37 Greek Recipes You’ll Want to Make Again and Again
Updated: Jun. 09, 2024
You don't need to go to a restaurant to satisfy your Greek food cravings. From chicken souvlaki for dinner to flaky baklava for dessert, Greek recipes are surprisingly easy to whip up at home.
So you’re dreaming of a vacation to the Greek Isles. The clear blue ocean, the salty breeze and the fresh-caught seafood and flaky pastries all come to mind.
Before donning your apron and firing up your stove, stock up on real olive oil (not the fake stuff), and choose the right types of herbs for Grecian cuisine. Most Mediterranean herbs and spices can be used in various global recipes, so they’ll get a lot of use if you like experimenting in the kitchen. Once you find your favorites, the Mediterranean diet might become part of your weekly dinner routine!
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Chicken Souvlaki Pitas
These kabobs taste even better in the summer. If you want to meal prep: Store the tzatziki sauce, kabobs and pita separately, then assemble everything into a sandwich. Serve with a simple Greek salad.
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Moussaka
Traditional moussaka often uses lamb as the meat filling, but this twist uses ground beef. Like the Greek version of lasagna, layers of eggplant, potato and tomato make it hearty and delicious.
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Lamb Pitas with Yogurt Sauce
A slow cooker helps create this delicious lamb sandwich. If you end up with extra meat, you can freeze it. Allow the lamb mixture to cool, then place it into a freezer-safe container. When you’re ready to eat, thaw it partially in the refrigerator overnight, then heat it in a saucepan.
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Baklava
This quintessential Greek dessert is a bit time-intensive, but it’s so worth it. The recipe makes four dozen triangles, so be ready to share with your friends and family.
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Greek Sheet-Pan Chicken
If you love cooking dinner but hate doing dishes, this is the meal for you. The chicken thighs, peppers, artichokes and other veggies all cook in the same pan, so you’ll spend less time cooking and more time eating. This Greek salad dressing is our favorite vinaigrette to use with Greek sheet-pan chicken.
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Whipped Feta Dip
Now this is a dip for when you’re really looking to impress your guests. You don’t have to tell them that it only takes 10 minutes to make.
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Kourabiedes (Greek Butter Cookies)
These buttery crescent cookies dusted with confectioners’ sugar are the greatest way to end a meal. Best of all, they’ll keep for a couple of weeks in an airtight container—if they’re not gone by then.
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Nikki's Perfect Pastitsio
This easier version of a classic Greek recipe still requires a homemade bechamel sauce, so it’s best for intermediate cooks. To save time, don’t drain the beef or onions after you cook them. The sauce will be slightly richer, but because sirloin is lean, there shouldn’t be much fat in the pan.
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Best Hummus
Sure, you could buy store-bought hummus. But when you see how easy it is to make, you’ll always want to make it from scratch. Note that most of the ingredients are pantry staples, but you will need to track down some tahini in the international aisle of your grocery store or a specialty market.
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Avgolemono Soup
Whether you’re sick with a cold or just want a warm hug in a bowl, this traditional Greek soup will hit the spot. The recipe requires you to make your own chicken broth, so it’s best for a lazy afternoon. We promise it’s worth it if you have the time.
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Gyros
Yes, you can make gyros without a rotisserie! Look for ground beef with 15% fat or more when you’re buying the ingredients for this recipe. The higher the fat content, the more moist the inside of the meat will be while maintaining a nice crispy outside.
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Cannellini Bean Hummus
Whirl white kidney beans, lemon juice, garlic and spices in a food processor, then try not to eat the whole thing while you’re waiting for your guests to arrive. Serve with veggies, pita bread or chips.
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Greek Roasted Chicken and Potatoes
Believe it or not, this showstopper requires only 10 minutes of prep time. Serve it when you really want to impress for a special occasion or Sunday night dinner.
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Dad's Greek Salad
This quick and easy salad is great for lunch or dinner and goes with pretty much anything. Add croutons, chicken, avocado or chickpeas to make it even more filling.
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Greek Donuts
Greek recipes aren’t all savory! Also known as loukoumades, these irresistible donuts are made with honey and chopped walnuts. Mix up the dough the night before you fry them to make the process a little easier.
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Greek-Style Lentil Soup
Most Greek recipes are packed with vegetables, and this hearty lentil soup is no different. You’ll also find a surprise ingredient we don’t usually see in soup: olives! Check out our taste test to find the best olive brands.
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Nana's Dolmades with Avgolemono Sauce
Dolmades aren’t the type of dish you can rush through right before dinner. They take time, but your hard work will pay delicious dividends.
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Greek Beef Pitas
Our readers say the pita sandwiches are just as good if you substitute ground turkey or vegetarian crumbles. And because Greek recipes wouldn’t feel complete without them, add some olives to the mix.
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Greek Holiday Cookies
Of all the Greek Easter recipes, these swirly cookies might be the most fun (and simple) to make. Butter, eggs, orange juice, flour and vanilla extract join forces to create a festive, flavorful cookie you’ll want to bake year after year.
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Greek Spaghetti
Imagine slurping up this summery dish al fresco on a warm night. You can even make the recipe a night or two ahead of time, then reheat it when you’re ready to serve.
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Mediterranean Braised Chicken Thighs
Chicken thighs tend to be juicier and more flavorful than chicken breasts, and these are no exception. Capers and pitted Greek olives (like Kalamata) give the recipe an added briny tang we can’t get enough of.
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Traditional Pita Bread
If your pita bread isn’t puffing up as much as you’d like, you probably aren’t heating it quickly enough. Use an oven thermometer to make sure it’s the right temperature (sometimes the oven’s sensors aren’t accurate).
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Melomakarona
Bake these traditional Greek Christmas cookies during the holidays or anytime you want something sweet. The secret ingredient, cognac, is optional.
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Mediterranean Kofta Meatballs
Serve these meatballs over rice, with pita bread or even on top of a salad. And because they take only 25 minutes to make, you can make them any night of the week. Here are more fresh mint recipes to use up any of the leftover herb.
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Tomato Feta Salad
This simple and flavorful salad will be the hit of the barbecue thanks to its salty sweetness. You can serve it alongside pretty much anything, from tzatziki potato salad to grilled fish recipes.
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Rosemary Lamb Chops
This warm and cozy winter dish gets its flavor from fresh herbs, not pounds of butter. For this recipe, ask for loin lamb chops at the meat counter.
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Greek Tomato Soup with Orzo
Often, homemade soup takes hours to prepare. Luckily, this delicious soup is ready in just 25 minutes from start to finish.
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Stuffed-Olive Cod
If you tend to shy away from cooking fish at home because it seems too complicated, dip your toes in with this easy, seven-ingredient fish dish. The fillets cook quickly in a skillet with the other ingredients, so it’s one of those Greek recipes that’s practically foolproof.
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Greek Pita Spread
Whether they’re scooping it up with veggies, spreading it on pita bread or eating it on a bagel for brunch, your guests won’t be able to stop raving about this creamy spread. If you don’t have a large serving plate, use two pie plates.
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Tzatziki Potato Salad
A jar of store-bought tzatziki sauce makes this shortcut recipe extra quick and easy. Prep it in 25 minutes, then pop it in the fridge until you’re ready to dig in.
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Chicken Artichoke Skillet
If just thinking of cooking artichokes makes your palms sweat (the trimming! the steaming!), don’t worry. Luckily, you’ll only need a can of marinated artichoke hearts to pull off this recipe.
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Herb-Roasted Olives & Tomatoes
This eight-ingredient wonder is a great Greek-inspired side dish, but you could use it as a flavorful topping for pasta or chicken. Make crispy baguettes if you want to serve as an appetizer.
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Tzatziki Chicken
Make this chicken in the air fryer to save some time. Just follow our directions for how to cook a chicken cutlet in the air fryer, then make the tzatziki sauce as directed.
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Lemon-Garlic Lima Beans
Serve these beans as a warm salad, or pulse them in a food processor and eat them as a hummus-style bean dip. With 16 grams of protein per half cup serving, you can’t go wrong.
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Roasted Greek Potatoes with Feta Cheese
Feta makes everything better, and buttery roasted potatoes are no exception. If you can’t find dried oregano, a dried Italian seasoning works great too.
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Greek Isle Pizza
It might not be authentic, but this is a comfort food mashup we don’t want to pass up. This delicious homemade pizza can be on the table in just 30 minutes.
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Lemon and Coriander Greek Yogurt
If you’ve never made your own yogurt, now is the time to try. You’ll only need five ingredients and a little bit of patience to seriously impress your friends.Originally Published: May 08, 2018
