer making my own vegan feta cheese. 

🔪 How To Make

Making this Greek vegan spanakopita takes a little patience, but it is definitely worth the extra time. This is how I do it:

Saute onions and greens: I start by sauteing the scallions in olive oil for 2 minutes until softened before adding the spinach and seasoning. I cook the spinach for 5 minutes until wilted, remove it from the heat, and mix in the parsley and dill.

Blend the feta filling: Then, I add the ingredients for my homemade vegan feta cheese to a processor and pulse until it becomes a chunky texture similar to crumbled feta.

Combine greens and feta: I transfer the vegan feta to the spinach mixture and combine.

Layer base phyllo sheets: I brush the bottom of my baking dish with a bit of olive oil and line it with half of the phyllo sheets, brushing olive oil between each layer. 

Add feta and spinach filling: Once the base is complete, I preheat the oven to 350F, and spread the spinach mixture across the phyllo. 

Top with remaining phyllo sheets: I layer the remaining phyllo sheets on top, brushing each one with olive oil before adding the next.

Cut: Then, I slice the spanakopita into equal portions.

Bake and serve: Once cut, I bake the spanakopita for 60-70 minutes until the top is golden brown and flaky. I let it cool completely before cutting all the way through and serving.

📖 Variations

I have had some fun with this family favorite over the years, but still manage to keep the essence of my Greek vegan spanakopita intact. These are a few ways I like making it:

Extra greens: I replace half of the spinach with 6 ounces of chopped Swiss chard or kale for a heartier filling. I love making this version when I have my family over, since it is very closely aligned with ancient recipes that used greens like sorrel, leeks, and watercress.

Herb lovers: When I want a more vibrant Mediterranean flavor, I stir in an extra 2 tablespoons of chopped fresh dill and 2 tablespoons of chopped fresh mint into the filling. I make this during spring when I want the comforting flavors with a touch of brightness. 

Mini pies: Instead of one large pan, I cut the phyllo into smaller sections and make individual spanakopita triangles, or even do spiral shapes. My kids love these in their lunchboxes and for birthday parties. 

🍽 Serving Suggestions

If you want to make these Greek vegan spanakopitas part of a Mediterranean spread, I recommend serving them alongside some hummus without garlic, a few baked pita chips, and a healthy Greek salad. And if you are feeling festive enough, you can even make an Italian margarita.

The last time we had a mini family reunion, it was my turn to host, and everyone was a bit skeptical about eating traditional meals they grew up with, but with a plant-based twist. I went all in and served vegan tempeh gyros, Greek vegan spanakopita, and a massive bowl of vegan orzo salad. Everyone loved the flavors, and no one complained. But I think it was the delicious, healthy vegan baklava that stole the show. 

🧊 Storing And ♨️ Reheating

Refrigeration: I let the spanakopita cool completely before transferring it to an airtight container or covering the baking dish tightly. It keeps well in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Freezing: I freeze individual slices with parchment paper between each layer so they are easy to remove one at a time. They keep for up to 3 months in a freezer-safe container.

Reheating: If frozen, I thaw in the fridge overnight. Then, for the crispiest pastry, I reheat spanakopita in a 350F oven until warm through.

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4.63 from 29 votes

Greek Vegan Spanakopita

My vegan Greek spanakopita merges authentic cooking with a plant-based approach. I use flaky phyllo pastry, bright green spinach, and a creamy vegan feta filling to create delicious nostalgic bites. This recipe is a staple during family dinners, holidays, and casual gatherings.

Prep Time30 minutes mins

Cook Time1 hour hr 10 minutes mins

Total Time1 hour hr 40 minutes mins

Course: Appetizer, Side Dish

Cuisine: Greek

Diet: Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian

Servings: 24

Calories: 107kcal

Author: Anjali Shah

Ingredients

• ▢ 12 ounces fresh spinach , chopped (can also use a mixture of spinach and chard)
• ▢ 1 bunch scallions , chopped (about 6-7 scallion bulb pieces)
• ▢ ¼ cup dill
• ▢ ¼ cup parsley , either kind works but I use Italian flat leaf
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon sea salt
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
• ▢ Olive oil or veggie broth for sautéing
• ▢ 1 pound phyllo (filo) sheets , if you can find the thick ones use those (see note for gluten-free)
• ▢ 1/6 – 1/3 cup olive oil for brushing phyllo (filo) (see notes for oil free idea)
• ▢ 1 cup vegan feta cheese recipe , store bought or homemade (linked here, make sure to add these ingredients to your list if making homemade)

Instructions

• ▢
  Preheat the oven to 350 F/ 175 C.
• ▢
  In a skillet brown the scallions in olive oil or broth until soft, about 2 minutes.
• ▢
  Add spinach, salt and pepper and sauté until wilted, about 5 minutes. Turn off the heat.
• ▢
  Add dill and parsley and mix well. Put the mixture in a large bowl.
• ▢
  If making homemade vegan feta then in a food processor, add the cashews (drain and rinse them after the soaking), vinegar, water and salt. Pulse until you get a chunky but coarsely chopped texture.
• ▢
  Pour the store bought or cashew “feta” mixture into the bowl with the spinach and mix well.
• ▢
  Pour the olive oil for brushing in a glass bowl. Or use the method for the oil free version.
• ▢
  A little trick, cut the phyllo (filo) edge to fit the length of your pan, cut it while it is still rolled up in the package to make it easy. Meaning, keep it rolled, measure it in your pan then slice off the edge so that it fits in your pan well. You can keep the extra and use it for other things or if you're like my sister and I, we loved to eat it when we were young!
• ▢
  Brush the bottom of a 9×13-inch baking pan with a little bit of oil.
• ▢
  Then line the pan with half of one phyllo (filo) sheet, allowing the other half to hang over the edge, brush the half in the pan with some oil, then fold the other half over the top and brush it with oil too. See the photos in the post. This has to be done like this because the phyllo (filo) sheets are bigger than the pan.
• ▢
  You are going to do this for half of the phyllo (filo) sheets, brushing each sheet with the olive oil.
• ▢
  After you have used half of the sheets, spread the spinach mixture on top.
• ▢
  Then top with the remaining phyllo (filo) sheets brushing each of them with the olive oil again.
• ▢
  When done, cut into squares.
• ▢
  Bake for 60-70 minutes until it is golden brown on top. Begin checking at 50 minutes as ovens vary.
• ▢
  Let it cool completely before cutting through and serving.

Notes

• My #1 Secret Tip for this Greek vegan spanakopita recipe is to keep the phyllo pastry covered with a lightly damp kitchen towel. I do this while I work, as the phyllo dries out very quickly, and once it becomes brittle, the sheets crack and become much harder to layer neatly.
• Dry the spinach: If the spinach contains too much moisture, the filling can soften the pastry from the inside. I always cook off or squeeze out any excess liquid before mixing in the vegan feta. 
• Cool the filling: I let the spinach mixture cool for several minutes before layering it into the pastry. Warm filling creates steam, which can prevent the bottom layers from becoming crisp.
• Brush gently: Rather than soaking each sheet with olive oil, I brush on a light coating. This creates delicate, flaky layers without making the pastry greasy.
• Cut before baking: I always score or fully cut the spanakopita before it goes into the oven. The crisp pastry stays intact, and serving neat portions is much easier once it is baked.
• Bake until golden: I do not judge doneness by the timer alone. The pastry should be a rich golden brown across the entire surface before I remove it from the oven.
• Trim while rolled: I place the rolled-up phyllo pastry alongside my baking dish and trim it to fit inside the dish perfectly.

Nutrition

Calories: 107kcal | Carbohydrates: 13g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 4g | Sodium: 170mg | Potassium: 121mg | Vitamin A: 1425IU | Vitamin C: 5.4mg | Calcium: 18mg | Iron: 0.8mg