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This Greek spinach pita pocket is the meal you need to liven your taste buds! Filled with caramelized leeks, spinach, olives, sun-dried tomatoes, and melted cheese, every bite is bursting with flavor. Pair it with a creamy dill yogurt sauce for the best lunch!
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What makes this dish special
Every so often, I run out of ideas for recipes. With almost 600 recipes on the blog, it's difficult to come up with a completely original recipe. It's when I hit this block that I turn to anything and everything for inspiration. My latest inspiration for this Greek spinach pita pocket came from watching Mikey Chen's YouTube video in Greece. He was eating this spinach pita wrap that looked amazing. I had to make it, but I never had it myself. So I put together what I thought would be delicious: caramelized leeks with spinach, cheese, sun-dried tomatoes, and olives all in a pita wrap served with dill yogurt sauce. I'm not going to lie, it truly was delightful.
After doing a bit of research, I found out that the wrap Mikey was enjoying was called a wild greens pie. It's actually a traditional Greek dish, but every recipe I saw online differed from one another. Since the one he ate in the video looked more like creamed greens in a toasted pita, that's the direction I went with for this Greek spinach pita pocket. It's different, but trust me, it's incredibly tasty!
For another amazing wrap recipe, check out this turkey lahmacun and cheddar chicken caesar wrap!
Ingredients
- Greek yogurt: Forms the base of the dill sauce, providing a creamy, tangy element that balances the richness of the spinach filling. Its thick consistency makes an ideal dipping sauce.
- Leek: Contributes a subtle, sweet onion flavor that becomes rich and complex when caramelized. Unlike sharper onions, leeks offer a more delicate taste.
- Herbs: The combination of dill, mint, and parsley creates the signature Mediterranean flavor profile of this dish.
- Spinach: Creates the bulk of the filling. Spinach has a mild flavor that readily absorbs the aromatics from the herbs and garlic. When wilted and combined with the cheeses, it creates a creamy, cohesive filling that holds together well inside the pita.
- Cream cheese: Cream cheese is crucial for creating the rich, creamy texture of the filling. It binds the spinach and herbs together while melting into a smooth consistency that stays inside the pita pocket.
- Pita bread: The base for the dish, thicker, Greek-style pita bread works best as it's sturdier and less likely to tear when filled.
Substitutions and variations
- Vegan: For a vegan version, substitute the Greek yogurt with a plant-based yogurt, replace cream cheese with vegan cream cheese, and use vegan mozzarella and feta alternatives.
- Gluten-free: Use your favorite gluten-free pita bread.
Recipe
Greek Spinach Pita Pocket
Ingredients
Dill yogurt sauce
- ½ cup Greek yogurt plain
- 2 tablespoons chopped dill
- 1 garlic clove minced
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- salt and pepper
Greek pita pocket
- 2 tablespoons oil
- 1 leek sliced
- 2 scallions chopped
- 2 tablespoons chopped mint
- 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
- 2 tablespoons chopped dill
- 1 garlic clove minced
- 6 cups spinach
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- ½ teaspoon red chili flakes
- 2 ounces cream cheese
- ½ cup shredded mozzarella
- 2 pita bread halved and split open
- ¼ cup crumbled feta
- ¼ cup sliced pitted green olives
- ¼ cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes
Instructions
- Make dill yogurt sauce. Mix together yogurt with dill, garlic, and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.
- Prepare spinach filling. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add sliced leek and season with salt and pepper. Continue to saute until caramelized, about 15 minutes. If pan becomes too dry, add a tablespoon of water.
- Add scallions, mint, parsley, dill, and garlic. Saute for 1 minute. Add spinach, stirring to combine, and saute until spinach is wilted. Season filling with lemon zest, chili flakes, salt, and pepper. Remove from heat and add cream cheese and mozzarella, stirring until cheese is melted.
- Fill each pita bread half with spinach filling. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon feta, 1 tablespoon olives, and 1 tablespoon of sun-dried tomatoes per wrap.
- Heat a large saute pan over high heat. Lay pita pocket in pan and cook until toasted, about 1-2 minutes. Flip over and cook on the other side until toasted. Remove from heat and repeat with remaining pita pockets. Serve with dill yogurt sauce.
Notes
Step-by-step instructions
Step 1: Make sauce
First, let's start by making the dill yogurt sauce. This sauce is similar to tzatziki but without the cucumber. We want to make the sauce first and let it sit to let the flavors meld. You can also make the sauce the day before.
Combine plain Greek yogurt with fresh chopped dill, garlic, and lemon juice, and season it with salt and pepper. I personally prefer to use whole-fat Greek yogurt for the thicker, creamier consistency, but nonfat also works. Just make sure to use Greek yogurt for the best texture.
Step 2: Prepare filling
Set aside the sauce and start making the filling. I know caramelized leeks are not in the original wild greens pie, but I wanted to add a bit of sweetness to the filling.
Cut off the white top of the leek and split it lengthwise. Leeks are notoriously dirty, so we want to wash the dirt in between the layers. Slice the leek and saute it in a pan over medium heat. Continue to cook the leek until deeply golden brown. If the pan gets too dry, add a touch of water.
Next, add the herbs and garlic and saute for another minute. Toss in the spinach, stirring everything together, and continue to cook until the spinach is wilted. Six cups sound like a lot, but the spinach will cook down quite a bit.
Turn off the flames and stir in the cream cheese and shredded mozzarella, mixing until the cheese has melted.
If you're planning on making the Greek spinach pita pockets ahead of time, you can prepare the filling the day before.
Step 3: Assemble
Now, cut the pita bread in half and split it open. Although I love homemade pita bread, I recommend using store-bought ones for this dish because they're much thinner. If the pita bread is too thick, it won't get nice and toasty.
Fill each pita half with the prepared filling and sprinkle sun-dried tomatoes, olives, and feta inside.
Heat a saute pan and carefully lay the Greek spinach pita pockets inside. You don't need any oil since we're just toasting the outside.
Once the pita is toasted, flip it over and cook it on the other side for another minute or so.
Remove the pita pockets from the stove and serve them alongside the dill yogurt sauce.
I cannot tell you how excited I was to eat this vegetarian sandwich. Just by tasting the filling, I knew it was going to be a winner. The creamed greens with sweet leeks, tart sun-dried tomatoes, briny olives, and salty feta are a magical combination. The pita is perfectly toasted, and the dill yogurt sauce just seals the deal. Serve it alongside fattoush salad for an incredible meal!
Make-ahead and storage
- Make-ahead: The dill yogurt sauce and spinach filling can be prepared a day ahead. Gently reheat the filling before assembling the pita pockets.
- Store: Although best enjoyed immediately, you can store leftover cooked pita pockets for up to 2 days. Reheat them either on the stovetop in a pan or in the oven at 350 degrees until warm.
Frequently asked questions
Absolutely! Feel free to add grilled chicken, shrimp, or chickpeas. Mix them directly in the spinach filling and fill the pita.
I don't recommend freezing the assembled pita pockets because the pita can get soggy. However, you can freeze the filling for up to 1 month.
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Barbara says
Simply delicious! a very nice vegan option!!!
Christine Ma says
I'm so glad you enjoyed it!