Top Traditional Greek Recipes

Written by Greek Boston in Greek Cooking Comments Off on Top Traditional Greek Recipes

There are so many delicious foods that encompass Greek cuisine, it can be hard to choose what the favorites are. Each region of Greece has a slightly different cuisine, but there are certain recipes that seem to be present not only in most regions of Greece, but in the Greek diaspora throughout the world. Greek food is healthy, fresh, and filled with traditional favorites that are always delicious.

Here’s a look at our 10 favorite, traditional Greek recipes:

Avgolemono Soup

The the most popular of Greek soups, Avgolemono features a unique soup broth made from stock, eggs, and lemon. You can technically use any type of stock you have on hadn’t, such as vegetable stock or lamb broth. However, this is mostly commonly made with chicken stock, especially in the United States. For best results, make your own stock out of whole chickens and add some of the chicken meat to each bowl

Baklava

Baklava is probably the most well known of all the Greek desserts and it is what people turn to when they want to eat a traditional Greek pastry. Sure, there are versions of baklava present in other cultures, but the Greek version is fairly unique. It is typically made from walnuts, but almonds are also a popular choice. The preference is to to mix honey into the syrup, as well, especially since honey is so prevalent in Greece.

Dolmades

Dolmades are also another one of those traditional Greek foods that are extremely common. At certain times of the year, Greeks throughout the world could be find picking grape leaves at the right time of year in order to preserve them to make dolmades, or to make a fresh batch of the beloved food. There are different versions of this depending on family traditions or the region of Greece. Typically, they are made with some kind of ground meat, such as beef, pork, or lamb, and some rice.

Horiatiki

When you visit Greece, chances are pretty good that you will eat a lot of this type of salad. The salads in Greece typically don’t use a lot of lettuce since this is a plant that doesn’t grow well there, especially in the hotter months. This beloved salad includes only the freshest ingredients, such as tomatoes, cucumbers, bell peppers, and onions. It also contains plenty of Greek olives and feta cheese. No dressing is used but the mixture gets its flavor from olive oil, oregano, and the juices from the tomatoes.

Koulourakia

Koulourakia is another dessert that is extremely common in Greek cooking. Although this is considered to be the traditional cookie that is served at Easter, in truth it is enjoyed all year long. Recipes vary depending on the family and the region but there are versions that use various Greek liqueurs, orange zest, and even wine! It tastes especially good when enjoying a cup of Greek coffee.

Moussaka

Eggplants are an ingredient commonly found throughout Greece, and this dish is one of the most popular ways to make it. It features layers of eggplant and is typically finished with a creamy béchamel sauce that has been mixed with some egg so that it gets fluffy in the oven. There are both meat-based and vegetarian versions of this dish, which means that it has a universal appeal.

Pastitsio

Pastitsio can be looked at as the Greek version of lasagna or baked macaroni, depending on how it’s made. Typically, macaroni is mixed with ground meat and Greek cheese and is finished with a creamy béchamel sauce. Because the sauce had been mixed with egg, it bakes fluffy. There are also vegetarian versions of this dish so that those who are fasting can also enjoy it.

Souvlaki

If you want to eat an ultra traditional food while in Greece, you’ll want to eat some souvlaki! You can not only order this dish while dining in restaurants, but it is also a popular street food. This can be made using any kind of meat, but popular choices include chicken, pork, and lamb. There are many ways to make this, but some of the most traditional versions include an olive oil and lemon marinade.

Spanakopita

Spanakopita is one of the most beloved, phyllo based foods present in Greek cooking. Spinach is used prevalently outside of Greece. However, spinach isn’t always accessible in Greece so it is made from whichever greens that can be found, such as dandelion, vleeta (amaranth), and levethies (lamb’s quarters). This dish also uses plenty of feta cheese!

Tzatziki

This is probably the most popular dip that exists in Greek cuisine. In Greece, this is usually brought out with some bread as you first drive, and it is often given “on the house” and as a gesture of hospitality. It is also used as both a dip and a condiment. It tastes great when dunking bits of bread into it, but it is also nice when topping souvlaki. It is also a crucial ingredient in the gyro.

There are so many great foods that make up Greek cooking that it can be hard to choose. These are some of the most traditional dishes that you can find!

Categorized in: Greek Cooking

This post was written by Greek Boston