Greek gastronomy is one of the best, richest and most varied in the world; it is a delicious mix between western and eastern culture. Typical food occupies a prominent place among the traditions of Greece.
Fresh vegetables, fish and shellfish have, along with lamb, important positions in the kitchen. Although everything will vary according to the season and the geographical region where you are. We are going to give a taste to the palate savoring the best typical Greek meals.
1. Greek salad (horiatiki)
We start our tour of the Greek stoves with this fresh and delicious Greek salad, present in practically all meals.
Made with freshly harvested cucumbers and tomatoes, it also has sliced onions, feta cheese and olives. The dressing is elective and can be vinegar, salt, olive oil and pepper.
2. Dolmadakia or dolmades
This dish is located among the typical Greek foods. It is usually served as a starter and is made with grape leaves or chard prepared with a filling that includes rice, lamb meat, pine nuts, raisins, aromatic herbs and spices.
It can be accompanied with some sauces, among them yogurt or traditional tzatziki; plus pieces of cucumber, tomato, and feta cheese. Ideally, serve them cold.
3. Musaka
This is one of the most delicious typical Greek meals that come out of their stoves. It is a dish similar to Italian lasagna, but instead of pasta, aubergines are used as the base.
It is a traditional food of old age, very juicy and creamy; a complete dish that does not require much accompaniment.
Very small minced beef is cooked in a tomato sauce and then placed on layers of sliced aubergines and bathed in a very creamy béchamel sauce to finally put in the oven.
4. Grilled sardines
In Greece, fish is part of the entire diet of its inhabitants and one of its typical foods is grilled sardines.
The sardines are cooked on hot coals until they are ready. Afterwards, lemon juice is added on top and they are ready to eat.
A very simple and easy to prepare dish to savor at any time during your visit to Greece.
5. Gyros
This is one of the most popular typical Greek meals in this beautiful country. It is also a very tasty and inexpensive dish.
It is about meat that is cooked on a vertical spit that turns, that's where the name comes from.
Slices of roast beef are placed on pita bread with other ingredients such as onions, tomatoes, lettuce, French fries and yogurt sauce or the typical Greek tzatziki; all these ingredients give it a unique, exquisite flavor.
At any street food stall you can taste a delicious gyro when you are visiting Greece.
6. Dakos
A typical Greek meal that is eaten as an aperitif or can also be served for breakfast.
It consists of crushed tomatoes, olive oil, and mizithra cheese; all this well mixed is placed on top of a biscote bread (a very crunchy bread).
7. Greek Tomato Meatballs (pseftokefedes)
This is a traditional Santorini dish and is among the typical Greek foods. It is, without a doubt, exquisite and you will want to repeat it after you try it.
They are meatballs similar to those of meat, but this is replaced by tomatoes cut into pieces that are mixed with onion, garlic, raisins, eggs, flour, mint, cinnamon, parsley, salt, pepper. All this comes together to make a dough with which the meatballs are assembled.
The meatballs are passed through flour to overflow and are fried in very hot olive oil with the intention of browning them very well on the outside and making them juicy on the inside.
They are served with tomato sauce and chopped onion; They can also be put with pasta or rice and make a delicious meal.
8. Fried squid
A delicious typical Greek food is fried squid. According to experts, it is better to use small squid to make this dish, as they are softer and more tender.
The squid are cleaned and cut into rings, leaving the tentacles whole. Besides, take a little flour and add salt and pepper.
The squid rings are passed through the flour taking care that they are well covered, but without excess; fry in hot olive oil until golden brown on all sides.
When they are ready, they are sprinkled with a little fine salt and served with lemon cut into wedges.
9. Tzatziki sauce
This is a typical Greek meal that is placed on the table to be consumed as an appetizer or starter. a yogurt sauce mixed perfectly with cucumber, lemon, parsley and garlic.
When used as an aperitif, it is served with toasted bread to which the sauce is spread. It is also used to put it next to the main dish.
It is a very fresh sauce that adapts easily to any dish or as a side to bread. So be sure to try this magnificent sauce when you visit Greece.
10. Tiropita or Greek breaded cheese
Tyropita is a delicious typical Greek meal that is served as a starter. It is made up of filo dough, which is filled with a mixture of cheese and egg.
It is a savory cake made of layers of phyllo dough and to which a filling prepared with cheese and eggs is placed. Once this is done, it is taken to the oven to cook and at the moment of serving it is bathed with a little honey.
11. Greek stir fry
In our list of typical Greek foods we include the Greek stir-fry. This consists of a dish of veal in sauce served with potatoes.
It is a pleasant surprise when you order a sofrito because it does not resemble the one we commonly know in the West. The base sauce is made with ingredients like onions, peppers, and tomatoes, among other elements.
Greek stir fry is made with beef seasoned with lots of garlic and served with French fries. This is a delicious dish that you must savor when visiting Greece.
12. Loukaniko
It is a typical food of Greece, whose name comes from an ancient dish from Roman times, "lucanica".
They are sausages prepared with pork and seasoned with orange peel and fennel seeds. They are frequently put to smoke.
A variety of these sausages is prepared with the pork seasoned or seasoned with vegetables.
13. Saganaki
This dish, which is part of the typical meals of Greece, is very simple and easy to prepare, but it really is very tasty and you should try it when you are in Greece.
It consists of semi-cured cheese, which is overflowed before being fried; the idea is that it is a cheese that melts with heat.
When served, it is combined with fresh vegetables, a little lemon juice and a touch of pepper.
If you want to follow the Greek recipe faithfully, the ideal cheese is the so-called "helloumi", a typical Greek cheese made from goat's milk.
14. Exohiko
A dish that is part of typical Greek meals is a festival of flavors, all thanks to the combination of the puff pastry of the dough with finely chopped lamb meat, spinach and cheese.
Some prepare a variety of exohiko with chicken instead of lamb. It is served with an arugula and tomato salad, plus some light Greek sauce.
Eating exohiko is said to be literally tasting Greece.
15. Kleftiko
Lamb is a very popular meat in Greece and is consumed much more than beef. One of the typical Greek food dishes is prepared with lamb meat.
Formerly, lamb was cooked in earth ovens, which were small holes made in the earth. At present it is cooked in conventional or wood-fired ovens and in a very slow cooking process.
The meat is seasoned with lemon juice and lots of garlic before cooking. It can be served with roasted potatoes and tomatoes.
16. Helloumi salad
Helloumi is a white cheese, prepared with goat's milk, with an unmistakable white color and unique flavor; Very popular with Greeks and visitors.
The salad prepared with this cheese cut into pieces and fried accompanied by onion, tomatoes, raw spinach and assorted seeds. It is one of the favorite foods of vegetarians.
Helloumi salad is one of the typical Greek meals with a taste of the Mediterranean Sea, fresh and cheerful.
17. Souvlaki
Lamb or veal skewers are one of the typical Greek foods; it is common to prepare them by inserting pieces of onion and green peppers between the cuts of meat.
Souvlaki is also prepared only with the pieces of meat, a little smaller and wrapped in a pita bread, where in addition chopped onions, tzatziki sauce, sliced fresh tomatoes and peppers are put.
18. Taramosalata
A dish that can be taken as a starter or appetizer and is part of typical Greek food. It is the taramosalata and it is prepared with fish roe.
The name comes from its main ingredient, tarama. These are carp roe that have been salted and cured.
Carp roe is mixed with breadcrumbs, lemon juice, onion, garlic, black pepper, olive oil and - sometimes - small pieces of toasted bread in lard or oil.
This preparation is eaten spread on slices of bread or with vegetables such as cucumbers, tomatoes, olives and peppers.
In addition to carp roe, cod roe and sometimes some other variety of fish are used to make taramosalata.
19. Spanakopita
Typical Greek food that is consumed as an aperitif and, in some cases, served as breakfast. It is very popular throughout the country. Therefore, do not stop trying them when you are in Greece.
It consists of a savory cake prepared with phyllo dough and is filled with a mixture of spinach, feta or ricotta cheese, eggs, onion or chives, seasonings and spices.
It is made by putting the filling on layers of phyllo dough, moistened in olive oil or butter and cooked in a large frying pan. In that same skillet, the portions are cut to serve.
Some prepare the cakes individually. The color of these cakes is golden once they are done.
Sometimes it is made with a mixture of cheeses or the feta cheese is changed for something else that is soft, fresh and a little salty.
In the season of Lent, a version of the spanakopita is prepared where dairy and eggs are eliminated and are replaced by vegetables and greens.
20. Gemista
Vegetables in Greece are usually very fresh and appetizing, that is the reason why some of them are used to make typical Greek meals.
Tomatoes and peppers are used to prepare gemista, which are filled with a mixture of rice and spices to be cooked in the oven.
You can select zucchini and eggplant to fill as well. It is a typical meal of the summer time. It is served with french fries.
There are variations in the filling and to this you can add minced lamb meat, cheese and bacon. You can also make a filling that contains raisins and pine nuts.
21. Kolokithokef you
The name of this wonderful typical Greek food is a bit complicated to pronounce, which is why they are commonly called zucchini fritters and feta cheese.
It is a very smooth, tasty dish, very easy to prepare, without complicated ingredients or long or tedious processes.
Dried grated zucchini is used to mix with onions, herbs, feta cheese, goat cheese, flour, eggs, breadcrumbs, salt, and pepper.
The ingredients are added one in a bowl to make a homogeneous mixture, which is fried in portions and in plenty of hot olive oil.
To serve them they are accompanied by yogurt sauce, lemon wedges or tzatziki sauce.
22. Kritharaki
This typical Greek food is prepared with a kind of pasta that is made in Greece. It is a pasta that has a certain resemblance in shape to long grain rice.
The preparation consists of mixing it with tomato sauce; walnuts or chicken, nutmeg, and peas
It is served with feta or goat cheese on top, as well as basil leaves and a few drops of olive oil.
23. Avgolemono
This dish is included among the typical Greek meals and has double function. It can be used as a sauce to accompany dolmades or vegetables such as artichoke and it can also be served as a soup.
When used as a soup, chicken, meat, fish or vegetable broth is used. A mixture of beaten eggs and lemon juice is added to it when removing it from the heat to prevent lumps from forming or the egg from cooking.
In summer it is served as a cold soup. Its consistency is somewhat thick and when it is necessary to thicken it more, a little starch is added.
24. Kef you
They are the delicious meatballs and they are a typical Greek food; They are very popular and are served in any food establishment or in Greek bars where they are called keftedakia.
Greek meatballs are present in all celebrations and parties and are very easy to prepare.
They can be made with beef, pork or perhaps lamb meat, aromatic herbs and spices. Each cook has their own way of preparing kefou.
To serve them, they are accompanied with rice or fried potatoes, along with yogurt sauce, tzatziki sauce or melitzanosalata.
25. Pastitsio
Pastitsio is a typical Greek meal made with pasta that is cooked in the oven. The dish is prepared by layering pasta on a tray on which ground meat and lots of bechamel sauce are placed. After being prepared, it is taken to the oven to cook.
It is a meal to be enjoyed at any time of year and is served with a mixed green salad seasoned with virgin olive oil and wine vinegar.
26. Greek Fava
It is a delicious vegetable dish made with split yellow peas. This dish is included among the typical Greek meals and is very popular on the island of Santorini, although it is widely accepted throughout the country.
Greek fava is a creamy stew with a unique flavor. In addition, it is an ideal food for winter days, because when temperatures drop, a dish that gives heat is needed.
It is served as a starter or used as a sauce drizzled with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.
27. We are just this karvouna
Fish is part of typical Greek meals and in this case it is salmon. A delicious meal that will leave you highly satisfied when you savor it in Greece.
The dish contains roasted salmon loins that are seasoned with a sauce made with lemon juice, lemon wedges, and olive oil. This dish is served with French fries, yogurt sauce or Caesar sauce and peas.
28. Fasolada or bean soup
This dish, in addition to being one of the typical Greek foods, is very traditional among the country's inhabitants. Its preparation is very easy and simple
The fasolada is prepared with well-seasoned beans, lima beans or beans so that they offer a very pleasant and striking aroma.
It is widely consumed in the winter season and each region has its own way of preparation, but always with an exquisite and unforgettable flavor.
29. Papoutsakia Eggplants
"Papoutsakia" means "little shoes" in Greek and this dish is named for its resemblance to a small shoe.
Vegetables are always among the typical Greek foods. Now it's the turn of the aubergines, which this time are stuffed with minced meat garnished with chopped onions, parsley, olive oil, white wine, béchamel sauces, salt and pepper. Once filled with the meat mixture, they are covered with cheese and placed in the oven.
30. Mezzedes
The word mezzedes refers to the union of several small dishes that are served in Greek cuisine as entrees. These dishes are very varied and constitute a typical Greek meal.
The most common and frequent mezzedes are Greek-style burgers, hummus, melitzanosalata, tyropita, and taramosalata. They are accompanied by cucumber, tzatziki sauce, mint leaves, minced garlic and lemon juice.
31. Baklavas
This wonderful Greek dessert is included among the typical meals and is something unique. After trying it, you will surely ask for more.
Baklava is made with phyllo dough, nuts, butter, and sugar. The phyllo dough and the walnuts are baked and then the sweet syrup is poured in such a way that the crispy phyllo dough is completely soaked. It is perhaps the most popular and well-known Greek dessert in the world.
32. Halvas
This delicious Greek dessert contains no dairy, no butter or eggs. To make halvas you only need to combine semolina, oil, sugar and water.
Halva is a semolina dessert with a lot of sweet syrup and bits of nuts that make it particularly crunchy.
33. Loukoumades
A tasty dessert that consists of small bites of fried dough of a nice golden color that are dusted with sweet syrup, cinnamon and nuts.
On the outside they are toasted and crunchy, while biting into them, the inside is soft and fluffy.
34. Galaktoboureko
It is one of the oldest Greek desserts. Eating it is biting into a crunchy texture that will turn into something very juicy in your mouth.
It is prepared with phyllo dough filled with some creamy and aromatic custard or sweet syrups, bathed with melted butter.
35. Retsina wine
A drink with more than 2000 years old and that preserves all the rituals of the time of ancient Greece.
The containers that contain it are sealed with resin from the pine tree. This is to prevent air from entering the wine while it is maturing or aging; In addition, the resin gives the wine its aroma.
It is a perfect wine when dishes that are garnished with dill, mint or rosemary are offered in the meal.
36. Greek yogurt
In Greece, yogurt is a dessert to have for breakfast or in the evening. It is very creamy and very smooth. For breakfast it is served with fresh fruits, nuts and honey.
When you visit Greece, don't miss the opportunity to taste the tasty and unique Greek yogurt.
37. Ouzo
The drink that all Greeks drink is made with anise. It is served at the end of the meal or in the middle of it and should not be rejected, even if it is not very much to the taste of the diner.
38. Greek coffee
In Greece the coffee is not filtered, the ground coffee is boiled with the water in a special pot for this purpose called "briki".
Once cooked, let it rest for a few minutes and serve it directly in the cups next to a glass of cold water. In Greece, coffee is a powder with the texture of flour.
39. Cafe freddo cappuccino
Unlike classic Greek coffee, this is a coffee that is drunk cold, with a very deep foam similar to that of cappuccino; the bottom of the glass where it is served contains ice.
It's a fun way to drink coffee in Greece and it's very easy to get addicted to it. Don't miss the chance to taste a delicious freddo cappuccino while in Greece.
40. Greek beer
The beers in Greece are mostly imported; however, there are some brands originating in the country that offer products that can even be taken in other countries.
The most prominent of these is Mythos beer, which has been made in Greece since 1997 at the Mythos Distillery. It is a beautiful golden color, lager type.
Its alcohol content is around 4.7% and it is possible to find it in the United States, Canada, Australia and Taiwan.
What is the traditional food of Greece?
There are many traditional foods in Greece, among them we can mention roast lamb, gyros, taramasalata, Greek salad, musaka, pastitsio, spanakopita, etc.
What to eat typical in Santorini?
In Santorini, the Greek fava is traditional, a delicious vegetable dish that is prepared with split yellow peas. It is the ideal food for the cold of winter. Likewise it is common to get pseftokefedes or tomato meatballs; These are similar to meatballs, but diced tomatoes are used to prepare them. Likewise, they are very popular and traditional in Santorini.
What do Greeks eat for breakfast?
The Greeks include in their breakfast products such as dairy, fresh fruits, nuts, olive oil, toast with feta cheese and olives, boiled eggs, fruit jams, tea, coffee, yogurt, honey, spanakopita.
What are Greek gyros?
Greek gyros food is very inexpensive and tasty. It consists of meat that is cooked on a vertical spit; Once done, slices of this meat are placed on pita bread with lettuce, chopped onions, slices of tomatoes, sauces and French fries. It is served rolled or with all the ingredients on the bread. It is a food that can be found in any street stall in all parts of Greece.
What can you eat in Athens?
In Athens, the capital of Greece, you can eat many of the typical foods of the country, such as Dolmades, Greek salad, fried squid, musaka, tzatziki, grilled octopus, among others.
Typical food of Greece desserts
In Greece there is a wide variety of desserts, among them we can mention the following: baklavas, halvas, galaktoboureko, loukoumades, kataifi, revani, bougatsa and feta me meli.
Greek food recipe
Musaka
The ingredients to prepare this dish are aubergines, ground or minced meat, tomatoes, vegetables and bechamel sauce. The meat is prepared with the vegetables and tomatoes. Eggplants are sliced elongated. In a container for the oven a layer of aubergines is placed on the bottom and the prepared meat is placed on top, bathed with a little bechamel sauce. The process is repeated until finishing with a good amount of béchamel sauce on top of the preparation. It takes to the oven and it is ready to serve.
Typical drinks of Greece
Typical and traditional Greek drinks include ouzo, retsina wine, Greek coffee, raki, metaxá or Greek cognac, freddo cappuccino coffee and beer.
Typical food of ancient Greece
Olive oil is the oldest food consumed by the Greeks, along with bread made with wheat flour or barley flour, as well as some fresh and dried fruits; salted fish and cheeses.
Greek gastronomy history
The Greeks woke up very early and had a breakfast that contained mainly pieces of bread dipped in wine and they could add some olives and figs. Vegetables were not very easy to find and they were expensive. Therefore, what they most consumed were beans and lentils that were prepared as a puree.
They ate a lot of onion and garlic, also cheeses, especially the members of the army. Meat was scarce and when it was available it was pork.
In the cities, what was eaten the most was fish and bread, they also liked mollusks, squid, cuttlefish and shellfish in general.
The desserts consisted of fresh or dried fruits such as dates, figs, walnuts, grapes or some sweet dipped in honey.
Typical products of Greece
Among the main typical products of Greece, we can mention:
- Olive oil: considered one of the best olive oils in the world.
- Greek wines are very famous and of excellent quality; they are export products.
- Greek vinegar is one of the best in the world, extracted from grapes is wine vinegar.
- The aromatic herbs are of extraordinary quality and there is a wide variety to please all tastes, mint, oregano, linden, sage, mountain tea, among many that are available.
- The spices for seasoning are magnificent and among the most sought after are saffron, sesame and cumin.
The Greeks have left us a lot of history, construction and culture, but above all they have left us excellent flavors to delight our palate. Did you like any of this food? If you have to add something, you can do so in the comments section.
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