When I was thinking up recipes for the Super Bowl this year, I may have gotten a little too excited. For whatever reason, I had more ideas than I needed, but this larger than life melt was always at the top of my list. If you’re unfamiliar, Spanakopita is a simple (but delicious) Greek pie made with spinach, feta cheese, and phyllo dough. What I did here is pretty simple. I took that spinach filling and stuffed it between two pieces of ciabatta bread. I then added lots of cheese and baked it all together. Trust me, everyone in your life is going to love you for this sandwich. Basically, it has all the components of that spinach and feta pie, but instead of being wrapped up in phyllo dough, it’s piled high onto a warm and melty sandwich. This sandwich may even be better than a cheese board…because well, there’s melted cheese and warm toasted bread. I’ve been dreaming up this sandwich in my head for a while now, so I’m pretty excited to finally share it. And just in time for Super Bowl Sunday too!
Here are the details.
Start with a good crusty loaf of ciabatta bread. It’s my very favorite, especially for making sandwiches since it can really hold up to sauces and oils without getting too soggy. Once you have the bread all worked out, start in on the spinach filling. It’s so simple, but something about the combination of sautéed spinach, garlic, and herbs is truly so delicious. I love to add a shallot for added flavor, then fresh basil, dill, oregano, and a pinch of chili flakes for a little kick. Once the spinach is cooked up, stir in a good amount of crumbled up feta cheese.
Now assemble.
Layer the spinach on the bottom half of the ciabatta bread, add a mix of provolone and mozzarella cheese, then add that top piece of bread. To allow for more room inside the sandwich, I always pull out a bit of the inside of the bread. If you’re using a smaller loaf, you may not need to do this. Just before baking, I spread a little butter over the top piece, then sprinkle on some sesame seeds. The sesame seeds are not traditional in a Spanakopita pie, but I love adding them. Then wrap the sandwich up and oven-bake until that cheese is warm and melty. Yumm!
I love that with this recipe, you simply bake the entire sandwich all at once. No flipping multiple sandwiches, no standing at the stove, and very little mess. Could not love it more…this is EASY, but yet, so delicious.
You can cut this into six smaller sandwiches and serve it more as a meal. Or cut the loaf into about eight smaller sandwiches and serve as appetizers. Either way, everyone is going to devour this party size melt. Best part? You can assemble the sandwich in advance, wrap it up, and keep it in the fridge until ready to serve. Then, all you have to do is bake, cut, and enjoy! Perfect for Sunday game day, but equally great if you’d just like a fun sandwich to enjoy any night of the week.
Looking for more quick game day inspired dishes? Here are a few to try: Oven Toasted Garlic Herb Cheese Ravioli Homemade Cheesy Pizza Rolls Everything Ranch Cheese and Pretzel Snack Mix Lastly, if you make this Party Size Spanakopita Melt, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
