Description
Made with crispy layers of phyllo dough and a cheesy spinach filling, this Vegan Spanakopita is the ultimate savory Greek appetizer! With just a few simple ingredients and recipe steps, we’ll teach you how to make this traditional Greek pie free of animal products.
Ingredients
Filling:
- 1 block (14 oz) extra-firm tofu
- ¼ cup nutritional yeast
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon miso paste
- 1 teaspoon salt, divided
- 3 tablespoons oil, divided
- 30 oz spinach
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 4 green onions, sliced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- ¼ cup parsley, chopped
- 2 tablespoons dill, chopped
- Black pepper, to taste
Assembly:
- 16 sheets phyllo dough
- ½ cup vegan butter, melted
Equipment:
- Food processor
- Mixing bowls
- Large skillet
- Spatula
- Cheesecloth or lint-free kitchen towel
- 9×13 casserole dish
- Pastry brush
- Sharp knife
Instructions
- Press the tofu for 10-15 minutes. If your tofu is in an airtight vacuum-sealed bag, you can skip this step. But pressing the tofu will help remove any excess liquid if it is packed in water. If you are unsure how to do this, check out our Tips to Perfectly Press and Prepare Tofu.
- Process the tofu into a rough paste. Add the pressed tofu to a large cup food processor along with the nutritional yeast, lemon juice, miso paste, and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. This combination of ingredients will be a variation of our vegan feta cheese. Process until a rough paste forms – it’s okay if this mixture is not entirely smooth. Transfer the tofu cheese to a large bowl and set aside.
- Sauté the spinach. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Once warm, add the spinach in batches and sauté until completely wilted. Transfer the spinach to a colander and set aside to drain and cool.
- Sauté the aromatics. While the spinach cools, cook the aromatics. In the same skillet, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil. Add the diced yellow onion, green onions, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Sauté until translucent, about 5-6 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another 2 minutes. Remove the mixture from the heat and let cool.
- Squeeze the moisture out of the spinach. Working in batches, transfer the spinach to a cheesecloth or lint-free kitchen towel and squeeze out as much excess liquid as possible. Transfer the strained spinach to a cutting board and roughly chop it into bite-sized pieces. Discard the liquid.
- Combine the filling ingredients. Add the chopped spinach to the bowl with the tofu mixture, along with the cooked onion mixture. Add the chopped parsley and dill and mix. Taste and season with salt and black pepper, as needed.
- Preheat and prep. Preheat the oven to 350 F and brush the bottom and sides of a 9×13″ baking dish with melted vegan butter.
- Layer in the phyllo dough. Lay 2 sheets of phyllo dough in the baking dish and brush with vegan butter. Repeat thrice until there are 8 layers of phyllo dough in the baking dish.
- Add the filling. Transfer the filling to the baking dish. Spread evenly over the layers of phyllo.
- Top with 8 additional layers of phyllo dough. Lay 2 sheets of phyllo dough on top of the filling and brush with melted butter. Repeat three more times until there are 8 layers.
- Score the top layer of the pastry. Once the top layers of dough are added and buttered, cut the spanakopita into individual squares halfway through, only cutting through the top 8 layers of phyllo. This makes it easier to cut completely and serve once baked and enhances the appearance of the final baked dish. Additionally, these cuts in the top of the dough allow steam to escape during the baking process, ensuring that the filling does not make the phyllo dough soggy.
- Bake for 40-50 minutes. It is ready when the crisp phyllo pastry is golden brown and flaky!
- Cool and serve. Let the spanakopita cool for about 15 minutes before serving. Then, cut the pieces all the way through and enjoy!
Notes
- Storage: Leftover spanakopita will keep in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. To preserve the freshness, tightly cover the baking dish with plastic wrap (or a similar reusable wrap) or transfer the leftover appetizer to an airtight container.
- Reheating: Reheat in the toaster or conventional oven heated to 350F for 10-15 minutes or until warmed through again. Leftovers can also be microwaved, but the flaky phyllo dough will not be crispy.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Stovetop and Oven
- Cuisine: Greek