This Spinach Fatayer Recipe is one that I grew up eating. If you eat Lebanese food often you might also know it was Lebanese Spinach Turnovers. A spinach, feta, and lemon juice mixture is baked inside dough to create a delicious vegetarian meal. These freeze great too!
What is Fatayer?
Fatayer, Petaeer (Arabic: فطاير)is a meat pie that can alternatively be stuffed with spinach (Arabic: سبانخ), or cheese (Arabic: جبنه) such as Feta or Akkawi.
Why You’ll Love This Spinach Fatayer Recipe
Today’s Lebanese Spinach Pie Recipe, or Fatayer Bi Sabanekh, is one I love making for many reasons.
First of all, it reminds me of childhood. Growing up, making fatayer was always a special family event. I remember gathering in the kitchen, rolling out dough, spooning in the spinach filling, and carefully pinching the edges of each triangle.
I grew up eating both this Spinach Fatayer Recipe and these Lebanese Meat Pies. Spinach Fatayer is part of a traditional Lebanese meal in my family. We usually paired them with hummus and pita, an easy Lebanese salad, stuffed grape leaves, and yogurt.
This version is a nice vegetarian meal option that freezes well and works nicely for a large crowd. When I make these I like to make a big batch, freeze half for later, and use the other half throughout the week for lunch or dinner. My kids go crazy for them too!
Ingredients You’ll Need
You only need a few simple ingredients for this recipe, but feel free to customize them as desired! See the recipe variations and modifications section just below this ingredient list for ideas.
- Dough: You can use homemade dough or buy store-bought dough to use in this recipe. For super quick preparation I buy the Rhodes Roll Dough that is frozen and already portioned out into small rounds. When you are ready to make your fatayer you will remove the dough and let it thaw and rise for 3 to 4 hours before making the spinach pies.
- Spinach: You can use frozen or fresh spinach in this recipe. If you use fresh spinach you will want to wash it and then sprinkle salt on the spinach and set aside for 15 minutes to let the spinach macerate. Then, squeeze as much water out of the spinach as possible before using. If you use frozen spinach you will squeeze as much water out of the thawed spinach as possible before using.
- Fresh Lemon Juice I like to add lemon juice to the spinach mixture to give it a nice sweet, zesty flavor.
- Feta Cheese: Feta is an addition I like in my spinach pies. You can easily make them without the feta cheese if you want or try goat cheese.
- Spices: Feel free to get creative with spices that go into the spinach mixture. I like to add a small amount of salt and pepper and then sumac or za’atar. Feel free to get creative and experiment with your favorite spices.
- Kosher salt and black pepper
For the full ingredient list and exact amounts, see the recipe card below.
Variations and Modifications
- Spices: Change up the spices that are used. If you have a blend of spices you like try using that. Another idea is to use a shawarma seasoning or add za’atar.
- Nuts: You can add in sliced almonds in place of the pine nuts or walnuts. You also can just leave the nuts out if you don’t want to use them.
- Cheese: I really like the feta cheese but goat cheese can also work. You can also skip the spinach and just make a cheese-only version.
- Tomatoes: Add some drained, diced tomatoes to the spinach mixture or tomato paste for a savory flavor.
- Heat: Spice up the spinach mixture by adding additional cayenne pepper or crushed red pepper. You could also add chopped jalapeños to the onions when you cook them.
- Pomegranate Molasses: I love using pomegranate molasses in Mediterranean recipes. I use it in this Easy Arabic Salad and it adds a nice sweetness.
- Meat Filling: You can add cooked ground beef to the spinach and cheese mixture for a non-vegetarian version. I also have this Lebanese meat pie recipe.
How to Make Spinach Fatayer
Step 1: Prepare the Dough. Place frozen dough in your refrigerator 6 to 12 hours before using. Dough will not rise, but will be thawed and ready to use.
Step 2: Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Frozen Dough: If using the frozen roll dough place 24 of the frozen dough rolls on two of the baking sheets. Spray the top of the dough with non-stick spray and cover with plastic wrap. Let the dough thaw and rise, which takes about 2 to 3 hours.
Homemade Dough: Spray two baking trays with non-stick spray. Lay out the dough on the tray if not using the frozen rolls and cover with a kitchen towel to rise for about 1 hour. When the dough has doubled in size form the dough into 2 inch round balls and make about 24 of them. Cover with a kitchen towel for another 30 min to rise again.
Step 3: Saute Garlic & Onion. In a medium skillet heat 2 Tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and onion and saute for 2 to 3 minutes or until soft. Set aside.
Step 4: Prepare the Spinach Mixture. if you are using fresh spinach, chop the spinach, put it in a large bowl, and sprinkle it with 1 teaspoon of salt. Set aside for 15 minutes to macerate the spinach. Use your hands to squeeze the spinach dry. If you are using frozen spinach you will also want to squeeze the liquid out. Place in a large mixing bowl. Add the garlic and onion mixture, the sumac, salt and pepper, and lemon juice, Mix well.
Step 5: Prepare Spinach Pies. Set out on a large cutting board or another work surface that has space to roll out the dough. Flour the surface you are working on. Use a rolling pin to roll each dough round out so there are three sides.
Step 6: Fill the Dough. Fill each dough round with enough spinach mixture to fill the dough but leave room around the edges to close the spinach pie. Sprinkle a few pieces of feta cheese on top of the spinach mixture.
Step 7: Bring the three sides of the dough together to a point in the middle forming a triangle shape. Use your fingers to pinch the dough together and make sure they are closed completely.
Step 8: Spray each spinach pie with a bit of olive oil or use a brush to brush them with olive oil. Place them on the baking sheet in a single layer.
Step 9: Bake Fatayer. Bake for about 20 minutes, or until just golden brown. To get a nice golden brown on the edges you can turn the heat up to 450 the last 2 minutes of baking.
Step 10: Remove from oven and let cool for a couple of minutes. Serve warm or freeze for later.
Expert Tips for Perfect Fatayer
- Achieving that beautiful, golden-brown fatayer with crisp edges and a savory filling takes a little know-how, but these quick tips can make a big difference.
- When working with dough, it’s helpful to knead it until it’s smooth and elastic—this gives it the perfect texture for rolling and shaping. Be sure to squeeze as much moisture as possible from the spinach to prevent soggy dough.
- If you notice the edges aren’t sealing well, dab a little water on your fingers and press them closed again. A well-sealed fatayer holds in all those delicious flavors and keeps the filling warm and moist as it bakes.
Serving Tips
I am all about simple salads to pair with spinach pies. Here are a few I like along with some side dish options:
- Fattoush : A healthy Middle Eastern Salad with a light, lemony vinaigrette dressing. This Fattoush Salad mixes crisp romaine, fresh vegetables, pita chips, and a light lemony sumac dressing and is great with fresh farmers market vegetables.
- Tabbouleh: Tabbouleh is a fresh, light salad mixing tomatoes, parsley, mint, green onions, and bulgur wheat along with a light lemon olive oil dressing. A great side to any meal or a main dish for lunch!
- Persian Cucumber Salad: Persian Tomato Cucumber Salad is a fresh, light salad mixing tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, jalapeño, fresh mint and parsley and topped with an olive oil lemon dressing.
- Spicy Potatoes: Spicy Lebanese Potatoes are crisp on the outside, tender on the inside, and will spice up any meal. The sauce on these potatoes is the star featuring coriander, paprika, and cayenne pepper mixed with olive oil and lemon juice.
Storage Tips
Spinach fatayer are perfect served warm from the oven, but they’re also delicious at room temperature, making them a wonderful option for parties, picnics, or just a quick snack. If you’re making a batch ahead of time, they store well in an airtight container at room temperature for up to two days, or in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Freezing: These are great to freeze for later. I make a double batch so I have some for later. Make sure you completely cool the spinach fatayer. Once cooled, wrap each individually in plastic wrap or aluminum foil. This helps to prevent freezer burn but isn’t necessary if you don’t want to do this. Place them in a freezer bag or freezer-safe container. These will last in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Thaw/Reheat: When you are ready to eat spinach fatayer you can thaw them in the fridge overnight. You then can slowly reheat them in the oven at 200 degrees until heated through, air fry them, or microwave them.
More Vegetarian Recipes
- Mediterranean Bean Salad
- Roasted Vegetable Goat Cheese Flatbread
- Greek Pizza
- Tabbouleh Stuffed Peppers
If you try it, please leave me a star rating and comment below, and follow me on Instagram @acedarspoon for more delicious recipes!
Spinach Fatayer
Ingredients
- 1 package of dough or 1 package of Rhodes 36 count frozen dinner rolls
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 1 cup sweet onion,, finely diced
- 2 garlic coves,, minced
- 8 cups fresh spinach {or you can use 2 pounds of frozen,, chopped spinach, drained}
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon sumac
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper {optional}
- 1/4 cup chopped parsley
- 1 lemon,, juiced
- 6 ounces of crumbled feta cheese
- 1/2 cup pine nuts or chopped walnuts,, toasted {optional}
Instructions
- Place frozen dough in your refrigerator 6 to 12 hours before using. Dough will not rise, but will be thawed and ready to use.
- Spray two baking trays with non-stick spray. Lay out the dough on the tray if not using the frozen rolls and cover with a kitchen towel to rise for about 1 hour. When the dough has doubled in size form the dough into 2 inch round balls and make about 24 of them. Cover with kitchen towel for another 30 min to rise again.
- If using the frozen roll dough place 24 of the frozen dough rolls on two of the baking sheets. Spray the top of the dough with non-stick spray and cover with plastic wrap. Let the dough thaw and rise, which takes about 2 to 3 hours.
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- In a medium skillet heat 2 Tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and onion and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes or until soft. Set aside.
- To prepare the spinach mixture: if you are using fresh spinach, chop the spinach and put it in a large bowl and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of salt. Set aside for 15 minutes to macerate the spinach. Use your hands to squeeze the spinach dry. If you are using frozen spinach you will also want to squeeze the liquid out. Place in a large mixing bowl. Add the garlic and onion mixture, the sumac, salt and pepper and lemon juice, Mix well.
- To prepare the spinach pies: Set out of a large cutting board or another work surface that has space to roll out the dough. Flour the surface your working on. Use a rolling pin to roll each dough round out so there are three sides.
- Fill each dough round with enough spinach mixture to fill the dough but leave room around the edges to close the spinach pie. Sprinkle a few pieces of feta cheese on top of the spinach along with the pine nuts or walnuts.
- Bring the three sides of the dough together to a point in the middle. Use your fingers to pinch the dough together and make sure they are closed completely.
- Spray the each spinach pie with a bit of olive oil or use a brush to brush them with olive oil.
- Bake for about 20 minutes, or until just golden brown. To get a nice golden brown on the edges you can turn the heat up to 450 the last 2 minutes of baking.
- Remove from oven and let cool for a couple of minutes. Serve warm or freeze for later.
Can pie crust dough or biscuits (rolled thinly) be used?
I haven’t tried that but I bet using biscuits could work..