I’ll tell you what, there is no better appetizer than a spanakopita. My mom always has a box in her freezer, ready to pop in the oven and please a crowd. One bite into that flaky crust brings me back to Greek night at the Prime Minister, a family restaurant in my hometown where my Grandpa loved to go for a taste of home. While I will always miss their tangy tiropitakia and lemon potatoes, this recipe fills a big void for me.
If you haven’t had spanakopita, it’s a popular savory Greek hand pie filled with spinach and feta cheese, traditionally. This vegan version has flaky crust that meets a delicious mixture of savory spinach and onion combined with tangy, feta-esque tofu. No one is going to be mad about these!
In testing this recipe, I tried a few different methods on prepping the dough. Some were busts, and butter between sheets is the best, however if you’re short on time, you can skip butter between the sheets. Instead, lay out two phyllo sheets on top of each other, fill and roll the triangle, then brush the top with butter. This will create a less flaky final product, but still delicious.
If you try this recipe, let me know by commenting below or tagging me in your photos on Instagram, @namasteandchow!
Vegan Spanakoptias
Ingredients:
8oz frozen spinach
4.5 oz firm tofu, pressed (about 1/3 of a brick)
2 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp lemon zest
2 T nutritional yeast
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp oregano
1/4 tsp dried parsley
1/3 c onion, diced
salt
pepper
1 clove of garlic, minced
4 sheets of phyllo dough, thawed
4 T vegan butter, melted
Method:
1. Preheat your oven to 375.
2. Thaw the spinach in the microwave, then use a strainer to drain the excess water.
3. Sauté onion the onion until soft, about 2-3 minutes, then add the spinach to the skillet with oregano, parsley, salt, and pepper. Cook for another minute or two, until the spinach is incorporated and warm, then add the garlic and cook for another minute, until fragrant.
4. In a medium sized bowl, make the tofu feta mixture. Combine tofu, lemon juice, lemon zest, nutritional yeast, and salt. Use a potato masher or fork to smash the tofu and incorporate the seasoning.
5. Add the spinach mixture to the bowl with the tofu feta mix and stir to combine.
6. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
7. To make the spanakopitas, lay one sheet of phyllo dough on a baking sheet, then brush completely with butter. Lay another layer of phyllo dough directly on top, and brush with butter again.
8. Cut the Phyllo dough from the width, creating 5 strips.
9. Place a spoonful of the mixture at the side of the strip closest to you, then fold into a triangle. Continue making triangles, similar to folding a flag.
Repeat to make 10 spanakopitas.
10. Bake spanakopitas for 20-23 minutes, until nice and golden. Let cool for 5 minutes, then enjoy!