The Conversation
Spanakopita is one of my all-time favorite Greek dishes. If you’ve not tried it before, it’s a simple spinach and feta pie that’s usually made with filo pastry. It’s salty, it’s garlicky, it’s creamy — and if you fancy something a bit different, it makes amazing quesadillas! Just swap the pastry for flour tortillas, and you’ve got an even easier version of the classic recipe. A bit of grated cheddar cheese helps to hold everything together (and let’s face it, also makes these quesadillas even more delicious), and a drizzle of tzatziki on top finishes everything off beautifully. Perfect for a quick and easy vegetarian lunch!
Ingredients:
Serves 2
— 1/2 Tablespoon oil
— 2 cloves garlic
— 5 cups fresh spinach, roughly chopped
— 1 Tablespoon cream cheese
— 2/3 cup diced feta cheese
— black pepper
— 4 small flour tortillas
— 2/3 cup grated cheddar cheese
— 2 Tablespoons tzatziki (store-bought or homemade), to serve (optional)
Instructions:
1. Heat the oil in a frying pan and add the chopped spinach and garlic. Cook over a medium heat for a few minutes, until the spinach is just wilted and the garlic is fragrant. Set aside to cool for 5 minutes.
2. Add the cooked spinach to a large bowl, along with the cream cheese, feta and plenty of black pepper. Mix well. Spread the spinach mixture over two small flour tortillas and sprinkle with the grated cheese.
3. Add another tortilla on top and place each quesadilla in a dry frying pan over a medium-low heat (cook one at a time, or use two separate pans if you need to). Cook for a few minutes on each side, until the tortillas are golden brown and the cheese has melted.
4. Serve hot, drizzled with tzatziki if desired.
Heat the oil in a frying pan and add the chopped spinach and garlic. Cook over a medium heat for a few minutes, until the spinach is just wilted and the garlic is fragrant. Set aside to cool for 5 minutes.
Add the cooked spinach to a large bowl, along with the cream cheese, feta and plenty of black pepper. Mix well. Spread the spinach mixture over two small flour tortillas and sprinkle with the grated cheese.
Add another tortilla on top and place each quesadilla in a dry frying pan over a medium-low heat (cook one at a time, or use two separate pans if you need to). Cook for a few minutes each side, until the tortillas are golden brown and the cheese has melted.
Serve hot, drizzled with tzatziki if desired. I made a really simple homemade tzatziki by blending a chunk of fresh cucumber with a dollop of Greek yogurt and a good pinch of salt and pepper, but a shop-bought version would be really good too, if you prefer!
These spanakopita quesadillas make a super tasty vegetarian lunch — or, turn them into a full dinner by serving them alongside a big Greek salad.
What are your go-to easy lunches? Share your favorites on Twitter @BritandCo!
Becca is a freelance recipe developer who blogs over at Amuse Your Bouche, which has been named as one of the UK's Top 10 food blogs. She focuses on simple vegetarian recipes.