Spinach Flatbread

Fresh spinach looks inviting, with its bright green leaves and superfood status. But once you get it home, you have only a few days to enjoy its peak flavor and benefits. If you think the only easy ways to use up the leaves are in spinach salads and as a sauteed side, you need to try spinach flatbread.

Quickly saute baby spinach and onions, pile them on pita bread and bake it all with melty cheese. It’s like vegetarian spinach pizza, but easier thanks to prebaked flatbread and no sauce. These changes help keep the meal from turning soggy, and let it bake in half the time.

These mini pizzas are excellent for personal lunches or as quick-serve treats for get-togethers (hello, slumber party!). Use the same technique to top pitas or other sturdy flatbreads with whatever vegetables are hanging around in your fridge.

Ingredients for Spinach Flatbread

• Olive oil: Use extra virgin olive oil to saute the toppings and to brush on the pita’s surface. Any of the best olive oil brands will do the trick.
• Onion: Sauteed onion tastes sweeter than raw, regardless of the type of onion you choose. Yellow onion works fine, but you could replace it with sweet onion or even a couple of shallots.
• Baby spinach: Baby spinach is the small, early-harvested leaves of a regular flat-leaf variety, and is just as good for you as the fully grown leaves. You can substitute any variety of regular spinach. Save the canned and frozen spinach for other recipes; it will make the flatbread soggy.
• Pita bread: Instead of cutting a pita in half and filling each “pocket,” this spinach flatbread recipe piles everything on top. The pita creates little mini pizzas with a thick, supportive base.
• Mozzarella: Shredded part-skim mozzarella holds the spinach and onion topping as it melts and browns in the oven. Grate your own cheese for the most effective melting.
• Pepper: Freshly ground pepper has a more complex flavor than ground black pepper. A good pepper grinder is an essential kitchen tool.

Directions

Step 1: Cook the vegetables

In a small skillet, heat 2 teaspoons of oil over medium heat. Cook the onion and spinach until the onion is tender, three to four minutes. Set the skillet aside.

Step 2: Assemble the flatbreads

Preheat the oven to 425°F. Place the pitas on an ungreased baking sheet and brush them with the remaining 2 teaspoons of oil.

Layer the pitas with the spinach, onion mixture and cheese.

Sprinkle the flatbreads with pepper.

Editor’s Tip: To keep the spinach topping in place, sprinkle a little of the cheese on the flatbread before you spread the spinach onion mixture. It probably won’t brown, but it will melt and secure the topping on the bread.

Step 3: Bake the flatbreads

Bake the spinach flatbreads until the cheese melts, six to eight minutes. Cut each pita into quarters and serve.

Spinach Flatbread Variations

• Add spices and aromatics: Saute the spinach with a pinch of red pepper flakes, nutmeg or smoked paprika. Add minced garlic to the saute, or spread the flatbread with garlic confit instead of oil. Season the spinach with a little dried thyme or oregano, and drizzle the baked flatbread with a balsamic glaze or date syrup.
• Use seasonal veggies: Add a few sweet red peppers, mushrooms or fennel slices to the saute. Pair the spinach with scallions and asparagus in spring, and replace it with fresh basil and summer squash or meaty tomato slices in summer. In the fall, roasted onions, winter squash and fresh sage leaves play well together.
• Change the cheese: Use another cheese that melts easily, like buttery fontina or smoked Gouda. Instead of a melting cheese, crumble on goat cheese or feta. For vegan spinach flatbread, leave off the cheese and check that the pita bread is dairy-free.
• Sprinkle on nuts: Toasted pine nuts, chopped walnuts, or pistachios add flavor and crunchiness to spinach flatbread. Other tasty crunchy toppings you could try include fresh sage leaves or thin fried shallots.

How to Store Spinach Flatbread

Store spinach flatbread in the refrigerator, wrapped in airtight packaging or sealed in a storage container. The flatbreads hold together better when unsliced and spread out in a single layer.

How long does spinach flatbread last?

Spinach flatbread will last three to four days in the refrigerator, but tastes best when freshly made. If you cook the spinach and onions ahead of time, cool them in a colander to drain off excess liquid, then store the mixture in a refrigerated airtight container for up to four days. An open package of store-bought flatbread lasts for two to three weeks in the refrigerator, but you should eat homemade pita bread within three days so it doesn’t dry out.

Can you freeze spinach flatbread?

Spinach flatbread won’t have the same texture when thawed, so we don’t recommend freezing it fully assembled. Instead, freeze just the pita bread for up to three months. Slide it into the oven for a few minutes to thaw it, then add the toppings and bake the flatbreads. Shredded mozzarella also keeps well in the freezer for three to four months, and can be sprinkled, still frozen, on the flatbread.

How do you reheat spinach flatbread?

Reheat spinach flatbread in a 350° toaster or full-size oven for about five minutes or until it’s warm. You can also reheat it like pizza on the stovetop, in a microwave or an air fryer. For another delicious option that takes no time at all, skip the reheating and enjoy the leftovers cold.

Spinach Flatbread Tips

Can you use a different kind of flatbread for spinach flatbread?

All sorts of flatbread work well with this recipe. The main thing is to choose one that’s prebaked. For the best spinach flatbread, make the pita bread yourself. Naan is another leavened flatbread that easily supports toppings. If you use pizza dough, divide it into portions, roll them thinly and bake them until they’re lightly browned before you add the toppings. For gluten-free spinach flatbread, cook a skillet of socca, a traditional French flatbread made with chickpea flour.

How do you keep the spinach from making the flatbreads soggy?

Start with prebaked flatbreads so the spinach doesn’t make them soggy, and brush on oil to create a barrier between the toppings and the bread. How you prepare the spinach also affects its wateriness. After you wash it (a good idea even with prewashed lettuce and other greens), dry the leaves in a salad spinner or squeeze them in a clean kitchen towel. The longer spinach cooks, the more water it releases, so get the pan hot first and remove the spinach from the pan as soon as it’s wilted. A larger pan and constant stirring allow for the release and evaporation of more liquid. If the spinach still seems watery, drain it in a colander while you prepare the pitas.

What can you serve with spinach flatbreads?

Serve spinach flatbreads on their own as a snack or light lunch. Pair them with salad or soup for a fuller meal. Spinach is so good for you that you can enjoy a juicy watermelon and spinach salad with this flatbread, but if that feels like too many greens, toss together a cucumber salad with sour cream or a Mediterranean chickpea salad instead. Choose a simple soup that won’t dominate the flatbread, like roasted tomato soup or garlic soup. Add a protein like chipotle shrimp or lemon chicken for a non-vegetarian meal.