Search Everything in One Place

Explore the web, images, videos, news, and more – all in one place.

Foodanddrink

13 Greek side dishes that go with just about everything

Serious Eats / Vicky Wasik
Credit: Serious Eats / Vicky Wasik

Have your very own Mediterranean feast at home with these 13 Greek-inspired sides.

Have your very own Mediterranean feast at home with these 13 Greek-inspired sides.

I don’t know about you, but I could use a Greek vacation. Unfortunately, I have no plans to travel to Greece anytime soon. That, however, doesn’t mean I can’t enjoy Greek flavors from the comfort of my home. Many Mediterranean dishes are light, vibrant, and packed with fresh produce like eggplant, tomatoes, zucchini, and herbs—perfect for summer. Below, you’ll find our favorite Greek sides, including comforting potatoes with halloumi, zucchini fritters, and a refreshing Greek salad. These sides pair well with almost anything, but for a Mediterranean-inspired feast, serve them alongside hearty moussaka, chicken souvlaki, or grilled fish.

01 of 13

Lemony Broiled Potatoes With Halloumi Cheese

7 Easy Summer Side Dishes That Belong Next to Every Burger
Credit: Serious Eats / StacyK. Allen,Food-Stylist Julian-Hensarling, Prop-Stylist-Josh-Hoggle

This clever take on potatoes au gratin draws inspiration from a classic Greek potato preparation: potatoes roasted with plenty of lemon juice. Instead of layering thick slices or chunks of potato, you’ll slice them paper-thin, arrange them in a cast iron skillet with olive oil, then top them with salty halloumi. The result is a golden, cheesy dish you’ll always want more of.

Get Recipe: Lemony Broiled Potatoes With Halloumi Cheese

02 of 13

Chaniotiko Boureki (Greek Potato, Zucchini, and Cheese Pie)

A serving of Greek boureki on a plate with a fork a tray of boureki in the background
Credit: Serious Eats / Stacy K. Allen, Food Stylist: Julian Hensarling, Prop Stylist: Josh Hoggle

Boureki preparations vary widely around Greece. This version is a specialty of Chania, the western region of Crete. Layers of potatoes, zucchini, and cheese are topped with a sheet of flaky homemade pastry, creating a dish that falls somewhere between a savory vegetable pie and rustic casserole.

Get Recipe: Chaniotiko Boureki (Greek Potato, Zucchini, and Cheese Pie)

03 of 13

Greek Chickpea Fritters (Revithokeftedes)

Plate of fried chickpea fritters with lemon wedges on the side
Credit: Serious Eats / Stacy K. Allen, Food Stylist: Julian Hensarling, Prop Stylist: Josh Hoggle

These Greek chickpea fritters, known as revithokeftedes, are crisp, fluffy, herb-packed, and easy to make with pantry staples.

Get Recipe: Greek Chickpea Fritters (Revithokeftedes)

04 of 13

Lagana (Greek Sesame Flatbread)

A sheet of freshly baked focaccia on a surface surrounded by bowls of hummus and olives
Credit: Serious Eats / Robby Lozano, Food Stylist: Ruth Skipworth, Prop Stylist: Josh Hoggle

Lagana is traditionally associated with Clean Monday, the first day of Lent in the Greek Orthodox tradition. Tahini, durum flour, and whole wheat give the bread a rich nuttiness and lightly chewy texture that makes it especially good for tearing and serving alongside soups, salads, and classic Greek mezze.

Get Recipe: Lagana (Greek Sesame Flatbread)

05 of 13

Arakas (Greek Peas With Potatoes and Carrots)

A pot of cooked peas potatoes and other vegetables
Credit: Serious Eats / Mateja Zvirotić Andrijanić-06

Arakas is a staple of Greek home cooking. The simple braise consists of peas, potatoes, and carrots gently cooked in olive oil that’s then often finished with tomato. Served with feta and plenty of crusty bread it’s humble and deeply comforting.

Get Recipe: Arakas (Greek Peas With Potatoes and Carrots)

06 of 13

Spanakorizo (Greek Spinach and Rice)

A dish of spanakorizo garnished with lemon slices
Credit: Serious Eats / Mateja Zvirotić

To make this easy, comforting dish, gently cook rice, greens, olive oil, alliums, and broth until it’s saucy and spoonable, then finish it with a drizzle of olive oil and a generous squeeze of lemon juice.

Get Recipe: Spanakorizo (Greek Spinach and Rice)

07 of 13

5-Ingredient Greek Chickpea Stew (Revithia)

A bowl of chickpea stew garnished with herbs and oil served in a decorative plate
Credit: Serious Eats / Niedle Creative

This interpretation of Greek chickpea stew is warming, deeply comforting, and requires just five ingredients. To make it, simmer chickpeas with aromatics, partially blend the stew midway through cooking, then top with olive oil and lemon juice.

Get Recipe: 5-Ingredient Greek Chickpea Stew (Revithia)

08 of 13

Patates Lemonates (Greek Lemon Potatoes)

Closeup of a serving plate of Greek lemon potatoes.
Credit: Vicky Wasik

Here are Greek potatoes in their most classic form: roasted until they’re crispy on the outside and meltingly tender on the inside, while soaking up a vibrant mixture of lemon, garlic, herbs, and stock.

Get Recipe: Patates Lemonates (Greek Lemon Potatoes)

09 of 13

Kolokithokeftedes (Greek Zucchini Fritters) with Tzatziki

A plate of fritters stacked on a floralpatterned dish served with a side of yogurt sauce and a knife
Credit: Serious Eats / Melati Citrawireja

Even if you don’t love zucchini, you probably love zucchini fritters that are crisp on the outside and tender within. Fresh dill brings a herbaceous kick, a touch of ground nutmeg adds a hint of warmth, and crumbled feta gives the fritters a wonderfully salty, tangy flavor.

Get Recipe: Kolokithokeftedes (Greek Zucchini Fritters) with Tzatziki

10 of 13

Avgolemono Soup (Greek Lemon-Egg Chicken Soup)

Overhead view of Avgolemono Soup
Credit: Serious Eats / Morgan Hunt Glaze, Food Stylist: Margaret Monroe Dickey, Prop Stylist: Claire Spollen

Avgolemono is a mixture of eggs and lemon used to thicken soups and sauces in Greece, and here it’s used to make a tangy and creamy chicken soup. Tempering the hot broth into the eggs before adding the eggs back to the broth ensures they won’t scramble, and slowly poaching the chicken breast delivers tender, juicy meat.

Get Recipe: Avgolemono Soup (Greek Lemon-Egg Chicken Soup)

11 of 13

Horiatiki (Greek Salad)

20170814-greek-salad-vicky-wasik-8.jpg
Credit: Vicky Wasik

This version of Greek salad combines traditional and non-traditional elements, and features peak summer tomatoes, refreshing cucumbers, briny black olives, and quick-pickled onions that add pops of acidity. Don’t skip the ultimate topper: slabs of feta.

Get Recipe: Horiatiki (Greek Salad)

12 of 13

Spanakopita (Greek Savory Greens Pie)

Profile closeup of a slice of spanakopita, served on a speckled ceramic plate.
Credit: Vicky Wasik

For a twist on the classic, this version of Greek spanakopita uses an assortment of greens and tender herbs in addition to spinach. Massaging the greens and combining them with warm sautéed aromatics wilts them sufficiently, eliminating the need for precooking. For large curds of feta that run through the pie, gentle fold the crumbled cheese into the greens.

Get Recipe: Spanakopita (Greek Savory Greens Pie)

13 of 13

Saganaki With Walnut Vinaigrette (Greek Pan-Fried Cheese)

20180615-saganaki-pan-seared-greek-cheese-vicky-wasik-14
Credit: Photographs and video: Vicky Wasik

Fried cheese. Need we say more? Pan-fry kasseri or halloumi cheese until it’s crisp and golden, then top it with a tangy walnut vinaigrette and a pile of fresh parsley. Drop it in the center of the table with crusty bread, vegetables, and crackers and watch it disappear.

Get Recipe: Saganaki With Walnut Vinaigrette (Greek Pan-Fried Cheese)

Read the original article on Serious Eats

Read full story on Serious Eats

Related News

More stories you might be interested in.

Top