Spinach Feta Pinwheels
Flaky, buttery puff pastry is rolled around spinach, feta & mozzarella to create these outrageously delicious Spinach Feta Pinwheels!
I hosted my book club earlier this month. Our book selection was Exit West, a fictional account of a couple escaping the war-torn Middle East through magical doors. Through these “doors” they were transported to three different countries to the west, one being Greece. This spanakopita appetizer is a riff on the Greek spanakopita recipe, and is absolutely scrumptious!
Why You Must Make
- It’s a fun twist on the traditional spanakopita, Some of the Greek spinach pie ingredients were incorporated into this spanakopita appetizer.
- With spanakopita or homemade baklava, there’s fussy phyllo dough to fiddle with! Using puff pastry makes quick work of a yummy spinach puff pastry appetizer!
- They are delicious!!!
Ingredient Notes:
- Staples: Eggs, Garlic Salt.
- Nutmeg – Grate from a whole nutmeg if possible. Otherwise, just use a pinch of ground nutmeg.
- Frozen chopped spinach – Defrost overnight in the refrigerator, then squeeze very dry before using. PRO-Tip: Use a potato ricer to remove excess liquid.
- Feta, in a block – It’s better quality feta than what is already crumbled, but both will work.
- Mozzarella, grated – Pre-shredded cheese is fine. Chop shredded cheese to make smaller pieces that will disperse more thoroughly.
- Green Onions – Also known as scallions.
- Frozen puff pastry – A brand with butter in the ingredients preferred. Dufour brand is great. Trader Joe’s also has this available during the holidays, so stock up.
How to Make
- Make the egg wash. Make the filling. Roll out the puff pastry and brush with the egg wash.
- Top the surface with the cheese mixture, then the spinach. Leave about an inch free of toppings on one of the short sides. This will help the pinwheels seal.
- Roll up the pastry like a jelly roll. Slice, then chill briefly for the best puff pastry rise.
- Bake, cool slightly and DIG IN!!!
Expert Tips
- Though the traditional phyllo dough, which is used for spanakopita, is more finicky, you still need to understand how to work with puff pastry to get the best results when making these pinwheel appetizers.
- PRO TIP: For the best-tasting spinach feta pinwheels, look for an all-butter puff pastry brand. I use Dufour, but note that it will be much more expensive.
- To prevent your pinwheels from unraveling while baking, make sure about 1/2-inch of one short end of your puff pastry is free of filling. Double-check that it’s brushed with egg wash, then roll up from the opposite end, so that the filling-free edge adheres to the rolled cylinder.
- The pastry can warm up while you’re working with it. It bakes up best when chilled so I always pop it in the freezer while the oven heats up. If you have the time, you can cover the sheet pan with the pinwheels with plastic wrap and park them in the fridge until you’re ready to bake them.
- PRO TIP: Puff pastry puffs up best when baked cold, but it also needs to be baked at a high temperature. I like to rechill the pinwheels in the fridge before baking, then bake at 400° as directed.
- Brushing the puff pastry with an egg wash before rolling helped keep the spirals from unfurling, though a little reshaping was necessary before and immediately after their time in the oven.
Frequently Asked Questions
Phyllo, Fillo, and Filo are just variations in the spelling of tissue-thin sheets of dough. The word means “leaf” in Greek as the sheets are as thin as a leaf. They’re also quite delicate and become brittle if left exposed to the air. For that reason, a damp towel is placed over filo when it’s out to be used in a recipe.
Puff pastry, or pâte feuilletée in French, is a laminated dough, formed when chilled layers of butter are formed between layers of dough by folding, chilling, and refolding. Due to those layers of butter, the dough “puffs” when baked.
Both filo and puff pastry can be found in the frozen section of many grocery stores. They are generally not interchangeable in recipes.
This appetizer is based on spanakopita ingredients. It’s a Greek pie with phyllo as a top and bottom crust with sauteed spinach, onions, feta, and egg filling.
With feta cheese in the filling, these pinwheel appetizers should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Gently reheat before serving. They also can be frozen for up to 3 months.
You May Also Like:
- Puff Pastry Bacon Twists from A Family Feast
- Muenster and Spinach Pinwheels
- Cranberry Brie en Croute
- Pepperoni Pinwheels
- More Appetizer Recipes
Menu Suggestions:
- Greek Lamb Skewers
- Mediterranean Grilled Cheese
- Mediterranean Endive Boats
- Greek Salad with Feta
- Greek Farro Salad
- Greek Lemon Bundt Cake
Spinach Feta Pinwheels
A twist on the classic Greek spanakopita using puff pastry!
Ingredients
- 1 egg whisked with 1 tablespoon of water
- ½ cup crumbled feta (buy a block and crumble it yourself
- ¼ cup grated mozzarella
- 1 green onion, chopped
- ½ teaspoon garlic salt
- A few grates of fresh nutmeg
- 1 10-ounce package of frozen chopped spinach, defrosted and squeezed dry
- 1 puff pastry sheet, defrosted
Instructions
- Whisk together the egg and water, and set aside.
- Mix together the cheeses, onion, and seasonings. Set aside.
- Roll out the puff pastry on a lightly floured surface to flatten the seams. Brush the surface with your egg wash.
- Top the surface with the cheese mixture, then break apart the spinach and spread evenly over the surface. ***Leave about an inch free of toppings on one of the short sides.***
- Starting on the short side that's covered with filling, roll up the pastry like a jellyroll.
- Line two baking sheets with parchment. Slice the roll into ½-3/4 inch slices and place them on the prepared sheets.
- Pop them into the refrigerator or freezer to let them cool as the oven preheats to 400 degrees.
- Bake for 15 minutes or until they're golden.
Notes
Puff pastry "puffs" the best when it's cold, so always refrigerate your sheet pan of sliced pinwheels before baking for the best results.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
16Serving Size:
1 pinwheelAmount Per Serving: Calories: 143Total Fat: 10gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gCholesterol: 7mgSodium: 142mgCarbohydrates: 11gFiber: 1gSugar: 1gProtein: 4g
99 Comments on “Spinach Feta Pinwheels”
Spinach feta pinwheels Looks so good! I Thanks for the share!!
best flavors ever!!
Perfect appetizer! Looking forward to making this for my next gathering.
This looks so delicious and I am making this after I finish my Whole30 challenge. Thanks for sharing this with us at the Waste Not Wednesday link party. Can’t wait to see what you are up to this week.
These look so delicious!!! Printed and all ready to make!! They are going to be perfect for my hubby’s lunch!!
Thank you so much for sharing your yummy recipe with us over at Waste Not Wednesday!
These look so delicious and easy. What a great recipe.
My two favorites spinach and feta. Definitely going to have to give this a try. Sharing on my social sites. Come and visit sometime.
these sure are perfect for New YEars! Happy New Year Liz!
Oh my those look so festive and delicious!! I WILL be making these ….. yum. Happy New Year Liz and all the very best in 2018.
Can these be frozen?
I have no experience freezing these, but I think it might work. If you try it, I’d bake them directly from the freezer and add about 15-20 minutes to your baking time.
I want to make these for a brunch housewarming party I’m giving for a friend. I will never use the rest of the fresh nutmeg, but I can only imagine the tastiness it will add. Would it be possible to use the ground nutmeg I already have in my spice cabinet, and if so, how much would you suggest? I can’t wait to try these!
Hi, Hillary! I know what you mean as I have a very old jar of whole nutmeg that I don’t think I’ll use up in my lifetime. I think just a pinch or two will be fine–I bet if I measured it would be 1/16th tablespoon or less. Hope you enjoy!
Love!! Pinterest win! I added damoked salmon, and it was the cherry on top!
We can totally tell you made your own spanakopita properly lots of time from this line alone – for the feta: “buy a block and crumble it yourself”!:)
LOVED your yummy pinwheels dear Liz, the only thing we’d add, would be a little very finely chopped fresh dill, to give this a more spanakopita flavor:):) Can’t help it, we are from natives ourselves lol :):):)
Thank you for the delicious recipe!
Hugs,
Mirella and Panos
I fail immensely when working with puff pastry. Thanks for your tips – I guess I always do it wrong. I figured it’s always still raw because I’m putting it in the oven while it’s still cold. Maybe it’s just not cold enough?
I’ll definitely try again with this recipe – YUM! Probably on my Christmas Eve party menu
Our book club choice for this month (meeting Wednesday) is the excellent and well-written “The Lightless Sky: An Afghan Refugee Boy’s Journey of Escape to a New Life in Britain.” The Afghan Boy is 12 years old and the book, likes yours, probably, was unbelievable. We really have no idea. This kid spent a few months in Greece also !!!. So, since I am scheduled to bring a nibble, I am going to make these Pinwheels which I think are jazzy as well as delicious. I plan to share your story and recommend your book also. Thanks for your tips. I always like them.
Wow, these look fantastic, and I’ll bet they’re as delicious as they look. Thanks for all the tips.
Picture perfect and delicious! I’m adding this to the collection of contenders for our anniversary celebration. I hope the Mr wants this one as much as I do!
What a gorgeous pinwheels! You have a good idea put in the greek feta. I think I could eat one of this even in breakfast time.
I was pretty excited when I saw these on Insta because I LOVE spanakopita and so the idea of an easier way to get those flavors is just fantastic! These look so great Liz! Thank you for introducing them to the world!!
These look absolutely delicious. I am sure they were a hit!