Greek-Style Spinach, Feta & Polenta Pie
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Think of this dish as a cross between baked polenta, a quiche, and a frittata.
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, a quiche, and a frittata — and since this version is filled with spinach, 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.
What You’ll Need To Make Spinach, Feta & Polenta Pie
Step-By-Step Instructions
Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, and add the spinach.
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, then add the feta, pecorino Romano, and dill, and whisk until evenly combined.
Add the wilted spinach to the batter.
Stir until combined.
Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish or pie pan.
Bake until just set and puffed, 20 to 25 minutes.
Serve hot or at room temperature.
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Greek-Style Spinach, Feta & Polenta Pie
Think of this dish as a cross between baked polenta, a quiche, and a frittata.
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
- 6 ounces 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 and set an oven rack in the middle position. Grease a 1.5-qt baking dish (mine is an oval that measures about 9 x 7 inches) or 9-inch 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
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- Per serving (4 servings)
- Calories: 382
- Fat: 27 g
- Saturated fat: 11 g
- Carbohydrates: 13 g
- Sugar: 3 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 21 g
- Sodium: 554 mg
- Cholesterol: 273 mg
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.
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I have 2 questions: what would you substitute for dill (someone is allergic) and, if you doubled the recipe, would you make it in a 9×13 dish? Thanks!
Hi Karen, You could use fresh tarragon or flat-leaf parsley in place of the dill. And, yes, you can use a 9 x 13 baking dish if you double it. The baking time should be about the same but keep an eye on it. Enjoy!
LOVED it! I didn’t have quick cooking polenta, so I placed some regular polenta in the food processor to break it down. The inside was creamy and the dill was just amazing. I also used fresh chopped spinach. Will definitely make this again.
I haven’t made this yet, but I am looking forward to making it this week. My problem is that my husband bought whole milk plain yogurt, not greek yogurt. Can I still use it in the recipe or should I pick up the greek yogurt?
Thank you Jenn for all of your recipes (website and both books). I make a Jenn recipe at least twice a week.
Kindly,
Cathy
Hi Cathy, I think you can get away with the regular yogurt here. I’d love to know how it turns out!
Has anyone used quick cooking grits instead of the instant polenta?
Looks like its on the list for the next Sunday gathering.
I’m about to make this for the first time, for a brunch on New Year morning. For people having trouble finding Instant Polenta, in my market it was in a section just next to the boxed pasta. Don’t know if that’s true everywhere, but maybe it will help some folks.
Happy New Year (2023) Jenn and all.
I have made it several times and it is really good. Can I freeze it?
Glad you like it! I’ve never frozen it before, but I think you could. 🙂
I made this with Bob’s Red Mill “Yellow Corn Grits also known as Polenta” and frozen organic spinach. Otherwise I followed the recipe exactly. Baked in an 8.5 inch square Corning Ware dish. I didn’t cook the spinach. Instead I rinsed it in a colander and allowed it to dry as I got the rest of the ingredients together. Then I rolled the spinach in a towel to remove excess moisture before adding to the mixture. Served with bacon, baby red potatoes in butter/garlic sauce and a lemon vinaigrette salad. What a delicious meal this was. The crustless quiche was the star. It made enough for 2 meals for the two of us. Thanks so much for the recipe!
Very rare that I leave anything other than a 5 for Jenn’s recipes. I liked, but don’t think I’ll make again. Was very pretty, easy to make, and think I’ll enjoy for a light breakfast tomorrow!
Great flavor! Based on other comments, and since I couldn’t find instant polenta, I used “regular” polenta. I used the amount of polenta called for in the recipe. After stirring everything together, though, I decided I would add about 3 tablespoons of half and half to the mixture to thin it just a bit. I checked the pie after 25 minutes and the center wasn’t cooked so I cooked it 15 more minutes and it was set. I’m going to continue looking for the instant polenta, but since several people have asked if they can use “regular” polenta, I feel the answer is yes. (NOTE: I don’t know if the cooking time took longer due to the addition of the half and half or the elevation at which I live, which is about 5100 ft.)
Can I add drained crumbled saugage to the recipe?
Sure, Jo, that should work. I’d love to hear how it comes out!