Spinach and feta fatayer are delicious Middle Eastern hand pies, filled with a savory blend of tender spinach, tangy feta cheese, and fragrant spices, all wrapped in a soft, golden dough. Serve with Lebanese garlic sauce on the side.
Fatayer are mini pies that are stuffed with a spinach, cheese, and herb filling. They are enjoyed throughout the Middle East including Iraq, Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, and Egypt.
Perfect as an appetizer, snack, or part of a mezze spread, these flavorful pastries are as comforting as they are satisfying. This recipe walks you through making them from scratch with simple ingredients and authentic taste.
Jump to:
🥰 Why You'll Love This Recipe
- 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.
- 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.
🔖 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: Choose from olive oil or avocado 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.
Prepare 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.
Would you like to save this recipe?
We'll email this post to you, so you can come back to it later!
Assembly Instructions
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.
If you love these flavor combinations, you need to try my spinach and feta pizza recipe. It was inspired by this recipe!
🤷🏻♀️ 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.
🧆 More Middle Eastern Recipes
📖 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.
Kim says
Loved these. We had a bit of hands on to create them and it was fun. The filling was so good. Will definitely make these myself.
Kelly Methey says
These little delicious, doughy pillows of goodness are fantastic. The filling is so fresh tasting and good. These are perfect for a party appetizer or an anytime snack.
The Lebanese Garlic Sauce, Toum, is a must when serving them, if you like garlic like I do!
They are pretty easy and fun to make so that’s a huge plus.
Hilda Sterner says
Thank you for your review! 😍
Kathy Fisher says
What a perfect appetizer. There's just something about middle eastern food that kinda takes me back to the cradle of civilization. I love all the different spices that aren't normally in my pantry, until now. I love the sumac and za'atar flavors in the spinach filling. No improvements needed on this great recipe. So delicious.
Hilda Sterner says
Thanks, Kathy, so glad to introduce you to new flavors!
Rachelle says
These turned out perfect. The only changes I made was to brush olive oil on top of the pastries twice while cooking. (As my mil used to do). They were the perfect texture, not too soft or hard. Filling was wonderful
Hilda Sterner says
Thanks, Rachelle, I will have to try your mother-in-law's trick next time I make them. Enjoy!
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.