The following highlights some of the popular Traditional Greek Foods. If you manage to be in an Greek restaurant or you are visiting Greece, I recommend the following:
1. Marinated Octopus
This Greek Grilled Octopus is marinated in olive oil infused with garlic, rosemary and thyme. Grilling adds smokiness and a bit of crunch to these delicious appetisers. There are three steps to making this Greek grilled octopus. First, the octopus is cooked in a seasoned liquid. Then, the cooked octopus is marinated in a garlic and herb marinade flavoured with rosemary and thyme. Finally, the marinated cooked octopus is charred on the grill.
2. Moussaka
A legendary, traditional, creamy and juicy dish. Moussaka is served in almost every tavern in Greece. At the big family gathering, this dish is prepared by Greek housewives. In Moussaka, tomato sauce is used to cook minced beef which is then layered with sweet aubergines and creamy béchamel sauce. This irresistible meal is packed, so it doesn’t need too many side dishes.
3. Grilled Meat
Skewers of lamb or beef are a typical Greek meal; it is common to prepare them by inserting pieces of onion and green peppers between the cuts of meat and grilling them. Souvlaki is also prepared with just the meat pieces, slightly smaller and wrapped in pita bread, with chopped onions, tzatziki sauce, fresh sliced tomatoes and peppers.
4. Pastitsio
A traditional pasta-based preparation that is usually eaten as a main dish. It is a recipe in which we use pasta in several layers. The pasta is usually tubular in shape and is layered with minced meat, tomato sauce, cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice. To seal the preparation, a lid of pasta with béchamel sauce is placed on top. Finally, it is placed in the oven to cook. It is served hot and looks very similar to lasagne.
5. Courgette Balls
This is a sign of the versatile nature of Greek food. Dolmadakia (as they are called locally) are small dolmades made of stuffed grape leaves. Inside the leaf you get ground lamb or beef (sometimes both) and rice stuffing. Traditionally, this dish is served as an appetiser with lemon slices.
6. Greek Salad
Greek salad is a must for Greeks at almost every meal. Choriatiki are made of tomatoes, olives, cucumber and a large piece of feta cheese and are served without dressing. The dressing is left to the individual’s choice, so all restaurants serve vinegar, salt, pepper and olive oil with the salad. With the tradition of being a starter, Greek salad can also be a good side dish.
7. Taramasalata
A paste made from fish roe that is usually served as an appetiser and as a dip for bread or vegetables. In Greece, Taramasalata is especially associated with the first day of the Great Lent. It is usually eaten spread on bread or vegetables, as it has a mashed consistency. It is made by soaking bread, adding onion juice and roe in a food processor until it becomes a smooth puree.
8. Kataifi
This is one of the most popular Greek desserts, made with a special type of pastry called Kataifi. When rolled, the dough resembles shredded wheat. A delicious nutty centre is rolled into a crisp string like a cake, baked, and then soaked in sweet syrup. The dough is full of strands, so there is always the possibility of getting messy when eating this. So don’t try too hard to pull them or cut them.
9. Fresh Fish
Fish is part of the typical Greek food and the favourite is salmon. A delicious meal that will leave you highly satisfied when you savour it in Greece. The dish contains grilled salmon loins that are seasoned with a sauce made with lemon juice, lemon slices and olive oil. This dish is served with fried potatoes, yoghurt sauce or caesar sauce and peas.
10. Dolmades
Dolmadakia is considered the Greek tapa, although others liken it to sushi because of its peculiar preparation. It is a recipe in which a vine or chard leaf is stuffed with a mixture containing rice, onion, minced meat and various spices. This is a typical Greek dish with a special feature: the filling varies according to the taste of the diner. However, as a general rule, those filled with meat are served hot and those filled with vegetables are served cold.
If you found this list useful, here are some more Traditional European Foods to try out on my Pinterest channel.