332 Greek and Cypriot recipes · Every dish with its Greek nameCyprus · Crete · The Cyclades · Epirus · The Peloponnese · The Mainland · Asia Minor
Kalliopi's KitchenGreek food recipes

Yiayia's Greek food recipes · 332 dishes

Traditional Greek recipes, straight out of Yiayia Kalliopi's kitchen

Every dish with its Greek name, its region and the reasoning behind each step. Not a list of instructions, an explanation of why the dish works and what usually goes wrong.

MainsMeze and AppetisersSaladsSoupsSide DishesBreads and PiesDessertsBreakfastDips and SaucesDrinks
Salt the aubergines even if the packet says you do not need to.Yiayia
A tray of Greek moussaka with a browned bechamel top, one square lifted out

Start here

Moussaka, and why yours goes watery

Μουσακάς moo-sah-KAHS · 1h 55m · serves 8

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The dishes people come forAll 332 recipes
A bowl of thick white tzatziki with olive oil pooled on top and a sprig of dillTzatzikiTzatziki ΤζατζίκιDips and Sauces · 15m · serves 6A Greek village salad with tomato wedges, cucumber, red onion and a whole slab of feta topped with oreganoGreek SaladHoriatiki salata Χωριάτικη σαλάταSalads · 12m · serves 4A tray of spanakopita cut into squares showing green spinach filling under crisp golden phylloSpanakopitaSpanakopita ΣπανακόπιταBreads and Pies · 1h 30m · serves 8Charred pork souvlaki skewers on a wooden board with lemon wedges and oreganoPork SouvlakiSouvlaki ΣουβλάκιMain Courses · 32m · serves 4A slice of pastitsio showing distinct layers of pasta, meat sauce and golden bechamelPastitsioPastitsio ΠαστίτσιοMain Courses · 1h 40m · serves 8
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Region · 36 recipes

The Cypriot table, written out in full

Cyprus is its own culinary country: halloumi, flaounes, koupepia, souvla cooked slowly over coals, and a spice cabinet that leans on cinnamon and dried coriander.

All Cypriot recipesFree ebook: Taste of Cyprus
Map of the Greek world with Cyprus highlighted
Cypriot koupepia stuffed vine leaves arranged on a plate with lemonCypriot Stuffed Vine Leaves with MeatKoupepia ΚουπέπιαMain Courses · 1h 50m · serves 6Grilled Cypriot sheftalia sausages wrapped in caul fat with charred edgesCypriot Sausages in Caul FatSheftalia ΣεφταλιάMain Courses · 45m · serves 6Cypriot flaounes cheese pastries with a golden sesame-topped crustCypriot Easter Cheese PastriesFlaounes ΦλαούνεςBreads and Pies · 2h 5m · serves 16Cypriot afelia pork in a dark red wine and coriander seed sauceCypriot Pork in Red Wine and CorianderAfelia ΑφέλιαMain Courses · 1h 30m · serves 4Slow-cooked Greek lamb kleftiko falling off the bone with potatoes and lemonKleftikoKleftiko ΚλέφτικοMain Courses · 4h 25m · serves 6Golden grilled halloumi slices with lemon wedges and dried mintGrilled HalloumiHalloumi ΧαλλούμιMeze and Appetisers · 11m · serves 4
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Course · 103 recipes

Main courses

The dishes a Greek table is built around: baked pastitsio and moussaka, slow stews, roast lamb, and the one-pan ladera that carry a whole meal on their own.

All mains
A tray of Greek moussaka with a browned bechamel top, one square lifted outMoussakaMousakas ΜουσακάςMain Courses · 1h 55m · serves 8Charred pork souvlaki skewers on a wooden board with lemon wedges and oreganoPork SouvlakiSouvlaki ΣουβλάκιMain Courses · 32m · serves 4A slice of pastitsio showing distinct layers of pasta, meat sauce and golden bechamelPastitsioPastitsio ΠαστίτσιοMain Courses · 1h 40m · serves 8A dish of baked giant beans in a rich orange tomato sauce with parsley and olive oilBaked Giant Beans in TomatoGigantes plaki Γίγαντες πλακίMain Courses · 2h 5m · serves 6Thin strips of crisped pork gyros piled in a warm pita with tomato, onion and tzatzikiPork GyrosGyros ΓύροςMain Courses · 2h · serves 6A tray of baked stuffed tomatoes and peppers with browned tops and potato wedges between themGemistaGemista ΓεμιστάMain Courses · 2h 10m · serves 6A tray of collapsed roasted Greek vegetables, browned at the edges and glossy with olive oilBriamBriam ΜπριάμMain Courses · 2h · serves 6Thin slices of veal in a pale garlic and parsley sauce with rice alongsideVeal in Garlic and Vinegar SauceSofrito ΣοφρίτοMain Courses · 1h 35m · serves 4

Course · 52 recipes

Desserts

Syrup-soaked pastries, spoon sweets, custards and cookies. Greek desserts lean on honey, semolina, nuts and citrus far more than on chocolate or cream.

All desserts
Diamond-cut baklava pieces glossy with honey syrup, studded with walnuts and a cloveBaklavaBaklavas ΜπακλαβάςDesserts · 1h 45m · serves 24A bowl of golden loukoumades glossy with honey, dusted with cinnamon and chopped walnutsLoukoumadesLoukoumades ΛουκουμάδεςDesserts · 45m · serves 6A square of galaktoboureko showing thick yellow custard between crisp golden phylloGalaktobourekoGalaktoboureko ΓαλακτομπούρεκοDesserts · 1h 30m · serves 12Oval honey-soaked Greek Christmas cookies topped with chopped walnutsMelomakaronaMelomakarona ΜελομακάροναDesserts · 1h 5m · serves 30Greek kourabiedes cookies buried under thick icing sugar on a plateKourabiedesKourabiedes ΚουραμπιέδεςDesserts · 52m · serves 30Strings of Cypriot soutzoukos grape must candy hanging to setCypriot Grape Must and Almond CandySoutzoukos ΣουτζιούκοςDesserts · 1h 40m · serves 12Cypriot mahalepi milk pudding topped with rose syrup and crushed pistachiosMahalepiMahalepi ΜαχαλεπίDesserts · 30m · serves 6Cubes of Cyprus delight loukoumia dusted in icing sugar on a plateCyprus Delights, Rose and MasticLoukoumia ΛουκούμιαDesserts · 1h 30m · serves 30
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Course · 37 recipes

Meze and appetisers

Meze is not a starter course so much as a way of eating: many small plates, all arriving at once, meant to be picked at slowly over a long conversation.

All meze and appetisers
A plate of golden brown Greek meatballs with lemon wedges and fresh mintKeftedesKeftedes ΚεφτέδεςMeze and Appetisers · 45m · serves 6A slice of golden fried Greek cheese in a small pan with a lemon wedgeSaganakiSaganaki ΣαγανάκιMeze and Appetisers · 15m · serves 4Charred grilled octopus tentacles dressed with olive oil, vinegar and oreganoGrilled OctopusHtapodi sta karvouna Χταπόδι στα κάρβουναMeze and Appetisers · 1h 30m · serves 4Golden grilled halloumi slices with lemon wedges and dried mintGrilled HalloumiHalloumi ΧαλλούμιMeze and Appetisers · 11m · serves 4Rolled stuffed vine leaves arranged in a dish with lemon wedges and olive oilDolmadesDolmades ΝτολμάδεςMeze and Appetisers · 1h 50m · serves 8Golden Greek courgette fritters piled on a plate with tzatziki and lemonCourgette Fritters with FetaKolokithokeftedes ΚολοκυθοκεφτέδεςMeze and Appetisers · 55m · serves 6Crisp Rhodian chickpea fritters piled on paper with lemon wedgesRhodes Chickpea and Tomato FrittersPitaroudia ΠιταρούδιαMeze and Appetisers · 45m · serves 6Golden fried Cypriot koupes bulgur shells on a plate with lemonCypriot Bulgur Shells Stuffed with MeatKoupes ΚούπεςMeze and Appetisers · 1h 40m · serves 8

Course · 25 recipes

Breads and pies

Pita, koulouri, village loaves and the whole family of savoury pies wrapped in phyllo. This is where Greek home baking is at its most confident.

All breads and pies
A tray of spanakopita cut into squares showing green spinach filling under crisp golden phylloSpanakopitaSpanakopita ΣπανακόπιταBreads and Pies · 1h 30m · serves 8A square of Greek cheese pie with crisp layered phyllo and a pale creamy fillingTiropitaTiropita ΤυρόπιταBreads and Pies · 1h 15m · serves 8Cypriot flaounes cheese pastries with a golden sesame-topped crustCypriot Easter Cheese PastriesFlaounes ΦλαούνεςBreads and Pies · 2h 5m · serves 16A golden spiral tahinopita bread dusted with sesame seedsCypriot Lenten Tahini Spiral BreadTahinopita ΤαχινόπιταBreads and Pies · 1h 10m · serves 8A golden braided Greek tsoureki Easter bread with a red egg tucked inTsourekiTsoureki ΤσουρέκιBreads and Pies · 1h 30m · serves 12A rustic loaf of Epirus batzina cornbread with greensEpirus Cornbread with GreensBatzina ΜπατζίναBreads and Pies · 55m · serves 8A Pontic Greek peinirli boat-shaped cheese bread fresh from the ovenPontic Boat-Shaped Cheese BreadPeinirli ΠεϊνιρλίBreads and Pies · 2h · serves 4Kefalonia kreatopita meat pie in golden phyllo, slicedKefalonia Spiced Meat PieKefalonitiki kreatopita Κεφαλονίτικη κρεατόπιταBreads and Pies · 2h · serves 8

Course · 21 recipes

Soups

From avgolemono thickened with egg and lemon to the bean soup that counts as the unofficial national dish, Greek soups are frugal, filling and built on pantry staples.

All soups
A bowl of pale golden avgolemono soup with shredded chicken, rice and a lemon wedgeAvgolemono SoupKotosoupa avgolemono Κοτόσουπα αυγολέμονοSoups · 1h 30m · serves 6A bowl of thick Greek white bean soup with carrot and celery, olive oil pooled on the surfaceFasoladaFasolada ΦασολάδαSoups · 1h 45m · serves 6A bowl of thick Greek lentil soup with olive oil and a small jug of vinegarLentil Soup with VinegarFakes ΦακέςSoups · 1h 7m · serves 6A bowl of Greek magiritsa Easter soup with fresh dillEaster Offal and Herb SoupMagiritsa ΜαγειρίτσαSoups · 2h 30m · serves 8A bowl of Greek trahanas soup, thick and rusticTrahanas SoupSoupa trahana Σούπα τραχανάSoups · 30m · serves 4A bowl of Greek giouvarlakia meatball soup in avgolemono sauceMeatball Soup in AvgolemonoGiouvarlakia ΓιουβαρλάκιαSoups · 1h 15m · serves 6A bowl of Greek kotosoupa avgolemono chicken and rice soupChicken and Rice SoupKotosoupa avgolemono Κοτόσουπα αυγολέμονοSoups · 1h 50m · serves 6A bowl of Greek psarosoupa fish soup with avgolemonoFish SoupPsarosoupa ΨαρόσουπαSoups · 1h 10m · serves 6
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Cook by regionGreek food changes completely from one part of the country to the nextAll regions
Map of the Greek world with Mainland Greek Classics highlightedThe MainlandThe dishes that belong to no single region because they belong to all of them: moussaka, souvlaki, gemista,...Map of the Greek world with Cypriot Recipes highlightedCyprusCyprus is its own culinary country: halloumi, flaounes, koupepia, souvla cooked slowly over coals, and a...Map of the Greek world with Cretan Recipes highlightedCreteCretan cooking is the archetype the Mediterranean diet was actually modelled on.Map of the Greek world with Santorini and Cycladic Recipes highlightedThe CycladesVolcanic soil and almost no rain gave the Cyclades their own ingredients: Santorini's tiny intense tomatoes,...Map of the Greek world with Epirus Recipes highlightedEpirusMountain food from the northwest: pies above all, made with hand-rolled phyllo, plus dairy from a region that...Map of the Greek world with Northern Greek and Macedonian Recipes highlightedNorthern GreeceThe north eats differently: more peppers, more paprika, more pork, more pastry.Map of the Greek world with Asia Minor and Pontic Recipes highlightedAsia MinorBrought to Greece by refugees after 1922 and now fully naturalised.Map of the Greek world with Rhodes and Dodecanese Recipes highlightedThe DodecaneseThe Dodecanese sit close enough to Asia Minor to have absorbed its spicing, and produce chickpea dishes,...Map of the Greek world with Corfu and Ionian Recipes highlightedCorfu and the IonianFour centuries of Venetian rule left the Ionian islands with a cuisine no other part of Greece has: sofrito,...Map of the Greek world with Peloponnese Recipes highlightedPeloponneseOlive country, and the source of Kalamata olives and much of Greece's best oil.
OccasionsChristmas · Easter · Lent and Nistisima · The Sunday Table · Taverna Night · Mezedes and Ouzo · The Summer Table · Name DaysDietVegetarian · Vegan · Gluten-Free · Dairy-Free · High-Protein · Mediterranean Diet Recipes
Yiayia Kalliopi and family making phyllo together in her kitchen
Making phyllo at home, the way it has always been done.

Yiayia's column

Not a list of instructions. An explanation of why the dish works.

Every recipe here explains the reasoning, not just the sequence: why the aubergines are salted, why the sauce is cooked drier than feels right, what goes wrong and how you would know. Times are ranges, doneness cues use your senses, and grams lead.

About Yiayia Kalliopi
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