Spanakopita Triangles
- Jen Vondenbrink
- Nov 21, 2020
- 5 min read
Updated: 6 days ago
Ruined Appetizers
Has this ever happened to you when you made spanakopita triangles from scratch? You pull the tray out of the oven and find the bottom of the triangles is soggy, and maybe even spinach liquid is pooling on the sheet pan. Wah Wah!
I used to think the trick was just using more butter, but time and again, they turned out soggy, and I was so disappointed because of the work that went into them.
Then a few years ago, I took some cooking lessons at Chalet Savoie Faire in the French Alps. Nikki, the owner, showed me how to make these wonderful triangles that came out perfectly every time. Since then I’ve made them lots of times, and even cooked them from frozen without one soggy bottom.
What You'll Learn So You Can Make Crisp Spanakopita Triangles
The Moisture Trap Fix: How to properly drain and dry your spinach so your phyllo stays crisp for hours.
Phyllo Dough Management: Simple handling tricks to keep delicate phyllo sheets from drying out, cracking, or sticking while you assemble, although I have to say I’m not the best at this all the time.
The Triangle Fold Technique: A straightforward, foolproof folding method that locks in the tangy feta filling with zero leaks.
The "Secret" to Crispy Phyllo
The culprit isn’t your oven temperature or your pastry. It is the spinach.
Fresh spinach holds a ton of water, which you may have noticed if you make sautéed spinach. When it heats up inside a sealed pocket of phyllo, that water comes out, and voila soggy bottom.
The secret to achieving a crispy spanakopita triangle comes down to two things: extreme moisture removal.
Even after sautéing, spinach traps liquid within its leaves. Cooling your cooked spinach in a fine-mesh strainer and actively squeezing out the liquid gets the trapped water caused by the internal steam out of the spinach.
Using Frozen versus Fresh Spinach
Ingredient Swap:
Fresh Spinach to Frozen: If you don't have a massive mountain of fresh spinach on hand, substitute an equal amount of thawed frozen chopped spinach. Just be sure to thaw it completely and squeeze it thoroughly in a clean kitchen towel until it’s bone-dry before mixing with the garlic, herbs, and feta.
Creative Variations
Sun-Dried Tomato & Kalamata Olive
Stir 1/3 cup of finely chopped sun-dried tomatoes (packed in oil, drained well) and 1/4 cup of pitted, chopped Kalamata olives into the cooled spinach and feta mixture. The rich, sweet acidity of the tomatoes and the salty bite of the olives transform the spanakopita with minimal extra effort.
Spicy Herb & Harissa
Add 1 to 2 teaspoons of spicy harissa paste to the warm onion and garlic sauté before mixing with the spinach. Swap half of the fresh dill for chopped fresh mint and cilantro to transform these classic Greek bites into a bold, North African-inspired appetizer with a gentle kick of heat.
Making Spanakopita Triangles Step-by-Step
Tip: Make sure to start with a large enough pan. Although the spinach will cook down, you need a large pan to get it started.
Sauté the Onions and Garlic: Heat your olive oil over medium heat. Add finely chopped onions and cook until translucent. Stir in the garlic and cook it for just 30 seconds until your kitchen smells yummy.
Wilt the Spinach & Cool: Add the fresh spinach in handfuls, letting each batch collapse before adding the next. Once completely wilted, stir in the fresh dill. Immediately transfer the hot mixture into a fine-mesh strainer set over a bowl. Let it cool completely. Use the back of a spoon (or your clean hands) to press out every last drop of lingering juice. The mixture should feel moist enough to hold together when pinched, but no liquid should pool at the bottom of the bowl.
Fold in the Feta: Once the spinach is cool to the touch, fold in the crumbled feta, salt, and black pepper.
Prep Your Work Station: Unroll your thawed phyllo dough onto a clean counter. Immediately cover the entire stack with a piece of plastic wrap, then lay a damp (not dripping wet) dishtowel over top. This keeps the delicate sheets pliable so they won't crack while you work.
Layer and Cut: Lay one sheet of phyllo on your work surface and brush lightly with melted butter. Top with a second sheet and brush again. Cut the layered sheet lengthwise into wide, uniform strips (about 2 to 3 inches wide).
Fill and Fold: Place a spoonful of filling at the bottom corner of a strip. Fold the corner diagonally over the filling to form a triangle, then fold straight up, then diagonally again—just like folding a flag. Continue to the end of the strip.
Bake to Golden Perfection: Arrange your triangles on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Brush the tops with melted butter and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Bake in a 350°F oven for 5 to 10 minutes until the edges are deep golden-brown.
"Phyllo dough is too intimidating and fussy to work with."
I completely understand this hesitation. It has a reputation for tearing if you even look at it wrong. Believe me, I know!
The truth is, phyllo is only fragile when it dries out. By keeping the stack covered with plastic wrap and a lightly damp towel as detailed in the steps, you maintain its elasticity. Even if a sheet tears slightly, the multiple buttered layers will hide the flaw perfectly.
"Folding individual triangles takes way too much time."
The flag-folding technique might feel slow on the first two, but you quickly develop a rhythm. More importantly, the upfront effort pays off exponentially because these freeze incredibly well. You do the work once, and you have instantly bakeable, shatteringly crisp appetizers ready to go for months.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make these Spanakopita Triangles ahead of time?
Yes! In fact, they are one of the best make-ahead appetizers in existence. Assemble the triangles entirely, lay them in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet, and freeze until solid. Once frozen, transfer them to a freezer-safe bag. Bake them straight from frozen at 350°F—just add a few extra minutes to the total baking time. Do not thaw them first, or the pastry will get soft!
Why does my phyllo dough keep cracking and crumbling while I'm folding?
Phyllo dough dries out extremely fast when exposed to air. If your sheets are crumbling, they've lost their moisture balance. Make sure to keep the unused stack covered with plastic wrap and a damp towel at all times while assembling. If a sheet gets a small tear, don't worry—just brush it with butter and keep folding; the multiple layers will hide the flaw.
My pastry browned nicely, but the bottom is still soft. What happened?
This usually means either the spinach wasn't drained thoroughly enough or your oven tray was placed too high in the oven. Bake your spanakopita on the middle or lower-middle rack so the bottom heating element can crisp up the underside of the pastry effectively.
What We Covered
Drying Is Key: Removing every drop of moisture from your cooked spinach prevents soggy bottoms.
Keep Dough Covered: Protecting your phyllo dough with plastic wrap and a damp towel keeps its moisture in and makes it easier to work with.
Bake from Frozen: Assembling ahead and baking directly from the freezer allows you to have appetizers in minutes.
If you like these as an appetizer, you might also want to make my Greek-Inspired Baked Feta. It has tomatoes and cheese. It is so good! And who thought you could bake feta?
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I always have some of these in the freezer!