Cravings for Greek food in the summer just make sense. Mediterranean cooking places the ingredients that are abundant in American gardens and markets at this time of year—eggplant, tomatoes, zucchini, fresh greens and herbs—at the center of the table. Greek food also does a nice job balancing the need for a hearty dish with something that feels light enough to eat in the warm weather. Below, we’ve gathered all the best of the Greek mains, sides, and appetizers that we’ve featured on Serious Eats. Hopefully they feel like the trip to the Mediterranean you deserve this summer.
01 of 07
Credit: Serious Eats / Robby Lozano, Food Stylist: Ruth Skipworth, Prop Stylist: Josh Hoggle
Lagana is one of Greece’s most well-known breads, and now you can make it at home. A combination of tahini, durum, and whole wheat flour—plus a heavy coating of sesame seeds—give the bread an unparalleled nutty depth. Its sturdy, chewy texture makes it ideal for dipping into dips like skordalia, saucy sides like arakas, or soups like avgolemono (all featured below).
Get Recipe: Lagana (Greek Sesame Flatbread)
02 of 07
Credit: Serious Eats / Mateja Zvirotić Andrijanić-06
This rustic Greek staple appears often on taverna menus, as well as on tables at home. Simply braise peas, potatoes, and carrots in a hearty amount of olive oil and canned tomatoes. The olive oil beautifully blends with the starches in the vegetables, naturally thickening the sauce.
Get Recipe: Arakas (Greek Peas With Potatoes and Carrots)
03 of 07
Credit: Serious Eats / Mateja Zvirotić
Spanakorizo shows how a short list of ingredients can become something far more sophisticated than the sum of its parts. Cooking the rice in stock rather than water and using a generous amount of olive oil allows it to form a thick and glossy sauciness as the starches release in the rice, taking on a risotto-like texture. Silky slow-cooked greens further contribute to this luxurious texture, and lend bright green nutrition to the hearty side or light main.
Get Recipe: Spanakorizo (Greek Spinach and Rice)
04 of 07
Credit: Serious Eats / Qi Ai
A celebratory bread at its core, tsoureki is traditionally made for Greek Orthodox Easter to mark the end of Lent. That makes sense since the enriched dough is unapologetically abundant, using a balance of eggs, butter, and milk to create something that is at once rich, light, and structured.
Get Recipe: Tsoureki (Greek Easter Bread)
05 of 07
Credit: Serious Eats / Niedle Creative
The term revithia refers to a wide variety of chickpea-based soupy or stew-like dishes in Greek cuisine. This version relies on canned chickpeas for ease and leans into stew territory, calling for you to partially blend the soup midway through cooking.
Get Recipe: 5-Ingredient Greek Chickpea Stew (Revithia)
06 of 07
Credit: Serious Eats / Anh Nguyen
This classic garlic dip takes a few different forms in Greek cuisine and shows up on meze platters, as a side dish, or as a saucy accompaniment to meat dishes. This walnut version is a favorite of Greek home cooks, made simply by combining stale bread with walnuts, olive oil, vinegar, and plenty of garlic.
Get Recipe: Walnut Skordalia (Easy 5-Ingredient Greek Garlic Dip)
07 of 07
Credit: Serious Eats / Amanda Suarez
Moussaka strikes a rare balance between being deeply comforting and rich, but light enough that it doesn’t feel crazy to eat during the summer months. It’s endlessly craveable. In this version, you’ll combine lamb and beef for the meat sauce, making for a funkier, more complex savoriness that pairs well with the addition of warm spices. Fry your potatoes and eggplant to give them the ideal silky texture when the composed dish is baked.
Get Recipe: Moussaka Recipe
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