Easy Greek Meals, Recipes, and Tips
From About.com
Greek dishes are not always known for being quick to make - although there are many that are - but most Greek cooking is not difficult. With tips and techniques for Greek food beginners, these recipes, many with photo tutorials, will bring the authentic taste of Greece to your kitchen with a minimum of effort.
- Recipe Box
- Quick & Easy Greek Starters (Appetizers, Meze)
- Easy Greek Side Dishes
- Easy Greek Main Dishes
- Easy Greek Desserts & Sweets
- Everyday Beverages
- Quick & Easy Recipes with Step-by-Step Instructions
- Tips, Tricks, and Basic Techniques
- Photos: At the Market
- Photos: Ingredients & Prepared Dishes
Recipe Box
An index to Greek recipes on the site, by category.
- Desserts, Pastries, Sweets
- Breads & Phyllo Pies
- Beverages: Coffees, Teas & Spirits
- Sauces, Syrups & Marinades
Quick & Easy Greek Starters (Appetizers, Meze)
Some of the most famous starters are the easiest to make. Stir and serve, assemble and serve, quick-fry, or just put an ingredient on a plate. Bring the authentic taste of Greece to your table or party with these easy dishes.
- Batter-Fried Zucchini - Kolokythakia Tiganita
- Blender Chickpea & Sesame Dip - Hummus with Tahini
- Blender Olive Spread (Tapenade) - Pasta Elias
- Cocktail Meatballs - Keftethakia
- Country Sausage with Peppers & Tomatoes - Spetzofai
- Dried Fruit & Nut Combinations
- Feta Croissants
- Fried Cheese - Saganaki
- Fish Roe (Caviar) Dip - Taramosalata
- Fried Tiny Fish - Marithes
- Garlic Mussels with Ouzo
- Greek Bruschetta - Lathovrekhta
- Herbed Feta Slices
- Hot Pepper Cheese Dip - Tyrokafteri
- Mashed Fava Beans
- Microwave Feta & Tomato Appetizer
- Shrimp with Oil-Lemon Sauce (Latholemono)
- Spicy Stuffed Peppers with Cheese - Piperies me Tyri
- Tomato Fritters - Domatokeftethes
- Yogurt, Cucumber, and Garlic Dip - Tzatziki
Easy Greek Side Dishes
Greek side dishes are deceptively simple. Boiled and fried vegetables are favorites, as well as rice and potato dishes. Stewed and roasted vegetables that also make fabulous meatless main dishes can also be served as sides. Here are only a few examples of easy and delicious Greek side dishes.
- Broccoli with Oil-Lemon Sauce (Latholemono)
- Dilled Peas with Potatoes - Arakas me Patates
- Easy Cold Bean Salad - Fasolia Xera Salata
- Easy Quick-Fried Vegetable Sides
- Easy Potato Sides
- Easy Rice Sides
- Grilled Eggplant Bowls
- Grilled Grapes
- Microwave Feta & Tomato Side
- Oven-Baked Mixed Vegetables - Hortariko sto Fourno
- Roasted Summer Vegetables - Briam
- Stuffed Grape Leaf Wreath Salad
Easy Greek Main Dishes
Traditional Greek cooking is almost always a simple matter of putting ingredients together with herbs and seasonings that enhance natural flavors. Easy casseroles are favorites, and roasted meats rule the Sunday and holiday table.
Easy Greek Desserts & Sweets
While some elaborate pastries may need some time to learn, many of the fabulous desserts and sweets for which Greece is famous are pretty easy to make, and some take very little time. Cookies, cakes, puddings, fruits, cheeses, preserves, and ice cream feature classic Greek tastes.
- Apple Coffee Cake
- Apples in Syrup
- Baked Stuffed Apples
- Basic Greek Cake
- Butter Cookie Twists
- Cheese with Honey, Nuts, and Fruit
- Chilled Watermelon Soup
- Fried Cheese with Preserves
- Fruit Salad with Honey Dressing
- Honey Puffs - Loukoumathes
- Milk Custard Pie with Phyllo - Galatopita
- No-Butter Citrus & Spice Cookie Twists
- No-Cook Ice Cream
- Rice Pudding - Ryzogalo
- Sesame Honey Spread - Tahinomelo
- Semolina Pudding with Nuts & Raisins - Halvas
- Strawberry Preserves - Marmelatha Fraoula
- Wine Cookie Twists - Krasokouloura
- Yogurt Cake - Yiaourtopita
- Yogurt with Honey - Yiaourti me Meli
Everyday Beverages
Coffees and teas are part of almost every adult Greek's daily fare. Certain teas, with reputations as remedies for what ails, are known to every family, and there are other favorite non-alcoholic drinks as well.
- Camomile Tea - Hamomili
- Greek Coffee - Kafes Ellinikos
- Greek Ice Coffee - Frappe
- Lemon Verbena Tea - Louisa
- Mountain Tea - Tsai tou Vounou
- Sour Cherry Cordial (non-alcoholic) - Vyssinatha
- Yogurt Beverage - Ariani
Quick & Easy Recipes with Step-by-Step Instructions
The Greek names for some dishes can be difficult to pronounce, but that doesn't mean they're difficult to make. These recipes are laid out with step-by-step instructions in photos or video, and when you make them, you can impress friends and family with your talents!
- Easy Baklava Coil Pastry (Photos)
- Easy Spinach Pie with Cheese - Spanakopita (Photos)
- Greek Salad (Video)
- Greek Sausage & Peppers (Video)
- Homemade Yogurt (Video)
- Honey Puffs - Loukoumathes (Photos)
- Sesame Crusted No-Butter Cookies - Koulourakia Lathera (Photos)
- Skillet Pork Chops with Apples (Photos)
- Spinach Pie - Spanakopita (Video)
- Stuffed Grape Leaf Wreath Salad (Video)
- Watermelon & Feta Salad (Video)
- Yogurt, Cucumber, Garlic & Herb Dip - Tzatziki (Video)
- Yogurt Sauce (Video)
Tips, Tricks, and Basic Techniques
Find basic ingredient preparation techniques, plus tips and recipe techniques (many with photos), to make sure you have the bases covered as you venture into the world of Greek food.
- The Basics of Traditional Greek Cooking
- How to Build a Greek Meal
- Food Storage Tips
- Ingredient Prep Techniques
- Make Your Own Ingredients
- Recipe Tips for Beginners
- Measurement Converter for Herbs - Dried & Fresh
- Metric Measurement Converter
- How to Fold Pita Wraps
- How to Form Greek Sesame Cookies (Koulourakia)
- How to Shape Traditional Honey Cookies (Melomakarona)
Photos: At the Market
Follow along as I go shopping for ingredients to make the fabulous Greek recipes here on the site. Open-air markets are the norm, and merchants display their produce, meats, and seafood in a way that hasn't changed for almost a century. Animal carcasses are hung on hooks, fish are displayed in crates of ice, and fruits, vegetables, beans, and grains are laid out in bins and bags, ready to be selected and weighed to order.
- At the Market: Fish & Seafood
- At the Market: Fruit, Vegetables, Beans, Legumes
- At the Market: Meats, Poultry, and Game
Photos: Ingredients & Prepared Dishes
When I first moved to Greece and tried my hand at cooking, I wasn't sure what some dishes were supposed to look like - and I wasn't familiar with Greek cheeses and many of the ingredients used to create the fabulous tastes of Greek foods. Of course, I always enjoy looking at food photos to get ideas, and I hope these are helpful for you.