How long to cook spanakopita in an air fryer

At-a-glance cooking parameters

Temperature

375 °F

190 °C

Total time

11 min

per single layer

Flip at

6 min

flip once

Internal temp

—

use visual cue

Frozen spanakopita triangles cook in the air fryer in about 11 minutes at 375 °F (190 °C), flipped once at the halfway mark, until the phyllo is deep golden and shatter-crisp and the spinach-feta filling is steaming hot. These Greek pastries — layers of paper-thin, buttered phyllo wrapped around spinach, feta, onion, and dill — are exactly the kind of flaky, layered food the air fryer does better than the oven, crisping every leaf of pastry without drying the filling. Cook them straight from the freezer (Athens, Apollo, or any brand) in a single layer with a little space between each, and give them a light spray so both faces brown. Unlike Empanadas (a single sturdy dough turnover) or Calzone (a folded pizza-dough pocket), spanakopita is built from dozens of shatter-thin phyllo layers, so it crisps faster and wants gentler handling; and unlike Crab Rangoon (a wonton-wrapper purse), the filling here is a savoury spinach-and-cheese blend. 4 ways to serve them: as-is, with a lemon-dill yogurt dip, dusted with pepper and oregano, or as the cheese-only tiropita on the same profile.

Per serving

Approximate values for a single portion of spanakopita (USDA baseline, cooked, includes light air-fryer oil spray).

Calories

180 kcal

Protein

5 g

Fat

11 g

Carbs

16 g

Spanakopita in popular air fryer brands

Adjusted for how each brand actually heats. Tap a brand name to see every food we calibrate for it.

How to tell it’s done

Done when the phyllo is deep golden brown and shatter-crisp on both sides and the spinach-feta filling is steaming hot in the centre. Flip once so both faces brown evenly. If the tops are colouring but the centre still feels cool, give them another minute or two — phyllo browns faster than the filling heats.

Step-by-step method

1. 1

   Prep

   Bring ingredients close to room temperature. A light spray on both sides helps the phyllo turn evenly golden and shatter-crisp. Frozen brands are usually already buttered, so go easy.

2. 2

   Season

   Season with As-is: the classic spinach-and-feta filling needs nothing but its own buttered phyllo., Lemon-dill yogurt: serve with a cool tzatziki-style dip., Cracked pepper and oregano: a dusting over the hot triangles for a herby finish., Tiropita swap: the cheese-only (feta-ricotta) version cooks on the same profile..

3. 3

   Load

   Arrange 3–4 triangles per person as an appetizer; the basket holds 6–8 in a single layer for best convection airflow.

4. 4

   Cook

   Set the air fryer to 375 °F (190 °C) and cook for 11 minutes total, flipping once at 6 minutes.

5. 5

   Check & rest

   Check the visual doneness cue and serve immediately for best texture.

6. 6

   Store

   Best straight from the basket while the phyllo is crisp. Re-crisp leftovers at 350 °F (177 °C) for 3–4 minutes; never microwave — it turns the phyllo soft and chewy. Uncooked frozen triangles keep in the freezer for months and go straight in.

Watch out for

• !Cook straight from frozen — thawing makes the delicate phyllo go limp and soggy before it can crisp.
• !Space the triangles in a single layer; phyllo flakes need dry air on all sides, and crowding steams them soft.
• !Phyllo flakes are loose — handle gently and don't let stray flakes fall onto the heating element.
• !The filling gets very hot and holds heat — let the triangles sit a minute before biting so the molten feta doesn't burn.

FAQ about spanakopita in an air fryer

What temperature should I cook spanakopita at in an air fryer?

Cook spanakopita at 375 °F (190 °C). The convection air at this temperature cooks the food gently — higher temperatures dry it out or scorch the surface.

How long does spanakopita take in an air fryer?

Spanakopita takes 11 minutes total at 375 °F (190 °C). Flip the food once at 6 minutes so both sides cook evenly.

Do you need to flip spanakopita in an air fryer?

Yes — flip spanakopita once at 6 minutes. The side touching the basket grate develops a darker, more crusted surface; flipping evens out the cook so both sides match.

Do you need to preheat the air fryer for spanakopita?

Preheating is optional for spanakopita — most modern air fryers reach temperature in under 2 minutes and the food's total cook time already accounts for the ramp-up. If you do preheat, reduce the total time by 1–2 minutes and check earlier than usual.