Greek Spinach Pie | Vegan Spanakopita

Vegan Spanakopita Greek Spinach Pie placinta greceasca cu spanac

Greek Spinach Pie | Vegan Spanakopita

Crisp, golden layers of phyllo coiled around a savory filling of spinach, smoked tofu and cashews - this vegan spanakopita is the fully plant-based take on the classic Greek spinach pie. It goes from prep to golden-brown crust in about an hour.

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 50

Total Time 1

Choose Serving Size 6

Ingredients

20 cups spinach frozen, chopped, thawed and excess liquid removed
1 onion finely chopped
6 cloves garlic minced
3 Tablespoons olive oil
2 cups smoked tofu crumbled (use ricotta for vegetarian version with cheese)
½ cup raw cashew nuts finely chopped
15 sheets phyllo pastry
½ cup vegan butter melted (use normal butter for vegetarian version with dairy)
salt and pepper to taste
3 Tablespoons spring onion chopped

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F).
In a large pan over medium heat, add the olive oil. Add the chopped onion and minced garlic and sauté for 2 minutes. Add the thawed spinach and cook for 7 minutes, or until the spinach is soft. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Add the crumbled smoked tofu and the chopped cashew nuts to the spinach mixture and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Let the filling cool.
To create a phyllo-wrapped spiral spanakopita, lay one or two sheets of phyllo on a clean surface. Brush with melted butter, top with three more sheets, then brush with more butter.
Spoon the spinach mixture along one long edge, in a strip about 2 cm wide. Roll the pastry up into a long, thin roll. Starting from one end, coil the roll into a spiral and place it in the middle of your baking dish, lightly brushed with olive oil. Prepare the next roll, slot it against the first one and continue coiling outwards. Repeat with the remaining pastry and filling.
Bake for about 40 minutes, or until golden brown.
Sprinkle with the chopped spring onion and serve.

Notes

Squeeze as much liquid as possible out of the thawed spinach - any excess water will make the phyllo soggy. Keep the unused phyllo sheets under a damp kitchen towel while you assemble, so they don't dry out and crack. For a vegetarian (non-vegan) version, swap the smoked tofu for ricotta and the vegan butter for regular butter. Best served warm; leftovers keep in the fridge for up to 3 days and crisp back up in the oven at 180°C for 8-10 minutes.