Mini Spanakopita Triangle Cluster

I first stumbled upon these little golden triangles at a family gathering in Athens, watching my aunt expertly fold phyllo dough while chatting effortlessly. The way everyone gathered around the platter, pulling them apart still warm from the oven, made me realize this wasn't just food, it was an invitation to connect.

The first time I made these for a dinner party, I worried they'd be too fussy. But watching friends lean in, tearing off triangles and laughing as the sesame seeds scattered across the table, I realized the imperfection was part of the charm. One guest called them the best thing she'd eaten all year, and I've been making them ever since.

Ingredients

• Fresh spinach: I always use fresh because it wilts down beautifully and tastes sweeter than frozen. Make sure to cook out all the moisture or your phyllo will turn soggy.
• Feta cheese: The saltiness is everything here. I reach for Greek or Bulgarian feta in brine, never the pre-crumbled kind, it just tastes sharper and creamier when you crumble it yourself.
• Ricotta cheese: This makes the filling luscious and binds everything together. If you only have cottage cheese, blend it smooth first.
• Fresh dill and parsley: These herbs are what make the filling sing. Dried dill works in a pinch, but fresh is worth the trip to the store.
• Phyllo dough: Keep it covered with a damp towel while you work, or it dries out and cracks. Thaw it in the fridge overnight for best results.
• Nutmeg: Just a whisper of it brings warmth without announcing itself. Don't skip this.
• Butter and olive oil: I mix both for brushing. The butter gives flavor, the olive oil keeps it from burning.

Instructions

Get Your Filling Ready:

Heat olive oil in your largest skillet and add the diced onion. Let it soften until it smells sweet, about 2 minutes, then toss in the garlic. You'll know it's ready when the kitchen starts to smell like something wonderful is happening. Add the spinach in handfuls, stirring as it wilts down into almost nothing. This is the important part, keep cooking until all the liquid evaporates, or you'll end up with soggy phyllo. Let it cool while you mix the cheeses, eggs, herbs, nutmeg, pepper, and salt in a large bowl. Fold in the spinach mixture and taste it. It should be bright, savory, and just a little salty.

Fold Those Triangles:

Unroll your phyllo and immediately cover it with a damp towel. Take one sheet, brush it lightly with the butter and oil mixture, then fold it lengthwise into a strip about three inches wide. Place a heaping teaspoon of filling at the bottom corner. Now fold that corner over the filling to make a triangle, then keep folding up the strip like you're folding a flag. It feels awkward at first, but by the third one, your hands will remember. Repeat until you've used all the filling.

Arrange and Bake:

This is where the magic happens. Instead of spacing them out, arrange the triangles in a tight circular cluster on your baking sheet, edges touching but not overlapping. Brush the tops generously with the remaining butter mixture, then scatter sesame and nigella seeds over everything. Slide the pan into a 190°C (375°F) oven and bake for 22 to 25 minutes. You'll know they're done when they're deeply golden and the kitchen smells like butter and herbs. Let them cool for 5 minutes, the filling is molten right out of the oven.

Save

I remember making these the night before my sister's birthday, arranging them in a perfect spiral and covering the pan with foil. The next evening, I baked them straight from the fridge while everyone arrived, and the smell alone brought people into the kitchen. She told me later it was her favorite part of the whole celebration, and I realized these little triangles had become more than an appetizer, they were a way of saying I care.

Keeping Them Fresh

These are at their absolute best straight from the oven, but I've served them at room temperature plenty of times and they still disappear. If you need to reheat them, use the oven, never the microwave. A few minutes at 180°C (350°F) will crisp them right back up.

When You're Missing Something

No fresh spinach? Frozen works, just thaw it completely and squeeze out every drop of water with your hands. Swiss chard or kale make beautiful substitutes too. If you can't find ricotta, cream cheese or even thick Greek yogurt will do in a pinch. And if nigella seeds aren't in your pantry, just use extra sesame seeds or skip them entirely, the triangles will still be wonderful.

Serving Ideas That Clicked

I almost always serve these with a bowl of cold tzatziki or a quick lemon yogurt dip, something cool and tangy to balance the richness. They're perfect for cocktail parties because people can just grab and go, but I've also served them as a side dish alongside roasted lamb or grilled fish.

Making It Ahead for the Freezer

This is the trick that changed everything for me. Once you've folded all the triangles, arrange them on a baking sheet and freeze them solid, about 2 hours. Then transfer them to a freezer bag and keep them for up to 3 months. When you're ready, bake them straight from frozen, just add 5 extra minutes to the cooking time.

• If your phyllo tears while folding, don't panic, just patch it with another small piece and brush it with butter. No one will ever know.
• A pinch of lemon zest in the filling brightens everything up, especially if your feta is particularly salty.
• Leftover filling makes a fantastic omelet the next morning, just so you know.

Save

These triangles have become my go to whenever I want to make people feel welcome. There's something about the way they pull apart, golden and fragrant, that turns any gathering into something warmer.

Questions & Answers

→ What type of greens work best in this dish?

Fresh spinach is classic, but Swiss chard or kale make excellent substitutes, offering similar texture and flavor.

→ How do I keep the phyllo dough from drying out during assembly?

Keep phyllo sheets covered with a damp towel while working to maintain moisture and prevent tearing.

→ Can these triangles be frozen before baking?

Yes, assemble and freeze unbaked clusters. When ready, bake straight from frozen, adding about 5 extra minutes to cooking time.

→ What methods ensure the filling isn’t too wet?

Cook spinach thoroughly until wilted and excess liquid evaporates, and allow it to cool before mixing with other ingredients.

→ Are there any tips for achieving maximum crispiness?

Brush each fold generously with melted butter and olive oil, and bake at 190°C (375°F) until golden brown and crisp.