Vegan Spanakopita (Spinach Pie Triangles)

Vegan spanakopita triangles are made with crisp buttery phyllo dough and filled with chopped spinach and vegan feta cheese! These vegan spinach pies are always a favorite at parties! They look complicated but they’re super easy and absolutely irresistible!

Spinach pies have been a long-time favorite in my family. You might even say it was one of my mom’s signature recipes! I haven’t posted too many of my mom’s Mediterranean-inspired recipes, but I’m hoping to change that, as these recipes inspired me to love cooking, and the way it brings people together.

As I’ve mentioned before, my mom was Armenian. Her parents immigrated to America. They didn’t have much, but they did have their traditional recipes. These recipes were passed down to my mom, and then to me. My mom put her own spin on them, and her spinach pies were one such recipe.

Spanakopita is a traditional Greek dish. In Armenia, they called it borek. Our family made cheese borek and spinach borek. Borek is made with flaky phyllo dough and filled with various fillings. Every family event includes both, along with other Mediterranean recipes like hummus, tabouli, pita bread, bulgur pilaf, and dolma (grape leaves.)

Her spinach pies were legendary and so easy to make!! I took her simple recipe and made a few vegan substitutes, and they turned out just as delicious! In my husband’s words, “These aren’t good, these are amazing!”

Jump to:

• 💗 Why This Recipe Works
• 🌿 Ingredients and Notes
• 📋 Instructions for Vegan Spanakopita
• 💭 Expert Tips
• ❓ Recipe FAQS
• 👩‍🍳 Variations and Substitutions
• ❄️ Storage and Reheating
• 😋 More Vegan Mediterranean Recipes!
• Recipe

💗 Why This Recipe Works

• Quick and Easy
• Simple Ingredients
• Vegan and Dairy-Free
• Appetizer or Main Dish
• Flaky and Crisp Pastry
• Mediterranean Flavors

🌿 Ingredients and Notes

Phyllo Pastry: I use organic phyllo dough. There are many different brands available. The one I use is from Whole Foods and is called The Fillo Factory. It uses organic ingredients and is 100% vegan.

Frozen Chopped Spinach: Instead of using fresh spinach, I have always used frozen chopped spinach. A 16-ounce package is a perfect amount to make 15 spinach triangles. Be sure to defrost the spinach in the refrigerator overnight.

Vegan Feta: I make my own vegan feta using tofu, however, you can also buy store-bought vegan feta if you prefer.

Just Egg: The spinach and vegan feta need a binder. For this recipe, I use Just Egg. However, you could also use other vegan egg substitutes such as flax or chia eggs.

Vegan Butter: Using vegan butter or olive oil is essential to achieving a crisp phyllo dough. My favorite is Earth Balance. If you don’t want to use vegan butter, then brush olive oil on top of each triangle.

📋 Instructions for Vegan Spanakopita

Step 1: Defrost the chopped spinach and phyllo dough sheets overnight in the refrigerator.

Step 2: Drain the spinach. Using your hands, squeeze all of the excess water out of the spinach. It’s very important that the spinach is not wet.

Step 3: Preheat the oven to 350 F. Add the spinach, vegan feta, just egg (or flax egg), salt, and black pepper to a medium mixing bowl. Combine with a spatula until all of the ingredients are evenly combined.

Step 4: Depending on the type of phyllo dough you use, you’ll have either one or two logs. Cut one of the phyllo logs into three 4 inch long pieces.

Step 5: Carefully roll one of the phyllo dough logs out. Using a tablespoon, or cookie scoop, scoop out the spinach mixture and place it on the corner of the phyllo dough.

Use two sheets of phyllo dough and fold the dough into a triangle. Then continue folding one side over the other until the sheets are completely used.

Step 6: Continue placing the spinach on the phyllo dough sheets and folding it into triangles until all of the spinach mixture has been used. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. You should get about 12-15 triangles.

Step 7: Add one pat of butter to each triangle.

Step 8: Bake the vegan spanakopita for 10-12 minutes at 350 F on the middle rack or until golden brown.

Step 9: Allow them to cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheet. Serve warm. Top with optional fresh herbs.

💭 Expert Tips

• Be sure to give the spinach enough time to completely defrost before mixing with the other ingredients.
• If you are pressed for time, you can defrost the spinach in the microwave, or run warm water over the spinach.
• Be sure to remove the extra water from the spinach. I have always squeezed the water out of the spinach with my hands like ringing out a towel. However, you can also use a cheesecloth or sieve to remove the excess water.
• Use two sheets of phyllo dough for each triangle.
• No need to melt butter and brush between each sheet, simply add one pat of butter on top of each triangle. It will melt in the oven covering the sheets and will crisp the dough perfectly.

❓ Recipe FAQS

👩‍🍳 Variations and Substitutions

Flax Egg: If Just Egg is not available to you, or you’d rather use a natural substitute, then sub with two flax eggs. Use 2 tablespoons of ground flax, with 5 tablespoons of water. Whisk together, and allow to sit for 5 minutes before using.

Greek Spinach Pie Bake: To make this vegan spanakopita into a bake, you’ll need to layer 6 sheets of phyllo dough on the bottom of a 9X13 inch pan, melt the butter, and brush it over the dough. Top with the spinach filling. Then layer an additional 6 sheets on top, and brush with butter. Bake for 25 minutes at 350 F.

Additional Fillings: If you’d like to add more seasonings or additional fillings, I suggest adding lemon juice to taste, minced garlic, green onion, fresh dill, or oregano.

😋 More Vegan Mediterranean Recipes!