Spinach Borek (Ispanakli Borek)

Spinach Borek (Ispanakli Borek) is a delicious Turkish pastry made of thin flaky dough called "yufka" filled with spinach and onions. Anyone who has visited Turkey probably came across some kind of a borek. They are the most popular breakfast item or a snack on the go!

Jump to:

• Most Popular Turkish Borek Variations
• Why This Recipe Works?
• Ingredients and Substitutes
• How to Make Spinach Borek (Ispanaklı Börek)?
• Top Tips From the Chef
• Recipe FAQs
• Related Recipes
• Spinach Borek (Ispanakli Borek)

In the old days, our grandmothers used to make yufka sheets at home to make borek, but luckily you can easily find yufka sheets in food stores or online. In Turkey, there are still some small yufka shops that only make fresh yufka sheets.

Like Pogaca (Turkish Buns), Turkish Borek is also widely available in pastry shops and they come in different shapes and fillings.

Cheese, spinach, potatoes, or meat are the most popular fillings for boreks, but spinach borek is probably my favorite among them.

You can add cheese (Spinach and Feta Pie - Ispanakli Peynirli Borek) or mince (Phyllo Meat and Spinach Pie - Egyptian Goulash) to spinach filling for extra flavor and make it even more exciting!

Most Popular Turkish Borek Variations

Tepsi Boregi (Trayed borek) is one of the most common ones. Simply layer yufka sheets and filling on a tray and scatter the sauce between the layers. 

Brush the top layer with butter for crispiness and egg wash for lovely golden brown color. Then bake it in the oven until nice and crispy outside and soft inside.

The meat version of Tepsi Boregi is also known as Phyllo Meat and Spinach Pie (Egyptian Goulash) in Middle Eastern countries.

Su Boregi (Water Borek) is one of the most loved boreks in Turkey and is by far the best of all Turkish Pastries. It has a reputation for being the most challenging boreks to make.

Kol boregi (Arm borek) is shaped in long rolls and named after their arm-shaped appearance. It is filled and rolled in a similar way to a rose borek but shaped like an arm instead of a rose.

Turkish Cheese Rolls (Sigara boregi)– Sigara borek is shaped like a cigarette and is usually filled with cheese or mince filling. Sigara böreği is deep fried and served as an appetiser or meze.

Why This Recipe Works?

• You can make Spinach Borek (Ispanakli Borek) up to 3 days ahead and bake it when you need it.

• These delicious pastries can be frozen before or after baking and kept for up to 3 months in the freezer. No need to defrost before baking or reheating!

• It's the best way to get your kids to eat spinach, your kids will love these healthy snacks as much as the rest of the family.

• You can use different borek fillings and make your own homemade version of these savory Turkish pies.

Ingredients and Substitutes

• Yufka - These round-shaped thin dough parcels are easy to find online or from Turkish or Middle Eastern food shops. You can use filo pastries instead which are similar but thinner than yufka, and they come in rectangular shapes. Filo (or phyllo) pastries are available in most supermarkets and shops, and you can buy them fresh or frozen.

• Spinach - I use baby spinach leaves. Always wash the spinach thoroughly before using it for cooking or salads. Dry them using a salad spinner or leave them on a colander until the leaves are dry. You can also use frozen spinach, just make sure you squeeze the water out of it before using it.

• Onions - You can use yellow or brown onions. They add umami flavor and sweetness to the spinach filling.

• Butter - Use good quality butter and apply it with a pastry brush on top of the pastries before baking them. Butter makes the boreks extra crispy and delicious!

• Eggs - They give color as well as flavor to the borek. You can substitute it with yogurt.

• Vegetable oil - you can substitute it with melted butter, olive oil, sunflower oil, or rapeseed oil. It adds an extra crispness to the borek.

• Milk - I use semi-skimmed or full-fat milk. You can substitute it with yogurt.

• Garlic - Fresh garlic is a great flavoring that adds sweetness and nuttiness to dishes. Turn it into a paste with a Mortar and Pestle or grate it using a Microplane Zester Grater. You can use garlic powder or granules instead although I strongly suggest using fresh ones.

• Sesame or nigella seeds - They provide extra crunch to borek or pastries. They are commonly used in sweet or savory Turkish bakeries.

How to Make Spinach Borek (Ispanaklı Börek)?

Making Spinach Borek is easy but it requires some time and patience. To achieve the best results, you need to follow a few simple steps:

Prepare the Spinach Filling

Put a large heavy-based pan on medium heat and add olive oil then sauté the onions and garlic until translucent.

Add chili, tomato paste, salt, pepper, and paprika, and sauté for another minute, stirring continuously. Add the spinach and cook until the water from the spinach totally evaporates.

Let the filling cool down totally before using it for borek.

Prepare the sauce while the filling is cooling down.

Put 2 eggs + 1 egg white in a bowl and whisk lightly. Pour in the milk and vegetable oil and whisk to combine. Set aside to use when required

Assemble the Spinach Borek (Ispanaklı Börek)

Preheat the oven to 180° C - 360° F (fan oven). Line a rectangular baking tray size of 35 cm x 25 cm (14" x 10") or a 28 cm (11") dia baking pan with a baking sheet.

Lay a piece of yufka on a work surface and scatter 2-3 tablespoon of the sauce on it, spread the sauce evenly using a pastry brush.

Divide the filling into 3 and scatter ⅓ of it on yufka evenly.

Cut the yufka into quarters. You will have 4 large triangles. Take one of the triangles and roll it starting from the large side into a long sausage shape. 

Swirl the long sausage into a rose shape.

And tuck the loose end piece underneath the rose. Repeat the same for the rest of the yufka pieces.

Place the boreks on a baking tray and brush with melted butter and egg yolk. Sprinkle on sesame seeds or nigella seeds.

Place the tray in the oven and cook boreks for 40 minutes or until golden brown.

Scroll down to the recipe card for the full, printable recipe!

Top Tips From the Chef

• Make sure the oven is heated to 180° C - 360° F (fan oven) before you put the borek in. A cold oven would cause a longer cooking time and less crispy pastries.

• You can make the spinach filling a day before and keep it refrigerated until you need it.

• Wash your spinach leaves thoroughly and dry them using a salad spinner or leave them on a colander until the leaves are dry.

• Turn your fresh garlic into a paste with a Mortar and Pestle or grate it using a Microplane Zester Grater. 

Recipe FAQs

Related Recipes

For other delicious Turkish pastry 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 this scrumptious Spinach Borek (Ispanaklı Börek) as much as you enjoy eating it! 🙂 

Bon appétit! / Afiyet olsun!

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