Food you must try at least once in your life.
Greece is a country that is rich in culture, history and food. Greece has one of the most unique cuisines in the world. Traditional Greek food has been influenced by other cultures such as the Byzantine Empire, Ottoman Empire and Western Europe.
Greek cuisine differs based on which part of Greece you are in; it varies depending on whether you are near the coast or higher up into the mountains because seasonal ingredients change.
In this post, I will explain to you what some of my favourite Greek foods are, why they taste so good and where you can eat them if you ever have a chance to visit Greece.
Koulouri (Greek Bagel)
Koulouri is a traditional Greek bread made with flour, olive oil, salt and water. It can be served with dips or eaten on its own. Koulouri can be made with wholemeal flour and white flour but traditionally it’s made from all-purpose flour. The most famous of all is the Koulouri Thessalonikis accompanied with cream cheese.
Souvlaki
Souvlaki is a popular Greek food that consists of pieces of meat, usually pork or chicken, grilled on a skewer. The meat is often served with pita bread and tzatziki sauce (a yogurt-based dip). Souvlaki can also be served on top of rice or potatoes instead of pita bread.
Gyros
Gyros is a Greek sandwich made of pita bread, lamb or pork, tomato, onion and tzatziki sauce. Gyros is a popular street food in Greece.
Gyros meat can be cooked on a vertical rotisserie by rotating it longitudinally and slowly roasting it over an open fire or charcoal grill. This method ensures that the juices are retained inside the meat while cooking them at the same time. It’s often served with French fries and topped off with tzatziki sauce (a mixture of yogurt and cucumber).
Kokoretsi
Kokoretsi, a dish made of intestines, heart and liver wrapped in a sheep’s stomach, is one of the most famous Greek foods.
It is traditionally served with lemon and oregano.
Feta cheese
Feta cheese is a white brined cheese made from sheep’s or goat’s milk in Greece. It has a crumbly texture, is salty, and has a tart taste with a hint of sweetness.
Feta can be eaten plain with bread or crackers. You can also add it to salads and pastas; make dips out of it; or even bake with it!
It is best stored in the fridge wrapped tightly in plastic wrap before opening the package again after use. If you have leftover feta cheese (which won’t happen) you could store this too but don’t forget about it because then it would go bad if not eaten within one week of buying it fresh from your local grocery store 🙂
Greek salad
If you’ve ever had Greek salad, or even just glanced at a picture of one, then you know that it’s all about the tomatoes.
They are the star of this dish, with cucumbers and onions taking up second place. Feta cheese is also common in Greek salads. Finally, olives and olive oil add flavour and texture to what would otherwise be a fairly plain mix of ingredients.
There are many different variations of Greek salad—some are more traditionally Greek than others (and some may not even be considered true Greek salads). A few examples include:
- Tzatziki sauce instead of feta cheese
- Garlic instead of dill as an herb
- Spinach in place of lettuce
Tzatziki
Tzatziki is a greek food that’s made from yoghurt, cucumber, garlic and olive oil. It’s used as a dip for pita bread or can be used as a topping for souvlaki (kebabs). Some people also use it as a sauce for kebabs.
Melitzanosalata
The first thing to know about melitzanosalata (mel-ee-tzah-nau-sal-AH-tah) is that it’s a dip made of eggplant, olive oil, garlic, lemon and salt. It’s not just one of the most popular Greek dips; it also happens to be healthy and low in calories. If you’re looking for an appetizer or snack to keep on hand at all times—especially over the holidays—this is it.
Here’s how you make it: Slice an eggplant into 1/4 inch rounds and sprinkle each slice with salt as soon as you take it out of the oven (the salt helps draw out moisture). Let them sit for about 30 minutes before draining any excess liquid from them by laying them on a paper towel–lined plate or baking sheet over another plate or pan overnight (ideally 12 hours).
In a food processor fitted with an adjustable blade attachment, combine all ingredients except dried mint leaves until smooth; season with additional salt if needed; chill until ready to serve. Garnish with dried mint leaves before serving.
Loukoumades
Loukoumades (loo-koo-MADE-es) are one of the most popular Greek desserts, especially during holidays and festivals. They are balls of dough that are fried in olive oil and then soaked in honey or other sweet toppings like whipped cream, Nutella, or vanilla sauce.
These fluffy treats are so popular with everyone that they may just make your top 10 list for best taste!
Baklava
Baklava is a rich, sweet pastry made of layers of filo filled with chopped nuts and sweetened with syrup. It is a traditional Greek dessert and popular in the Middle East as well.
The most common filling is walnuts or pistachios, but other nuts may be used such as almonds and hazelnuts. The syrup used can be plain sugar syrup, honey or rose water (a Persian delicacy).
Baklava has many names depending on where you are: baklava in Turkey, bakhlava in Arabic countries (although this word comes from the Turkish), paskalya kadaifi in Greece and phyllo pastry in English speaking countries.
Greece is a country that is rich in culture, history and food.
Greece is a country that is rich in culture, history and food. Greek food is a combination of the food from the many different cultures that have inhabited Greece over the years.
The Greeks were one of the earliest civilizations to grow olives and cultivate grapes for making wine, which became part of their culture well before the Christian era. They were also among those first civilizations to domesticate animals such as cattle and sheep – giving rise to another classic Greek dish: roast lamb with garlic sauce.
It’s no surprise that the people of Greece are known for their love of good food. Greeks enjoy eating traditional dishes like moussaka, spanakopita and souvlaki. They also have an affinity for sweets such as baklava or loukoumades (honey puffs).
These foods can be found throughout Greece but some regions specialize in certain dishes which may not be available elsewhere. For example, meatballs with rice pilaf are popular on the island of Crete while lamb chops made from locally raised lambs are served with fresh vegetables at family-owned tavernas.
