These delicious vegetarian Spinach and Feta Fatayer or pies may look like Sambousek, but they're quite different! Fatayer are baked instead of fried, making them a healthy snack option. Serve with Lebanese garlic sauce on the side!
Fatayer are mini pies that are stuffed with a spinach, cheese, and herb filling. They are served as mezza (appetizer) throughout the Middle East including Iraq, Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, and Egypt.
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🧐 Why This Recipe works
- What I love about this recipe is how simple they are to prepare. They can be prepared ahead of time and baked when ready to serve.
- The filling contains fresh spinach and lots of other fresh herbs and spices which elevates this vegetarian recipe to a whole new level.
- I included Feta cheese, which adds creaminess to the filling mixture, while the crushed red pepper adds a little extra zip.
- I also reduced the amount of lemon juice and oil that is usually found in most Fatayer recipes. This not only keeps the mix from being soggy, but reducing the amount of oil makes them healthier and lower in calories as well.
- The combination of lemon juice and ground sumac powder gives these Spinach Fatayer just the right amount of tang, making the extra lemon juice unnecessary.
- Pine nuts can be added to the filling to give them a nutty flavor and a little crunch. I recommend adding no more than ¼ of a cup.
🛒 What Goes Into This Recipe
🔖 Recipe Ingredients & Substitutions
- Cheese — Besides Feta cheese, try adding a cup of mozzarella cheese. Although mozzarella cheese is not traditionally included, it works beautifully in this recipe. Another great option is Akawi cheese but might be harder to come by.
- Sumac — Sumac powder is a key ingredient and should not be left out, I use it in so many of my recipes, so you'll find many ways to use it! If you don't have access to Middle Eastern markets in your area, you can purchase Sumac on Amazon.
- Za'atar — Za'atar isn't usually included in the Fatayer filling, but I love how it enhances the flavor of the filling. You can make your own or purchase it on Amazon.
- Crushed Red Pepper — Crushed red pepper is totally optional but I love the little kick it adds to the Fatayer. I'll let you decide if you want to add crushed red pepper or leave it out.
- Scallions — If you don't have scallions, you can use onions instead.
- Oil —
🥟 How to Make Fatayer
Prepare the Dough
Step 1: Stir yeast and sugar into warm water (105 to 115 degrees F.) and set aside for 5 to 10 minutes until the yeast activates and the water becomes foamy.
Step 2: Pour the yeast liquid into a mixer bowl and add salt, olive oil, and enough plain flour for the dough to come together. This should take 2 to 2¼ cups of flour.
Step 3: Replace the paddle attachment with a dough hook and mix the dough for a few minutes, until the dough is soft and pliable.
Step 4: Oil a clean bowl and roll the dough to cover with oil then cover with a dish towel and let it rest for 45 minutes.
Filling
Step 1: Chop spinach and add to a bowl then sprinkle with salt and lemon juice. Stir to combine then microwave for 1 to 1½ minutes until wilted. Drain spinach to remove excess moisture. Gently squeeze out the remaining liquid with the back of a spoon.
Step 2: Mix the cooled spinach with the scallions, mint, fresh dill, and the remaining filling ingredients and stir to combine.
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Assembly
Step 1: Punch the dough down and divide into four portions.
Step 2: On a floured surface, roll out one portion of dough as thin as possible, while keeping the other portions covered. Use a cup or lid that's approximately 4" in diameter to cut round discs. Add the excess dough to the covered dough.
Step 3: Fill the disc with one heaping tablespoon of the spinach mixture. Fold the dough over the mixture and crimp the edges together to form a triangle (see photos). Continue until all the dough and filling is used up.
Pro Tip: To keep the Fatayer from opening, poke a few times with a fork to allow steam to escape.
Baking Instructions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F and bake the Fatayer on a light baking sheet for 15 to 20 minutes, or until browned.
🤷🏻♀️ FAQs
When I say "Fatayer" I always think "fat-tire" in my head. However, the correct way to say "Fatayer" is "Fa-ta-yer."
Fatayer doesn't have a specific meaning. It's just the name of this triangle-shaped Middle Eastern appetizer. The Mini-pies are either filled with spinach or seasoned meat and served as mezze or finger foods. 
The number of calories in a spinach pie will vary depending on the recipe. Using my specific recipe, one spinach pie contains 37 calories.
👩🏼🍳 Pro Tips
- To reheat Fatayer, wrap in paper towel and microwave for 30 seconds each.
- You can also reheat them in an air fryer. Place them in a single layer and air fry at 390 degrees F. for approximately 3 to 5 minutes.
- To freeze Fatayer, place them on a large tray and stick the tray in the freezer for a few hours. Once frozen, store in a ziplock bag.
- To cook frozen Fatayer, place them on a tray and bake in a 350-degree F oven for 25 to 30 minutes or until golden brown.
- If a light-colored sheet is unavailable, use a silicone mat or parchment paper to keep the bottoms from burning.
- If the Fatayer sit too long without being cooked, they will puff up and lose their seams. This can cause them to open as they're baking. One way to avoid this problem is to pinch and reshape the seams just before baking.
🧆 Related Recipes
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📖 Recipe
Spinach and Cheese Fatayer (Lebanese Spinach Pies)
Ingredients
Pastry Dough
- 1 cup warm water
- 1 teaspoon yeast
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 2¼ cups all-purpose flour (plus more for dusting)
Filling
- 1 8 oz package of baby spinach (fresh)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 6 scallions (minced)
- 2 tablespoon fresh mint (chopped)
- 2 tablespoon fresh dill (chopped)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon sumac powder
- 1 tablespoon za'atar
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- ⅔ cup Feta cheese
Instructions
Prepare Dough
- Stir yeast and sugar into warm water (105 to 115 degrees F.) and set aside for 5 to 10 minutes until the yeast activates and the water becomes foamy.
- Pour the yeast liquid into a mixer bowl and add salt, olive oil, and enough flour for the dough to come together. This should take 2 to 2¼ cups of flour.
- Replace the paddle attachment with a dough hook and mix the dough for a few minutes, until the dough is soft and pliable.
- Oil a clean bowl and roll the dough to cover with oil then cover with a dish towel and let it rest for 45 minutes.
Prepare Filling
- Chop spinach and add to a bowl then sprinkle with salt and lemon juice. Stir to combine then microwave for 1 to 1½ minutes until wilted. Drain spinach to remove excess liquid. Gently squeeze out the remaining liquid with the back of a spoon.
- Mix the cooled spinach with the scallions, mint, fresh dill, and the remaining filling ingredients and stir to combine.
Assembly Directions
- Punch the dough down and divide into four portions.
- On a floured surface, roll out one portion of dough as thin as possible, while keeping the other portions covered. Use a cup or lid that's approximately 4" in diameter to cut a round discs. Add the excess dough to the covered dough.
- Fill the disc with one heaping tablespoon of spinach filling. Crimp the edges together to form a triangle (see photos). Continue until all the dough and filling is used up.
- Note: To keep the Fatayer from opening, poke a few times with a fork to allow steam to escape.
Baking Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400-degrees F and bake the Fatayer on a light baking sheet for 15 to 20 minutes, or until browned.
Notes
- To reheat Fatayer, wrap in paper towel and microwave for 30 seconds each.
- You can also reheat them in an air fryer. Place them in a single layer and air fry at 390 degrees F. for approximately 3 to 5 minutes.
- To freeze Fatayer, place them on a large tray and stick the tray in the freezer for a few hours. Once frozen, store in a ziplock bag.
- To cook frozen Fatayer, place them on a tray and bake in a 350-degree F oven for 25 to 30 minutes or until golden brown.
- If a light-colored sheet is unavailable, use a silicone mat or parchment paper to keep the bottoms from burning.
- If the Fatayer sit too long without being cooked, they will puff up and lose their seams. This can cause them to open as they're baking. One way to avoid this problem is to pinch and reshape the seams just before baking.
Lisa Marie says
!!! These are amazing!!! Za'atar is already one of my favorite seasonings (I put it in everything!) so I did add a bit extra. The texture of the crust was so crisp on the outside and the filling was perfectly creamy from the feta but with the great bite of the spinach - PERFECTION!
Thank you Hilda for sharing this!
And now...I will be trying out your other recipes!
Hilda Sterner says
Hi Lisa, you described them so well and it's been ages since I've made them. I think I'll be making them soon. Thanks for the review!
Elizabeth Gosselin says
Question - Should these be frozen before or after they are baked?
Hilda Sterner says
Hi Elizabeth,
I freeze them before baking, but really, you can do either. If you have leftovers that were already cooked for example, you can still freeze them. Then heat them up in the microwave, air-frier, toaster oven.