Course

Greek 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.

Greek cooking organises itself around the table rather than around courses in the French sense. Dishes arrive together, plates are shared, and the distinction between a starter and a main is often a matter of how much of it there is. The grouping below is a practical one for cooking from, not a rule anyone in Greece would recognise.

The dishes filed here include Mousakas, Souvlaki, Pastitsio, Gigantes plaki, Gyros and Gemista. Each one is written out in full, with the reasoning behind each step rather than just the sequence, because the difference between a good version and a poor one is almost always in the detail that recipes leave out.

Every recipe on Kalliopi's Kitchen carries the dish's Greek name and a pronunciation, its region where that is meaningful, ingredient quantities in both metric and imperial, and an honest note on what commonly goes wrong. Nutrition figures are calculated estimates and are labelled as such.

Greek Main Courses

93 recipes on the site so far.

A tray of Greek moussaka with a browned bechamel top, one square lifted out Greek Main CoursesGreek Moussaka Μουσακάς · 1h 55m · serves 8 Charred pork souvlaki skewers on a wooden board with lemon wedges and oregano Greek Main CoursesGreek Pork Souvlaki Σουβλάκι · 32m · serves 4 A slice of pastitsio showing distinct layers of pasta, meat sauce and golden bechamel Greek Main CoursesGreek Pastitsio Παστίτσιο · 1h 40m · serves 8 A dish of baked giant beans in a rich orange tomato sauce with parsley and olive oil Greek Main CoursesGigantes Plaki Γίγαντες πλακί · 2h 5m · serves 6 Thin strips of crisped pork gyros piled in a warm pita with tomato, onion and tzatziki Greek Main CoursesGreek Pork Gyros Γύρος · 2h · serves 6 A tray of baked stuffed tomatoes and peppers with browned tops and potato wedges between them Greek Main CoursesGemista Γεμιστά · 2h 10m · serves 6 A tray of collapsed roasted Greek vegetables, browned at the edges and glossy with olive oil Greek Main CoursesBriam Μπριάμ · 2h · serves 6 Thin slices of veal in a pale garlic and parsley sauce with rice alongside Greek Main CoursesCorfu Sofrito Σοφρίτο · 1h 35m · serves 4 Slow-cooked Greek lamb kleftiko falling off the bone with potatoes and lemon Greek Main CoursesGreek Kleftiko Κλέφτικο · 4h 25m · serves 6 Prawns baked in tomato sauce with melting feta and parsley in a small pan Greek Main CoursesGarides Saganaki Γαρίδες σαγανάκι · 37m · serves 4 A pot of Greek beef stifado with whole small onions in a dark cinnamon-spiced sauce Greek Main CoursesGreek Stifado Στιφάδο · 3h · serves 6 Greek Main CoursesHirino me Selino Χοιρινό με σέλινο · 2h 5m · serves 6 Cypriot koupepia stuffed vine leaves arranged on a plate with lemon Greek Main CoursesKoupepia Κουπέπια · 1h 50m · serves 6 Grilled Cypriot sheftalia sausages wrapped in caul fat with charred edges Greek Main CoursesSheftalia Σεφταλιά · 45m · serves 6 Cypriot afelia pork in a dark red wine and coriander seed sauce Greek Main CoursesAfelia Αφέλια · 1h 30m · serves 4 Greek Main CoursesTavas Ταβάς · 2h 55m · serves 6 A tray of Cypriot baked macaroni with a golden halloumi topping Greek Main CoursesMakaronia tou Fournou Μακαρόνια του φούρνου · 1h 35m · serves 8 A pot of Greek spanakorizo spinach and rice, deep green and glossy Greek Main CoursesSpanakorizo Σπανακόρυζο · 45m · serves 4 A pot of Greek prasorizo leek and rice, pale and glossy with olive oil Greek Main CoursesPrasorizo Πρασόρυζο · 50m · serves 4 Fried Greek salt cod fillets served with a bowl of garlic potato skordalia Greek Main CoursesBakaliaros Skordalia Μπακαλιάρος σκορδαλιά · 50m · serves 4 Charred Greek paidakia lamb chops on a grill with lemon and oregano Greek Main CoursesPaidakia Παϊδάκια · 25m · serves 4 A Greek bifteki patty cut open showing melted feta inside Greek Main CoursesBifteki Μπιφτέκι · 40m · serves 4 A tray of Greek lemon chicken and potatoes roasted golden Greek Main CoursesKotopoulo Lemonato Κοτόπουλο λεμονάτο · 1h 35m · serves 4 Greek Main CoursesKontosouvli Κοντοσούβλι · 3h 30m · serves 6 Greek Main CoursesPastitsada Παστιτσάδα · 3h · serves 6 Greek giouvetsi baked beef and orzo in a clay dish Greek Main CoursesGiouvetsi Γιουβέτσι · 2h 55m · serves 6 Greek Main CoursesRevithada Ρεβιθάδα · 8h 15m · serves 6 Greek Main CoursesGamopilafo Γαμοπίλαφο · 2h 20m · serves 8 Cretan antikristo lamb propped facing an open fire on skewers Greek Main CoursesAntikristo Αντικριστό · 4h 30m · serves 8 Corfu bourdeto fish stew in a bright red paprika sauce Greek Main CoursesBourdeto Μπουρδέτο · 55m · serves 4 Thessaloniki giaourtlou kebab with tomato sauce and garlic yogurt Greek Main CoursesGiaourtlou Γιαουρτλού · 45m · serves 4 Northern Greek kavourmas preserved pork in a jar under its own fat Greek Main CoursesKavourmas Καβουρμάς · 2h 50m · serves 8 Mani syglino cured and smoked pork with orange peel and fennel Greek Main CoursesSyglino Maniatiko Σύγκλινο Μανιάτικο · 2h · serves 8 Greek hylopites egg pasta with chicken in tomato sauce Greek Main CoursesHylopites Χυλοπίτες · 2h · serves 6 Greek Main CoursesMarouli Dolmades Ντολμάδες με μαρούλι · 1h 25m · serves 6 A pot of Dodecanese sitaraki pasta in tomato sauce Greek Main CoursesSitaraki Σιταράκι · 35m · serves 4 Greek soutzoukakia oval meatballs in a rich tomato sauce Greek Main CoursesSoutzoukakia Σουτζουκάκια · 1h 10m · serves 6 Greek Main CoursesMastelo Sifnou Μαστέλο Σίφνου · 2h 50m · serves 6 Greek Main CoursesHtapodi Krasato Χταπόδι κρασάτο · 1h 35m · serves 4 Karpathos makarounes pasta with caramelised onion and cheese Greek Main CoursesMakarounes Karpathou Μακαρούνες Καρπάθου · 1h 30m · serves 6 Greek Main CoursesSkordostoumbi Zakynthou Σκορδόστουμπι Ζακύνθου · 55m · serves 4 Greek Main CoursesPapoutsakia Παπουτσάκια · 1h 30m · serves 6 Greek melitzanes imam baked aubergine with onion and tomato Greek Main CoursesMelitzanes Imam Μελιτζάνες ιμάμ · 1h 20m · serves 4 Greek melitzanes me feta baked aubergine with tomato and melted feta Greek Main CoursesMelitzanes me Feta Μελιτζάνες με φέτα · 1h 5m · serves 4 Grilled Greek sardines dressed in ladolemono olive oil and lemon Greek Main CoursesSardeles Ladolemono Σαρδέλες λαδολέμονο · 25m · serves 4 Greek Main CoursesPsari Plaki Ψάρι πλακί · 1h 15m · serves 4 Greek Main CoursesArni Fricassee Αρνί φρικασέ · 2h · serves 6 Greek Main CoursesArni me Anginares Αρνί με αγκινάρες · 2h 10m · serves 6 A pot of Greek fakorizo lentils and rice Greek Main CoursesFakorizo Φακόρυζο · 50m · serves 4 Grilled yogurt-marinated chicken souvlaki skewers with charred edges Greek Main CoursesSouvlaki Kotopoulo me Giaourti Σουβλάκι κοτόπουλο με γιαούρτι · 37m · serves 4 Greek Main CoursesAnginares a la Polita Αγκινάρες αλά πολίτα · 1h 20m · serves 4 Pontic Greek manti dumplings served under garlic yogurt sauce Greek Main CoursesManti Pontika Μαντί ποντιακό · 1h 50m · serves 6 Greek Main CoursesBakaliaros me Prasa Μπακαλιάρος με πράσα · 1h 15m · serves 4 Greek Main CoursesFournaristo Kalymnou Φουρνιστό Καλύμνου · 3h · serves 8 Corfu bianco, a pale white fish stew with potato and garlic Greek Main CoursesBianco Corfu Μπιάνκο · 55m · serves 4 Fried aubergine slices topped with garlic yogurt and paprika butter Greek Main CoursesMelitzanes se Saltsa Giaourtiou Μελιτζάνες σε σάλτσα γιαουρτιού · 55m · serves 4 Vegan Greek melitzanes gemistes stuffed aubergine halves Greek Main CoursesMelitzanes Gemistes Μελιτζάνες γεμιστές · 1h 40m · serves 6 A pot of Greek arni kokkinisto lamb braised in red tomato sauce Greek Main CoursesArni Kokkinisto Αρνί κοκκινιστό · 2h 5m · serves 6 Greek Main CoursesMelitzanes Souvlaki Σουβλάκι μελιτζάνας · 37m · serves 4 A pot of Greek melitzanes yahni aubergine and tomato stew Greek Main CoursesMelitzanes Yahni Μελιτζάνες γιαχνί · 1h 10m · serves 4 Greek Main CoursesRevithopita Sifnou Ρεβιθόπιτα Σίφνου · 1h 20m · serves 6 Greek Main CoursesLamb Souvla Σούβλα αρνί · 4h 30m · serves 10 Greek Main CoursesArnaki Lemonato Αρνάκι λεμονάτο · 3h 40m · serves 6 Greek Main CoursesSoupies Krasates Σουπιές κρασάτες · 1h 25m · serves 4 Golden fried Greek barbouni red mullet with lemon Greek Main CoursesBarbouni Tiganito Μπαρμπούνι τηγανητό · 25m · serves 4 Macedonian giaprakia stuffed cabbage rolls with avgolemono sauce Greek Main CoursesGiaprakia Thessalonikis Γιαπράκια Θεσσαλονίκης · 2h · serves 6 A slice of Kalymnos sfougato courgette and herb frittata Greek Main CoursesSfougato Kalymnou Σφουγγάτο Καλύμνου · 1h · serves 6 Greek Main CoursesApaki Kritis Απάκι Κρήτης · 40m · serves 8 A whole roasted Greek galopoula turkey stuffed with chestnut rice filling Greek Main CoursesGalopoula Gemisti me Kastana Γαλοπούλα γεμιστή με κάστανα · 5h · serves 12 Greek Main CoursesKouneli Stifado Κουνέλι στιφάδο · 2h · serves 6 Fried Greek galeos dogfish with skordalia garlic potato dip Greek Main CoursesGaleos Skordalia Γαλέος σκορδαλιά · 40m · serves 4 Greek kokoretsi lamb offal wrapped and grilled on a spit Greek Main CoursesKokoretsi Κοκορέτσι · 3h 30m · serves 8 Greek Main CoursesExohiko Εξοχικό · 1h 40m · serves 4 Greek astakomakaronada lobster pasta in rich tomato sauce Greek Main CoursesAstakomakaronada Αστακομακαρονάδα · 1h 15m · serves 4 Aubergine-wrapped Greek dolmades in tomato sauce Greek Main CoursesMelitzanes Ntolmades Ντολμάδες με μελιτζάνα · 1h 30m · serves 6 Greek Main CoursesGopes Tiganites Γόπες τηγανητές · 30m · serves 4 A roasted whole leg of Greek katsikaki goat with lemon and herbs Greek Main CoursesKatsikaki Lemonato Κατσικάκι λεμονάτο · 3h 40m · serves 6 Greek loukaniko sausage braised in red wine sauce Greek Main CoursesLoukaniko Krasato Λουκάνικο κρασάτο · 50m · serves 4 Greek Main CoursesMoschari Kokkinisto Μοσχάρι κοκκινιστό · 2h 35m · serves 6 A dish of Greek kotopoulo giouvetsi chicken and orzo in tomato sauce Greek Main CoursesKotopoulo Giouvetsi Κοτόπουλο γιουβέτσι · 1h 20m · serves 4 Greek Main CoursesKokoras Pastitsada Κόκορας παστιτσάδα · 3h · serves 6 Greek Main CoursesKolokasi me Kotopoulo Κολοκάσι με κοτόπουλο · 1h 30m · serves 4 Greek Main CoursesPitaridia Kalymnou Πιταρίδια Καλύμνου · 1h 15m · serves 4 Greek Main CoursesArnisio Kapama Αρνίσιο καπαμά · 2h 25m · serves 6 Greek Main CoursesKeskek Κεσκέκ · 4h 30m · serves 8 Greek Main CoursesBourani me Kotopoulo Μπουράνι με κοτόπουλο · 1h 15m · serves 4 Greek Main CoursesSpetzofai Σπετζοφάι · 50m · serves 4 Greek Main CoursesMakaronia me Mizithra Μακαρόνια με μυζήθρα · 20m · serves 4 Greek Main CoursesBakaliaros Plaki Μπακαλιάρος πλακί · 1h 10m · serves 4 A whole baked Greek tsipoura sea bream with lemon and herbs Greek Main CoursesTsipoura Psiti Τσιπούρα ψητή · 40m · serves 2 Greek Main CoursesXifias Souvlaki Ξιφίας σουβλάκι · 40m · serves 4 A dish of Greek kalamari gemisto stuffed squid in tomato sauce Greek Main CoursesKalamari Gemisto Καλαμάρι γεμιστό · 1h 20m · serves 4 Greek Main CoursesHtapodi Makaronaki Χταπόδι μακαρονάκι · 1h 35m · serves 4