Baked Spanakopita Pasta With Greens and Feta

By Ali Slagle

Updated March 14, 2025

Baked Spanakopita Pasta With Greens and Feta
Linda Xiao for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Monica Pierini.
Total Time
40 minutes
Rating
4(5,221)
Comments
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This baked pasta is inspired by spanakopita, the classic Greek spinach and feta pie. This loose interpretation combines pasta with gooey mozzarella, briny feta, plenty of greens and a rich cream sauce, which is then piled into a dish and baked until golden. The key to this dish is in the greens: Use at least three kinds — a mellow one, a peppery one and a fresh herb or two — to create an exciting mix of flavors. No need to sauté them; just salt and massage them until they wilt slightly. This cozy dish might be the best way to eat your greens all year long.

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings
  • Salt and black pepper
  • 4cups chopped spinach, Swiss chard or other mild greens (tough stems removed)
  • 4cups chopped arugula, watercress or other peppery greens
  • 1cup chopped fresh dill or parsley leaves and tender stems, or a combination
  • 6scallions, trimmed and thinly sliced, whites and dark green parts separated
  • 1pound tubular or curvy pasta, like rigatoni or fusilli
  • 2tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 4garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced
  • 8ounces cream cheese (1 cup), cut into ½-inch cubes
  • 4ounces mozzarella, grated (1 cup)
  • 4ounces crumbled feta (1 cup)
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

883 calories; 42 grams fat; 25 grams saturated fat; 1 gram trans fat; 11 grams monounsaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 95 grams carbohydrates; 5 grams dietary fiber; 6 grams sugars; 32 grams protein; 796 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Heat the oven to 450 degrees.

  2. Step 2

    In a 3-quart/9-by-13-inch baking dish, toss the chopped spinach, arugula, herbs and scallion greens with 2 teaspoons salt and a few grinds of black pepper. Squeeze the mixture with your hands to wilt, then set aside.

  3. Step 3

    Cook the pasta in the boiling water until 2 minutes shy of al dente; reserve 1 cup pasta water, then drain pasta and set aside. Return the pot to the stove.

  4. Step 4

    Melt the butter in the pot over medium heat. Add the scallion whites, garlic and a pinch of salt, and cook until softened, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the cream cheese and pasta water and stir until smooth. Stir in the wilted greens, half the mozzarella and half the feta until combined. Stir in the pasta until combined. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.

  5. Step 5

    Transfer the pasta to the baking dish, then top with remaining mozzarella and feta. Bake until the sauce has thickened and turned bubbly, and the top has browned in spots, 10 to 15 minutes. If you like a crisper top, broil for a few minutes.

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Ratings

4 out of 5
5,221 user ratings
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Comments

Belinda

This recipe looks awfully good, but I'd like to cut down on the fat. Might ricotta work in place of cream cheese and, if so, how much?

Cindy

Made according to directions; measured and weighed: 4 cups chopped baby spinach = 7 oz; 2 cups chopped arugula = 2.5 oz; 2 cups watercress = 3 oz; 1/2 cup chopped parsley + 1/2 cup chopped dill = .8 oz; followed all else exactly and would cut back on salt next time (salted greens + salty cheese + salted pasta water = too much!). Thought "4 servings" was odd b/c 9x13 STUFFED pan, but 3 of us almost ate the whole thing!! Dee-lish! To-tal hit! Mediterranean comfort food! YUM!

Jesse

Good recipe, but I found the feta to overpower the dish. Consider cutting the feta down to 2/3rds of a cup and bumping the mozz to 1.5 cups.

CookingInSeattle

In preparation for surgery, I made several dozen casseroles for the freezer, including this one. I added lots of rotisserie chicken to make it a complete meal, opted for spinach, arugula, and lots of fresh dill - in keeping with the Greek theme - and added freshly ground nutmeg. For those complaining about the dish being too salty, it may be your feta. US feta (like Athena and President) is made with cows milk and is much drier and saltier than authentic feta from Greece, which is made from sheep milk and packaged in brine. Greek feta is far superior to US cows milk feta. While I can only find Greek feta in “upscale” grocery stores near me, it is always available at Costco. For those complaining that the dish is too dry, we agree that this isn’t a creamy, gooey, cheeses casserole - but we really enjoyed the drier texture. I wouldn’t change it. The casserole bakes up nicely from frozen and we are in love with it. Definitely going on repeat.

mona

I love this recipe. I change nothing and use dill. Has anyone made it snd froze it?? Wondering if I can do that.

Abby S

Quite good...but serves way more than 4 people!

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