Delight your friends and family with this delicious Spinach Ricotta Pie recipe. It features rich and creamy ricotta cheese, salty parmesan cheese, spinach, and eggs, with a touch of nutmeg and pepper flakes for a flavor boost.
Prepared phyllo pastry creates a crispy crust that shatters with every bite. Baked in the oven to perfection, share this spinach pie as a side dish or main. This recipe is vegetarian.
An Easier Spinach and Ricotta Pie
When I was in pastry school, we made phyllo (fee·low) dough from scratch. Once. It was challenging to create because phyllo had to be rolled and stretched tissue paper-thin while handling it in such a way as to prevent tearing.
Chef said prepared phyllo is preferred over scratch made simply because commercial producers are able to get it super thin. This is, in part, what helps create its shattering texture when you bite into it.
In this recipe, we’re employing prepared phyllo dough for a simple approach to pie. Phyllo may seem fussy and maybe unfamiliar, but once you get the hang of it, you’ll find how forgiving this delicate pasty is and how delicious (and impressive) it is to enjoy.
This Recipe Is
- crispy on the outside, creamy on the inside
- freezer friendly
- make ahead ready
If you enjoy spinach recipes, you’ll enjoy this delicious spinach and ricotta pie.
About the Key Ingredients
- Whole Milk Ricotta Cheese – adds richness, creamy texture, and slightly sweet flavor with a hint of tanginess. I use Ricotta Con Latte Ricotta for its ultra creamy texture.
- Grated Parmesan Cheese – Parm adds a salty, savory flavor. I buy a wedge, cut it into small chunks, toss it in the Vitamix and pulse until the parmesan is grated. It stores easily in the freezer.
- Frozen Chopped Spinach – makes up the bulk of this pie. For convenience, we’re using thawed, squeezed, and drained frozen chopped spinach.
- Melted Salted Butter – each sheet of phyllo will be brushed with butter. This creates a crisp and airy texture and a delicious buttery flavor. You can substitute olive oil with a pinch of salt mixed in.
- Phyllo Pastry Dough – look for phyllo dough in the freezer section of your grocery store. It will be near the puff pastry. They’re packaged in rolls of two. You’ll need one, 8 ounce, 9 inch x 14 inch roll. I use Athens brand.
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How to Make Spinach Ricotta Pie
step by step
If you enjoy phyllo dough, give my Spinach and Feta Triangles ( spanakopita triangles ) a go!
Serve With…
- As a Main, share with:
Traci’s Tips
- Thaw phyllo dough in the fridge overnight so that it’s ready to work with when you are. It can hang out in the fridge for several weeks.
- Phyllo dough is delicate and can become brittle if exposed to air for too long. Work quickly when handling the dough, making sure the filling is ready before taking the phyllo out of its wrapper.
- The phyllo will tear a bit while you’re working with it. Just keep going! it’ll hardly be seen in the finished pie.
Don’t let the fussy details of working with phyllo dough deter you from utilizing its pastry superpowers. Phyllo is forgiving to work with and is worth the effort!
Spinach Ricotta Pie with Crispy Phyllo Crust
Servings:8 Pieces
Calories:353kcal
Delight your friends and family with this delicious Spinach Ricotta Pie Recipe. It features rich and creamy ricotta cheese, salty parmesan cheese, spinach, and eggs, with a touch of nutmeg and pepper flakes for a flavor boost. Prepared phyllo pastry creates a crispy crust that shatters with every bite. Baked in the oven to perfection, share this spinach pie as a side dish or main. This recipe is vegetarian.
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil + more for the pie pan
- 1 1/4 cup (150 grams) Diced Yellow Onion medium dice, about 1 large onion
- 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon Fresh Minced Garlic about three large cloves
- 4 large Eggs
- 1 cup (225 grams) Whole Milk Ricotta I use Ricotta Con Latte
- 1/2 cup (50 grams) Grated Parmesan Cheese *see note
- 1/4 cup (30 grams) Unseasoned Dried Bread Crumbs **see note for homemade
- 1 teaspoon Fine Sea Salt
- 1/2 teaspoon Ground Black Pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon Fresh Ground Nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes
- 1 teaspoon Fresh Lemon Juice
- 20 ounces (565 grams) Chopped Frozen Spinach thawed, and throughly squeezed of its water
- 8 tablespoons (113 grams) Salted Butter , one stick, or 6-7 tbs olive oil mixed with a pinch of salt.
- 8 ounces (227 grams) Prepared Phyllo Pastry Sheets 1, 9 inch x 14 inch roll, thawed
Instructions
- Get Ready: Brush a 9 inch (23 centimeters) pie pan throughly with oil and set it aside. Arrange an oven baking rack in the center of the oven. Set your thawed phyllo dough on the counter at room temperature (still in its packaging) while you prepare your ingredients.
- Prep the Filling: In a medium saute pan, heat the olive oil until it shimmers. Add the onions and saute for about 6-7 minutes, or until softened. Add the garlic, and stir for 30 seconds, just until fragrant. Remove from heat and set aside. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk the eggs, then add the ricotta, parmesan bread crumbs, salt, pepper, nutmeg, red pepper flakes and lemon. Whisk until creamy. To the cheese mixture add the spinach and onions. Fold the ingredients together, mashing and smearing the spinach on the bottom of the bowl to break it up. Stir until the ingredients are evenly distributed. Set aside.
- Preheat the Oven to 375 Fahrenheit (190 Celcius).
- Prepare: Melt the butter, or use olive oil (add a pinch of salt and stir if using olive oil). Set aside. Tips: work with three phyllo sheets at a time while "painting" the phyllo with butter. Immediately, cover the remaining phyllo with a sheet of parchment or plastic wrap and a moist (not wet) tea towel. Working in small batches and covering the phyllo will prevent the dough from drying out.
- Make the Bottom Crust and Assemble: Use a pastry brush to throughly "paint" six sheets of phyllo with butter or olive oil, transferring one sheet at a time to the pie pan, arranging it in an overlapping star pattern. Gently nudge the pastry down into the pan, allowing the edges of the phyllo to hang over the sides. It's okay if it tears. Transfer the spinach filling to the pie pan and spread it in an even layer. Fold the overhanging phyllo dough edges over onto the top of the pie – the center will be open. Brush the edges lightly with butter.
- Make the Top Crust: make sure your butter is still melted and not turning into a solid. Use a pairing knife to cut three sheets of phyllo in half, crosswise. Working with one half sheet at a time, "paint" with butter then transfer to the top of the pie, pinching the bottom (unbuttered) side, in the center and forming a "tent" or "flower". Place the pointy side down on top of the pie. An easier description may be to simply crumple/scrunch the phyllo dough. Work from edge to edge until the top is covered – it's okay to crowd the phyllo pieces. Lightly brush any remaining butter over the top.
- Bake: transfer to the oven and bake for 40-45 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the interior reads 175 Fahrenheit (80 Celcius) with a food thermometer. If the crust starts getting too dark, you can tent it with foil. Rest for 10 minutes on a cooling rack before slicing and sharing.
- Store: refrigerate, covered with foil for up to three days in the refrigerator or freeze. Thaw overnight in the fridge, then reheat at 375 Fahrenheit for 25-30 minutes loosly covered with foil.
Notes
*Parmesan Cheese: Look for vegetarian-friendly grated parm (one that does not include rennet) if this is important to you. BelGioioso and Organic Valley are both vegetarian-friendly.
**Breadcrumbs: For homemade, use sourdough bread made into breadcrumbs by whirling a few slices in a food processor, then baking at 300 Fahrenheit for about 10-15 minutes – or until toasty and dry. Prepared bread crumbs work too.
Nutrition is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate. If this information is important to you, please have it verified independently.
Serving: 1slice | Calories: 353kcal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 0.5g | Cholesterol: 135mg | Sodium: 670mg | Potassium: 378mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 8982IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 237mg | Iron: 3mg
Made It? Leave a comment below! The most helpful comment may include recipe rating, feedback, any modifications and/or helping other commenters. On Instagram? Take a snap of your make and share, tagging @VanillaAndBean #VanillaAndBean!
Made this a few days ago and had it for lunch this week. It was fantastic and the phyllo crust stayed very crispy even after being in the refrigerator. I didn’t have enough spinach on hand so supplemented with some mushrooms. Excellent pie and will definitely be making again and again.
Hi Jennifer! Thank you for your mushroom tip and note! SO glad you’re enjoying the recipe.
Hello! Thank you for this recipe. I am going to make it for my family tonight, along with the Roasted Sweet Potato and Carrot Soup.
I could not find phyllo dough, so I bought some good-quality puff pastry. I hope it will work!
Hi Yvonne! Oooh I’m so curious about the puff pastry. Keep us posted, okay?
It was very good! I cut the sheet in half and rolled it to fit a 9×13 inch casserole, then rolled the other half for the top. Baked approximately the same amount of time. I think I could tweak the baking time/temp to achieve a bit more crisp, but we all enjoyed it. The soup was good, too!
Where does the lemon fit in? I either missed it or you did in the recipe.
Thanks for the good meal!
Wade
Hi Wade! Thank you for your note and pointing out the lemon (I just updated the method to include it). It goes in with the egg/spinach/onion mixture. SO glad you enjoyed the pie!
I am not a chef, or even a good cook. The first time I made this, the phyllo had me a bit nervous, but it came out nicely! Guests all gave it a thumbs up and I will make it again. Honestly, I have not made one of Tracy’s recipes that turned out badly. Tracy has step by step instructions that I can follow- Amen:)
Hi Sue! Thank you for your note, sending a smile and giving the pie a go. Love the thumbs up and that you made a phyllo pie!
Can lowfat ricotta cheese be substituted? If so, how does it effect the recipe?
Hi Eileen! I’ve not tried it so I’m not sure. I think it could work, but I’m thinking the texture will be impacted – less creamy perhaps? If you try it, let us know how it goes!