In the previous post, you’ll find one of the most iconic places in Greece that you can visit if you’ve chosen this country as your destination for your volunteering experience.
And as we always say, a country is also known through its cuisine.
That’s why today we bring you this post with the typical Greek dishes that you absolutely must try during your trip to Greece.
– MOUSSAKA
It is one of the most emblematic dishes of Greece, similar to lasagna but with eggplant instead of pasta.
For the base of this dish, about two or three eggplants, salt, and oil are used. For the filling, ground beef or lamb is typically used, along with chopped onion, garlic, crushed tomato, cinnamon, oregano, nutmeg, red wine, salt, and pepper. For the béchamel sauce, butter, flour, milk, nutmeg, egg, and grated cheese (which can be Parmesan or Kefalotyri) are used.
First, the eggplants are cut into thin slices, salted, and left to rest for half an hour to remove the bitterness. They are then rinsed, dried with paper towels, and either fried or roasted with oil until golden brown. Meanwhile, the onion and garlic are sautéed with the meat, and once browned, the rest of the ingredients are added and cooked for another half an hour. Finally, for the béchamel, butter is melted in a pan, flour is added, and it is cooked for a minute without stirring. The milk and other ingredients are then gradually incorporated.
The final step is assembling it in a baking tray, placing a layer of eggplant, then a layer of meat, and continuing until the top layer is béchamel and grated cheese. It is then baked at 180ºC for 40-45 minutes.
It is recommended to let the moussaka rest for about 15 minutes before serving.
Now that you have the recipe… do you dare to try it or make it yourself?
– SOUVLAKI
One of the most popular street foods. These are skewers of marinated meat, usually pork, chicken, or lamb, grilled and served with pita bread and tzatziki sauce.
For the skewers, you’ll need meat, olive oil, garlic cloves, lemon juice, oregano, sweet paprika, salt, and pepper. The skewers are usually wooden and should be soaked for 30 minutes beforehand. The meat is marinated with oil, garlic, lemon, oregano, paprika, salt, and pepper and left for 2 hours or overnight.
Once ready, the skewers are grilled for about 10 minutes until golden brown.
To serve, pita bread is used along with tzatziki sauce, which is made from Greek yogurt, grated cucumber, garlic, dill, lemon, and olive oil. Tomato slices, onion, and lettuce are also added.
You can also serve souvlaki on a plate with rice and salad instead of pita bread—whichever you prefer.
You’ll find many places where you can try this dish.
– GYROS
Another staple of Greek cuisine and daily life, this dish consists of roasted meat cooked on a vertical spit, similar to Turkish kebab or Arab shawarma.
Traditionally, pork is used, but there are also variations with chicken, lamb, or beef. It is marinated with spices like oregano, garlic, cumin, paprika, and olive oil. It is served with lightly toasted pita bread and filled with vegetables such as tomato, red onion, lettuce, and cucumber (though this can vary to taste). Finally, it is topped with tzatziki sauce, which is present in many Greek dishes.
Besides being enjoyed in pita bread, it is also served on a plate with pita bread on the side, along with fries, salad, and sauce.
You’ll find it in almost every eatery—it’s practically impossible to miss!
– DOLMADES
Also known as Dolmas, this dish is not only typical in Greece but also in the Middle East. Considered a Mediterranean delicacy, they are perfect as an appetizer or side dish.
They are grape leaves stuffed with a filling that typically includes rice, onion, garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, salt, pepper, fresh dill, parsley, and optionally, spices such as cumin and cinnamon, or pine nuts and sometimes raisins.
Vegetable broth or water is also used for cooking them.
The grape leaves are usually fresh and are boiled for 2-3 minutes to make them flexible. Once stuffed, they are cooked.
To cook them, they are placed tightly packed at the bottom of a pot to prevent them from unraveling, drizzled with some oil and lemon juice, and then covered with broth or water. A plate is placed on top to keep them submerged. They are cooked for about 50 minutes until the rice is well done.
They can be enjoyed either hot or cold and are usually served with tzatziki sauce or Greek yogurt with lemon.
A variation includes adding ground beef or lamb to the filling.
A Mediterranean bite full of flavor.
– SPANAKOPITA
This dish is a spinach and feta cheese pie wrapped in phyllo dough. A Greek classic, perfect as an appetizer, light meal, or side dish.
To make it, fresh spinach, crumbled feta cheese, ricotta or cottage cheese (optional but adds creaminess), chopped onion, garlic, olive oil, dill, parsley, beaten egg, salt, and pepper are used.
The ingredients are sautéed, and the spinach is cooked until all its water evaporates. Once ready, it is mixed with the cheeses, dill, parsley, beaten egg, salt, and pepper.
To assemble the dish before baking, several layers of phyllo dough with butter in between are placed, then the cooked filling, and finally, more layers of phyllo dough. It is baked for 45 minutes until the surface is golden and crispy, and it is left to rest before serving.
You can also find Spanakopita in individual triangle portions, making it easy to enjoy.
Other popular dishes include Fasolada, a traditional soup made with white beans, tomato, vegetables, and herbs—considered a humble yet very nutritious dish. If you’re looking for something fresher, there’s Horiatiki, popularly known as the Greek salad. For a heartier dish, try Kleftiko, which is lamb slowly roasted with lemon, garlic, and herbs.
And if you have a sweet tooth or are curious to try a Greek dessert, we recommend Baklava, a pastry made with phyllo dough, nuts, and honey syrup.
With a happy stomach, everything is better—so don’t miss out on these dishes on your next trip to Greece!