Greek Breads and Pies
Prasopita Recipe (Greek Leek Pie)
Πρασόπιτα prah-SOH-pee-tah · Prasopita
Photo: Зелник Праз.jpg by Наташа Величковска, CC BY-SA 4.0. Placeholder until original photography is shot.
In short
Prasopita is a Greek savoury pie built on leeks rather than spinach, the vegetable cooked down slowly until sweet, mixed with feta, egg and herbs, and layered between sheets of phyllo. It is a genuine winter cousin of spanakopita, using a vegetable at its best in the colder months.
Prasopita gives leeks the same treatment spinach gets in spanakopita, and it is exactly as good, using a vegetable that is genuinely at its best in the colder months when spinach can feel like a summer memory. Cooked down slowly until soft and sweet, the leeks are mixed with feta, egg and herbs and layered into the same phyllo structure Greek savoury pies rely on across the board.
The technique that matters most is the same one that runs through every leek dish on this site, prasorizo included: leeks need real, patient time over low heat to break down and sweeten properly, and rushing this stage with high heat leaves them sharp and unpleasant rather than mellow.
This is genuine cold-weather comfort, and it freezes well unbaked, making it a good dish to build ahead and have ready for a winter weeknight when a proper cooked meal feels like too much effort.
Key preparation steps
- Wash and slice a generous quantity of leeks.
- Cook slowly in olive oil until soft and sweet.
- Mix with feta, egg and herbs once cooled.
- Layer with phyllo and bake until deeply golden.
Cooking the leeks properly
Slice a large quantity of leeks, wash thoroughly to remove any trapped grit, and cook slowly in olive oil over a low heat for a genuine fifteen to twenty minutes, until they have collapsed down soft and sweet with no raw bite remaining. This is not a stage to rush, exactly as with prasorizo, since undercooked leeks give the filling a sharp, unpleasant edge rather than the mellow sweetness the pie wants.
Let the cooked leeks cool before mixing with the cheese and egg, since a hot filling makes the phyllo soggy and difficult to layer.
The filling
Mix the cooled leeks with crumbled feta, beaten egg, and a generous amount of chopped dill, which pairs particularly well with leek's mild sweetness. Season with black pepper rather than much salt, since the feta already carries plenty.
Layering and baking
Layer half the phyllo sheets into an oiled tin, brushing each with oil, spread the filling evenly, then top with the remaining sheets, again brushed individually, and score the top before baking. Bake until deeply golden and firm, resting for at least fifteen minutes before cutting along the scored lines.
Tips from my kitchen
Do not rush the leeks
A genuine fifteen to twenty minutes over low heat is what turns them soft and sweet. Undercooked leeks give the filling an unpleasant, sharp edge.
Cool the filling before assembling
A hot filling makes the phyllo soggy and difficult to layer properly.
Score before baking
This gives a clean, portioned finish once the pie comes out of the oven.
Prasopita Recipe (Greek Leek Pie)
Πρασόπιτα · by Kalliopi Andreou · updated 2026-07-31
- Prep
- 45m
- Cook
- 45m
- Total
- 1h 30m
- Serves
- 8
Ingredients
For the filling
For the pie
Method
- Wash the sliced leeks thoroughly in a large bowl of water and drain.
- Heat the olive oil in a wide pan over a low heat. Cook the leeks for 15 to 20 minutes, until completely soft and sweet. Cool completely.
- Mix the cooled leeks with the feta, eggs, dill and a good grinding of black pepper.
- Heat the oven to 190C fan 170C. Oil a 30 x 22 cm baking dish.
- Layer half the phyllo sheets into the dish, brushing each with olive oil.
- Spread the leek and feta filling evenly over the phyllo base.
- Top with the remaining phyllo sheets, brushing each with oil, and tuck in the edges.
- Score the top into portions and brush with any remaining oil.
- Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until deeply golden. Rest for at least 15 minutes before cutting along the scored lines.
Nutrition, per 1 slice
- Calories
- 342
- Protein
- 10 g
- Carbs
- 24 g
- Fat
- 23 g
- Sat fat
- 8 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
These figures are calculated estimates based on the ingredients listed, not laboratory analysis. Actual values vary with brands, cuts and portion size.
Frequently asked questions about Prasopita
How is prasopita different from spanakopita?
It uses leeks instead of spinach as the main vegetable, cooked down slowly until sweet, giving a milder, sweeter filling than spinach's more mineral, slightly bitter character.
Can you freeze prasopita?
Yes, it freezes very well unbaked, wrapped tightly. Bake from frozen, adding about 15 minutes to the baking time.
Can you make prasopita vegan?
Yes, replacing the feta and egg with a firm tofu crumbled with nutritional yeast and a little plant-based binder is a reasonable adaptation, though it changes the character of the traditional filling.
