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Lebanese spinach pies, which are also called fatayer, are basically the Spanakopita of the Middle East. They’re made with a simple homemade dough recipe, stuffed with a spinach, herb and lemon filling and baked in the oven until golden and puffed. Your house will smell like the best Middle Eastern bakery!
There are many variations of this recipe with the fatayer stuffed with hashweh (a spiced ground beef and onion mixture), or cheese. This version is vegan made with just a few simple ingredients for the stuffing. Feel free to use any store bought dough to make it faster but the dough recipe is absolutely perfect with this filling.
How to make Lebanese spinach pies
Make the dough
The dough recipe is a simple recipe similar to pizza dough, but with a little more oil. So it will be oily when mixed and this creates the better golden crust on the fatayer. See below for the dough recipe.
Prepare filling
- Place the spinach, parsley, chopped onions, olive oil, lemon juice, sumac and salt in a large bowl.
- Mix all the ingredients together until well combined. It helps to use your hands to mix everything well. Store in the fridge until you’re ready for it. Side note, if you have extra it’s delicious on its own!
Assemble and bake
- Flatten each dough ball into a round shape with your hands.
- Add the spinach filling in the middle.
- Hold two ends of the dough and seal them together to cover the filling. Pinch the dough together to help bind.
- Fold the last side up to meet the first two sides. Again, be sure to pinch the dough together with the first two sides to bind.
It’s much easier to stuff and seal the mixture in the pan that you’ll be baking the fatayer in. One standard cookie sheet can accommodate half the dough (about 15 balls). Divide the mixture into the dough and fold them right in the baking sheet for the fastest method.
Tips for making the best fatayer
- Remove as much liquid as possible from the spinach. Traditionally you’ll use frozen spinach for the recipe. But when thawed, it has a lot of water. Make sure to use your hands to squeeze out as much liquid as possible so the pies don’t get soggy in the oven.
- Allow the mixture to set. Try making the spinach filling up to one day in advance but you can even make it up to 2 days in advance. That long waiting time in the fridge really helps to soften the spinach and incorporate all the flavors well. If you’re in a bind, 30 minutes will do!
- Don’t roll out the dough with a rolling pin. Use your hands instead. So often, rolling out the dough changes the circular shape of the fatayer and can make them thinner than necessary. Use your hands to lightly press down on them but they shouldn’t be too thin.
- Spread the filling and make the spinach pie in the baking dish. Transfering the dough from surface to surface loosens it and can cause its shape to change. It’s much easier to press the dough, fill it and shape it right on the baking sheet.
- Make it faster using store-bought pizza dough. I will cheat sometimes and buy dough from my favorite local Lebanese bakeries and make this at home in a fraction of the time. If you can get your hands on good pizza dough, the results will still be amazing.
Frequently asked questions
Since the recipe is entirely plant-based, these will last for up to seven days in the fridge. Store in an airtight container and you can enjoy them all week!
Yes, these freeze beautifully before or after baking. Before baking, place them on a baking sheet in the freezer. When frozen, transfer to an airtight container or freezer bag and keep for up to 3 months. If you’ve already baked them, you can simply allow them to cool completely and then transfer to a freezer safe container or bag.
Sumac has a lemon flavor that is very unique and difficult to replicate it. It really adds the best flavor here. Try adding lemon pepper seasoning and some lemon zest to the recipe if you can’t find sumac.
This fatayer recipe is such a popular one in Lebanon and all over the middle east and can be customized with many different ingredients. It’s a great appetizer for a crowd, perfect for lunchboxes and makes a delicious snack.
More Lebanese recipes:
- Kibbeh Balls
- Okra Stew
- Falafel
- Chicken Fatteh
- Molokhiyeh
- Peas and Carrots Stew
- Beef Kafta
- Stuffed Eggplant
- Bulgur Pilaf
- Mujadara
If you’ve tried this healthy-ish feel good Lebanese Spinach Pies recipe or any other recipe on FeelGoodFoodie, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave a comment below! It helps others who are thinking of making the recipe. We would love to hear about your experience making it. And if you snapped some shots, share it on Instagram so we can repost on Stories!
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Lebanese Spinach Pies
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Ingredients
Dough
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ¼ cups warm water
- 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
- 2 ¼ teaspoons instant yeast 1 packet
- 2 teaspoons salt
- ¼ cup olive oil
Instructions
Make the Dough
- Combine the warm water, sugar and yeast in a bowl. Add the flour and salt and mix together until well combined. Transfer the dough to a floured surface and knead the mixture until sticky, about 5 minutes.
- Add the olive oil and continue kneading until the dough becomes soft and smooth and lightly sticky without leaving any dough on your fingers. The dough will be oily.
- Transfer the dough to a lightly greased and allow it to proof until doubled, about 90 minutes.
- Remove the dough and divide into 30 pieces and reshape into round balls. Let sit in an oiled tray covered until doubled, about 30 minutes.
Make the stuffing
- In a large bowl, place the thawed spinach, parsley, onions, olive oil, lemon juice, sumac and and salt. Stir to combine until very well mixed. Set aside in the fridge until ready to use.
Assemble & Bake
- Preheat the oven to 425ºF and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Divide the dough into the two trays with 15 balls each separated into 3 rows of 5. Use your hands to press down on the dough to flatten them while keeping a circular shape.
- Place 2 tablespoons of the mixture inside each circle.
- Hold two ends of the dough and seal them together over the filling, pinching the dough together to help bind. Fold the last side up to meet the first two sides, pinching the dough together with the first two sides to bind.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes until the tops are golden brown.
- Serve warm on their own or with plain whole milk yogurt as a dip.
Equipment
Notes
- Instead of frozen spinach, you can use 16 ounces fresh spinach. Add it to a skillet with a teaspoon of olive oil and allow the spinach to wilt completely and cook off any moisture released before removing from the heat. Cool completely and add the remaining ingredients
- Instead of parsley, you can use more cilantro, but parsley is more traditional.
- Instead of lemon juice, you can use 2 teaspoons citric acid
- Instead of sumac, you can substitute lemon pepper seasoning.
Nutrition
Nutrition information provided is an estimate. It will vary based on cooking method and specific ingredients used.
I remember my aunt making these with pine nuts and loving them. I’m planning on using your recipe and adding the pine nuts, but I don’t know how much to add. Any suggestions?
I would use about 1/4 cup. I hope you like it as much as your aunt’s recipe!
Amazing
Thank you! So glad you liked it!!
I grew up on Middle Eastern foods…spinach pies were one. Your recipe seems like hers, she would add raisins to the mix, they were delicious.
Thanks for your great recipes & website.
Aww I love to hear that!! Thank you, I’m so glad you enjoy my Middle Eastern recipes!
I so appreciate that these are vegan Hoping I can substitute flour for gluten free blend. Any suggestions ?
Hi there! I have not tried these with a gluten free flour, but I would say your favorite gluten free 1:1 flour should work out well. Or, you could just use a store-bought gluten free pizza dough.
Great recipes. Thanks. Can’t wait to try it.
Hope you love it!
Can fresh spinach be used?
Yes, you can use 16 ounces fresh spinach. Add it to a skillet with a teaspoon of olive oil and allow the spinach to wilt completely and cook off any moisture released before removing from the heat. Cool completely and add the remaining ingredients
I want to make these with meat, what’s the amount of ground meat to add to this recipe? Thank you!
Hi there! I would try with 1/2 pound of lean ground meat.
Ok, mind blown! First, I’d like to apologize. I originally posted a negative review a couple hours complaining about the dough. But after I added a little more flour, it turned out spectacularly! Thank you for posting this recipe. It brought back a lot of really nostalgic memories 🙂 I made some with cheese filling and it was great!
So happy it worked out well!
Hi,
Can you use canned spinach in the recipe?
It may work out ok as long as you remove as much excess water as possible.
Hi Yumna,
Can you use active dry yeast instead of instant yeast?
Yep! You can substitute it at a 1:1 ratio, keep in mind the rise time may be slower but that’s pretty much the only change.
Hi! I have made a few of your recipes and they are wonderful! Do you have a recipe for cheese fatayer?
Thank you so much! I do not but I added it to my list, thank you for the great suggestion!
Mine are in the oven as I write, the smell is amazing and I can’t wait for them to be ready, cooled slightly so we can eat them. Thank you for the recipe. The dough recipe is brilliant.
Aww thank you! Hope you love them!
Many fatayer dough recipes use a combo of water and milk (mostly milk). Is there a reason you only use water? Would it still work if I used 3/4 cup milk and 1/2 cup water?
I like to keep the dough dairy-free since the recipe is naturally vegan. I know that the milk makes the dough more softer and sweeter, so you are definitely ok to to switch some of the water to milk. Enjoy!
Do you have the dough recipe-without it , I can’t try this recipe.
The dough recipe is in the recipe card above the comments along with the filling ingredients and instructions.
Thank you for the great recipe. If I want to make these ahead of time and freeze them, do I bake them frozen? And if so how long should they be in the oven?
Yes, these freeze beautifully before or after baking. Before baking, place them on a baking sheet in the freezer. When frozen, transfer to an airtight container or freezer bag and keep for up to 3 months. If you’ve already baked them, you can simply allow them to cool completely and then transfer to a freezer safe container or bag. If baking them from frozen, just add about 5 minutes onto the baking time.
Your recipe looks great! What’s your advice if needs to be done in advance? Could I make the shapes and keep them in the fridge for a day or 2 and then fill them immediately before baking? Or could they be filled and kept in the fridge for 1-2 days?
Hi Mandy, the filling is great (and even tastes better) when allowed to set in the fridge for a day or two. I would wait for the dough until you’re ready to bake though.
I made them for being my first time they came out great
So glad you liked them, Mercedes!
These are absolutely delicious! Mine didn’t turn out as pretty as yours but maybe next time. Thanks for the recipe!
You’re so welcome! It does take a little practice, but once you get it down, you’ll be wowing friends and family with them.
Hi Yumna,
I want to try this recipe, I live in France and we do not use cup. Does 1 cup equal to 120 grams for flour ?
Thanks.
Hi Yasmina, From what Google says, 120 grams is correct. Hope you enjoy!
have been looking for real authentic spinach fatayers in raleigh for months. yours look good. are they forsale any where in raleigh? or would you consider selling some? waiting to hear from you, thanks george
No, unfortunately, I don’t sell any of my food anywhere. Hope you try the recipe, though!
These do smell and taste just like a restaurant! And all the directions turned out perfectly, including resting time for the filling and the shaping. The only trouble I had was the water/flour ratio in the dough. Mine was quite liquid, and I added almost a cup more flour, and the dough was still very soft but I used olive oil for shaping and a light touch, and the dough was easy to shape into the triangles. The amounts were perfect on filling versus dough (1 packed tablespoon per triangle worked for me), so I would not decrease the water next time I make them, just increase the flour to touch. I also let the dough rest in the fridge overnight. Flavor was right on.
Oh, that’s strange because I use this dough recipe very often. In fact, it’s almost the same as my Manakeesh dough that I just made today, and the dough is so soft and pliable. I’m glad it ended up working out for you and that you enjoyed the flavor!! Thank you for sharing!
Ok so I’ve made the recipe 2 more times since the first time…one for meat pies, and a triple batch of spinach pies I just made. The meat pies I didn’t add more flour, and the pies were good but the dough just a tad runny once they were formed. This last time with the spinach pies, it was perfect and I didn’t have to add any extra flour. So the third time was the charm I guess as I worked out my technique…btw a really helpful thing the last time I made the triple batch was to weight the dough and use kitchen scissors to cut off pieces of dough about 22-25 grams each. Made separating the dough into balls fast and accurate.
Oh, I’m so glad it worked for you! I think when it comes to making dough, weighing will give you the most accurate results for sure. I’m so happy you’ve made it three times now, and it worked out well for you. Thanks so much for sharing!
I am curious if these can be made successfully with pre-made frozen dough? I am trying to cut some prep time. Would love your advice.
Hi Zizi, great question! You can use pre-made dough. I recommend using a pizza-like dough for this recipe. Puff pastry dough would also work here, though you might have to adjust the cooking time and brush with an egg wash. Hope you enjoy!
Love it love it !! I keep on repeating it every week and then!
Thank you! I love that!
We are big fans of spinach pies and recently moved and have not found a good place to get them at. This recipe looked yummy so I gave it a try and wow, we have a new favorite and I am not even looking for a place to buy them locally anymore. The flavor in the filling was so tasty and the dough perfect. I ended up 3 triangles short of filling, I may have done some sampling, so I just patted those balls into rounds, sprinkled with sumac and baked with the triangles. They were perfect for dipping into hummus.
I’m glad you gave these a try and enjoyed! Yay!! This seriously goes so well with hummus.
Hello, so, second time I made them (been wanting to make these since I was 11 when my Sity died 🙁 she was the best at these) so they came out much better-but-it was like biscuity in the middle if you know what I mean? I wonder if it’s because I used self rising flour instead of all purpose? (It was all I had on hand)-also, what is the best flour to use for this-to make them thin, and not clunky and chunky haha. Thanks so much. Laura
This recipe must’ve been so nostalgic. That could be the reason, but other reasons it could’ve turned out that way are if the dough wasn’t thin enough or it wasn’t cooked all the way through.
I am 53 my sity used to make yhese-been wanting to make these for thirty years…finally did today. The triangles still get to me-they weren’t perfect triangles. 🙁 i found as i kept adding flour it was easier to pinch because dough was sticky. Also I didn’t spread out filling enough so very doughy on end amd all filling in the middle. Husband told me i was wrong that they were delicious:) but i know they could’ve been better. Thank you so much-a dream fulfilled today!
I am so glad you made these! And, I am happy you both found them delicious! It can take practice, so I’m sure you’ll nail these in no time!
My teenage daughter and I made these together for the first time today. Excellent recipe and she loved them!
That makes me so happy to hear! Glad you both enjoyed!
Where’s the dough recipe ???
It is in the recipe card at the bottom of the page. Let me know if you can’t find it!
Im following ur recipe to impress my guests on the weekend let’s see what’s their feedback! Cheers
Can’t wait to hear what they think! Hope you all enjoy!
It was a success! They all like it and 2 of them are from beirut! Thank you for ur recipe helpful and amazing x
That’s perfect! Yay!! Thank you so much.
Just exactly like my Situ used to make them….thank you…she just gave us Fatayer & no recipes & you know how Situ s give you a recipe when you ask….hand fulls, pinches, finger length etc, etc…. This is perfection! Donna Rohanna…Philadelphia, PA.
So glad you enjoyed!
Spinach Pies
Love, Love, LOVE this spinach pie filling. I sometimes just use pre-made potstickers (or even eggroll wrappers — I know, I know, . . . ) or put the filling into pitas. I have to get past my hesitation of making/working with dough). The filling is what I’ve been searching for, for years. It is SO good.
Don’t try to substitute anything else, for the Sumac. So glad I found your perfect recipe! Next Up: Stuffed Grape Leaves! ❤
Thank you so much! I’m glad to hear you enjoyed the filling. The dough really isn’t difficult to make – you’ve got this!
I made these for the first time and the filling tasted perfect, but the dough was too thick and too hard. I followed the recipe exactly. What can I change to get a more fluffy-soft golden dough??
So glad you enjoyed the filling! Did you knead the dough long enough?
My sister was raving about some spinach pies she got from a restaurant. I had never had them, so I looked them up and decided to make some! They were so good. I did add some feta since I wanted to add some protein to them. The first time they turned out really good, and when I just made them again they cracked opened while they were in the oven. Not sure what the issue was. I didn’t really do anything differently. Either way, they were really good. My sister made me make extras so she could have them for days.
That’s amazing! I love the sound of feta in this. It might’ve cracked open if the dough wasn’t pinched together properly – that might be it!
I grew up in Dearborn mi & my step dad was Lebanese. I’ve since moved to Kentucky, & have longed for good ol hometown Lebanese cooking. I feel so grateful to have came to this page. My first try was not great. I used pizza dough and they came out sooooo thick and fluffy not thin and crispy at all
So glad you came across my page! Let me know what you think if you decide to give it a go with the simple homemade dough recipe.
I found an easy way to get most of the water out of spinach. I use a potato ricer. Amazing results.
The filling was great and exactly as expected although I may add a little more sumac or lemon for a zesty taste! The only challenge I had was that the dough was very sticky to work with and had to add more flour so the dough itself didn’t taste great in the after it was baked…i admit I added the yeast mixture and oil together to the flour mixture by mistake…could that be the reason why it was so sticky ?! Even after leaving the dough to rise and shaping it was still a bit sticky u like pizza dough I make ..appreciate your help pls as it is one of the bakeries I love to have at home . Thank you
So glad you enjoyed the flavor! That could be the reason, but it’s important for the dough to be oily. This will prevent it from being too sticky to work with too!
Is the servings feature accurate when you double or triple the recipe? Right now for a triple batch, all ingredients are just the measure x 3. Do you really triple the sumac, for instance?
You can still make it that way! However, you can also reduce the amount of spices to your liking.
I need recipe for making pizza dough
It’s on my website under How to Make Pizza Dough: https://feelgoodfoodie.net/recipe/how-to-make-pizza-dough/
What is the serving size? I see the nutritional information, I’m thinking 2 pieces?
This makes 15 servings, so one serving is one spinach pie.
There are 30 dough balls?
Whoops, I was thinking about a different recipe! Yes, one serving is two spinach pies.
Hi Yumna Jawad,
can the dough be made of whole wheat flour in place of A.P. flour in which case is yeast required?
Hi! I have yet to try that in this recipe, but let me know how it goes if you decide to give it a try.
I love these pies and found them so easy to make. They’re addictive though so we make them small. Great for pot lucks or small gatherings when you have to bring a small dish.
That makes me so happy to hear! Yes, exactly!
Can the dough be made in advance and if so, what is the best way to store it until ready to use?
Thanks!
If you want to prepare anything in advance, I would prepare the filling, which you can prepare up to 2 days in advance. That long waiting time in the fridge really helps to soften the spinach and incorporate all the flavors well. If you want to cut more time, you could use store-bought pizza dough. I will cheat sometimes and buy dough from my favorite local Lebanese bakeries and make this at home in a fraction of the time. If you can get your hands on good pizza dough, the results will still be amazing!
Hi Yumma,
Haqve you or any of your users tried to make a Gluten Free dough? any recommendation is greatly appreciated.
I have yet to!
These were delicious and so easy to make. I’ll try stuffing them with ground beef next time like sfeehas. Thank you for the great recipe!!
Thank you! Let me know what you think when you give that a try!
These were delicious and so easy to make. I’ll try stuffing them with ground beef next time like sfeehas. Thank you for the great recipe!!
Thank you! Definitely do. You’re so welcome!
This recipe was amazing. Very yummy! A few of my pies opened up in the oven, they weren’t over filled. Any suggestions on what I’m doing wrong or what I should do?
So glad you tried it! And I find that it helps to add some flour to your hands when you pinch the sides together. The flour and the olive oil on the surface create a type of glue to help hold them together.
Yummy Spinach Fatayer! I made these for Eid and they turned out awesome! I’m so glad I learned this so I could make more and remind myself of home!!!
Yay! I love that about these too!
The filling is fantastic! I am waiting bake but found the dough very sticky to work with. Not like pizza dough. Should I add more flour to make it more pizza dough like? Help pls! Thanks!
So glad you love the filling! The dough starts out very sticky, but once you add the oil, that should take care of the problem and make it more pliable. I would not recommend adding more flour. It should feel soft and wet. I hope that helps!
These unfortunately did not make the cut in my house. The recipe was really easy to follow and to make, they came out absolutely beautiful, however, nobody loved the taste of them…
I do have to mention that we are not used to Sumac in my house and maybe the taste took us by surprise? I thought they looked so pretty though, i did freeze them and give the rest to my libanese neighbours, and i’m waiting on some feedback from them !! 🙂
It can definitely come down to preferences! I’d be excited to hear what your neighbors think.
I’ve made spinach pies in the past and although I do like sumac it’s only in salad. I use lemon pepper instead of it and my family loves it. We don’t use sumac often so I think that helped
Glad it worked out with the substitution too! Yay!!
Filling was delicious but my crust was a bit hard, is it supposed to be like that?
Thank you! It’s possible it was cooked too long.
Easy to make and very tasty!
mine just didnt stick to together and opened up half way.
but still very yummy. Everyone loved them
Thank you! I’m so glad that everyone loved them!
Which store bought dough would you recommend?
I like to buy my dough from my favorite local Lebanese bakeries, but any store-bought pizza dough will work!