There’s something about Greek cooking that just feels good. Authentic Greek recipes are homey, tasty, and full of vibrant flavour. They’re made up of simple, healthy ingredients and herbs that transport you to the beautiful Mediterranean country bordered by the deep blue sea. If you’ve ever been to Greece, you know just how incredible the food is, and fortunately it’s simple to make in your own kitchen! From moussaka to stuffed grape leaves, gyros, baklava, and so much more, you need to try these easy and authentic Greek recipes at home!
5 Greek Cooking Tips and Hacks
1. Use Seasonal Ingredients
Fresh, seasonal ingredients are the best way to make your Greek dishes taste authentic. Daily shopping trips are the norm for Greek cooks, so to emulate them as best as possible, you’re going to want to make sure your ingredients are fresh as can be. This way you’ll get the traditional Greek flavours you’re looking for.
2. Rely on Basic Cooking Methods
Don’t get thrown off by the foreign words and phrases used in Greek recipes. They make the dishes sound more complex than they are, when really Greek foods are prepared using traditional cooking methods such as frying, breading, sautéing, simmering, boiling, baking, roasting, grilling, braising and poaching. For example, ‘tiganita’ means fried and ‘sote’ is the Greek word for sautéed. Once you get the hang of it, you’ll see there’s nothing to be intimidated by!
3. Slow is Best
Slow cooking is the only way to go when it comes to Greek cooking. You can use a slow cooker for many recipes, or a pressure cooker to speed things up a bit (think 1 to 2 hours compared to 4 to 5 hours). Slow cooking your food ensures the flavours have time to meld and results in mouthwatering, authentic-tasting dishes you’re looking for.
4. Avoid Substitutes
Although many recipes can handle substitutes, Greek dishes taste best with their original ingredients. You can find many of these ingredients in markets and grocery stores, and although some are hard to find, it’s worth it to make the extra effort to find and use the ingredients called for in the recipes.
5. Don’t Skip the Herbs
Greek dishes are known for their use of herbs such as thyme, dill, parsley and oregano. Don’t skip out on these! They’re good for your health and help to add a little zest to the meal.
15 Authentic Greek Recipes
1. Traditional Greek Feta Salad | My Greek Dish
2. Authentic Greek Tzatziki | The Wanderlust Kitchen
3. Lamb Pitas with Yogurt Sauce | Taste of Home
4. Greek Egg Lemon Chicken Soup | The Spruce Eats
5. Lamb Kleftiko | My Greek Dish
6. Rosemary-Thyme Lamb Chops | Taste of Home
7. Spanakopita | The Spruce Eats
8. Greek Beef Stew | My Greek Dish
9. Phyllo-Layered Pistichio | Taste of Home
10. Moussaka with Eggplant | The Spruce Eats
11. Greek Chicken Gyro | Lemon and Olives
12. Greek Burgers and Potatoes | Real Greek Recipes
13. Mykonos Onion Pie | Lemon and Olives
14. Zucchini Patties with Herbs and Feta | Eating Well
15. Authentic Greek Moussaka | Akis Petretzikis
15 Easy Greek Recipes
1. Green Bean Casserole | The Spruce Eats
2. Greek-Style Lemon Garlic Chicken | Taste of Home
3. Fried Salt Cod with Garlic Mashed Potatoes | The Spruce Eats
4. Greek-Style Lamb Pitas | Olive Magazine
5. Three Bean Greek Salad | Little Spice Jar
6. Spinach and Chicken Phyllo Pie | Taste of Home
7. Saganaki (Greek Fried Cheese) | Salt and Lavender
8. Greek Meatballs with Tzatziki Sauce | Recipe Runner
9. Roasted Greek Potatoes with Feta Cheese | Taste of Home
10. Traditional Greek Pita Bread | Half Baked Harvest
11. Easy Greek Chicken | Easy Family Recipes
12. Braised Greens with Lemon and Fennel | Eating Well
13. Greek Salad | Delish
14. Homemade Baked Fries with Feta | My Greek Dish
15. Shaved Cucumber Greek Salad | Cooking Light
15 Healthy Greek Recipes
1. Hearty Chicken Gyros | Taste of Home
2. Revithosoupa (Chickpea Soup) | The Spruce Eats
3. Greek Chicken Souvlaki | My Greek Dish
4. Greek Tomato Soup with Orzo | Taste of Home
5. Stuffed Grape Leaves with Meat and Rice | The Spruce Eats
6. Greek Lamb-Stuffed Courgettes | Olive Magazine
7. Greek Lentil Soup | The Spruce Eats
8. Greek Zucchini and Feta Bake | Taste of Home
9. Melitzanosalata (Greek Eggplant Dip) | The Wanderlust Kitchen
10. Healthy Greek Chicken Bowls | Show Me The Yummy
11. Mashed Legumes with Onions, Capers and Radicchio | Eating Well
12. Greek Chicken Nachos | Cooking Light
13. Healthy Greek Meatballs | The Slender Kitchen
14. Steak, Feta and Olive Quesadillas | Cooking Light
15. Greek Chicken Meal Prep Bowls | Damn Delicious
15 Breakfast Greek Recipes
1. Greek Breakfast Egg Skillet with Sauteed Veggies and Feta | The Lemon Bowl
2. Greek Breakfast Pitas | All Recipes
3. Mediterranean Broccoli and Cheese Omelet | Taste of Home
4. Greek Scrambled Eggs | NYT Cooking
5. Greek Frittata | Every Last Bite
6. Greek Breakfast Casserole | Taste of Home
7. Mediterranean Breakfast Board | The Mediterranean Dish
8. Greek Breakfast Bagel | Demster’s
9. Greek Yogurt Breakfast Bowl | The Domestic Dietician
10. Greek Style Tomato and Feta Scramble | Olive & Mango
11. Greek Cheese Pie Rolls | Real Greek Recipes
12. Baklava Oatmeal | Diane Kochilas
13. Greek Breakfast Egg Muffins | Always Use Butter
14. Easy Breakfast Pizza | Real Greek Recipes
15. Feta Cheese Pancake | Lemon and Olives
15 Dessert Greek Recipes
1. Honey Cookies with Walnuts | The Spruce Eats
2. Double Nut Baklava | Taste of Home
3. Greek Donuts | Olive Magazine
4. Lemon Bougatsa | Taste
5. Kourabiedes (Greek Butter Cookies) | Taste of Home
6. Spiced Walnut Cake | Taste
7. Mini Baklava | Taste of Home
8. Greek Semolina Pudding Wrapped in Phyllo | Kopiaste
9. Sugared Almond Cookies | The Spruce Eats
10. Lenten Chocolate Brownies | My Greek Dish
11. Pan Roasted Almonds with Honey | Lemon and Olives
12. Finikia (Greek Pastries) | All Recipes
13. Greek Honey Cake | Food
14. Greek Almond Torte | Lemon and Olives
15. Greek Apple Cake | Souvlaki for the Soul
Ready to spruce up on your Greek cooking? These tips and recipes will ensure you nail the best authentic Greek recipes!
