The greeks have several bean dishes that can be served as main courses, and one of them is gigantes plaki. However, this vegetarian dish is most commonly served as an appetizer, accompanied with a chunk of feta and some hearty bread.
Gigantes Plaki
Pita Bread
Pita bread is typically used as a wrap for souvlaki and its toppings, but it is also delicious served with dips or as a substitute for fresh bread.
Although pita bread is readily available in stores, making your own at home is so satisfying and the taste is amazing!
Dolmades
Dolmades, or stuffed grape leaves, are vine leaves wrapped into little rolls and filled with rice, meat (optional), and fresh herbs. If you are making dolmades with meat, serve them warm with a simple lemon sauce or avgolemono.
You can easily substitute the meat with more rice. For vegetarian dolmades, serve them room temperature, squeeze some fresh lemon juice on top, and dip them into plain greek yogurt.
Cretan Salad
A Cretan salad is not limited to just a traditional greek salad with barley rusks. Some of the most delicious and innovative salads can be found in Crete — every restaurant we visited had their own special twist.
Fasolakia
This fasolakia recipe is a classic Greek green bean recipe, made with fresh green beans, tomatoes, onions, garlic, and olive oil. Simple and oh so good. Don’t rush the cooking time; the longer and slower you let the green beans simmer, the more delicious they’ll become. Fasolakia can be a main meal served with feta and fresh bread or a side dish served with fish or meat.
Keftedes
Keftedes are wonderful little meatballs made with ground beef, pork, parsley, mint, oregano, garlic, onion, and just a dash of lemon juice. Keftedes are perfect paired with tzatziki, a greek salad, and some fresh pita bread.
Portokalia me Meli
Portokalia me meli translates to oranges with honey. Fresh fruit has always been a staple in Greek cuisine, and most people think of watermelon as the most popular fruit of Greece. However, there are orange-producing regions of Greece, such as the Peloponnese and Western regions, where you will find oranges as the ‘star’.
It just takes a couple of minutes to make this beautiful and healthy dessert, as you only need a couple of oranges, honey, and a sprinkle of cinnamon.
Maroulosalata
What is maroulosalata? In Greek, marouli means lettuce, and salata means salad. This recipe is quick, easy, and most importantly delicious. The key is to have fresh ingredients on hand.
Kolokithokeftedes Zucchini Fritters
Kolokithokeftedes, or zucchini fritters, are the result of taking a fresh summer vegetable like zucchini and turning it into a golden, crisp, and delicious appetizer or meal.
Always accompanied by a healthy amount of tzatziki, these zucchini fritters are found all over Greece. However, they are most popular in Thessaloniki and the surrounding Central Macedonia region.
Olive Oil Fried Potatoes
There is nothing like the taste of olive oil fried potatoes. They are served all over Greece at every taverna, and are easy to make at home.
You don’t need a deep fryer – a regular frying pan will do.
Alevropita (Feta Flatbread)
Alevropita is a specialty of the Epirus region in Greece. This easy to make flatbread is dotted with salty feta, and uses ingredients you most likely already have in your pantry. Pair this flatbread with a greek salad and you’ve got a great lunch or a light supper.
Tzatziki
Tzatziki is a yogurt and cucumber dip that accompanies many greek dishes. The great thing about tzatziki is that it’s super easy to prepare. Just make sure you leave it in the fridge for a couple of hours to let the flavours come together.
Fava
Fava is a wonderful creamy dip or spread made with yellow split peas (not fava beans) and onions. Santorini is famous for its amazing fava! Serve it with chopped red onion, parsley, olive oil, and lots of bread.
Rice and Lentil Pilaf
Rice and lentil pilaf is a simple but hearty dish that can be eaten as a main meal with a dollop of greek yogurt or tzatziki, or as a side dish. I personally love it with a couple of fried eggs.