Spanakopita Dip (The Shortcut Version, No Phyllo Rolling Required)

If you love spanakopita but do not love the hours of brushing butter between paper thin layers of phyllo, this spanakopita dip is for you. It takes everything you love about that dish, the spinach, the herbs, the salty cheese, and turns it into a warm, scoopable baked dip topped with crispy broken phyllo instead of a dozen delicate layers. All of the flavor, none of the fuss. This is also one of those dishes that looks like you spent hours on it when really it comes together from just a handful of ingredients, which makes it perfect for friend and family gatherings or holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas.

What Makes This Spanakopita Dip Different

Traditional spanakopita is a labor of love, and I mean that as a genuine compliment to anyone who has the patience for it. This dip skips the rolling and folding entirely. Instead of building layers, you are simply topping a rich spinach artichoke dip with broken pieces of phyllo brushed in butter, so it bakes up golden and crackly on top while staying warm and creamy underneath. It is the flavor of spanakopita with a fraction of the effort.

Other Recipes You May Enjoy

• Pico de Gallo - That bowl would disappear faster than anything else on the table and now it’s a tradition I carry on in my own kitchen.
• Grandma's Red Tabouli - A Armenian bulgur salad flavored with tomato, warm spices, and fresh herbs. 
• Phyllo Dough Spinach Pie — Layers of buttery phyllo dough and a savory spinach filling. The ultimate make-ahead side dish.
• Levantine Tabbouleh - Started as a mezze dish, part of a spread of small plates meant to be shared, scooped up with lettuce leaves or torn pieces of flatbread instead of a fork.
• Lahmajoun (Armenian Pizza) — A thin flatbread topped with a boldly spiced ground meat mixture, baked until the edges are crispy and the topping is deeply fragrant.

A Shortcut Rooted in a Classic

Spanakopita itself is a Greek savory pie built from layers of phyllo dough wrapped around a spinach and feta filling, traditionally served as part of a larger spread of mezze style dishes. This dip takes that same flavor profile, spinach, herbs, a salty cheese base, and reshapes it into something meant for scooping rather than slicing. It is the kind of shortcut that respects where it came from while making room for a busy weeknight or a last minute gathering.

Is Spanakopita Dip Healthy?

This is a rich appetizer, so I will not pretend it is a health food, but it is a better-for-you version of a dip category that is often loaded with heavy cream and mayonnaise. Using a Greek yogurt based spinach artichoke dip as the base keeps things lighter while still landing that creamy, tangy flavor. Spinach and artichokes both bring fiber and nutrients to the table, so you are getting more nutritional value here than you would from a standard sour cream based dip.

Ingredients You Will Need

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This is a short ingredient list built around one shortcut: La Terra Fina Spinach Artichoke & Parmesan Dip & Spread made with Greek Yogurt, which does all the heavy lifting for you. From there, all you are really adding is phyllo dough and butter to build the spiral centerpiece and the crisp, golden topping around it. A touch of fresh dill or parsley, and a small pinch of Aleppo pepper or sumac for color, are both optional, but they add a really beautiful finishing touch. Exact measurements are below in the recipe card, but the idea is simple, let the dip do the work and let the phyllo do the rest.

How to Make Spanakopita Dip (4 Simple Steps)

This comes together quickly since the dip base is already made for you. The phyllo topping here has two parts, torn pieces scattered around the edges and one rolled phyllo rose set in the center for a beautiful, bakery-style presentation.

1. Step 1: Prep your dish and oven. Preheat your oven and transfer the spinach artichoke dip into a baking-safe dish, a glass pie dish works beautifully here.

2. Step 2: Prep the phyllo topping. Tear most of the phyllo sheets into rough, bite-sized pieces. Set aside one or two sheets to roll into a spiral "rose" for the center of the dip, brushing each sheet with butter before loosely rolling and coiling it.

3. Step 3: Top, arrange, and butter. Scatter the torn phyllo around the outer edge of the dip and set the rolled phyllo rose in the center. Brush all of the phyllo generously with melted butter. If you like, sprinkle on crushed red pepper flakes and a little extra parmesan for a beautiful finishing touch.

4. Step 4: Bake until golden. Bake until the dip is warmed through and bubbling and the phyllo topping is deeply golden and crisp. Finish with a scatter of Aleppo pepper, fresh dill or parsley just before serving, if desired.

How to Serve It

This dip is meant to be part of a spread. Serve it warm with crackers, toasted baguette slices, or fresh cut vegetables like cucumber and carrot sticks for dipping. It also works beautifully as part of a larger appetizer spread alongside hummus and other mezze style bites for a gathering. This is the kind of dip that disappears fast at a party, so it is worth doubling if you are feeding a crowd. It is also an easy one to bring along to a friend or family gathering, or to add to your Thanksgiving or Christmas appetizer table, since it looks far more impressive than the effort it actually takes.

Substitutions

No phyllo dough on hand, puff pastry can work in a pinch. The texture will be flakier and less delicate than traditional phyllo. If you want a deeper golden color on top, a light brush of egg wash in addition to the butter will help.

Variations

For a little extra richness, a sprinkle of crumbled feta over the top before baking leans further into the classic spanakopita flavor. Fresh dill or a little lemon zest scattered on right before serving brightens the whole dish up. If you like a little heat, a pinch of crushed red pepper on top of the dip.

Equipment

An oven-safe oval or round baking dish, roughly 10x10 or 10x12 inches, works perfectly for this spanakopita spiral dip. A pastry brush makes quick work of buttering the phyllo, though a drizzle works in a pinch.

Storage

This dip is best enjoyed warm, right out of the oven, while the phyllo topping is still crisp. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days, though the phyllo topping will soften once refrigerated. To reheat, a quick trip back into the oven will help re-crisp the top better than the microwave will.

Cost to Make

Since the base of this recipe is a single store-bought dip, this comes together for the cost of that dip plus sheets of phyllo dough and a little butter. Typically landing around $10 total for a dish that easily serves a small gathering.

Frequently Asked Questions About Spanakopita Dip

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Spanakopita Dip

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A warm, scoopable spanakopita-inspired dip made with a creamy spinach artichoke parmesan base and topped with crispy, buttered phyllo, including a beautiful rolled phyllo rose in the center. All of the flavor of traditional spanakopita, none of the hours spent layering dough. Perfect for parties, potlucks, and holiday appetizer spreads.

Author: Lindsay Lehrer

Print Pin Rate

Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes minutes

Cost: $10

Servings: 10 servings

1x2x3x

Equipment

• Glass Pie Dish or similarly shaped oven safe baking dish
• Pastry brush

Ingredients

• 1 Container La Terra Fina Spinach Artichoke Parmesan Dip
• 12-15 Sheets phyllo dough thawed
• 3 tablespoon Butter melted
• Aleppo Pepper optional, to taste
• Fresh dill or parsley optional, for garnish

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 375. Transfer the spinach artichoke dip into a glass pie dish or similar oven-safe baking dish.
• Tear most of the phyllo sheets into rough, bite-sized pieces. Set aside one or two sheets to brush with butter and loosely roll and coil into a spiral "rose."
• Scatter the torn phyllo around the outer edge of the dip and set the rolled phyllo rose in the center. Brush all of the phyllo generously with the melted butter. If using, sprinkle on crushed red pepper flakes and a little extra parmesan.
• Bake for 25 minutes, until the dip is warmed through and bubbling and the phyllo topping is deeply golden and crisp. Scatter Aleppo pepper, fresh dill or parsley over the top just before serving, if desired.

Notes

Best served warm, right out of the oven, while the phyllo is still crisp. Work with one phyllo sheet at a time for the center rose, keeping the rest covered with a damp towel so they don't dry out. Leftovers keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days; the phyllo topping will soften on reheating.

Nutrition

Calories: 90kcal