A quick Spinach and Feta Gozleme is one of the most requested and popular after-school snacks at our home. Made with my trusty 30-minute yoghurt-based gozleme dough recipe, the secret ingredient for faster rising and lighter dough is yeast. This golden, crispy stuffed Turkish flatbread recipe is the real deal! Once you try it, you will no longer need to buy this Spinach And Feta Gozleme at the markets.
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My love affair with dough and flatbreads.
I grew up in a home where roughly about 30-40 chapatis (or rotis or flatbreads) were rolled and cooked on an open fire every day. In fact, making chapati dough and rolling them into perfect little thin rounds was one of the first things I learned in my mum's kitchen. I must have been 5 years old? That sounds about right. My mum used to let me make quite a mess on the floor of our little kitchen and therein she sowed the seeds to a lifelong love affair with food.
So back to rolling. Rolling any kind of dough is extremely therapeutic and results in an incredibly delicious dish. Who doesn't love anything stuffed and cooked in dough? Especially when the resulting pastry encasing is cooked to golden perfection. A crispy flaky gozleme with the most delicious spinach and salty feta filling might be one of the most delicious things I have ever tasted.
My Secret Gozleme Dough Recipe
Most recipes that pop up first on google have sugar listed as one of the ingredients. A good gozleme dough has no sugar in it. The yeast is enough by itself to create the perfect light texture needed. My gozleme dough doesn't require a long rise like bread does. A 30-minute initial rise is actually enough. An extra 30-minute resting time will produce a really light dough that will stretch to a paper-thin consistency when rolled.
Either way, this recipe for my gozleme dough is ironclad. I have kneaded this dough hundreds of times and made countless gozlemes stuffed with all kinds of delicious fillings. Every time I share it on Insta Stories, I get heaps of messages asking for the recipe. So here it is, at long last.
Tips for making authentic gozleme at home.
A. You MUST knead the dough till it is a smooth ball (see picture). If your dough ball has cellulite, it needs to be kneaded more. Always add a bit of extra water if you feel the dough is too tough. It needs to be like a squishy tummy when poked. To be kinder to your shoulders, use the help of your stand mixer (I always do this and the whole process is much faster). Put all the ingredients for the gozleme dough in the bowl of a stand mixer and using the dough hook attachment, knead the dough until it forms a rough ball. THEN place it on a flour-dusted work surface and knead until smooth.
B. I have a stone countertop. I have found that rolling on stone (marble, granite, Silestone, Caesarstone etc..) with a generous dusting of flour produces the thinnest, stretchiest pastry ever. Rolling on a wooden board is going to stunt and shrink the dough and you might struggle to stretch it enough to fill it. If it isn't rolled thinly, you need to cook it longer or else you will get doughy mouthfuls where the seams form.
C. It is very easy to overfill the gozleme. As a rule of thumb after placing your filling, you should be left with at least 4-5 times more naked pastry to fold over than the amount of filling being used.
D. After folding over, gently lift the folded gozleme and dust with flour generously on both sides. Place seam side up (this is very important) and roll gently over the folded seam, ensuring that the stuffing doesn't tear the pastry and squeeze out. I find this more effective than placing the seam side down and rolling on the thin surface.
E. If you do tear the pastry, it isn't the end of the world. It is only dough. Patch up with a bit more and continue.
F. I find a square-shaped gozleme is the easiest to not only roll and cook but also to cut. No wonder, you will find this to be the most widely used shape at markets and street stalls.
G. Brush liberally with oil when pan-frying. Always pan fry on medium. A gozleme cooks very quickly especially if oil is used liberally to brush the pastry. Ensure any meat filling is cooked prior to stuffing and rolling the gozleme.
I hope you make this spinach and feta gozleme. It is extremely satisfying to make something like this from scratch. It is nourishing, filling and extremely delicious. If you have any questions, please feel free to leave me a comment below. I would love to help you make your perfect gozleme.
Recipe
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SPINACH AND FETA GOZLEME
Ingredients
for the gozleme dough
- 2 cups (270 g) plain flour
- 3 tablespoons Greek yoghurt
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon dry yeast
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt flakes
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 cup (150 ml) warm water
- extra flour for dusting
to assemble
- 2 cups baby spinach leaves, chopped
- 1 cup crumbled feta
- chilli flakes, optional
- olive oil, for pan frying
- lemon wedges, to serve
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients for the gozleme except olive oil in a large bowl. Mix with a spoon until just combined. Turn onto a flour dusted surface and knead for a few minutes until smooth. If you feel the dough is too tough (it should feel pliable like a squishy tummy or little bean bag toy when poked) use a little extra water and knead some more. Knead until the dough ball is smooth and has no cellulite.
- Return to the bowl. Cover with a tea towel and set in a warm corner of your kitchen for about 30 minutes to prove.
- At this point the dough would have doubled in size. Knead in the olive oil to get a smooth dough ball. Cover and set aside for another 30 minutes.
- Divide dough into 6 balls. Roll each dough ball into a large rectangle. Dust with extra flour as needed to avoid sticking. Roll it as thin as you can without tearing the pastry. When you place your hand under it you should be able to see through the pastry (the pastry should be thin enough to be translucent).
- Scatter spinach, feta and chilli flakes (if using) in the centre of the rolled pastry. Fold the ends over like an envelope, brushing with water to seal and pinch the pastry.
- Dust the folded gozleme lightly with extra flour and gently roll it out to three times the folded size.
- Grease a large frying pan with olive oil and pan fry the gozleme on each side for a couple of minutes until golden.
- Cut into triangles (or squares) and serve hot with lemon wedges.
Absolute perfection! My go-to gozleme recipe. Nothing else comes close.
these were so delcious! first time making them and they were simple and easy. will be making it again soon for sure!
Best allround dough ever!
thank you so much for this amazing recipe !
first time it was absolutely perfect and my guests were very very impressed.
worked almost as well in vegan form with coconut yogurt and a mix of vegan feta and vegan mozerella style.
thank you again.
Recipe was great!
Question….. Can you make a larger batch of the dough and freeze for later?
Yes, you can. After the first rise, knock back the dough. Then roll it into individual balls (that you will use for gozleme later), wrap in clingfilm and then store in a freezer-safe container or stasher bag in the freezer. To use the dough, thaw the dough balls in the fridge overnight or in a warm kitchen environment for 4-5 hours. x
Can I substitute Gluten free flour do you think? Looks so delish.
Hi Louise, I haven't tried using gluten-free flour in this recipe. I have a feeling it might not work as the flour structure is very different and this needs to be super elastic and soft for the stretch. But you can always try it, it might surprise us all 🙂 x
As good if not better than market gozleme. Love this easy to make and delicious recipe, thank you for sharing.
Amazing! Thank you for your wonderful feedback Tierney <3
I made this last week and it is seriously the best gozleme I have ever had. Just wondering, can you add the olive oil in at the start? Or what do you do when people come early and you have only done the first rise with no olive oil? Do you just roll them out and cook them with no olive oil?
Making it again tonight
thank you for your wonderful feedback! The recipe needs olive oil. Yes, it can absolutely be added at the start. I have done this too and it makes no difference to the end result. You do need the double rise though as just one rise doesn't produce a relaxed enough dough to stretch thinly. Even if you let. So yes to the olive oil at the start and if possible do a full second rise or a shorter (10-15 min) second rise if you can. Cheers!
Hi Sneh! That technique is extremely helpful! And do you have any tips for the dough sticking to your hands as you knead? Don't want to add too much flour in from my floured hands, but it loves to stick on warm hands!
Hi! Thanks for a wonderful recipe. I've made this a couple of times and love the taste/texture, but never seem to get the ball as smooth as yours, or the dough ends up sticking to the sides of the stand mixer bowl! How long does yours stay in the stand mixer to form that rough ball, and how long are you usually hand-kneading afterwards? I think ballpark times would get me closer to the perfection in your photos 🙂 thanks!
Hi Megan! Thanks for your lovely feedback. The dough sticking is a very good sign. It means it is the right supple and pliable consistency for rolling. When the dough sticks to the bowl, I actually just scoop it out with my fingers onto a very lighted dusted surface (my stone benchtop/ you could try a stone pastry board if you can find one/ I feel stone is great for working with the dough and contributes to the smoothness). I then knead it for a few minutes (tops 4-5 minutes) until it feels smooth. I do this by making a ball, flattening it with my palm, pushing the lower part of my palm into the dough and using my fingers at the same time to stretch it away from me. I then lift that furthest edge and fold it on top of the dough and repeat the same movement quite a few times until I feel the dough is smooth. The stone helps relax the dough. Hope that helps! x
Hello! Thank you for for the recipe, it’s always been a hit in our home. Just wondering if we can omit or substitute the yogurt with something else when we don’t have any at hands. Thanks again for sharing this great recipe!
I had to add more flour because the dough was so sticky. Is that the way it’s supposed to be? I used a scale when I measured the flour and water.
The dough sticking is a very good sign. It means it is the right supple and pliable consistency for rolling. When the dough sticks to the bowl, I actually just scoop it out with my fingers onto a very lighted dusted surface (my stone benchtop/ you could try a stone pastry board if you can find one/ I feel stone is great for working with the dough and contributes to the smoothness). I then knead it for a few minutes (tops 4-5 minutes) until it feels smooth. I do this by making a ball, flattening it with my palm, pushing the lower part of my palm into the dough and using my fingers at the same time to stretch it away from me. I then lift that furthest edge and fold it on top of the dough and repeat the same movement quite a few times until I feel the dough is smooth. The stone helps relax the dough. Adding more flour to the dough will actually make it stiffer and subsequently, you won't be able to roll it as thinly later on. Hope that helps! x
The best! We can honestly say that we LOVE these SO much! We normally double the recipe so that we have left overs for school lunches. We use a mixture of mozzarella (we don’t use pre grated as has preservative in pre sliced cheeses. We use the woolies brand mozzarella ball)and the sharp and crumbly feta. (South cape brand)Also we use homegrown silver beet which we think makes it taste out of this world. Thank you for sharing this receipe. Kind regards Tan and Sar, Indie and Ari
Could you roll it out on a pasta machine? Also could you use rye flour? Love gozleme and looking forward to trying this recipe!
You could roll it in a pasta machine, but much easier with a rolling pin. Rye flour won't stretch as thin or as much as plain flour and the gozlemes will be denser. You could try half and half?
This was extremely delicious! My boyfriend said it was the best gozleme he had. I added a bunch of chopped green onions and dill to the filling, otherwise, I followed the recipe from A to Z! thank you so much. Will be making again and again. The dough was fantastic!
This is the best gozleme recipe I have tried! It rolled out so perfectly thin, and was just like gozleme I have bought out from a Turkish restaurant. Amazing!
I make this at least 2 times a week Sooo yummy I'm actually 12 years old and I make it for everyone. They all love it. When I make mine I put Australian fetta halloumi and fresh spinach it's to die for I used to get it from a local market every week but now that I have found your recipe never gone back.
Karla, that is so wonderful! You must have some amazing Gozleme rolling skills for someone so young. Thank you for sharing your lovely feedback. It made my day 🙂 xx
Love this recipe. Discovered it only two weeks ago and have made it three times since. The only thing I have changed is that I use more spinach and add dill. And thank you so much for mentioning that it can be made ahead - that information is LIFE CHANING 🙂
Loved this recipe for filling I used spinach and pizza cheese. My daughter asked if I could make it the following evening. Thanks for yummy recipe
hello,
I am a total amateur,
when referring to 2 cups of flour, you state (270g),
does this mean 270 grams multiplied by 2 or 270grams of flour in total.
270g in total
Hi Sneh that looks a great recipe. By folding all edges on top does it ake the dough a bit thick on that side?
Thank you! No, it doesn't. The pastry is paper thin to begin with. And then after stuffing it, you roll it out to three times the folded size which makes the entire gozleme perfectly thin and the pastry well distributed.
Oh my I cant wait to try this! Looks delish! Just wondering I have frozen spinach (lockdown reserves lol) and would that work with this recipe? Should I just defrost before using? Thank you
Yes you could use frozen spinach, just thaw and blot it out for excess liquid. x
This recipe was absolutely DELICIOUS! Thank you for sharing such an easy to follow recipe. Will definitely be making this again soon!
Fantastic recipe! I love gozleme and haven't been able to go out and get them under current circumstances. Such a comforting treat - thank you so much for making my lockdown that little bit better.
Thank you, cant wait to try this recipe! Was wondering though if i cook and freeze them, how long can i keep them in the freezer?
Hi Jona, yes you can freeze them (separated by baking paper). They should keep well in the freezer for up to a month. Toast on a hot pan to reheat.
Could you assemble the gozleme and then freeze it before cooking?
Hi Lizzie,I would actually cook them and then freeze them (separated by baking paper sheets). I have done this in the past and it works like a charm. To serve, I put them straight from the freezer in the oven for about 8 minutes at 200C/180C(fan-forced). They get heated through nicely and retain the outer golden crispness.
Hi....made this today, absolutely delicious. I put roasted peppers, spinach and smoked mozzarella inside to see what it tasted like. Really good.... Can I please ask...how can I store leftover dough? Will it keep for a day or two or do I need to throw it away? Thanks
That is lovely Bev! Your combination sounds divine, I'll make a note to try it myself next time. Yes, the dough keeps in the fridge in an air-tight container for a maximum of 2 days. Cheers!
Thank you. All worked like a dream. Delicious
This looks amazing! Is there any way to make it without the greek yogurt though? I don't have any on hand at the moment...
any yoghurt will do, even coconut yoghurt. x
Hi there, thanks for the recipe, it was delicious. I just wonder have you noticed an error in the recipe: 1/2 teaspoon of dry yeast, never heard of such a small amount to be used. In stead i applied 8 g of dry yeast, and it worked fine.
Hi! There is no error in the recipe. Traditionally, gozleme wouldn't even have yeast in it. The dough for a traditional gozleme is made with just flour, water and salt. But people like to add yeast and egg. I like to add a very small amount of yeast to give the dough a lift. And 1/2 teaspoon is just perfect. In fact, I made this just last week with these exact same measurements and have made it probably 100 times over (you can check my Insta Stories and Instagram post). I find adding 8g of yeast makes the dough fluff up a lot, it is almost like making pizza and the pastry you roll out won't be as paper thin and translucent as you see in the pictures above. If you like an almost pizza like gozleme, that is fine. But there is nothing wrong with my recipe, it is quite authentic, tested countless times and works every single time too. Cheers!
I love gozleme, but I didn't want to fry them, so I decided to make the dough a bit thicker, then folded them and pinched the ends, brushed them with a little olive oil, and baked them. It worked! What a terrific recipe, so easy to do!
Joyce
That is so cool! A baked gozleme! I will have to try that 🙂 Thank you for your lovely feedback x
Hello, just wondering would I be able to use whole meal flour instead of regular flour or would it make it not turn out? Thanks xx
You could use wholemeal flour and the gozlemes would taste fantastic .. they would just look more rustic and not have that signature white flaky looking pastry. x
So glad I found this recipe after first trying gozleme in a market in Melbourne this year.
Super authentic, easy and yum recipe!
Fabulous! First go at making Gozleme, and they were perfect. Thank you!
Just made them and they are super wow, I won't eat anything else until the end of my days.
Ahhh that is amazing! So happy you loved it. Thank you for your lovely feedback x
I make this every week now. I also add some Ricotta Cheese which I make myself. Thanks for sharing your recipe
hi sneh, just curious - how does this differ from a paratha?
xo
Dear Laura, a paratha is a thick flatbread (often flaky and sometimes stuffed) hailing from Northern India whereas a gozleme is a Turkish flatbread often stuffed with things. A paratha is made with whole wheat rendering it more rustic whereas a gozleme is made with refined white flour or bread flour and has yeast in it leaven it (paratha doesn't have yeast). x
Can't wait to try this. Fellow kitchen styling nerd, and I'm a little distracted by your beautiful dough cutter/pastry scraper - would you mind telling me where you bought it please?
Tash, the dough scraper is by Iris Hantverk 🙂 x
Hi I would live to try your version as I noticed your not using milk with the dough but can you cook it in the oven instead of frying it?
Thank you for the wonderful easy recipe. It really works and yummmmy.
thanks for your lovely feedback Tasneem. x
I love this recipe - as do my kids! Thank you so much for sharing - it's definitely going to become a staple in our household.
I love that! The best is also with spinach put in more cheese and chili. Delicious!
Hi, Do you have a glutenfree version of thuis mouth watering recipe?
Dear Sabine, I don't at the moment but am testing a recipe for soft gluten free gozlemes, that I shall share soon. x
I love gozleme but I have never tried to make one myself . Seems easy recipe so will definitely give it a try. Hopefully it will turn out good. 😀
I have never even heard of gozlome, but I cannot WAIT to try it. I made spanikopita the other day and wasn't dying about all the philo dough, though I adore the spinach and feta filling. I will be trying this after my next spinach harvest in a few days. Thank you!
Sneh - This is probably the best gozleme recipe which has ever been in my hands. Have not made any for years, now cannot wait to try! Thank you for making this lesson so clear and easy . . . . don't think you have left a 'stone unturned' 🙂 !! Even knowing that one can finish the prep a little early is worth knowing . . .
Mouthwatering! Gozleme are ever so scrumptious. One of my fave flatbreads.
Cheers,
Rosa