Greek-Style Spinach, Feta & Polenta Pie
This post may contain affiliate links. Read my full disclosure policy.
This Greek-inspired savory “pie” combines the flavors of spinach, feta, and dill in a rich egg batter. Think of it as a cross between baked polenta, a quiche, and a frittata—an easy, vegetarian main that’s perfect for any meal.
Inspired by a recipe from Diana Henry’s lovely cookbook, From the Oven to the Table: Simple Dishes That Look After Themselves, this recipe is based on a Greek dish called kourkouto, a simple and savory “pie” that replaces the phyllo dough in a traditional phyllo pie with a batter made from eggs, cheese, Greek yogurt, and cornmeal. Think of it as a cross between baked polenta, spinach quiche, and a frittata—and since this version is filled with feta and dill, it has spanakopita vibes. It’s a uniquely delicious (and easy!) vegetarian main course that’s perfect for brunch, lunch, or a light dinner.
“Loved it! Prepared with a nice side salad and had a wonderful meatless Monday for the family!rn”
What You’ll Need To Make Spinach, Feta & Polenta Pie
Step-By-Step Instructions
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat, and add the spinach. Cook the spinach until wilted, 4 to 5 minutes, then set aside to cool slightly.
In a large bowl, combine the eggs, yogurt, polenta, garlic, salt and pepper.
Whisk until smooth, then add the feta, pecorino Romano, and dill, and mix until combined.
Add the wilted spinach to the batter and mix to combine.
Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish or pie pan and bake until just set and puffed, 20 to 25 minutes. Serve this dish hot or at room temperature.
You May Also Like
Greek-Style Spinach, Feta & Polenta Pie
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
- 6 oz baby spinach (about 6 packed cups)
- 5 large eggs
- ⅔ cup whole-milk plain Greek yogurt (low-fat works too)
- ¼ cup instant polenta
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ½ cup crumbled feta cheese
- ½ cup finely grated pecorino Romano cheese
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F/175°C and set an oven rack in the middle position. Grease a 1.5-qt (1.5L) baking dish (mine is an oval that measures about 9 x 7 in/23 x 18 cm) or 9-in (23-cm) pie pan with 1 tablespoon of the oil.
- Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the spinach and cook, tossing frequently, until wilted, 4 to 5 minutes. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine the eggs, yogurt, polenta, garlic, salt and pepper; whisk until smooth. Add the feta, pecorino Romano, and dill, and whisk until evenly combined. Stir in the wilted spinach.
- Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish or pie pan, and bake until just set and puffed, 20 to 25 minutes. Serve hot or at room temperature.
Nutrition Information
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Add a Comment
This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
Made this for a dinner we were hosting. One of the guests is gluten free and vegetarian so finding something that everyone can enjoy can be a challenge. Jen came through again! Everyone loved it and wanted the recipe! I followed the recipe exactly. It can be mixed beforehand and cooked later.
Hi Jenn-
Will it be okay if I refrigerate the mixture and bake the next day?
Sure, that should be fine. Enjoy!
I did make this recipe. It was very delicious. One thing I dont really use salt. So I will leave ouI the salt next time around, the cheese has enough. All your recipes are so amazing. I eat strictly kosher so you have plenty for me to choose from.
Thank you!
Hi Jenn,
Thanks you for all your delicious recipes! I want to make this dish but have only Palmetto Farms White Grits. How would I adapt thus recipe since mine are not instant grits.
Jean
Hi Jean. You really need instant polenta for this recipe; I’m sorry!
This is amazing! great flavor and so easy to make! Love that it is low carb and full of fresh flavors!
This recipe is wonderful, exactly as written. It’s easy to make, uses ingredients I usually have on hand, doesn’t take much time, and my husband an I agree it’s delicious out of the oven and reheated the next day. Another plus is that it really works well for special breakfast/brunch, lunch or dinner. Yum! Making it again tonight.
I have to add to all the 5 Star comments. I made this recipe for brunch with friends. We all raved about it. Only addition I made was a diced shallot with the spinach. But you can add mushrooms, peppers to enhance it too. The flavors were amazing. The combination of feta and romano was genius. Definitely a keeper.
I would describe this dish as a crustless quiche that is a delicious and easy all-in-one dinner. I’ve made this twice, and it’s a new home favorite! It can be, as Chef Jenn notes, served hot at or room temperature. I’m considering adding a variation of this dish to my commercial menus.
I didn’t have instant polenta—actually, I didn’t know it existed—so I used some fine-ground cornmeal instead. And rather than use the dill, which can be a little overpowering, I topped the quiche with a bit of freshly-ground nutmeg.
A note on the Pecorino Romano cheese: This is a sheep’s milk cheese with a relatively low melting point and a sharp, salty flavor. I doubt that Parmigiano-Reggiano, or worse, supermarket “Parmesan” would be an acceptable substitute.
A note on the cooking time, which can vary a great deal depending on altitude: I live at over 6,000 feet, so fully baking the quiche took 40 minutes.
Chef Jeff, Park City, Utah.
Fantastic! Leftovers were great too. I used regular polenta and cook time was sufficient. Quick and on repeat.
Recipe was perfect, not a single tiny bit was left as my family loved all of it. Easy to make, and pretty to look at – what’s not to like about this, another great recipe from Once upon a chef Jenn!