Spinach and Feta Pie Recipe

Börek is a big part of Turkish home cooking, and this Spinach and Feta Pie Recipe is one of the easiest versions to make with fresh yufka. The shaping is simple, and the filling is made with spinach, onion, feta cheese, and a little seasoning.

The parcels bake until crisp and golden, with a soft filling inside, and they are great for breakfast, lunch, tea time, picnics, or a quick snack. In Turkey, this recipe is called Ispanaklı Peynirli Börek, and it tastes just as good warm as it does at room temperature.

Jump to:

• What is Börek?
• Is Spinach and Feta Pie the Same as Spanakopita?
• Why This Recipe Works?
• Ingredients You'll Need
• How to Make Spinach and Feta Pie
• Recipe Tips From the Chef
• Can I Use Filo Instead of Yufka?
• Serving Suggestions
• How to Store Spinach and Feta Pie
• Can You Freeze Börek?
• Variations
• Recipe FAQs
• Related Recipes
• Spinach and Feta Pie Recipe

What is Börek?

Börek is a savory pastry made with thin sheets of dough called yufka and different fillings. It is one of the most popular pastries in Turkish cooking, and you can either bake it or fry it.

The filling often includes cheese, spinach, ground meat, potatoes, leeks, or other vegetables. Some börek recipes are layered in a large tray and cut into squares after baking. Others come as rolls, triangles, spirals, or small parcels.

For this recipe, I use spinach and feta cheese, then roll the yufka into individual parcels. They are easy to eat by hand, which makes them great for breakfast tables, packed lunches, picnics, and afternoon tea.

Is Spinach and Feta Pie the Same as Spanakopita?

Spinach and feta pie is often linked with Greek spanakopita because both recipes use spinach, cheese, and thin pastry. The main difference here is that this recipe is made the Turkish way, using yufka instead of filo.

Yufka is usually larger, rounder, and slightly thicker than filo pastry. It gives börek a softer texture inside while still becoming crisp and golden on the outside. Filo is thinner and more delicate, so it gives a flakier and more brittle finish.

This spinach and feta pie is closer to Turkish Ispanaklı Peynirli Börek than Greek spanakopita.

Why This Recipe Works?

• Fresh yufka gives the börek a soft middle and crisp golden outside.

• Cooking the spinach first removes extra moisture, so the filling does not make the pastry soggy.

• The milk, egg, and oil mixture keeps the yufka tender inside while helping the outside bake nicely.

• The parcel shape is easy to serve, store, freeze, and reheat.

• You can make the spinach and feta filling a day ahead, which makes the recipe easier to prepare.

Ingredients You'll Need

Please scroll down to the recipe card below for the full ingredients list with measurements, complete recipe method, recipe notes, and nutritional information.

• Yufka - Fresh yufka works best for this recipe. It is usually sold in large round sheets and can be found in Turkish, Middle Eastern, or Mediterranean food shops. Keep the yufka covered while working, as it can dry out quickly.

• Butter - It adds flavor to the filling. You can use olive oil instead if you prefer.

• Spinach - Use fresh spinach, washed, dried, and chopped. Cooking the spinach first helps remove extra moisture and gives the filling a better texture.

• Feta - Feta works really well with spinach because it adds saltiness and a creamy texture. Sheep’s milk feta has a richer flavor, but any good-quality feta will work.

• Eggs - They help the sauce bind and give the yufka a better texture as it bakes. One egg yolk is kept for brushing the top.

• Milk - It softens the yufka and helps keep the inside layers tender.

• Egg yolk - It helps the pastry brown quicker and also adds crispness to the crust. Use melted butter for the top instead of egg yolk if you want a crispier borek.

• Sesame seeds or nigella seeds - These are optional, but they add flavor and make the top look nicer. Nigella seeds are often used on Turkish pastries.

How to Make Spinach and Feta Pie

Prepare the Spinach and Feta Filling

Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the diced onion and cook for a few minutes, stirring often, until soft and lightly golden.

Add the black pepper and pul biber, then stir for a few seconds.

 Add the chopped spinach and cook for about 5 minutes, or until wilted and most of the moisture has evaporated. Remove the skillet from the heat and let the spinach mixture cool for about 10 minutes. Crumble the feta cheese into a large bowl. Add the cooled spinach mixture and stir until well combined.

Taste the filling before adding any salt. Feta is already salty, and you may not need extra. You can prepare the filling a day ahead and keep it covered in the refrigerator.

Prepare the Sauce

Place 2 whole eggs and 1 egg white in a bowl. Keep the extra egg yolk for brushing the tops. Whisk the eggs until smooth.

Add the milk and vegetable oil, then mix well and set aside. This sauce is brushed between the yufka layers. It helps soften the yufka and gives the börek a better texture after baking.

Shape the Börek Parcels

Preheat the oven to 360°F / 180°C.

Place one yufka sheet on a clean work surface and cut it into 8 triangles, like slicing a pizza. Repeat with the remaining yufka sheets. You should have 24 triangles in total.

Keep the cut yufka pieces covered with a clean kitchen towel while shaping the börek. Take one yufka triangle and place it on the work surface with the wide side facing you. Drizzle 1 to 1½ tablespoons of the sauce over the yufka and spread it gently with a pastry brush. Place a second yufka triangle on top and brush it with a little more sauce.

Add 1½ to 2 tablespoons of the spinach and feta filling along the wide edge, leaving about 1 inch / 2 cm empty on both sides.

Fold the outer corners over and then start rolling the pastry tightly into a rectangular parcel. Fold the side edges over the filling, then roll the yufka forward into a neat rectangular parcel.

Place it on a lined baking sheet and continue with the remaining yufka and filling. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the börek parcels on the tray, leaving a small gap between each one.

Use a small sharp knife to make a cut in the top of each parcel, leaving the ends intact. This helps steam escape while baking.

Brush the tops with the reserved egg yolk. Sprinkle with sesame seeds or nigella seeds. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until golden brown and crisp. Let the börek cool for a few minutes before serving.

Recipe Tips From the Chef

• Let the spinach mixture cool before adding the feta. This helps the cheese keep some texture.

• Cook the spinach before filling the yufka. Raw spinach releases too much water and can make the börek soggy.

• Taste the filling before adding salt. Feta can be salty enough on its own.

• Keep the yufka covered while working, as it dries out quickly.

• Do not overfill the parcels. Too much filling makes them harder to roll and can cause them to split.

• Bake the börek until nicely golden. If it looks pale, give it a few more minutes.

• You can make the filling a day ahead and keep it in the refrigerator.

Can I Use Filo Instead of Yufka?

You can use filo pastry if you cannot find yufka, but the texture will be different.

Filo is thinner and more delicate than yufka. It bakes crispier and flakier, but it can dry out and tear more easily. Yufka is thicker and softer, which gives Turkish börek its traditional texture.

If using filo, keep the sheets covered with a clean kitchen towel while working. You may also need to use more layers because filo is much thinner than yufka.

Serving Suggestions

Spinach and feta börek is usually served warm or at room temperature. It is great for breakfast or brunch with Turkish Tea - Cay, sliced tomatoes, cucumbers, olives, and cheese.

For a light dinner, serve it with soup. Red Pepper and Tomato Soup, Mercimek Corbasi (Turkish Lentil Soup), or Ezogelin Corbasi (Ezogelin Soup) are all good options.

You can also serve it for lunch with a simple salad. Gavurdagi Salatasi, Russian Salad, Ezme Salad, or delicious Greek Cucumber Salad all work well.

How to Store Spinach and Feta Pie

Let the börek cool completely before storing. Place leftovers in an airtight container and keep them in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

To reheat, place them in a preheated oven or air fryer until hot and crisp again. Avoid microwaving if you want to keep the pastry crisp, as it will soften the yufka.

Can You Freeze Börek?

Yes, you can freeze börek before or after baking.

To freeze unbaked börek, shape the parcels and place them on a tray lined with parchment paper. Freeze until firm, then transfer them to a freezer bag or airtight container. Bake from frozen, adding a few extra minutes to the cooking time.

To freeze baked börek, let it cool completely, then wrap well and freeze. Reheat from frozen in a hot oven until warmed through and crisp.

Variations

You can use Turkish white cheese instead of feta, or mix the two together for a softer filling.

Halloumi, goat cheese, or cottage cheese can also be used, but the flavor and texture will be different.

Fresh herbs such as dill, mint, parsley, or green onions work well with spinach and feta. Dill is especially nice in this filling.

You can also replace some of the spinach with chard, nettles, cavolo nero, or leeks. Cook any greens first and make sure the filling is not watery before adding it to the yufka.

Recipe FAQs

Related Recipes

For other delicious Turkish borek recipes why not try:

Did you make this recipe? Please let me know how it turned out! Leave a comment below and tag @cookingorgeous on Instagram and hashtag it #cookingorgeous.

I hope you enjoy the process of making these delicious and crispy pastries, "Spinach and Feta Pie - Ispanaklı Peynirli Börek" as much as you enjoy eating them! 🙂