Bulgarian Banitsa Recipe (Traditional Cheese Pie)
Made with flaky phyllo, this Bulgarian Banitsa Recipe is a traditional Bulgarian savory pastry filled with feta, eggs, and yogurt. Rolled into a spiral, it bakes until golden and crisp with a soft, cheesy center.
Banitsa is made in several styles across Bulgaria, and this recipe uses the traditional spiral shape. It has crisp, flaky phyllo with a soft, cheesy centre. Bulgarian sirene is the traditional cheese, but feta is an easy-to-find option in the U.S. If you have leftover feta, my Baked Feta Recipe is another simple way to use it.
Quick Look: Bulgarian Banitsa
- ⏱️ Prep Time: 20 minutes
- 🔥 Cook Time: About 40 minutes
- ⏳ Total Time: About 1 hour 15 minutes, including resting
- 🍽️ Servings: 8
- 🥚 Main Filling: Feta cheese, eggs, and yogurt
- 🥐 Pastry: Phyllo dough
- 😋 Flavor Profile: Buttery, savory, cheesy, and slightly tangy
- ✨ Texture: Crisp and flaky outside; soft, moist, and cheesy inside
- 🥘 Pan: 12-inch to 14-inch round baking pan
- 🧀 Traditional Cheese: Bulgarian sirene; feta is an excellent U.S.-friendly choice
- Why This Recipe Works: Store-bought phyllo saves time and gives the banitsa its flaky layers. Combine feta, eggs, and yogurt for a soft, cheesy center. Add a little baking soda to give the filling a lighter texture.
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Jump to:
- Quick Look: Bulgarian Banitsa
- What Is Banitsa?
- Chef’s Notes From Valentina
- Ingredients
- Substitutions And Additions
- How to Make Bulgarian Banitsa
- Expert Tips for Bulgarian Banitsa
- FAQ About Bulgarian Banitsa Recipe
- More Savory Breakfast Recipes
- Bulgarian Banitsa Recipe (Traditional Cheese Pie)
- Storage and Reheating
What Is Banitsa?
Banitsa (баница) is a traditional Bulgarian phyllo pastry. I grew up with the cheese version made with Bulgarian white brined cheese, eggs, and yogurt. We ate it for breakfast, as a snack, and for family celebrations.
I remember my grandmother making banitsa on weekend mornings. She never used a recipe or measured anything. She made it all “by eye.” We usually had it with yogurt, ayran, or boza.
For New Year, we made banitsa with kasmeti (късмети), or little fortunes for the year ahead. I have lived away from Bulgaria for years, but freshly baked banitsa still reminds me of home.
Ingredients
- Phyllo dough – 1 pound, about 16 sheets. Thaw according to package directions. Look for phyllo with intact sheets since dry or badly cracked sheets are harder to roll. Keep them covered as you work to prevent them from drying out.
- Feta cheese – 17.6 ounces (500 g), crumbled. Bulgarian sirene is traditional, but feta is easier to find in the U.S. Feta packed in brine has a creamier texture than dry, pre-crumbled feta.
- Unsalted butter – 4 ounces (113 g), melted. Brush it over the phyllo to help the thin layers turn crisp and golden. Unsalted butter also gives you more control over the salt.
- Sunflower oil – ⅓ cup. Melt it with the butter and use the mixture for brushing the phyllo.
- Plain yogurt – 1 cup. It adds moisture and a slight tang to the filling. Choose plain, unsweetened yogurt with a creamy consistency.
- Baking soda – 1 teaspoon. Mix it with the yogurt before adding it to the filling. It gives the filling a lighter texture.
- Eggs – 5 large eggs. They bind the feta and yogurt and help the filling set as it bakes.
- Salt – to taste. Taste the feta first since saltiness varies by brand, and you may need very little additional salt.
How to Make Bulgarian Banitsa
Prepare the Banitsa
- Prepare the oven and pan: Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Lightly grease a 12-inch to 14-inch round baking pan.
- Melt the butter and oil: Melt the butter with the sunflower oil over low heat. Remove from the heat and set aside. PIC. 1
- Crumble the feta: Place the feta in a large bowl and crumble it with your hands or a fork, breaking up any large pieces. PIC. 2
- Make the filling: Place the yogurt in a deep bowl and stir in the baking soda. Leave plenty of room because the yogurt will foam and rise. Whisk the eggs separately, stir in the yogurt, then add the mixture to the feta. Mix well and add salt only if needed. PIC. 3
Assemble and Bake the Banitsa
- Prepare the phyllo: Lay one phyllo sheet on a clean work surface and lightly brush it with the butter mixture. Place a second sheet on top and brush again. Keep the remaining phyllo covered to prevent it from drying out. PIC. 4
- Fill and roll: Divide the filling evenly based on the number of phyllo sheets, using two sheets for each roll. Spread one portion of the feta filling evenly over the phyllo. Starting at one edge, gently roll the two sheets into a long log without squeezing out the filling. PIC. 5
- Form the spiral: Coil the first roll in the center of the pan. Repeat with the remaining phyllo and filling, arranging each new roll around the center and working outward until the pan is filled. PIC. 6
- Brush and bake: Brush the top with the remaining butter mixture. Bake at 375°F (190°C) for about 40 minutes, or until deeply golden and crisp. PICS. 7–8
- Rest the banitsa: Lightly sprinkle the hot banitsa with water. Cover immediately with a clean kitchen towel and rest for 15 minutes before serving.
FAQ About Bulgarian Banitsa Recipe
Bulgarian sirene is the traditional cheese used in banitsa. Good-quality feta is an excellent substitute because Bulgarian sirene can be harder to find in the U.S.
Baking soda foams when mixed with the yogurt and gives the cheese filling a lighter texture. Use a deep bowl because the mixture will rise.
Sprinkling the hot banitsa lightly with water and covering it with a clean kitchen towel for 15 minutes keeps the inside soft and moist. Uncover it after resting to keep the top crisp.
Lightly brush each pair of phyllo sheets with the butter and oil mixture before adding the filling, then brush the assembled banitsa again just before baking. Avoid overfilling or rolling the phyllo too tightly, and bake until deeply golden and crisp. After the 15-minute covered rest, uncover the banitsa so the top stays crisp.
More Savory Breakfast Recipes
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Bulgarian Banitsa Recipe (Traditional Cheese Pie)
Ingredients
- 1 lb phyllo dough – approximately 16 sheets, thawed
- 500 g feta cheese – crumbled
- 113 g unsalted butter
- ⅓ cup sunflower oil
- 1 cup plain yogurt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 5 large eggs
- salt – to taste
Instructions
Prepare the Banitsa
- Prepare the oven and pan: Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Lightly grease a 12-inch to 14-inch round baking pan.
- Melt the butter and oil: Melt the butter with the sunflower oil over low heat. Remove from the heat and set aside.
- Crumble the feta: Place the feta in a large bowl and crumble it with your hands or a fork, breaking up any large pieces.
- Make the filling: Place the yogurt in a deep bowl and stir in the baking soda. Leave plenty of room because the yogurt will foam and rise. Whisk the eggs separately, stir in the yogurt, then add the mixture to the feta. Mix well and add salt only if needed.
Assemble and Bake the Banitsa
- Prepare the phyllo: Lay one phyllo sheet on a clean work surface and lightly brush it with the butter mixture. Place a second sheet on top and brush again. Keep the remaining phyllo covered to prevent it from drying out.
- Fill and roll: Divide the filling evenly based on the number of phyllo sheets, using two sheets for each roll. Spread one portion of the feta filling evenly over the phyllo. Starting at one edge, gently roll the two sheets into a long log without squeezing out the filling.
- Form the spiral: Coil the first roll in the center of the pan. Repeat with the remaining phyllo and filling, arranging each new roll around the center and working outward until the pan is filled.
- Brush and bake: Brush the top with the remaining butter mixture. Bake at 375°F (190°C) for about 40 minutes, or until deeply golden and crisp.
- Rest the banitsa: Lightly sprinkle the hot banitsa with water. Cover immediately with a clean kitchen towel and rest for 15 minutes before serving.
Recipe Notes
Storage and Reheating
Refrigerator: Once completely cooled, store leftover banitsa in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Freezer: Freeze cooled banitsa in an airtight freezer container or freezer bag for up to 3 months. Thawing: Thaw frozen banitsa overnight in the refrigerator before reheating. Reheating: Warm the banitsa in a 350°F oven for about 10–15 minutes, or until heated through and the phyllo is crisp.Nutrition
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