Spinach and creamy goats' cheese further favoured with lemon zest, mint and garlic is the best combination to have for a light lunch in springtime, or as a starter at a dinner party. Easy to make, these Spinach Filo Pastries with Goats Cheese, are a close cousin of a Traditional Greek Spanakopita. Serve these savoury filo treats with a cucumber salad or on their own! They are utterly delicious!
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases, at no extra cost for you! Thank you!
Let's be honest, you cannot have too much Greek food in your life, right? Try our Prawn Saganaki or a traditional Greek Spanakopita Spiral next time!
Why You Will Love These Goats Cheese And Spinach Pastries?
Traditional Greek Spanakopita is one of our favourite weekend lunches in the world (you can find a recipe here). We always have some filo pastry in our freezer and this time we tried to reinvent a spanakopita using goat's cheese! After all, in my opinion, goat's cheese can only make things better. And that's how we arrived at our AMAZING Goat's Cheese and Spinach Rolls.
The recipe below is for 4 rolls, which would feed 2 for a light lunch if served with a side salad. But these can be made as a simple snack. You can make them ahead of time and then reheat them in the oven for 6-8 minutes, or until they crisp up again, just before you wish to eat them!
How to Make Goat's Cheese & Spinach Rolls?
Start by toasting pine nuts in a large dry frying pan until just starting to brown. Then tip them into a plate/bowl to cool. This prevents them from burning in the residual heat. Reserve the frying pan for later.
Wash and then place the spinach in a large colander. Boil a whole kettle of water and pour it slowly over the spinach to wilt. Leave to cool down just enough so you can handle them with your hands. Squeeze out any moisture. You should be left with a block of compressed spinach. Chop them up roughly.
Preheat the oven to 200°C Fan.
Heat 2 tablespoon of olive oil in a reserved frying pan that you used for pine nuts (using the same pan saves washing up or space in the dishwasher). Add chopped brown onion, spring onions and garlic and fry for 8 minutes on low heat, stirring occasionally. Don't let them brown too much. Then add the spinach and cook for another minute so that any moisture left evaporates. Take off the heat and leave to cool slightly.
In a mixing bowl, combine cream cheese, soft goat's cheese, toasted pinenuts, roughly chopped mint, lemon zest and some seasoning. Then add the spinach mixture and stir well.
Lay four sheets of filo pastry. Add a quarter of the mixture along the bottom edge of each sheet. Fold the sides in and roll into a tube. Repeat with the rest of the sheets. Be gentle when rolling so that the sheets don't tear or break. If you find they are very brittle, brush them with a little melted butter or oil before rolling.
Transfer the rolls onto a baking parchment-lined baking sheet. Generously brush the tops with olive oil. Sprinkle with paprika, sesame seeds and some salt.
Bake in the centre of the oven for 16-18 minutes until golden brown and crispy. Eat as a snack or serve with a salad for a light lunch.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, if you have any leftovers, store them in an airtight container in the fridge. To get all the filo pastry crunch back and warm the pastries through, place them in the oven, preheated to 180°C Fan for 6-8 minutes.
Replate goats' cheese in this recipe with feta or more cream cheese. These savoury filo pastries will still be delicious!
Other Vegetarian Filo Pastry Recipes
For other vegetarian ideas using filo pastry, have a look at our favourite recipes:
- Sweet Potato & Kale Filo Tart
- North African Spiced Chickpea & Feta Pie
- Greek Spanakopita | Spinach & Feta Spiral
Recipe Card
Spinach Filo Pastries with Goats Cheese
Ingredients
- 1 small brown onion finely chopped
- 3 spring onions finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves finely chopped or minced
- 250 g spinach
- 40 g pine nuts toasted
- 15 g fresh mint leaves only
- 75 g soft goat's cheese
- 75 g cream cheese
- 1 lemon zest only
- 4 filo sheets
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
Instructions
- Toast pine nuts in a large dry pan until just starting to brown. Then tip them into a plate/bowl to cool. Reserve the pan for later.
- Place washed spinach in a large colander and pour a whole kettle of boiling water over them to wilt. Leave to cool down.
- When cool enough to handle, squeeze out any moisture. You should be left with a block of pressed spinach. Chop them up roughly.
- Preheat the oven to 200°C Fan.
- Heat 2 tablespoon of olive oil in a reserved frying pan that you used for pine nuts. Add chopped brown onion, spring onions and garlic and fry for 8 minutes on low heat, stirring occasionally. Don't let them brown too much. Then add the spinach and cook for another minute. Take off the heat and leave to cool slightly.
- In a mixing bowl, combine cream cheese, soft goat's cheese, toasted pinenuts, roughly chopped mint, lemon zest and some seasoning. Then add the spinach mixture and stir well.
- Lay out four sheets of filo pastry. Add a quarter of the mixture along the bottom edge of each sheet. Folt the sides in and roll into a tube. Repeat with the rest of the sheets.
- Transfer them onto a baking parchment-lined baking sheet. Generously brush the tops with olive oil. Sprinkle with paprika, sesame seeds and some salt.
- Bake in the centre of the oven for 16-18 minutes until golden brown and crispy. Eat as a snack or serve with a salad for a light lunch.
Nutrition
Sisley White - Sew White says
These don't last long once they're made. So easy to eat and absolutely delicious.
Ieva says
Same in our house! 😀 Thanks for the feedback, glad you enjoyed them!
Amanda Wren-Grimwood says
I love the creaminess of the cheese with spinach and so delicious with the crunch of the filo too.
Ieva says
Thanks for trying the recipe, Amanda - glad you liked them! 🙂
Natalie says
My picky eater loved it! We all did. Finally, I found a kid-friendly spinach recipe, thanks!
Ieva says
Wow, it's great that your children like goats' cheese. When I was little, I wouldn't touch it! Glad they like the spinach in these rolls too! 🙂