Tiropita – Greek Cheese Pie
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Tiropita – Greek Cheese Pie: Crispy, golden phyllo layered with a creamy feta and ricotta filling, plus a homemade béchamel that makes it ridiculously good.
If there’s one thing you’ll find in every Romanian kitchen, alongside the pickles and the gossip, it’s a cheese pie. We don’t even question it. It’s just there, like coffee in the morning or complaining about the weather.
This Tiropita may be Greek by name, but Romanians? We’ve got cheese pie in our DNA. Every family has their version, some with ricotta, some with feta, some with whatever cheese was on sale that week. And we love it all.
This version is extra special. It’s rich and creamy with ricotta, salty feta, and a quick béchamel that makes it just a little more luxurious. Wrapped in buttery phyllo and baked until golden and crisp, it’s the kind of thing that disappears from the table faster than you can say “save me a corner piece.”
Whether you grew up with this kind of pie or are tasting it for the first time, it hits the soul. No fluff, just pure comfort, flaky, cheesy, and straight from the oven, just like we like it.
Why You’ll Love My Tiropita
- It’s basically baked cheese wrapped in butter. Enough said.
- Crispy on top, creamy in the middle. Every bite has contrast — and it works.
- It looks fancy, but it’s shockingly easy. Especially if you’ve got butter and patience.
- Feeds a crowd or just you, standing at the counter with a fork. No judgment.
- Tastes like home. Whether you’re Greek, Romanian, or just cheese-obsessed, this one’s in your soul now.
- Melted butter = your best friend. You’ll use it for brushing every layer of phyllo. Don’t skimp. This is what gives that golden, shattery top.
- Feta + ricotta is the dream team. Feta gives the salt, ricotta brings the creaminess. If your feta is super salty, you might not need any extra salt in the mix.
- That béchamel makes it next level. Just a few minutes and one saucepan, don’t skip it. It makes the filling smooth and rich without being too heavy.
- Add the eggs one at a time. They help bind the filling and keep things from turning into a cheesy soup.
- Phyllo needs love and speed. Keep it covered with a damp towel while you work. It dries out faster than you can say “crusty edges.”
- Score before you bake. Cutting before baking = clean, perfect slices later. Just don’t go all the way through, it’s more of a guide.
In a small saucepan, melt the butter, then whisk in the flour. Let them cook together for a couple of minutes, whisking constantly. Slowly pour in the milk, add the nutmeg and salt, and keep whisking until the sauce thickens up and smooths out. Set it aside to cool, it’ll thicken a bit more as it sits.
In a big bowl, combine the ricotta, crumbled feta, and the cooled béchamel. Stir it all together, then add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each. The filling should be thick, creamy, and spreadable.
Preheat your oven to 375°F. Butter a 9×13-inch baking dish generously. Lay your phyllo sheets flat and cover them with a damp towel, they dry out fast and tear easily if left uncovered.
Lay one phyllo sheet into the pan and brush it with melted butter. Repeat this with about half of the sheets, don’t worry if they rip or wrinkle. Just keep layering and brushing like a lazy lasagna.
Spoon the cheese mixture over the phyllo base and spread it out evenly all the way to the edges.
Repeat the phyllo-butter layering with the remaining sheets. Brush the top one well, this is your golden crust moment. Using a sharp knife, lightly cut the top into the number of pieces you want. Don’t slice all the way down, just enough to guide your cuts later.
Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, or until the top is golden and crisp and the kitchen smells like a bakery in Athens. Once it’s out of the oven and slightly cooled, go back over your cuts with a knife. Then serve, eat, and try not to eat half the tray standing at the counter. (No promises.)
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Tiropita, exactly?
It’s a Greek cheese pie made with layers of buttery phyllo and a rich, salty cheese filling. Think spanakopita, but without the spinach, just cheese, glorious cheese.
Can I use different cheeses?
Totally. Ricotta and feta are classic, but you can toss in a bit of Parmesan, mozzarella, or even a soft goat cheese. Just make sure it’s not too wet.
What if my phyllo tears?
Join the club. Phyllo is fussy, but forgiving. Patch it up, butter over the cracks, and keep going. Once it’s baked, no one will notice.
Can I make it ahead of time?
Yes! Assemble it, cover tightly, and refrigerate for a few hours. Or freeze it unbaked, then bake straight from the freezer, just add a few extra minutes to the oven time.
How do I keep phyllo from drying out?
Cover the stack with a clean, damp kitchen towel while you work. And don’t dawdle, phyllo doesn’t like drama.
Can I skip the béchamel?
Technically, yes… but it really ties everything together and makes the filling so much creamier. Worth the 5 minutes, I promise.
Storage
Let the pie cool completely, then store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
To reheat, pop a slice in a 350°F oven for 10–15 minutes, this keeps the phyllo crispy. The microwave works too if you’re in a rush, but fair warning: the crust will lose its crunch.
Freezing: You can freeze it baked or unbaked. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and foil. It’ll keep in the freezer for up to 3 months. If baking from frozen, add an extra 10–15 minutes to the bake time and cover with foil if it starts browning too fast.
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Tiropita – Greek Cheese Pie
Video
Ingredients
Bechamel Sauce
- 2 tablespoons butter (unsalted)
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 cup milk
- ⅛ teaspoon nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Tiropita
- 1 cup ricotta cheese
- 3 cups feta cheese
- 3 medium eggs
- 8 tablespoons butter (unsalted, melted)
- 20 sheets phyllo dough
Before You Begin! If you make this, please leave a review and rating letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business thrive & continue providing free recipes.
Instructions
Make bechamel sauce
- In a saucepan melt the butter and add the flour. With a whisk, whisk in the flour. Keep whisking for about 2 to 3 minutes.
- Add the milk, nutmeg and salt and whisk everything together. Cook for another 5 minutes and whisk as necessary. Let it cool.
Make Tiropita
- To a large bowl, add the ricotta, feta cheese and bechamel sauce. Stir well. Add the eggs one at a time into the cheese mixture stirring well after each one.
- Preheat oven to 375°F.
- Generously brush melted butter on a 9×13-inch baking pan. Take out the phyllo sheets from the package and lay them flat on your work surface, then cover them with a clean damp kitchen towel, this will prevent the phyllo from drying out.
- Place one sheet of phyllo at the bottom of the dish, then butter the top of the sheet. Place another sheet on top of it and brush the top again with butter. Repeat this until you have half of the phyllo sheets done, you can omit brushing butter over the top sheet.
- Spread the cheese filling evenly over the buttered phyllo sheets. Layer with another phyllo sheet and butter it well. This sheet will be a bit more difficult to brush. Repeat this until you finished with all the sheets.
- Butter the top phyllo sheet with butter as well. Using a sharp knife cut the pie into 8 equal pieces, or however many pieces you want. You don't have to run your knife all the way through, but this will make it easier to cut the pie after it's baked.
- Transfer the baking pan to the oven and bake for about 45 min or until golden brown.
- Take a sharp knife and run it through the cut pie again, just to make sure we can easily take out each piece. Serve and enjoy!
Equipment
Notes
- Don’t skip the béchamel — it gives the filling that velvety texture.
- If your feta is really salty, ease up on the added salt.
- Keep your phyllo covered with a damp towel while assembling to prevent it from drying out.
- Score the top before baking for clean slices later.
- Freezes beautifully, baked or unbaked.
Nutrition Information
Notice: Nutrition is auto-calculated for your convenience. Where relevant, we recommend using your own nutrition calculations.
