This spinach-packed vegan Spanakopita recipe is quick and easy to make with tofu or vegan feta cheese and filo dough or pastry puffs. It bakes up light and flaky with a delicious protein-packed spinach filling. This authentic-tasting Greek spinach pie will be a hit with the whole family!
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This plant-based spanakopita is delicious enough for a special holiday dinner, but easy enough for a weeknight meal!
Absolutely delicious. I made this with gluten free puff pastry and made the fetta too – total hit, even my 2 year old ate it! We have lots of food allergies to navigate so this really hit the spot for us. Thank you for the recipe!
— Sarah
This recipe is
- quick and easy to make.
- a beautiful dish for brunches, holidays, or a special dinner.
- packed with healthy spinach and high-protein tofu.
- dairy-free, nut-free, and can be made gluten-free as well.
- quite possibly the most delicious way to eat spinach!
Ingredients and substitutions
- Spinach – this makes up the majority of the filling. You will need 1 full pound. This seems like a lot of spinach, but it will cook down! You can use fresh or frozen spinach. I have used both and it comes out well with each type. Just be sure to thaw frozen spinach and squeeze out as much liquid as possible.
- Olive Oil – to saute the onion, garlic, spinach, and tofu. You will also need a little more to brush onto the phyllo dough if you are using that instead of a pastry puff.
- Onion – diced and sauteed with the spinach for flavor. (optional)
- Garlic – for flavor (optional)
- Salt – for flavor
- Pepper – for flavor
- Vegan Feta or Tofu – you have 3 options for this. (All work well).
- Tofu Feta – I make my own homemade vegan feta cheese by marinating the tofu in nutritional yeast, apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, miso paste, and a few other spices.
- Firm Tofu – If you don’t have time to make tofu feta, you can simply add firm tofu and season it with nutritional yeast and salt.
- Store-bought Vegan Feta – You can also use store-bought vegan feta like Viola brand. (Make sure to add store-bought feta after cooking the spinach since it will not need to cook like the tofu.).
- Pastry Puffs or Phyllo (Filo) Dough – Pasty puffs are vegan and the quickest and easiest way to make this dish, but phyllo dough makes the lightest and crispiest crust. I always buy it frozen to save time and effort, but you can also make your own phyllo dough if you are feeling ambitious!
Helpful tools
- Baking Dish – 13″ x 9″ lasagna Pyrex baking dish works well.
How to make vegan spanakopita with tofu
Prep ahead
Step 1 – Take frozen pastry puff or filo out of the freezer and allow it to warm to room temperature. (This will take about 45 minutes. If you forget, you can carefully microwave it for about 20, flip it, and then microwave it again for 20 seconds to warm it up.)
Step 2 – Preheat oven to 400° F (204° C).
Make the filling
Step 3 – Saute diced onion in olive oil until it’s translucent.
Step 4 – Add garlic, drained and pressed tofu, nutritional yeast, salt, and pepper (or my tofu feta). Saute for 3 more minutes. (If using store-bought feta, add it at the end.)
Step 5 – Add spinach and cook for a few minutes until the spinach wilts. (If using the store-bought feta instead of the tofu feta, add it now). Set the tofu and spinach mixture aside while you prepare your pastry.
Prepare your pastry and bake
Step 6 – Brush the bottom of a baking dish with olive oil, then add 7 layers of filo to the bottom of the baking dish, brushing a thin layer of oil between each layer of filo. (If using puff pastry, place one of the pastry puffs on the bottom.
Step 7 – Pour the spinach filling on top and spread out evenly.
Step 8 – Scrunch up individual pieces of filo into an accordion shape and place them next to each other until you have formed a layer across your whole baking pan. (If using puff pastry, simply place the second pastry puff layer on top of the spinach layer.
Step 9 – Brush the top layer with additional olive oil, melted vegan butter, or a vegan egg wash if using puff pastry.
Step 10 – If using filo – bake at 375° F (190° C) for 15 minutes. If using puff pastry – bake at 400° F (204° C) for 25 minutes until it puffs up and turns golden brown.
Pro Tips
- Allow the puff pastry to warm up to room temperature before you try to work it or it will break.
- Keep your filling relatively dry. Press your tofu well to get out excess water and if you are using frozen spinach, be sure to thaw it and press the water out first before using. A wet filling will make it soggy and your pastry puff won’t rise and puff up as well.
- Bake until your pastry puff rises and turns a golden brown.
- For more flavorful tofu, you can mix up my recipe for tofu feta ahead of time and use it instead of plain tofu.
Storage and reheating
Refrigerate:The tofu spanakopita will keep well in the fridge for 3 – 5 days in a sealed container.
Freeze:Cover tightly reducing any air touching the spanakopita and freeze for up to 3 months.
Reheating:Reheat 1 slice at a time in the microwave for about 2 minutes, or bake multiple servings at 350° F for about 15 – 20 minutes until warm.
How to make it gluten-free
To make this gluten-free, you can use Schar brand gluten-free pastry puffs. There are also a few other brands of gluten-free phyllo dough if you are lucky enough to find it.If you can’t find any of these, you can also use mygluten-free vegan pie crust recipeto make this into a spinach pie.
Variations of vegan spinach pies
Spanakopita Triangles – Cut each of your pastry puff sheets into 4 smaller squares. Put about 1/3 cup of filling in the center of each square and fold it over using a little water to stick the pastry together at the edges.
Spinach Empanadas – Roll out a traditional vegan pie crust (or my gluten-free vegan pie crust) and use biscuit cutters or the rim of a large glass to cut out circles about 5 inches in diameter. Fill the center with a few tbsp of spinach filling and press the sides together. Bake at 375° F for about 20 minutes until golden brown.If you want more detailed instructions about how to make empanadas this vegan empanadas post will help you through the process.
Spinach Pot Pie – Use the spinach and tofu mixture as the filling in a pot pie. Use your favorite vegan pie crust or my gluten-free vegan pie crust recipe to make a pot pie. Bake at 375° F for about 45 minutes.
More vegan spinach recipes
- The Best Vegan Quiche Recipe
- Vegan Stuffed Shells
- Spinach Muffins
- Strawberry Spinach Salad
- Vegan Cauliflower Risotto with Spinach
- Vegan Spinach Balls
- Orzo with Spinach and Lemon
- Easy Vegan Spinach Dip
Diet
5 from 11 rating
Vegan Spanakopita
Yield: 8
Prep: 50 minutes mins
Cook: 25 minutes mins
Total: 1 hour hr 15 minutes mins
Author: Monica Davis
A light layered Greek pastry filled with spinach and vegan tofu feta.
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Ingredients
- 1 package puff pastry , or 1/2 package of filo dough (use gluten-free pastry puffs if needed)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, (plus a little more for brushing)
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 (14 oz) packages tofu, or a double batch of my tofu feta recipe or store-bought vegan feta
- 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast, (omit if using my tofu feta recipe instead of plain tofu.)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, (1/2 tsp if using store-bought feta since it's already salty).
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 16 oz spinach , fresh or frozen
Equipment
baking dish
Instructions
Get prepared
Take frozen pastry puff or filo out of the freezer and allow it to warm to room temperature. (This will take about 45 minutes. If you forget, you can carefully microwave it for about 20, flip it, and then microwave it again for 20 seconds to warm it up.)
Preheat oven to 400°F (204°C).
Make the filling
Saute the peeled and diced onion in 2 tbsp olive oil until it's translucent.
Add garlic, drained and pressed tofu, nutritional yeast, salt, and pepper (or my tofu feta). Saute for 3 more minutes. (If using store-bought feta, add it at the end.)
Add 16 oz spinach and cook for a few minutes until spinach wilts. (If using the store-bought feta instead of the tofu feta, add it now). Set the tofu spinach mixture aside while you prepare your pastry.
Prepare the pastry and bake
Brush the bottom of a baking dish with olive oil, then add 7 layers of filo to the bottom of the baking dish, brushing a thin layer of oil between each layer of filo. (If using puff pastry, place one of the pastry puffs on the bottom.
Pour the spinach filling on top and spread out evenly.
Scrunch up individual pieces of filo into an accordion shape and place them next to each other until you have formed a layer across your whole baking pan. (If using puff pastry, simply place the second pastry puff layer on top of the spinach layer.
Brush the top layer with additional olive oil, melted vegan butter, or a vegan egg wash if using puff pastry.
If using filo – bake at 375° F (190° C) for 15 minutes. If using puff pastry – bake at 400° F (204° C) for 25 minutes until it puffs up and turns golden brown.
Notes
- Allow the puff pastry or filo to warm up to room temperature before you try to work it or it will break.
- Keep your filling relatively dry. Press your tofu well to get out excess water and if you are using frozen spinach, be sure to thaw it and press the water out first before using. A wet filling will make it soggy and your pastry puffs won’t rise and puff up as well.
- Bake until your pastry puff rises and turns a golden brown.
- For more flavorful tofu, you can mix up my recipe for tofu feta ahead of time and use it instead of plain tofu.
Serving: 4inch square, Calories: 427kcal, Carbohydrates: 32g, Protein: 11g, Fat: 29g, Saturated Fat: 7g, Sodium: 490mg, Potassium: 367mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 1g, Vitamin A: 5315IU, Vitamin C: 16.7mg, Calcium: 126mg, Iron: 3.7mg
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*This was originally published on 5/23/19. It was updated on 3/30/20 and again on 2/12/24 to include new pictures and more concise instructions.
