Greek food: discover authentic cuisine

PITA is Greek flatbread, a staple of countless dishes: it’s the wrap for gyros, the base for souvlaki plates, and the vehicle for dips like tzatziki, hummus, or melitzanosalata (eggplant dip).

ELIOPITA – rustic bread packed with black kalamata olives, which give it a salty flavor. Sometimes, you’ll see additions of feta cheese, onions, or sun-dried tomatoes mixed in as well.

TSOUREKI – sweet, braided egg-rich bread flavored with mahlab and mastic. It’s primarily associated with Easter celebrations in Greece.

FLAOUNES – Easter cheese-filled pastries flavored with mastic resin,  mahlab, raisings, or sultanas. Popular in Greece and Cyprus.

TYROPITA – cheese pie that can be found everywhere from home kitchens to bakeries across Greece. Tyropita is part of everyday life in Greece – it’s a quick breakfast on the go, a school lunch, or an afternoon snack with coffee. It’s made with filo dough and filled with a rich mixture of feta cheese and eggs.

SPANAKOPITA – a close relative of tyropita, spanakopita is a savory spinach pie made with also with feta and phyllo dough, but spinach are the star ingredient.

HORTOPITA – similar to spanakopita, but with wild greens and grains like rice or bulgur layered.

PASTITSIO is a baked pasta dish sometimes described as Greek lasagna. It has a bottom layer of tubular pasta with cheese and egg, a middle layer of seasoned ground beef or lamb cooked with tomatoes, onions, and cinnamon, and a top layer of creamy béchamel sauce.

SPANAKORIZO is a spinach and rice dish cooked with herbs like dill, olive oil, and sometimes lemon. It has a creamy, risotto-like consistency, but it’s made with long-grain rice rather than arborio. When it’s done, it’s finished with a generous drizzle of olive oil and a squeeze of lemon.

FAKORIZO – humble yet hearty home cooking dish made of lentils and rice, cooked with onions and bay leaves, often served with a splash of vinegar or lemon.

GREEK SALAD is a popular Mediterranean dish that consists of chopped tomatoes, cucumbers, red onion, green bell peppers, and chunks of feta tossed with olive oil, lemon juice, oregano, and salt. It doesn’t contain lettuce, which distinguishes it from many other salads. The ingredients are typically cut into large pieces rather than finely chopped. In Greece, this dish is called horiatiki salata—village or peasant salad.

GEMISTA – a traditional dish of hollowed-out veggies stuffed with a savory filling of rice mixed with parsley, mint, dill, onions, garlic, and sometimes ground meat. This dish reflects the shared culinary heritage of Ottoman cuisine. Similar stuffed vegetables are found throughout the former Ottoman territories, known as dolma or sarma in Turkish cuisine. During the Ottoman period, these cooking techniques and flavor profiles spread throughout the region, with each culture developing its variations.

PATATES STO FOURNO – oven-roasted potatoes tossed with olive oil, lemon, garlic, and oregano.

SKORDALIA – a thick, creamy dip with a potent garlic flavor. It combines mashed potatoes or soaked bread with lots of raw garlic, olive oil, vinegar or lemon juice, and salt.

HORTA – wild greens, such as dandelion or chicory, boiled and dressed with olive oil and lemon.

MELITZANOSALATA – a smoky eggplant dip made of roasted eggplants mashed with garlic, lemon, olive oil, and parsley. Pairs perfectly with pita bread.  Greek melitzanolsalata and Levantine baba ghanoush share common origins and similarities: both are eggplant-based dips that emerged from the broader Mediterranean and Middle Eastern culinary traditions. Baba ghanoush, though, uses tahini as a key ingredient, which is not the case in this Greek dip.

BRIAM – a traditional roasted vegetable dish that’s similar to French ratatouille. It consists of seasonal vegetables sliced and layered in a baking dish, then roasted until tender and slightly caramelized.

FAKES  – a staple in Greek households for thousands of years and is considered a comfort food. Fakes is a hearty, nutritious soup made with brown lentils, onions, garlic, carrots, tomatoes, bay leaves and oregano. It’s seasoned with olive oil, salt, and pepper and often finished with a splash of red wine vinegar.

 

FASOLADA –  a traditional bean soup sometimes referred to as Greece’s national dish. It’s a hearty, nutritious soup made with white beans (usually navy beans or cannellini), carrots, celery, onions, and tomatoes.

REVITHADA – hearty chickpea stew flavored with onions, olive oil, and herbs and cooked in a clay pot.

GIGANTES PLAKI – giant beans baked in a tomato sauce with onions, garlic, and plenty of parsley.

FAVA SANTORINI – a smooth yellow split pea puree, topped with onions, capers and olive oil. Despite its name, it’s not made from fava beans but rather from yellow split peas, that’s been cultivated on Santorini for over 3,500 years.

MOUSSAKA – a traditional casserole made with layers of eggplant and spiced ground beef, topped with a creamy béchamel sauce. The dish is baked until golden brown. It’s a staple in Greek cuisine and often served as a main course in homes and tavernas throughout Greece.

SOUVLAKI – skewers of marinated pork, chicken, or lamb grilled over charcoal. The name comes from the Greek word souvla meaning “skewer.” The meat is marinated beforehand in olive oil, lemon juice, oregano. When served, souvlaki can be eaten directly off the skewer or wrapped in pita with tomatoes, onions, and tzatziki sauce.

GYRO – shavings of marinated pork or chicken, roasted on a vertical spit, served in a pita with tomatoes, onions, tzatziki, and sometimes fries. The main difference versus its cousin, souvlaki, is that here, the meat is not individually skewered but rather stacked in layers and slowly roasted on a vertical rotisserie (a meat preparation method that shares origins with the Turkish doner kebab). The serving style, though, remains similar to souvlaki.

STIFADO – a traditional comforting stew featuring beef, rabbit, game, or even octopus can be used. The used protein is slowly braised with pearl onions, creating a distinctive sweet-savory balance. The cooking liquid combines red wine, red wine vinegar, tomatoes, cinnamon, cloves, bay leaves, and allspice.

KEFTEDES – meatballs made from ground beef or lamb, mixed with herbs, onions, and sometimes a little ouzo for extra flavor. Crispy on the outside, juicy inside, and often served with tzatziki or a simple salad.

KLEFTIKO – slow cooked lin parchment paper lamb with classic lemon, olive oil, garlic, oregano and thyme marinade.

PAIDAKIA – grilled lamb chops, charred and served with fried potatoes or greens.

LAMB FRICASSEE – braised with greens and finished with the traditional avgolemono egg-lemon sauce.

KOKORETSI – lamb offal (liver, lungs, hearts) wrapped in intestines, seasoned with oregano and lemon, and slowly roasted over a fire. Kokoretsi is particularly associated with Easter celebrations in Greece, though it’s also available year-round at specialized tavernas.

TARAMASALATA – meze dip made primarily from tarama, which is cured fish roe – from cod, carp, or grey mullet. The fish roe is blended with olive oil, lemon juice, and a starchy base like soaked bread, potatoes, or sometimes almonds. The resulting spread has a distinctive pink or beige color (depending on the type of roe used) and offers a creamy, slightly grainy texture. The taste is unique – tangy, salty, and subtly fishy.

BAKALIARIOS SKRODALIA – a dish served during Greek Orthodox Lent. Salted cod, battered and fried, served with a garlicky mashed potato dip.

KAKAVIA –  a rustic fish soup made with the catch of the day—usually grouper, cod, or sea bass—along with veggies and olive oil.

KALAMARAKIA TIGANITA – fresh squid, lightly floured and fried to crispy perfection.

GRILLED OCTOPUS – slowly simmered octopus, then grilled over hot coals, drizzled with olive oil, lemon, and oregano.

STRAPATSADA – scrambled eggs and tomatoes, cooked in olive oil with a pinch of oregano or thyme. Sometimes we crumble feta cheese on top.

AVGOLEMONO – is a traditional sauce or soup made from egg (ago) and lemon (lemon). It’s one of the most distinctive and beloved elements of Greek cuisine. As a soup, avgolemono contains chicken broth, rice or orzo pasta, egg-lemon mixture, and shredded chicken.

SAGANAKI – pan-fried cheese, crispy on the outside and melty on the inside. The name saganaki refers to the small, two-handled frying pan (called a sagani) in which the dish is prepared and served.

FETA ME MELI – a combination of feta cheese baked or fried, then drizzled with honey and sprinkled with sesame seeds.

TYROKAFTERI – a spicy dip made with feta, roasted sweet red pepper, hot peppers, olive oil and red wine vinegar.

BAKLAVA – filo dough, butter, and a filling of walnuts or pistachios, all drenched in a honey syrup flavored with cinnamon and cloves.

LOUKOUMADES – doughnuts, deep fried and drizzled with honey, then sprinkled with cinnamon and sometimes sesame seeds or crushed nuts.

KATAIFI – Shredded filo dough rolled around a nutty filling (usually walnuts), baked until golden, and soaked in a spiced honey syrup.

GALAKTOBOUREKO – a custard pie made with layers of phyllo dough filled with a semolina custard, baked until golden, and soaked in a citrus-scented syrup.

RIZOGALO – rice pudding with milk, cinnamon, lemon and orange zest.

GLYKO TOU KOUTALIOU – spoon sweets, fruits preserved in sugary syrup.

KARYDOPITA – walnut cake soaked in syrup, made from ground walnuts, eggs, and semolina.

KOUFETA – sugar-coated almonds.