Crispy Filo Cheese and Spinach Pies – Crunchy and Easy to Make
Crispy on the outside, creamy on the inside – the perfect snack for any time of the day!
Crispy Filo Cheese and Spinach Pies
Course: Snacks, Appetizers, LunchCuisine: Mediterranean, GreekDifficulty: Easy9
servings15
minutes30
minutes340
kcal45
minutes
Inspired by Mediterranean cuisine, but with a personal twist, these crispy filo pies are the perfect choice when you’re craving something quick, flavorful, and generously filled with deliciousness. You can enjoy them as a snack or even as a more substantial lunch.
I’ll be honest — I used to be obsessed with store-bought cheese rolls.
My only complaint? The cheese quality wasn’t great, and they always had way too little filling.
So I asked myself: why keep buying those when I can make something much tastier at home, packed with real, flavorful cheese just the way it should be?
All I needed was filo pastry, my favorite cheeses, a handful of spinach, and… boom! A cheesy feast, exactly to my liking.
Tips:
Use cheeses with a bold, intense flavor — I recommend combining aged cheeses with one that melts easily (something like gouda or mozzarella works great here).
Avoid soft cheeses like ricotta or cottage cheese — they won’t hold their texture as nicely and may fall apart while baking.
The preparation is super simple — let me show you how I made this crispy, golden, and delicious filo snack filled with cheese and spinach!
Ingredients
400 g fillo pastry sheets
50 g spinach
180 g aged telemea cheese (you can substitute with feta or any salty, crumbly cheese)
180 g feta cheese
100 g semi-hard melting cheese (like Gouda or mozzarella)
50 g butter
2-3 tablespoons olive oil
2 eggs
Salt and pepper to taste
Preparation
- As you can see, you don’t need too many ingredients, and making these rolls can actually turn into a fun family activity. I’m sure the little ones will be excited to lend a helping hand!
- To start, I prepared the filling. I gently crumbled the telemea and feta cheeses using a fork – I like to keep some small cheese chunks instead of turning everything into a smooth paste. I then added the grated semi-hard cheese and half of the spinach, roughly chopped.
- I gently mixed the filling, just enough to incorporate the spinach, and to bring everything together nicely, I added one egg. I seasoned the mixture with salt and pepper, then added the remaining chopped spinach and combined everything well.
- I cut the fillo pastry sheets in half. In a small bowl, I melted some butter and mixed it with a little olive oil. For each roll, I used three sheets (from the cut ones).
I carefully brushed each sheet with the butter mixture, and on the last sheet, I added about two tablespoons of the filling. I rolled them gently, making sure to seal the ends well so the filling wouldn’t spill out during baking. - I placed the prepared rolls on a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Then I brushed them with the remaining melted butter and put the tray into the oven at 200°C (about 390°F) for approximately 30–35 minutes, or until they turned beautifully golden and evenly browned.
- Look how beautifully these rolls turned out: golden, crispy, and so flavorful!
Of course, there was a tough battle with patience — we had to let them cool for at least 10 minutes before tasting. - For serving, I honestly just left them right there on the parchment paper — and immediately, everyone reached out for a roll and savored it fully. A true delight!
I’ll definitely try other recipes from now on and avoid buying ready-made ones as long as I can lovingly prepare them myself at home. - I truly hope you’ll enjoy this recipe as much as I do. I can’t wait to hear how you’ve adapted it — what you’ve substituted, added, or improved.
Until next time,
Ely
