Buttery flakey spanakopita is a longtime favorite of mine. This cute appetizer version makes for a perfect crunchy bite with a warm tangy spinach filling. The combination of buttery-rich pastry and lemony spinach is everything. I use Greek yogurt in this recipe to create a tangy, lighter filling that adds to the salty crumbly bite of feta cheese. After a few brushstrokes of butter and sprinkled sesame seeds, these crispy triangles taste amazing right out of the oven. Better than any store-bought version I’ve tried. Prep ahead, bake, and serve!

If you’re late to the spinach and cheese train, welcome! Bienvenidos! As is the case for most vegetables, cheese makes spinach taste good. The watery fibrous leaf is quite a flavorless vegetable, but like any great chef, we’re gonna give it some flava! We got the cheese for our rich saltiness and nutmeg for earthiness. Now with the buttery-rich crust, we want to make sure we contrast that rich flavor with sour. Tangy Greek yogurt and lemon juice are not only better for our bellies, but fresh lemon juice also helps your body increase the absorption of iron from spinach! Science!

Like any good party host, we prep and prepare our appetizers before guests arrive. These make for the perfect “pop-in the oven and serve” appetizers. Your guests will feel so special like you’ve been working on these all day. Phyllo dough is not a casually used pastry dough, which makes these flakey layered triangles a nice surprise for the people you love. Take your time cutting the pastry and layering the dough. Phyllo does tend to dry out quickly, but it’s quite forgiving if a strip breaks with the butter acting as glue.