If you know anything about Greek food, you’ve probably heard of spanakopita, the classic spinach pie with feta cheese and phyllo (or filo) pastry. My Cretan neighbor’s recipe is especially rich in leeks, onion, herbs, and olive oil, which blend beautifully with the spinach and feta. You can buy your phyllo or make your own, like Arhontoula always does.
A vegan recipe for spanakorizo, a Greek spinach and rice dish with olive oil, herbs, onion, and tomato that can be made with white or brown rice.
Extra virgin olive oil is crucial to this common, quick and easy Greek dish, making it tasty, filling, and healthy. It can also be made with green beans, but my family and I prefer the sweetness of the peas with onion and carrots.
This is a wonderful stuffing recipe in which I do not miss the butter one bit; good bakery bread and an excellent extra virgin olive oil make it perfect. The herbs do have a strong flavor, so you can use less than called for if you prefer.
This zucchini burger recipe comes from a grandmother (yaya) in a Cretan village. It differs slightly from the other courgette patties recipe linked on this site. Originally, this version called for pumpkin rather than zucchini, but it is so good with zucchini that I recommend it that way.
These don’t have to be filled with cheese, and they can be baked or fried. Soft Greek cheeses and spanakopita fillings make wonderful miniature pies for everyday snacks, parties, and holidays, and many variations are possible. Here is a recipe from a Cretan mother.
This easy, economical, healthy vegetarian (and vegan) chickpea recipe with extra virgin olive oil is a Greek classic commonly eaten by just about anyone.
A vegetable stir fry recipe with Greek extra virgin olive oil, my pseudo-Greek version of the Chinese-American restaurant classic, so tasty you don’t need MSG.
Black eyed pea salad with chopped tomatoes and cucumber, plus sweet pepper and corn for sweetness and extra virgin olive oil and vinegar for a tangy mix.
This recipe’s first name was my teenage daughter’s idea, and a UFO seems appropriate (like its orange color) for Halloween. Actually, this is a Cretan mother’s variation on some wonderful carrot parsley bread sticks, and an invention so tasty everyone in my family likes it.
A very easy recipe, tastier than I could have imagined–a healthy favorite. There is a basic recipe, plus three variations. Thanks to Cookie and Kate for the photo.
An easy recipe by celebrity chef Diane Kochilas–and thanks to her for the photo. As she says, “One of the absolute classics of Greek summer, but also delicious year-round, green beans yiahni are an easy, luscious casserole of fresh beans slowly cooked in olive oil, with tomatoes, onions, potatoes and herbs.”
Another recipe from Ikaria by Diane Kochilas–who again provided the photo. She writes, “This Greek pumpkin recipe is one of many Greek dishes in which vegetables make for a satisfying, craveable delicious meal.”
“These olive oil and roasted garlic mashed potatoes are creamy and absolutely delicious. Roasted garlic and fruity olive oil give these dairy-free vegan mashed potatoes their great flavor and texture, so there is no need for butter or cream.”
An Oldways Mediterranean recipe in honor of Mediterranean Diet Month.
As indicated on ToVima.com, this is a “creamy, nutty pasta dish packed with healthy fats and bold flavors. This simple yet elegant recipe combines toasted walnuts, garlic, and ripe avocado for a delicious, plant-based meal.”
“A light and flavorful lasagna recipe featuring layers of spinach, leeks, fresh tomatoes, and creamy feta cheese, perfect for a Mediterranean-inspired dinner.”
As Ali writes on Gimme Some Oven, “This Baked Sweet Potato Fries recipe is legit-crispy, easy to make, perfectly seasoned, and guaranteed to disappear pretty much…immediately.”
From Sparta Groves and food.com
This is one of many “great recipes all over Greece for braised or baked giant beans, called gigantes,” as chef Diane Kochilas explains; it can be served hot, warm, or at room temperature.
This can also be made without any stock. Just add more olive oil and adjust seasonings as desired. Notice that many variations on the basic recipe are mentioned.
Accompanying a nice article about Greek food. Ironically, the amount of olive oil has not come through. My Cretan neighbor uses 1 cup of olive oil, an additional onion, and a half cup of red wine instead of the vinegar, but no red pepper flakes. She generally throws some fresh tomato chunks into a food chopper instead of using canned tomato.
Scientific research has shown that this classic Mediterranean olive oil and tomato sauce is full of health benefits as well as flavor! It can be used in many dishes or simply as a topping for pasta, rice, or eggs.