Vegan Spanakopita (Greek Spinach Pie)

This delicious Vegan Spanakopita is one of my most loved recipes. Spanakopita is a traditional Greek spinach pie that's packed with juicy greens and feta wrapped in flaky filo pastry. This vegan version is just as delicious and packed with fresh Greek flavors that will have everyone asking for second helpings.

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I love making this Spanakopita recipe for spring and summer get-togethers with fresh home-grown chard, but it's equally delicious with frozen spinach all through the colder months too.

If you love the idea of pies made with lovely crispy layers of filo, but want something cozier, try my Butternut Squash Chickpea and Spinach Pie. Or if you have too many zucchini, this Vegan Greek Zucchini Pie : Kolokithopita is a great option too! And if you're a fan of dippy things to go with a mezze style spread, you can't go past this Vegan Whipped Tofu Feta with some juicy roasted tomatoes on top.

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• 🥬Ingredients
• 👩‍🍳Instructions
• 🌶️Substitutions & Variations
• 🔪Equipment
• 🫙Storage
• Top tip
• ❓FAQ
• Eat more Greens
• Other Dinner Recipes:
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• 💬 Comments

🥬Ingredients

1. Fresh Spinach or Chard: In Greece, the pie would be made with mature spinach, not the soft floppy stuff you get in bags in the supermarket. It would also likely be made with other local herbs and greens. I use a mixture of chard from my garden and shop bought spinach, or you can use frozen spinach.
2. Fresh Dill or other herbs: The overall flavour of this Vegan Spanakopita should be quite herbal and earthy/ spinachy, so fresh herbs such as dill and oregano are wonderful chopped up into the greens. Substitute dried dill and oregano if that's all you have.
3. Green Onions and/or Leeks: Giant spring onions, or small leeks work brilliantly.
4. Garlic: Plenty of fresh garlic enhances the greens.
5. Filo Pastry: (sometimes called phyllo pastry) comes either frozen or in the chiller. If you buy it frozen, you will need to defrost it first. Different brands are different sizes. Just chop or rip the sheets of filo pastry to the size you need as you place it in the pie. The rustic look is lovely, so don't panic if it isn't 100% perfect!
6. Olive Oil: Good olive oil is brushed over the filo pastry to make it crispy and delicious.
7. For the Vegan Feta Cheese Mixture
   • Green Olives: These give a salty, briny umami flavor that I think is quite similar to feta.
   • Cashews: Soaked cashews help create the smooth cheesy mouth feel.
   • Firm Tofu: tofu both adds protein and a ricotta type texture that helps bring the pie together.
   • Nutritional Yeast : For a cheesy flavor that you need to balance the greens.
   • Lemon Juice: Tangy and bright, choose fresh lemon juice if you can. You'll also need the lemon zest.
   • Flakey Sea Salt: Season to taste!

See recipe card for quantities.

👩‍🍳Instructions

Follow along with these instructions for this vegan spanakopita recipe and use the photos of key moments in the cooking process help you make the perfect vegan spanakopita.

Bake at 180c/375f for 30 minutes or until the layers of crispy filo dough are golden brown and gorgeous.

Hint: You don't have to be perfect when creating the layers of filo pastry. The ruffled up effect looks so pretty when you cut into it.

🌶️Substitutions & Variations

Here are some yummy ways to switch up this recipe, or make the most of what you have available to you:

• Frozen Spinach -replace the chard with frozen spinach. Simply thaw and mix in with the garlic and spring onions.
• Leeks or other onions -replace the sautéed onions or green onions with leeks. Perfect for a wintery version of this recipe.
• Other Herbs- choose fresh parsley or add some oregano.
• Vegan Feta- add shop bought vegan feta (I like Violife, it's really similar to traditional feta cheese) along with the cheese mixture, or just replace it altogether.
• Get Fancy- and make this in a coil. Wrap the filling in rolls of filo pastry and make a long snake coil in a round skillet or pan, before baking.
• Puff Pastry- you can replace the filo pastry with puff pastry sheets. Use a single layer underneath and on top of the filling.

You can also make this recipe into little vegan spanakopita triangles for a delicious party canape or fun snack.

🔪Equipment

You'll need a food processor or blender to make the vegan feta cheese mixture. You'll also need a deep sided baking sheet or baking dish to lay out the vegan spanakopita pie.

🫙Storage

Once cooked, you can store the spanakopita in slices in a sealed container in the fridge for up to a week, or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Reheat directly from frozen.

❓FAQ

Eat more Greens

Want to eat more greens? These recipes are all packed with goodness.

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