Cooking Techniques 24 Greek Recipes to Perfect By Food & Wine Editors Updated on January 11, 2023 Share Tweet Pin Email Trending Videos Photo: © Guy Ambrosino From cooling tzatziki to a simple grilled leg of lamb, these Greek recipes are some of our favorites. You'll find walnut and olive oil cake with orange syrup, shrimp saganaki, and kourampiedes, plus plenty of dill, phyllo, pita, and lamb. 01 of 24 Roasted Eggplant Moussaka with Lamb Photo by Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Lydia Pursell Roasting eggplant until it's creamy and custardy makes it the perfect base for layering with a rich, meaty sauce in this take on moussaka, which is topped with a luscious layer of ricotta and mozzarella cheese in place of béchamel sauce. Get the Recipe 02 of 24 Kourampiedes (Greek Christmas Cookies) Photo by Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Torie Cox / Prop Styling by Lydia Pursell Blanched and toasted almond pieces bring a lovely crunch to these crumbly, buttery, melt-in-your-mouth Greek Christmas cookies. Some versions of kourampiedes add orange zest, but League of Kitchens Greek cooking instructor Despina Economou, who shared this recipe, prefers the simple flavors of butter, sugar, almonds, and vanilla. Get the Recipe 03 of 24 Supper Spanakopita © Guy Ambrosino Traditionally shaped into small triangles or made in large casserole dishes, the Greek spinach pies known as spanakopita are just as easy to roll into logs. This unconventional shape offers plenty of contrast between the crisp layers of buttered phyllo and the creamy, dill-flecked filling. Round out this vegetarian meal with a green salad. Get the Recipe 04 of 24 Grilled Asparagus with Taramasalata © Nicole Franzen Taramasalata is a Greek dip or spread made with salted fish roe, olive oil, and bread (or sometimes potatoes). Chef Zoi Antonitsas' creamy version is a perfect accompaniment for grilled asparagus. Get the Recipe 05 of 24 Psites Patates (Lemony Roasted Potatoes with Oregano) © Guy Ambrosino It's hard to resist that Greek diner specialty of potatoes bathed in a lemony oil. In this fresh and satisfying version, slices of lemon are roasted along with the potatoes, gently perfuming the dish. Get the Recipe 06 of 24 Greek-Style Leg of Lamb © Con Poulos This simple recipe features garlic, dill, oregano, lemon zest, lemon juice, and more. We suggest pairing it with a dark, cherry-flavored, peppery Chinon. Get the Recipe 07 of 24 Diples (Fried Greek Pastry with Honey and Nuts) © Martin Morrell These ethereal Greek dessert pastries resemble thin, crispy cigars. Run the dough through a pasta rolling machine to achieve the texture you need. The honey syrup here is key, with orange zest, cinnamon, and lemon juice to keep the flavors light. Get the Recipe 08 of 24 Chicken Souvlaki Evi Abeler Grilled chicken on pita with tomatoes, onions, and tzatziki makes a cool yet satisfying warm-weather supper. Souvlaki is often rolled to eat in your hand as a snack, but this more substantial version is served on a plate with a knife and fork. If you like, accompany the souvlaki with lemon wedges. Get the Recipe 09 of 24 Tomato Salad with Red Onion, Dill, and Feta © Chris Court "This salad is a nod to my mom and my Greek heritage," chef Michael Symon says. In addition to dill, a common herb in Greek cuisine, Symon adds plenty of mint and basil. Get the Recipe 10 of 24 Shrimp Saganaki © Yunhee Kim For shrimp saganaki, Greeks sauté shrimp in a pan with tomatoes, olives, and feta cheese, then serve it right out of the skillet with bread to soak up all the delicious juices. Stir fresh dill into this quick version to brighten the flavor. Get the Recipe 11 of 24 Saganaki Halloumi (Cypriot Fried Halloumi) Photo by Cedric Angeles / Prop Styling by Stephanie Bohn Halloumi cheese is fried in clarified butter, then brushed in a spiced honey and served with lemon yogurt, brandy-basted nectarines, and fresh tomatoes in this sweet and savory appetizer from Christian Hernandez, chef de cuisine of March in Houston. Get the Recipe 12 of 24 Kourambiedes © The Jewels of New York Beating the butter until very fluffy — a good 10 minutes — makes these Greek shortcakes especially light. The cookies can be stored in an airtight container for up to two weeks. Get the Recipe 13 of 24 Grilled Lamb Chops with Ladolemono © Martin Morrell Chef Michael Psilakis dresses these luscious lamb chops with ladolemono, a super simple Greek sauce of lemon juice and olive oil. The sauce is often spooned over fish, but it's delicious on meat and vegetables, too. "This is real Greek cooking," he says. Get the Recipe 14 of 24 Pastitsio (Greek Baked Pasta) © Yunhee Kim The moist and fragrant casserole pastitsio traditionally combines béchamel with pasta, ground lamb, tomato sauce, cheese, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Here, instead of béchamel, we stir a ricotta mixture into the pasta before baking it. Get the Recipe 15 of 24 Greek Hand Pies with Greens, Dill, Mint, and Feta © Lucy Schaeffer Chef Jacques Pépin ordered a saiti, a turnover filled with tangy wild greens and feta, at Marianthi tavern in the Greek village of Monemvasía. This recipe is a close approximation. The olive oil in the dough (adapted from a recipe by Greek-American cookbook author Diane Kochilas) makes the crust extraordinarily flaky. Get the Recipe 16 of 24 Greek Salad with Shrimp and Kamut Photo by Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Rishon Hanners / Prop Styling by Audrey Davis Kamut, an ancient variety of wheat, adds hearty chew to this entree inspired by a classic Greek salad. Soak kamut overnight to help it cook faster or, for an even easier dish, cook the kamut in advance to trim day-of prep to 30 minutes. Get the Recipe 17 of 24 Karithopita (Greek Walnut and Olive Oil Cake with Orange Syrup) © Guy Ambrosino In Greece, this type of nut cake is often soaked in syrup, resulting in a very sweet, moist dessert. Here, a citrus syrup filled with lots of fresh, juicy oranges is served on the side, so everyone can add as little or as much as they like. Get the Recipe 18 of 24 Taramosalata © Guy Ambrosino This creamy, briny dip belongs in the pantheon of classic Greek meze, alongside hummus, baba ghanoush, and skordalia. Get the Recipe 19 of 24 Greek Salad Sandwiches © Martin Morrell This is Greek salad perfection: Chef Michael Psilakis tops warm bread with garlicky red pepper tzatziki and a piquant combo of cucumbers, olives, peperoncini, tomatoes, radishes, greens, and feta. Get the Recipe 20 of 24 Greek Fish Stew © Con Poulos "On the Greek island of Kalymnos, fishermen make a stew with shellfish, whole fish, lemon, onion, and water," says chef Andrew Zimmern. "They eat it straight from the pot with their hands — no bowls. It tastes of sweat and iodine, but it is easily one of the best soups I've ever had. I make my version with halibut, throwing in mussels at the end." Get the Recipe 21 of 24 Greek-Style Pork Spareribs with Grilled Lemons © Chris Court Chef Michael Symon cooks these honey-glazed ribs on the grill from start to finish. Alternatively, you can start them in the oven, then throw them on the grill just before serving for a nice char or simply cook them entirely in the oven. Get the Recipe 22 of 24 Pork Souvlaki with Tzatziki © Yunhee Kim Greeks make souvlaki by marinating chunks of meat (usually pork or lamb) in oil, lemon juice, and oregano, then skewering and grilling them. We opt for pork shoulder because it's so tender and succulent. Instead of threading the meat onto skewers, we simply cook it (with onions) in a grill pan until it's nicely charred, then serve it with store-bought pita and a garlicky cucumber-yogurt sauce. Get the Recipe 23 of 24 Tirokroketes (Greek Fried Goat Cheese Balls) with Honey © Tina Rupp Called tirokroketes in Greece, these sweet-savory balls can be served as an appetizer or dessert. For this variation, club soda lightens the egg batter that coats the cheese, and a double coating of panko crumbs amplifies the crunch. Get the Recipe 24 of 24 Cucumber-Dill Tzatziki © Guy Ambrosino This yogurt dip is incredibly versatile. Serve it with toasted pita wedges as an appetizer, or pair it with grilled lamb, chicken, fish, or vegetables. Get the Recipe Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit