No matter where you go on vacation in Greece, whether it be Santorini or Athens, you will soon discover that Greek dishes have more to offer than just gyros, suflaki, and ouzo. Here at Gazettely, we’ll tell you which dishes you shouldn’t miss in the rustic tavernas – and how to cook them at home!
Stifado: Spicy out of the Pot
Among the most favorite traditional Greek dishes is Stifado. It is a delicious dish that is made all over Greece. Depending on each region in Greece, the recipe for Stifado often varies in style, ingredients and taste. Stifado is also often made with rabbit and even octopus. Stifado becomes most delicious when you let it simmer for a long time on a low flame. So take your time and start cooking on time. Stifado is often even tastier the next day because the flavors are then better drawn through the dish. You can therefore prepare it a day earlier.
Greek Salad
There is nothing better than a salad with fresh vegetables. And it doesn’t matter whether it’s a party table for you or just a family dinner. Fresh vegetables should be present in your daily diet. The best candidate for this is rightly considered Greek salad. This salad is simple and easy to prepare. It pleases the eye and will become the ornament of any table. In winter, of course, it is more difficult to prepare, but this does not mean that it is worth neglecting.
Spinach and Feta Pie
Spanakopita (Greek Spinach Pie) is a type of pie made of puff pastry and filled with spinach and other ingredients. There are several types of spinach pie in Greece, also in different shapes. Spanakopita can be made with or without feta. Also, in Greece, the smaller variants are often made which is called the Spanakopitakia. Would you like to use another ingredient for spicy cake? Then the Prassopita (leek pie) is a good option.
Tatziki: VIP Greek Dip
In Greece, Tatziki is an all-rounder, hardly anyone on vacation in Greece can do without the fresh yogurt dip with garlic and cucumber. To make Tatziki, you should use Greek yogurt. So, don’t use Greek-style twisted yogurt. All you need is real Greek yogurt. It will only take 5 minutes to make this delicious Greek dip.
Bream: Delicious Greek Fish
Sea bream not only comes from the Mediterranean, but it also tastes delicious in Greek style: olives, tomatoes and feta are known to be the Greek’s favorite ingredients and therefore must not be missing from this recipe.
Greek Cabbage Soup
A nutritious, hearty and tasty winter soup, with cabbage, potato, carrot and tomato – that’s this Greek cabbage soup! We have to admit that usually, the glamour factor of cabbage soup is very limited. But the Greek version with lemon, dill and whole-grain soup noodles lets the pointed cabbage shine in a new light. It is low in calories and super tasty!
Pita: a healthy filled flatbread
A winner in every respect against greasy gyro plates and kebabs: The stuffed flatbread with chicken and herb yogurt scores with little fat and calories and is, therefore, an ideal summer snack – whether in Greece or on terraces in your home country.
Dolmades: stuffed grape leave
Among the traditional Greek dishes is Dolmades (dolmas or dolmadakia). Dolmades are stuffed grape leaves or vine leaves. The filling consists of rice with minced meat, herbs and/or spices and vegetables. People also often stuff cabbage leaves and zucchini flowers in Greece. Vine leaves are not often found in the regular supermarket, but you can find them in foreign stores, like the Greek or the Turk. Fresh vine leaves are the tastiest, but if you can’t find them, you can also have them from jars or cans.
Greek Yogurt with Honey and Pistachios
A quick treat: The Greek yogurt dessert with honey and pistachios truly melts in your mouth. The creamy dessert is not only visually eye-catching but also provides an extra portion of cell-protecting antioxidants with the pistachios.
Pastitsio: the Greek Pasta
Pastitsio is one of the most famous traditional dishes in Greece. Pastitsio is a Greek pasta dish prepared in the oven. The special Pastitsio pasta used for this is long, hollow and tubular. This is one of the most tasty Greek dishes out there. Pastitsio is often compared to the Italian lasagna, but that is not (quite) correct because the taste is different due to the use of other herbs and spices. The dish is built in layers because you start with a layer of pasta (in this case tubular pasta), then there is a layer of meat sauce, a layer of pasta and finally the béchamel sauce.
What do you think of these Greek dishes? Let us know what you think about them in the comments section below.
