Baking

Spinach and Feta Puff Pastry Triangles: Greek Spanakopita Shortcut

2 min

Squeeze the thawed spinach in a kitchen towel until almost no water comes out, then squeeze again. That one step decides whether your pastry puffs or steams into a soggy mess. From there it's quick: cook the green onions for a minute, fold the feta and ricotta into the spinach, and parcel it all into puff pastry triangles. Spanakopita usually means coaxing phyllo sheet by sheet, but a sheet of puff pastry gets you most of the way in half the time.

By Nora Calloway

A little backstory

Spanakopita is an old Greek savory pie, part of a wider family of spinach-and-cheese pastries that turn up across the eastern Mediterranean, traditionally built from many thin layers of phyllo brushed with oil or butter. The name just stitches together the Greek words for spinach and pie. Using puff pastry instead of phyllo is a modern home-cook shortcut, not the classic method, so think of these as inspired by spanakopita rather than the real thing.

Spanakopita is delicious. Phyllo dough is fussy. This is the hack.

Puff pastry instead of phyllo. Same creamy spinach-feta filling. Same flaky, buttery magic. Half the work. 30 minutes. All the glory.

Makes 12 triangles.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1 1

Preheat and Prep

Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment.

Squeeze spinach in a kitchen towel until bone-dry (critical!).

2 2

Make the Filling

Heat oil in a small skillet. Cook green onions 1 minute.

In a bowl, combine cooked onions, spinach, feta, ricotta, garlic, dill, and pepper.

3 3

Cut and Fill Pastry

Roll puff pastry slightly into a 10×12-inch rectangle. Cut into 12 squares.

Place 1 tbsp filling in center of each square. Fold diagonally into triangles.

Crimp edges with a fork to seal.

4 4

Brush and Bake

Place triangles on baking sheet. Brush with beaten egg. Sprinkle with sesame seeds.

Cut a small slit on top for steam.

Bake 15-18 minutes until puffed and golden brown.

5 5

Serve

Cool 5 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Summary

Prep Time: 15 minutes | Cook Time: 15-18 minutes | Total Time: 30 minutes

Yield: 12 triangles

Difficulty: Easy

Storage Notes

Fridge:

Store baked triangles for 4 days. Reheat in oven or air fryer.

Freezer Friendly:

Freeze unbaked triangles for 3 months. Bake from frozen at 400°F for 18-20 minutes.

Pro Tip:

Squeeze spinach DRY. Wet spinach = soggy pastry = sad triangles.

The Ingredients

Everything you need.

Prep

15 minutes

Cook

15-18 minutes

Total

30 minutes

Yield

12 triangles

Ingredients

1 sheet puff pastry (thawed)
1 tbsp olive oil
2 green onions, sliced
10 oz frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed VERY dry
4 oz feta cheese, crumbled
¼ cup ricotta cheese (or cream cheese)
1 garlic clove, minced
½ tsp dill (optional)
¼ tsp black pepper
1 egg, beaten (for egg wash)
1 tbsp sesame seeds (optional)

Instructions

1
Preheat and Prep. Preheat and Prep. Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment. Squeeze spinach in a kitchen towel until bone-dry (critical!). 2 2
2
Make the Filling. Make the Filling. Heat oil in a small skillet. Cook green onions 1 minute. In a bowl, combine cooked onions, spinach, feta, ricotta, garlic, dill, and pepper. 3 3
3
Cut and Fill Pastry. Cut and Fill Pastry. Roll puff pastry slightly into a 10×12-inch rectangle. Cut into 12 squares. Place 1 tbsp filling in center of each square. Fold diagonally into triangles. Crimp edges with a fork to seal. 4 4
4
Brush and Bake. Brush and Bake. Place triangles on baking sheet. Brush with beaten egg. Sprinkle with sesame seeds. Cut a small slit on top for steam. Bake 15-18 minutes until puffed and golden brown. 5 5
5
Serve. Serve. Cool 5 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature

Swaps & Substitutions

Frozen spinach → use about 1 lb fresh, wilt it in the skillet, then squeeze dry; the volume cooks way down so don't skimp.
Ricotta → cream cheese works and gives a tangier, denser filling; a thick Greek yogurt also holds up if you drain it first.
Feta → a firm crumbly goat cheese is the closest match; in a pinch use a salty dry cheese, but taste before adding salt since feta already brings plenty.
Puff pastry → phyllo if you want the traditional crackle, but you'll need to butter several layers per triangle and adjust the fold.
Egg wash → brush with milk or melted butter for shine without egg; the color will be a touch paler.
Dill → swap in fresh parsley or mint, or leave it out entirely since it's optional.

Questions & Answers

My triangles leaked and went soggy on the bottom. What happened?

Almost always too much moisture in the spinach. Squeeze it dry in a towel until it feels like a packed ball, and don't overfill past about a tablespoon per square so the seams can seal.

Can I assemble these ahead of time?

Yes. Build the triangles, hold them on the sheet in the fridge for up to a day, then egg-wash and bake straight from cold. You can also freeze them unbaked and add a few minutes to the bake time.

How do I know they're done?

Look for fully puffed pastry that's golden brown on top and, just as important, browned underneath. Pale bottoms mean the dough is still raw, so give them a few more minutes.

Why cut a slit in the top?

It vents steam from the filling so the pastry can rise instead of bursting at a seam. One small slit per triangle is enough.

How do I store and reheat leftovers?

Keep them in the fridge up to 3 days. Reheat in a 350F oven or toaster oven for about 8 minutes to bring back the crisp; the microwave will soften the pastry.

Spinach and Feta Puff Pastry Triangles: Greek Spanakopita Shortcut