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These spinach and feta puff pastry parcels work as a vegetarian appetizer or as an accompaniment to a green salad or a bowl of soup. The best spinach feta puff pastry recipe!
Why Make These Spinach and Feta Puff Pastry Parcels?
As a vegetarian, I’m a big fan of cheese-and-veggie combinations. I love tomatoes and mozzarella, of course, and blue cheese and cauliflower, and broccoli and cheddar, and I won’t say no to goat cheese and asparagus, either. But one of my all-time favorite pairings is sautéed spinach and salty, crumbly feta cheese. This combo works great in omelettes, pasta dishes, breakfast wraps, and these spinach and feta puff pastry parcels.
Made with just five ingredients, these feta cheese puff pastry parcels are easy to prepare, and versatile enough to work as a snack, appetizer, breakfast, or side dish. As written this recipe makes six puff pastry parcels, but it’s easy to double or triple if you’re feeding a crowd.
Spinach Feta Puff Pastry Recipe Ingredients
To make this feta cheese and spinch puff pastry recipe, you’ll need the following ingredients:
- Olive Oil – For sautéeing the spinach. Use good-quality olive oil, or another oil like sunflower or canola.
- Spinach – You’ll need 150 grams, or 5 1/4 ounces (about 10 cups, not packed) of fresh spinach. I suggest using baby spinach—I find the texture of mature spinach leaves chewy and unpleasant.
- Garlic – To flavor the sautéed spinach, I’ve added 2 cloves of peeled and minced garlic. You can use more garlic, or skip it and season the spinach with garlic granules instead.
- Spices – I seasoned my spinach with kosher salt, ground black pepper, and ground cayenne. You can also add a pinch of chili flakes for some extra heat.
- Feta Cheese – You’ll need about 100 grams, or 3 1/2 ounces, of crumbled, good-tasting feta cheese or “salad cheese.” See my notes on draining, below.
- Puff Pastry – For speed and convenience, I developed this recipe with store-bought puff pastry. Feel free to use homemade puff pastry if you happen to have a block in the freezer or fridge.
- Egg – Brushing the unbaked parcels with beaten egg creates flaky, deeply golden brown puff pastry.
- Sesame Seeds – To sprinkle on top of the pastries just prior to baking. You can also use everything bagel seasoning. If you don’t like sesame seeds (or are baking for someone with a sesame allergy), substitute poppyseeds, or omit the seeds altogether.
Tips and Tricks for Making Puff Pastry Parcels
Drain the feta. Feta cheese can be watery. Before getting started, line a plate with a paper towel/sheet of kitchen roll and allowing the feta to drain for a few minutes. Otherwise, the excess moisture can create soggy puff pastry.
Use a ruler. To cut the puff pastry sheet, use a ruler to lightly mark the rectangle shapes before slicing with a knife.
Allow a border. When adding the fillings, allow a 1/2-inch border around all edges of the pastry. If the filling seeps too close to the edge, it will make the pastry difficult to seal, and it will leak in the oven.
Plan ahead. If using frozen puff pastry rather than refrigerated, allow plenty of time for it to thaw according to the directions on the package.
What Can I Do with Puff Pastry Scraps?
Depending on the brand of puff pastry you’ve chosen, you might have some scraps or trimmings left over. (The puff pastry sheets sold in the UK run larger than most North American brands.) Don’t discard the scraps! Instead, gather the bits and pieces and make a batch of my no-waste puff pastry twists!
Ideas for Serving Feta Cheese and Spinach Puff Pastry
Serve spinach and feta puff pastry parcels as an appetizer, along with other veggie-friendly puff pastry recipes like puff pastry tartlets with ricotta, peas, and mint; puff pastry pinwheels with pesto; or vegetarian sausage rolls.
For lunch, serve this spinach feta puff pastry recipe as an accompaniment to a tossed green salad, chickpea salad or a bowl of vegetarian chicken noodle soup. When paired with scrambled eggs, these pastries also work nicely as a savory breakfast option (the flavor combo reminds me of the spinach, feta, and egg white wrap at Starbucks.)
For an easy picnic idea, pack cooled spinach and feta puff pastry parcels in a cooler alongside a selection of salads, sliced raw fruits and vegetables, good olives, and a bottle of wine or other beverage of your choice.
Make-Ahead and Storage Suggestions
This spinach feta puff pastry recipe tastes best on the day it is made, and ideally while the parcels still feel slightly warm to the touch. Because you’ll only need about 50 minutes from start to finish, I highly recommend baking on the day you plan to serve your spinach feta puff pastry.
Wrap leftovers in foil or refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 2 days. To reheat, arrange parcels on a parchment-lined tray and rewarm in a 350° F / 176° C oven for about 5-10 minutes, or until warmed through.
Other vegetarian puff pastry recipes you might enjoy:
Puff Pastry with Feta and Cherries
Vegetarian Sausage Rolls
Puff Pastry Pinwheels with Pesto
Lattice Pastry with Cheese and Caramelized Onions
Savory Puff Pastry Pithivier with Mushrooms, Leeks, and Potatoes
And if you do make these, or any of my recipes, don’t forget to tag me @bastecutfold or use the hashtag #bastecutfold on Instagram. I always love to see what you’re making!
PrintSpinach and Feta Puff Pastry Parcels
Vegetarian spinach and feta puff pastry parcels with flaky puff pastry, feta cheese, sautéed spinach, and sesame seeds.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 6 4-inch pastries 1x
- Category: Savory
- Method: Oven
Ingredients
1–2 teaspoons olive oil
150 grams fresh spinach (5 1/4 ounces; about 10 cups, not packed)
2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
Pinch ground cayenne pepper
100 grams feta cheese (3 1/2 ounces), drained on a paper towel
1 sheet store-bought puff pastry, thawed according to package directions if frozen
1 large egg, lightly beaten
Sesame seeds, to decorate
Flour, for dusting rolling mat or countertop
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400° F / 205° C. Line a rimmed half-sheet baking tray with parchment.
In a large skillet, heat the olive oil. Add the minced garlic and cook until fragrant, 1-2 minutes.
Add the spinach and cook until wilted, about 2 minutes. Season with salt, pepper, and cayenne to taste.
Drain the pan to remove excess moisture. Transfer mixture to a bowl and set aside to cool while you prepare the pastry.
Lightly dust countertop or silicone rolling mat with flour.
Unroll puff pastry and use a rolling pin to roll the pastry a few inches wider, or a sharp knife to trim away any excess. When finished, you should have a 10 x 12-inch rectangle.
With a sharp chef’s knife, slice the rectangle into six 4 x 5-inch squares. Arrange on prepared tray
Spoon the spinach mixture on half of each pastry, dividing equally between the squares and allowing a 1/2-inch border on all sides.
Sprinkle with the feta.
With a pastry brush, brush a thin strip of beaten egg egg around the edges of each square.
Fold over, corner-to-corner, forming a rectangle.
Crimp the 3 seamed edges with a fork.
Brush the tops of the pastries with egg wash. Sprinkle with sesame seeds.
Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes, or until flaky and deeply golden brown.
Serve warm.
