I learned these easy Greek recipes by cooking alongside home cooks and chefs across Greece, from Athens to Crete to the hills of Kyparissia. Once you try these dishes, I promise you’ll never need to order takeout again.
The Easy Recipes I Learned in Greece and Cook on Repeat
As someone who was born and raised on the Mediterranean and has devoted my career to sharing the heart of this sunny region through my cookbooks and recipes, I’ve learned that the most profound flavors usually come from the simplest ingredients.
And while my kitchen embraces the flavors of all 22 countries surrounding the Mediterranean sea, Greece is probably the one place I return to more than any other. My travels have taken me from the bustling markets of Athens to the sun-drenched shores of Crete and Santorini, into the quiet hills of Kyparissia, and through dozens of small towns and villages in between. Along the way, I’ve had the honor of cooking side-by-side with Greek home cooks and professional chefs alike—learning the soul of their kitchens one dish at a time.
In fact, I just came back from Greece! I was there for the olive harvest with our dear friends Spiros and Stavroula Kotsovolos. They produce our Greek extra virgin olive oils in the silver-green hills of Kyparissia. I couldn’t help but come home with a renewed love for the iconic Greek dishes I’ve loved for years.
What I Love About Cooking the Greek Way
What I love most about cooking the Greek way is how it turns the “humble” into something spectacular. It’s the magic of liquid-gold olive oil, a handful of wild oregano, and a squeeze of bright lemon.
This collection of easy Greek recipes represents the dishes I know by heart—the ones I’ve refined alongside local chefs and home cooks, and the ones I return to most often to feed my own family. I promise you: Once you start cooking like a Greek, you’ll never settle for a takeout gyro again.
Traditional Greek Food and Comfort Casseroles
Spanakopita (Greek Spinach Pie)
If there’s one dish that defines everyday Greek home cooking, it’s spanakopita. Crisp layers of phyllo give way to a savory filling of spinach, herbs, and feta, all layered together with olive oil. If you love this combination like I do, try these egg bites, or this gorgeous green spinach soup next.
Greek Meatballs (Keftedes)
Keftedes are the kind of recipe every Greek family claims as their own. These meatballs are seasoned simply—with mint, garlic, lemon, and warming spices—and fried until golden.
Shrimp Saganaki
A classic taverna dish that showcases Greece’s love of seafood. Juicy shrimp simmer in tomato sauce with feta and olive oil until everything melds together. Add some horta, Greek greens with lemon and garlic, for a light, unfussy dinner.
Biftekia (Baked Greek Beef Patties)
This homey dish, juicy beef patties baked with herbs and olive oil, baked until tender, is a Greek family favorite, and you’ll find them everywhere! They’re often served with lemon potatoes or a simple marousalata salad.
Favorite Greek Chicken Dishes
Greek Sheet-Pan Chicken
I came up with this recipe by watching Greek cooks cook. Chicken, vegetables, olives, and feta in one pan, seasoned generously with ladolemono, and roasted until the flavors concentrate and everything begins to caramelize. Simple and delicious.
Greek Chicken and Potatoes
Chicken roasts in herb-flecked olive oil alongside potatoes and wheels of lemon until everything is infused with flavor. This dish is pure Greek home cooking: simple and delicious. Add a crunchy and sweet bell pepper salad for a balanced dinner.
Greek Salad and Vegetarian Favorites
Traditional Greek Salad (Horiatiki)
This Greek salad contains no lettuce—just tomatoes, cucumbers, olives, feta, onion, and olive oil. When I first had horiatiki in Greece, it changed how I make salads forever, and it remains one of my favorite accompaniments for grilled salmon or marinated grilled chicken.
Spanakorizo (Greek Spinach Rice)
Rice with spinach, herbs, olive oil, and lemon makes a classic vegetarian dish that works as a main or a side. Try this version with cabbage, too!
Gigantes Plaki (Greek Baked Beans)
Giant white beans baked in cinnamon-scented tomato sauce are a staple of Greek vegetarian cooking. Slowly baked with olive oil and herbs, they become rich, tender, and deeply flavorful. All you need is some crusty bread!
Greek Potatoes with Lemon, Garlic, and Parmesan
These lemony roasted potatoes are served everywhere in Greece, and for good reason. Crispy edges, soft centers, and flavor that is both tart and savory make them irresistible.
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I would like to make your bifteki recipe. However, I can’t have gluten. Do you have a substitute for the panade? Do you know if you can make a panade with gluten free bread?
Thanks, Benita