Spinach and Ricotta Cheese Triangles

Name: Spinach and Ricotta Cheese Triangles
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 40 min
Cuisine: Greek
Ingredients: 1 tablespoon olive oil; 4 ounces fresh baby spinach, stems removed if desired; 2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced; 1 cup whole milk ricotta cheese; 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese; 1 egg; 1/8 teaspoon salt; 1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes; 4 tablespoons salted butter; 16 ounce package Phyllo Dough sheets (only using 12 sheets for this recipe)

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Spinach and Ricotta Cheese Triangles are loaded with creamy cheese filling and wrapped in buttery, flaky Phyllo dough. This is an amazing appetizer and looks so elegant, but they're actually quite easy to make. Ready in under 45 minutes.

Phyllo dough spinach triangles on baking rack.

These savory hand pies are similar to the greek dish, Tiropitakia, which uses an egg and feta filling with buttery Phyllo dough. My version uses ricotta cheese for extra creaminess and it balances out the salty flavors from the feta.

For more Greek inspired recipes, try these Greek Chicken Tzatziki Wraps, Lemon Orzo Pasta Salad, and Chicken Couscous.

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Why You'll Love This Recipe:
Ingredients:
Substitutions and Variations:
How to Make Ricotta and Spinach Triangles:
Expert Tips:
Recipe FAQs:
More Cheesy Appetizer Recipes to Try:
Recipe

Why You'll Love This Recipe:

Elegant. This Greek inspired appetizer is so pretty and dainty.
Big on Flavor. Flaky, buttery layered dough is stuffed with a combination of cheeses and sautéed spinach and garlic.
Easy to Make with a simple folding technique and step by step instructions with photos.
Quick. These triangle hand pies are ready in just 40 minutes, with about half of that time in the oven.

For more elegant appetizer ideas, try these Goat cheese crostini, Garlic butter brie, and Burrata Bruschetta.

Ingredients:

Phyllo Dough: I recommend the Athens brand if you can find it in the freezer section. It has a great taste and more importantly, it doesn't seem quite as fragile as some other brands, that tear immediately when touched. Try these Apple Turnovers with Phyllo Dough too!

Cheeses: A combination of ricotta and feta cheeses are used in this recipe. I prefer a whole milk ricotta for this recipe for taste and a crumbled feta, for easy use.

Spinach: Fresh baby spinach is my preference for this recipe. It doesn't hold a ton of water, like frozen does, and it's sautéed with garlic to add extra flavor. The stems can be removed if you prefer.

See recipe card below for full information on ingredients and quantities.

Substitutions and Variations:

For more spinach in the filling, double it up.
Not big on salty, crumbly feta? Substitute the feta with shredded mozzarella or finely grated parmesan.
Frozen spinach can be used for this recipe, but it must be thawed with excess water removed before adding into the cheese mixture.
Love spicy? Add a ¼ to ½ teaspoon of crushed red pepper for bit more heat.

Big on Mediterranean flavors? Try this Mediterranean Yellow Rice, Ground Chicken Kofta, or Mediterranean Chopped Salad.

How to Make Ricotta and Spinach Triangles:

Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a large skillet over medium low heat, add in 1 tablespoon of olive oil and allow it to heat up for a minute. Add in spinach and spread out in pan. Cover for 1 minute. Remove the cover and stir in garlic. Cover for another 1-2 minutes until spinach is wilted. Turn off the heat and allow it to cool for a few minutes.

Step 2: In a large bowl, combine ricotta cheese, feta cheese, salt, pepper, and egg. Stir to combine. Then, add in the spinach mixture and stir again.

Layers of phyllo dough with butter in between.

Step 3: Melt the butter in a skillet or in the microwave. Note: It should be warm. You may have to reheat again if you work slow.

Spread a large piece of parchment paper , about 6 inches bigger than the phyllo sheets, out on the countertop.

Begin to separate the phyllo sheets. Start with one sheet over the parchment paper and brush lightly with melted butter. Layer another sheet over top, brush with butter. Repeat. The last sheet (number 4) just acts as a cover, and you don't need to butter.

You will repeat this process 2 more times to create 3 phyllo doughs with 4 layers of sheets each.

Step 4: Using a pizza cutter, cut the large phyllo sheet into 3 smaller rectangles. Each one will make one spinach triangle. Note: In total, this recipe makes 9 triangle hand pies.

Step 5: Turn the Phyllo dough, so it looks like a vertical rectangle facing you (▮). (1) Add about 2 tablespoon of spinach cheese filling in the center of the top portion, leaving an inch of border. (2) Turn the top left part of the phyllo dough over the filling. (3) Fold the top half of the phyllo dough over the bottom half. (4) Take 1 inch of the right side of the phyllo dough, without filling and fold it over the filled portion.

Step 6: Flip the filled portion over the remaining flat corner. This will seal the dough. Repeat with the remaining 8 triangles.

Baked phyllo dough with spinach cheese filling.

Step 7: Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Place all 9 triangles on a cookie sheet spread apart. Brush with remaining melted butter. Note: They don't rise much. Bake for 15-18 minutes until golden brown.

Step 8: Allow to cool for 10 minutes, then serve and enjoy!

Expert Tips:

The Phyllo Dough needs to be thawed before using. I like to move it from the freezer into the fridge the day before.
Make sure the butter stays warm for easy brushing onto the Phyllo dough.
Don't overfill or it will be hard to fold and the cheese filling may leak out when baking. If you have leftover filling and don't want to waste it, use 4 more sheets of phyllo dough and create 3 more turnovers.

For more spinach recipes, try this Spinach Arugula Salad, Spinach Feta Omelet, and Lemon Spinach Pasta.

Recipe FAQs:

Are Phyllo Sheets the same as Puff Pastry?

No, Phyllo sheets are ultra thin sheets and layered on top of each other with butter in between. Puff pastry is a much thicker dough, that puffs up in the oven. It could potentially work in this recipe, but you want to use Phyllo Sheets for a more authentic version.

How to handle Phyllo Dough without tearing?

First off, make sure the phyllo dough is no longer frozen. Separate each sheet at the top corner and carefully transfer to a piece of parchment paper. Lightly brush with melted butter (make sure it's warm and brushes on easily) to avoid ripping.

How to Store & Reheat:

Allow the triangles to come to room temperature, then store in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 3 days. To reheat, place the triangles back onto a cookie sheet and cover with foil, the avoid the tops from burning. Add the cookie sheet to a 350 degree oven and reheat until hot, about 10-12 minutes. Serve and enjoy!

More Cheesy Appetizer Recipes to Try:

If you tried this Spinach and Cheese Triangle Recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it goes in the 📝 comments below. I love hearing from you!

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