Spinach and Feta (Spanakopita) Baked Pasta – Family Meal Friday

This Baked Spinach and Feta Pasta Dish is so flavorful and delicious just like classic Spanakopita!

Spanakopita is one of my favorite Greek dishes! The combination of feta cheese, spices, and spinach, wrapped in flaky phyllo dough makes a delicious and filling appetizer. This recipe replicates all of those prominent flavors of spinach pie into a warm and comforting pasta dish. 

The recipe starts with baking the shallots and onion in extra virgin olive oil to develop a strong flavor base, then uses a whole block of feta cheese to create a creamy texture! It uses a bunch of fresh baby spinach and spices to model the classic spinach pie.  

This is a great recipe to both get those greens in and enjoy something warm and creamy. 

It can be made for family dinners, holidays, or any night of the week. Pair it with a side of protein for a complete meal!

Family Meal Friday Prayer

Try this meal on a friday night or over the weekend with your family or friends! Gather to share in thanksgiving for the Lord’s provision throughout the week over a home cooked meal with loved ones!

“Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for your love and your grace – that your mercies are new every morning. You are so mighty and glorious, and still you offer each one of us a unique relationship with you, through Jesus. Thank you for that and for always providing for us. Please bless this meal so it may bring us nourishment. Please help us to do our best always, for the growth of your Kingdom. We love you so much and praise you, in Jesus name, Amen!”

Ingredients & Substitutions

• • Shallots: these help give a sweet and savory flavor to the pasta dish. Cooking them in extra virgin olive oil will help enhance the flavor. You can substitute 1 large white/yellow onion. 
  • Garlic Cloves: I used 7 cloves in this recipe, but feel free to use as much as you like. This helps build the flavors in the recipe. Health wise, this is great for building immunity among other benefits.  
  • Olive Oil: you could use regular olive oil or extra virgin, but extra virgin will give it a more intense flavor. This provides healthy fats among many other health benefits.
  • Feta Cheese: I used about a 10-12 oz block of feta, just make sure you use close to this amount. Also, make sure to use a block of feta rather than crumbles. The block easily breaks down and gets creamy after baking and does not use any additional powders to prevent caking (like the crumbles do). It provides benefits such as calcium, protein, and fatty acids. 
  • Spices: this recipe uses 1 tsp of oregano (or a mix of italian spices) and salt + pepper to taste.
  • Spinach: 4 large handfuls (about 8 oz) of baby spinach are used in this recipe. Lightly chop the spinach so that it is more evenly distributed throughout the pasta dish. Spinach provides a multitude of health benefits such as supporting energy levels, heart health, vision, and healthy bones. It also provides fiber, potassium, magnesium, iron, and other vitamins.
  • Pasta: I made a 1 lb box of cavatappi pasta for this recipe and reserved about 2 cups of pasta on the side that was not mixed into the spinach and feta mixture. Make sure to reserve about 1 cup of pasta water for the mixture. 

Equipment

• Large glass or porcelain baking dish
• Knife for chopping veggies
• Garlic press
• Spoons for mixing the pasta and spinach mixture
• Large pot for cooking the pasta
• Stove
• Oven
• Bowls and utensils for serving

How to make: step-by-step

Prepare your pasta according to the directions on the box. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water (make sure it stays warm), drain the rest of the water, and set aside.

Prepare the vegetables: chop the shallots (or onion) into small pieces, peel the garlic cloves and pass through a garlic press (or mince), and lightly chop the spinach.

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Add the shallots, garlic, and 2 tbsp of olive oil to a large baking tray and mix so that everything is coated. Bake for 10-15 minutes or until the shallots are translucent and slightly golden.

Take the baking tray out of the oven. Place the block of feta in the middle and drizzle with 2 more tbsp of olive oil. Bake for another 15 minutes. 

Take the baking tray out of the oven and sprinkle the spices over the block of feta. Add in the spinach around the block of feta and pour about ½ cup of the pasta water over the spinach and feta. Bake for 5 more minutes to allow the spinach to melt and the feta to soften. 

When the spinach and feta mixture has finished baking, remove it from the oven and begin mashing the block of feta with a spoon or fork. Start incorporating the spinach and mix until everything is well combined. You may need to add some more pasta water to make the mixture more creamy and further melt the feta.

Add in the pasta and mix until everything is coated in the spinach and feta mixture. You may not want to add in all the pasta at once if you would like a higher ratio of spinach (you can always add more in to reach your desired consistency). 

Serve in bowls and enjoy!

Serving and Storage

Serve as a main dish for lunch or dinner, you should get 6-8 servings. This pairs well with grilled chicken or chicken cutlets for a great source of protein. 

You can make this dish in advance and reheat the baking dish in the oven for about 20 minutes at 350°F when ready to eat.

Any leftover pasta can be stored in the glass baking dish with a coving or in another container with a cover. Keep in the refrigerator for 1-2 days.

“Open up, ancient gates!

Open up, ancient doors,

and let the King of glory enter.

Who is the King of glory?

The Lord, strong and mighty;

the Lord, invincible in battle.” Psalms ‭24:7-8‬ ‭NLT‬‬