Feta and spinach triangles are the appetizers that disappear the minute they hit the table - flaky puff pastry wrapped around warm spinach and feta - delicious! This classic pairing shows up in cuisines around the world and has become a staple among easy spinach appetizers - it feels both comforting and a little bit fancy.
These spinach and feta pastries are popular for good reason: puff pastry gives you that golden, buttery crunch, while the fresh spinach and feta filling brings a bright, savory flavor that tastes far more impressive than the work it takes to make them. They're perfect for parties, holidays, or anytime you need a crowd-pleasing appetizer that looks elegant but stays wonderfully simple.
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Ingredients
See the recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and quantities.
- Fresh spinach gives this appetizer a bright flavor, soft, delicate texture, and light tasting filling.
- Crumbled feta cheese is easy to find and use. You can also use a block of feta - drain the liquid and crumble before using.
- Puff pastry sheets can be found in the freeze section of most grocery stores.
How To Make Spinach and Feta Pastries
See the recipe card below for the complete instructions.
Place the rough chopped spinach and small diced shallot in a large skillet. Season with salt and pepper, cover, and cook until the spinach has fully wilted. Remove the spinach from the pan and drain using a fine mesh strainer - squeeze out as much liquid as possible. Return the spinach to the skillet, add the feta cheese, and stir to combine. Set aside to cool.
Whisk the egg and 1 Tablespoon water together to make an egg wash. Set aside while you prep the puff pastry.
Place one sheet of puff pastry on a lightly flour surface and roll out to a rectangle about 9 x 12 inches. Cut the sheet into 12 equal squares (roughly 3 x 3 inches each) and place them on a lined baking sheet. Repeat with second sheet of puff pastry.
Visualize each square as two triangles - don't cut them apart. On one half of each square (one of the visualized triangle sides), cut three small slits. Repeat with all squares.
Brush the uncut side edges of each square with the egg wash. Spoon the spinach-feta mixture onto the uncut side of each pastry square. Fold the corner of the slit side pastry over the filling to form a triangle. The slits may open slightly as the dough stretches, this is expected.
Pinch the two joined sides together with your fingers, then use a fork to crimp and seal the edges completely.
Brush the tops with the egg wash. Refrigerate the spinach and feta pastries while you preheat the oven , or chill for at least 10 minutes.
Bake until the pastries are puffed and golden brown. Serve warm.
Favorite Riffs
We love fresh spinach for the fresh, light, soft flavor and texture, but frozen spinach, while giving a heavier texture, will work. Frozen spinach holds more water so make sure you squeeze all of the liquid out. Since frozen spinach is already blanched, you can skip steaming; simply sauté the shallots, add the thawed spinach and crumbled feta, and stir to combine.
Swap the feta cheese for goat cheese, cream cheese, or ricotta cheese. Add extra flavors with sun-dried tomatoes, caramelized onions, garlic, herbs (oregano, basil, thyme, mint), red pepper flakes, or a little lemon zest.
Different Shapes
While we love these small spinach and feta triangles, there are times when a different shape is preferable. For parties where guests are walking around, a true one-bite appetizer is perfect. For something a little more elegant, small bundles are a beautiful option. Below is a quick guide for making both shapes.
Spinach and Feta Parcels (Bundles)
Roll the puff pastry out and cut it into equal sized squares. Brush the square edges with egg wash and place a spoonful of filling in the center. Bring two opposite corners up to meet in the middle, then repeat with the remaining two corners so all four points meet at the top. Pinch all four joined sides tightly with your fingers so the pastry stays closed and doesn't open in the oven. Place on a lined baking sheet, brush with egg wash, and bake until golden brown (12-15 minutes).
Spinach and Feta Bites
After rolling out the puff pastry sheet, cut it in half lengthwise. Brush one long edge with egg wash. Spoon the feta spinach mixture down the center of the pastry strip, then gently roll the un-egg washed side over the filling, tucking the end under the filling, and continue rolling until the egg washed edge seals the log. Place seam side down on a lined baking sheet and cut the log into 1 to 1 ½ inch pieces. Brush the tops with egg wash and bake until golden brown (15-18 minutes).
Make Ahead Tips
These spinach and feta triangles can be made ahead of time and stored baked or unbaked. They also freeze well, but be sure the spinach is squeezed extremely dry - any excess moisture can make the pastry soggy once thawed.
- Unbaked:
- Refrigerate. Assemble and place on a lined baking sheet - do not brush with the egg wash. Cover tightly and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. Remove from the refrigerator, brush with egg wash, and bake (no need to bring to room temperature). Since you're baking them straight from the fridge, add an extra 2-3 minutes bake time if needed.
- Freeze. Freeze assembled pastries- no egg wash - on a sheet pan for 1-2 hours, then transfer to an airtight container for up to 2 months. Remove from freezer, brush with egg wash, and bake from frozen (no need to thaw first) at 400°F, adding a few extra minutes if needed until golden. If the tops brown too quickly, tent loosely with foil during baking.
- Baked:
- Refrigerate. Cool completely and store in the fridge for 2-3 days in an airtight container. Reheat these feta and spinach triangles at 350°F for 8-10 minutes until crisp.
- Freeze. While it is possible to freeze these after baking, the pastry is more likely to turn soft or soggy once reheated. For best results, we don't recommend freezing the baked version. If you must freeze them - cool completely, freeze in a single layer, then transfer to an airtight container. Reheat from frozen in a 350°F oven until hot and crisp, about 10-15 minutes.
REMEMBER: Do not place a cold dish - especially glass or ceramic - into a hot oven, as the temperature difference can cause the dish to break.
Saving Leftovers
The FDA recommends discarding any perishable food that has been out at room temperature for more than 2 hours.
If you are within the FDA recommendations, these spinach and feta parcels will last in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 2 months.
Some FAQ's
Yes, they can be frozen - but there are a few things to keep in mind. If the spinach is not squeezed extremely well (almost dry) you run the risk of the pastry becoming soggy due to extra water when thawing. See the post above for more information on freezing baked and unbaked spinach and feta pastries.
Frozen spinach works just fine. It has been blanched, so won't need to be steamed and it holds more water, so drain it and squeeze all the liquid out before using. It has a slightly earthier, concentrated flavor due to the way it's frozen and may also make a heavier feeling appetizer. Fresh spinach gives a lighter, softer texture.
Some other favorite puff pastry recipes
📖 Recipe
Feta and Spinach Triangles
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 24 pieces 1x
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
These spinach and feta parcel appetizers disappear the minute they hit the table. Flaky puff pastry wrapped around warm spinach and feta creates a classic pairing - and a staple among easy, crowd-pleasing spinach appetizers.
Ingredients
- 10 ounces fresh spinach, washed and rough chopped
- 1 medium shallot, fine diced
- 8 ounces crumbled feta cheese
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 2 sheets frozen puff pastry
- 1 egg
Instructions
MAKE THE SPINACH AND FETA MIXTURE
- Place the rough chopped spinach and shallot in a large skillet and season with salt and pepper.
- Cover and cook over low-medium heat until the spinach has fully wilted, about 10 minutes. Drain the spinach, squeezing out as much liquid as possible.
- Return the spinach to the skillet, add the feta cheese and season again with salt and pepper to taste. Stir to combine and set aside while you prep the puff pastry.
PREPARE THE PUFF PASTRY
- Whisk the egg and 1 Tablespoon of water together in a small bowl to make an egg wash. Set aside.
- Place one sheet of puff pastry on a lightly floured surface and roll out to approximately 9 x 12 inch rectangle.
- Cut the sheet into 12 equal sized squares (3 x 3 inches each).
- Place each square on a lined baking sheet. Repeat with the second sheet of puff pastry.
- Visualize each square as two triangles - don't cut them, just visualize. Cut 3 slits in the triangle on one half of the square. Repeat with all remaining squares. When folded corner-to-corner, the slit side will sit on top of the filling.
- Once all squares have been cut, brush the uncut side edges of each square with egg wash.
MAKE THE SPINACH AND FETA TRIANGLES
- Place 1-2 Tablespoons of spinach-feta mixture on the uncut side of each square near the corner.
- Fold the corner with the cut side over the filling to form a triangle. The slits may open slightly as the dough stretches to meet the edges.
- Use your fingers to tightly press the joined edges together.
- Use a fork to crimp the two joined edges to seal.
- Brush the tops of the triangles with egg wash.
- Refrigerate while you preheat the oven - for at least 10 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 425°F.
- Bake for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown.
- Remove from the oven and serve warm.
Notes
Substitutions. Use frozen spinach instead of fresh - make sure it is completely dry before making the spinach and feta mixture. Use goat cheese or cream cheese instead of feta. Add sun-dried tomatoes, caramelized onions, garlic, lemon zest, or favorite herbs for additional flavor.
Make into a parcel by pulling corners of each square up to the top and pinching all sides together.
Make into bite-sized appetizers by cutting puff pastry into two strips lengthwise (instead of squares), add filling, roll into a log, and cut into pieces.
Make ahead tips. Assemble and store in the fridge for up to 24 hours before baking. Freeze, unbaked, for up to 2 months. Store baked appetizers in the fridge for up to 3 days, reheat before serving.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 piece
- Calories: 146
- Sugar: 0.7 g
- Sodium: 249.1 mg
- Fat: 10.1 g
- Carbohydrates: 10.4 g
- Protein: 3.5 g
- Cholesterol: 16.2 mg
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