Quantifying culinary diversity across countries.

Compare countries

Greek vs Albanian food & cuisine

Compare
Flag
Flag
Greece

VS

Albania

Greece

Albania

The average Greek daily plate size is

The average Albanian daily plate size is

2503 g.
3297 g.
Icon

Grains

Icon

Fish and seafood

Icon

Produce

Icon

Eggs and dairy

Icon

meats

Icon

Sugar, fats and nuts

Icon

Grains 313 G

WHEAT

277 G

RICE

21 G

CORN

4 G

BARLEY

4 G

RYE

1 G

OATS

3 G

MILLET

0 G

SORGHUM

0 G

OTHER CEREALS

3 G

Icon

Grains 404 G

WHEAT

360 G

RICE

32 G

CORN

7 G

BARLEY

1 G

RYE

2 G

OATS

1 G

MILLET

0 G

SORGHUM

0 G

OTHER CEREALS

1 G

Icon

Produce 953 G

PULSES

9 G

VEGETABLES

423 G

STARCHY ROOTS

142 G

FRUITS

379 G

SEA PLANTS

0 G

Icon

Produce 1637 G

PULSES

15 G

VEGETABLES

955 G

STARCHY ROOTS

132 G

FRUITS

442 G

SEA PLANTS

0 G

Icon

Meats 219 G

POULTRY

71 G

PORK

73 G

BEEF

40 G

MUTTON AND GOAT

21 G

OTHER MEAT

5 G

OFFALS

9 G

Icon

Meats 136 G

POULTRY

44 G

PORK

18 G

BEEF

36 G

MUTTON AND GOAT

23 G

OTHER MEAT

1 G

OFFALS

14 G

Icon

Fish and seafood 60 G

FISH

43 G

SEAFOOD

17 G

Icon

Fish and seafood 23 G

FISH

16 G

SEAFOOD

7 G

Icon

Eggs and dairy 648 G

EGGS

24 G

MILK AND DAIRY

614 G

ANIMAL FATS

10 G

Icon

Eggs and dairy 899 G

EGGS

44 G

MILK AND DAIRY

845 G

ANIMAL FATS

10 G

Icon

SUGARS, FATS AND NUTS 310 G

NUTS

38 G

SWEETENERS

103 G

SUGAR CROPS

0 G

VEG OILS

77 G

OILCROPS

92 G

Icon

SUGARS, FATS AND NUTS 198 G

NUTS

19 G

SWEETENERS

121 G

SUGAR CROPS

0 G

VEG OILS

27 G

OILCROPS

31 G

Icon

Herbs

BASIL

BAY LEAVES

DILL

MINT

OREGANO

PARSLEY

ROSEMARY

SAGE

THYME

Greece
Common
Albania

BASIL

BAY LEAVES

DILL

MINT

OREGANO

PARSLEY

ROSEMARY

SAGE

THYME

Icon

Spices

CLOVES

FENNEL SEED

BLACK PEPPER

CINNAMON

CUMIN

DRY CHILI

ALLSPICE

CORIANDER

PAPRIKA

Greece
Common
Albania

CLOVES

FENNEL SEED

BLACK PEPPER

CINNAMON

CUMIN

DRY CHILI

ALLSPICE

CORIANDER

PAPRIKA

Icon

Aromatics

CELERY STALKS

FENNEL

ORANGE

TOMATO

CARROT

GARLIC

LEMON

ONION

Greece
Common
Albania

CELERY STALKS

FENNEL

ORANGE

TOMATO

CARROT

GARLIC

LEMON

ONION

Icon

Condiments

CAPERS

OLIVES

WINE

WINE VINEGAR

HONEY

OLIVE OIL

TOMATO PASTE

YOGURT

FRUIT VINEGAR

Greece
Common
Albania

CAPERS

OLIVES

WINE

WINE VINEGAR

HONEY

OLIVE OIL

TOMATO PASTE

YOGURT

FRUIT VINEGAR

Greece

SEASONINGS

For Greece, it’s quite tempting to list lemon, olive oil, garlic, and oregano and stop there – this fresh combination is so iconic and Greek. Herbs are the soul of Greek cooking, used generously to elevate the dishes. Greeks often use minimal seasoning even for grilled meats. Yet if we talk stews, soups and hearty dishes, then cinnamon, allspice, cloves, cumin, and nutmeg add warmth, depth, and sweetness but don’t overpower – the purity of ingredient remains.

It’s fascinating how Greek cuisine shows the meeting of Western and Eastern cultures through its two most important condiments – olive oil and yogurt. Olive oil comes from the Mediterranean tradition that Greece shares with Italy, Spain and southern France. Meanwhile, yogurt connects Greece to the east – to Turkey, the Levant, and other Middle Eastern food cultures. The same pattern appears in Greek architecture, music, and other cultural expressions as well.

Though not exclusive to Greek cuisine, mahlab, and mastic contribute to distinctive flavors: mahlab, a spice made from the ground seeds of the St. Lucie cherry or black cherry tree, has a unique and slightly sweet taste with hints of almond and cherry. It is used in desserts, such as tsoureki (a sweet bread), and in some savory dishes. Mastic, a resin obtained from the mastic tree, is used as a flavoring and thickening agent in desserts. Mastic has a piney, slightly resinous flavor and a unique chewy texture when ground into a powder.

SAUCES

TZADZIKI – a rich, creamy, bright, and fresh, indeed the most famous sauce, made from strained yogurt, cucumber, dill, mint, lemon, garlic, and olive oil, eaten with bread, grilled meats, as a part of a meze platter, as a salad dressing,

AVGOLEMONO is another Greek signature. It is used as both a sauce and a soup, made from egg yolks and lemon juice whisked together until they develop a thick consistency.

LADOLEMONO is a classic lemon and olive oil dressing whisked together to perfection, used as a marinade, or drizzled over grilled fish, seafood, and vegetables.

SKORDALIA – a pungent garlic sauce paired with fried cod (bakaliaros), boiled beets, or vegetables. Made of garlic, potatoes or bread, olive oil, lemon juice, vinegar, almonds/walnuts.

 

Back to Top