These homemade spinach pies are one of my all-time favourite things to bake. If you love the classic Lebanese fatayer bi sabanekh or Greek spanakopita but want a simpler, fully vegan version with a tender olive oil dough, this is your recipe.
The filling is what makes these irresistible — chopped spinach brightened with fresh lemon juice and sumac, which adds a gorgeous fruity tartness you won’t get from lemon alone. The dough comes together with just flour, olive oil, flax meal, and yeast, so there’s no butter or eggs needed.
I love that you can shape a big batch, bake them all at once, and have dozens of spinach pies ready for the week. They reheat beautifully and taste just as good at room temperature, which makes them ideal for lunchboxes, picnics, and party platters.
The combination of flaky golden crust and tangy spinach filling is genuinely hard to stop eating — let me show you exactly how I make them.
Easy Homemade Spinach Pies
Ingredients
Dough:
- 10 cups organic unbleached white whole wheat flour
- 2 tablespoons flax meal
- 2 tablespoons flax meal
- 2 teaspoons yeast mixed with 6 oz (180 ml) warm water (for activating yeast)
- 1 teaspoon natural salt
- 1 cup olive oil
- 3-4 cups water
Spinach Stuffing:
- 60 ounces organic spinach chopped ; (1.7 kg) frozen organic spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
- 1 pinch organic sugar (for activating yeast)
- 2 large onions finely chopped
- 3 tablespoons sumac
- 2 pieces lemons juiced (about 4 tablespoons / 60 ml)
- ½ cup olive oil
- 2 teaspoons natural salt
Instructions
- Dissolve yeast in 6 ounces water and a pinch of organic raw sugar. Allow it to rise.
- After the yeast mixture has proofed, whisk together the flour, flax meal, salt, olive oil, and yeast mixture in a large mixing bowl.
- Gradually add 3 to 4 cups (720-960 ml) of water, mixing as you go, and knead with your hands for 8-10 minutes until you have a smooth, elastic dough. Cover the bowl with a damp cloth or plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place for 1½ to 2 hours, or until doubled in size.
- Meanwhile, if using frozen spinach, thaw it completely and drain in a colander. Squeeze the spinach firmly in a clean tea towel or between your hands until no more water drips out — this is essential for crisp pies. Place in a large bowl.
- Sprinkle a pinch of salt over the finely chopped onions and massage with your hands for 1 minute to soften them. Add the massaged onions to the spinach along with the sumac, olive oil, lemon juice, and 2 teaspoons of salt. Mix thoroughly, taste, and adjust seasoning to your preference. Set aside.
- Punch and knead the dough. Divide the mixture into 3 to 4 balls. Flour the countertop and roll each ball separately with a rolling pin. Using a wide-mouth cup or 3½-inch (9cm) round cookie cutter, cut circles from the rolled dough. Re-roll scraps and cut more circles until all the dough is used.
- Fill each dough circle with a heaping tablespoon of the spinach mixture. Wet the outer border of each circle using your finger. Close each one by folding each side to the centre to form a triangle. Seams should be pressed down, and ends should be pressed together. Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Preheat the oven to 400°F / 200°C (205°C fan-forced). Bake the pies for about 15-20 minutes or until the top is golden brown.
Nutrition
What Makes These Homemade Spinach Pies Special
These spinach pies stand apart from the typical spanakopita you’ll find at bakeries for a few important reasons. First, the dough is made entirely with olive oil — no butter, no eggs — which gives it a tender chew and a subtle richness that pairs perfectly with the filling. The addition of flax meal adds a slight nuttiness and helps bind the dough without eggs.
The real star, though, is the filling. While many spinach pie recipes rely on feta cheese and dill, this version takes a Lebanese fatayer approach with sumac and fresh lemon juice creating a bright, tangy filling that’s entirely plant-based. Sumac delivers a fruity acidity that lemon alone can’t achieve, and it gives the spinach a gorgeous depth of flavour that keeps you reaching for another pie.
The triangular shape isn’t just for looks — it creates a sealed pocket that locks in the juicy filling while the exposed seams crisp up in the oven, giving you contrasting textures in every bite.
Tips for Best Results
- Squeeze the spinach until bone dry. This is the single most important step. Wrap thawed spinach in a clean tea towel and wring it out repeatedly. Excess water will make the dough soggy and cause the pies to split open during baking.
- Don’t skip massaging the onions with salt. This breaks down the raw onion’s harshness and releases moisture so the onions soften into the filling instead of staying crunchy.
- Let the dough rise fully. A proper 1½ to 2 hour rise makes the dough pliable and easy to roll. Under-risen dough will spring back and be difficult to shape into circles.
- Roll the dough thin but not paper-thin. Aim for about 3mm thickness. Too thick and the dough-to-filling ratio is off; too thin and the pies will tear when you fold them.
- Seal the seams tightly. Wet the edges of each circle with water before folding, then press the seams firmly. If any seam is loose, the filling will leak during baking.
Substitutions and Variations
- Flour: If you don’t have white whole wheat flour, use regular all-purpose flour for a lighter, softer dough. You may need slightly less water since all-purpose absorbs less liquid.
- Sumac: If sumac is unavailable, increase the lemon juice to 3 lemons and add 1 teaspoon of za’atar. The flavour won’t be identical, but it’ll still be delicious.
- Fresh spinach instead of frozen: Use about 4 lbs (1.8 kg) of fresh spinach. Wilt it in batches in a hot pan, then cool and squeeze dry. The volume reduces dramatically.
- Add cheese: For a non-vegan version, crumble 200g of feta cheese into the filling for a salty, creamy contrast.
- Spice it up: Add ½ teaspoon of Aleppo pepper flakes or a pinch of cayenne to the filling for gentle heat.
- Mini pies: Use a 2-inch (5cm) cutter for cocktail-sized pies. Reduce baking time to 12-14 minutes.
Storage and Reheating
Refrigerator: Store baked spinach pies in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. They’re excellent at room temperature, but if you prefer them warm, reheat on a baking sheet at 350°F / 175°C for 8-10 minutes until the crust crisps up again.
Freezer: These freeze beautifully for up to 3 months. Freeze baked pies in a single layer on a baking sheet until solid, then transfer to a freezer bag. Reheat from frozen at 350°F / 175°C for 12-15 minutes — no need to thaw first.
Freeze before baking: You can also freeze shaped, unbaked pies. Place them on a parchment-lined tray, freeze until solid, then bag them. Bake directly from frozen at 400°F / 200°C for 22-25 minutes.
Avoid the microwave. It makes the crust rubbery. Always reheat in the oven or a toaster oven for the best texture.
What to Serve With These Spinach Pies
These spinach pies are incredibly versatile. Here are my favourite ways to serve them:
- As part of a mezze spread alongside hummus, baba ghanoush, tabbouleh, and pickled turnips.
- With a yoghurt dipping sauce — mix plain yoghurt with a crushed garlic clove, a squeeze of lemon, and a drizzle of olive oil (skip for vegan; use tahini sauce instead).
- With a simple fattoush salad for a complete light lunch.
- Alongside lentil soup for a hearty, satisfying meal on colder days.
- As a grab-and-go breakfast with a cup of strong mint tea.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use store-bought dough instead of making my own?
Yes, you can use store-bought pizza dough as a shortcut. However, most commercial doughs contain dairy, so check the label if you want to keep these vegan. You’ll need about 2 lbs (900g) of dough for the full filling quantity. The texture will be slightly different — less tender than this olive oil dough — but it works well in a pinch.
Why did my spinach pies open up during baking?
This almost always comes down to two things: the spinach filling was too wet, or the seams weren’t sealed tightly enough. Make sure you squeeze every last drop of water from the spinach, and always dampen the dough edges with water before pressing the seams together. Pressing with fork tines along the seams adds extra insurance.
Can I make the dough the night before?
Absolutely. After the initial mix, cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. The cold, slow rise actually develops more flavour. Take the dough out 30 minutes before shaping to let it come to room temperature so it’s easier to roll.
What size should I cut the dough circles?
Aim for 3½-inch (9cm) circles for standard-sized pies. This gives you enough surface area to hold a heaping tablespoon of filling and still fold into a neat triangle. Larger circles (4-5 inches) work too but will need more filling and slightly longer baking time.
Is sumac essential for the filling?
Sumac is what gives these spinach pies their distinctive Lebanese character — a fruity, tangy sourness that’s different from plain lemon. If you absolutely can’t find it, increase the lemon juice and add a teaspoon of za’atar, but I’d strongly recommend ordering sumac online. It’s inexpensive and lasts for months in a sealed jar.
Can I make these in a larger pie format instead of individual pies?
Yes. Roll the dough into two large rectangles, spread the filling over one, and top with the second. Seal the edges, score the top, and bake at 400°F / 200°C for 30-35 minutes until golden. Cut into squares to serve. The individual triangles are more traditional and portable, but a large slab pie is easier when you’re short on time.
How do I know when the spinach pies are done baking?
Look for a golden-brown colour on the tops and bottoms. The seams should feel firm and dry when you tap them. If the tops are browning but the bottoms are still pale, move the baking sheet to a lower oven rack for the last 5 minutes.
The Story Behind Spinach Fatayer
While this recipe is often called spanakopita-style, its roots are firmly planted in the Levantine tradition of fatayer — small stuffed pastries that are a cornerstone of Lebanese, Syrian, and Palestinian home cooking. Fatayer bi sabanekh (spinach fatayer) dates back centuries in the eastern Mediterranean, where cooks would prepare large batches using whatever greens were in season.
The triangular shape is said to represent the Holy Trinity in some Christian Lebanese communities, though the shape is also simply practical — three folds create a strong seal that holds the filling securely. Sumac, the key seasoning here, grows wild across Lebanon and has been used as a souring agent since long before lemons became widely available in the region.
These pies are traditionally baked in large batches for gatherings, holidays, and Friday lunches after prayer. The fact that they’re naturally vegan and taste wonderful at room temperature made them ideal for communal meals and long celebrations.
If you try these homemade spinach pies, I’d love to hear how they turned out for you. A star rating on the recipe card and a quick comment below really help other home cooks find this recipe — and they make my day!
