Greek Breakfast Recipes
Tiganites me Meli Recipe (Greek Pancakes with Honey)
Τηγανίτες με μέλι tee-gah-NEE-tes meh meh-LEE · Tiganites me meli
Photo: Pancake stack with honey 2.jpg by Shisma, CC BY 4.0. Placeholder until original photography is shot.
In short
Tiganites are thick Greek pancakes, fried in a little oil rather than baked on a dry griddle, and finished with a generous drizzle of honey, cinnamon and crushed walnuts. They are a traditional breakfast, particularly associated with Clean Monday at the start of Lent, when a simple eggless version is made.
Tiganites are Greece's own thick, fried pancake, distinct from a thin crepe or a fluffy American-style pancake, cooked in a shallow pool of oil rather than on a dry griddle, which gives the edges a slightly crisp, almost fried quality that a standard pancake lacks. They appear as an everyday breakfast, and specifically in a simplified, eggless version on Clean Monday, the first day of Lent.
The eggless version is genuinely worth knowing even outside Lent, since it proves how little a good pancake actually needs: flour, water or milk, a raising agent, and a pinch of salt come together into a proper batter without any egg at all.
Honey, cinnamon and walnuts are the classic finish, though this is a genuinely flexible base that takes well to whatever fruit or syrup a household has on hand.
Key preparation steps
- Whisk together a simple, thick pancake batter.
- Fry spoonfuls in a shallow pool of oil until golden on both sides.
- Stack while warm.
- Finish with honey, cinnamon and crushed walnuts.
The eggless batter
Flour, baking powder, a pinch of salt, and water or milk whisked together into a thick, pourable batter, with no egg needed at all, is the traditional Clean Monday version, since eggs are off the table on the strictest fasting days. A little sugar in the batter itself is optional, since the honey finish carries most of the sweetness.
Outside Lent, an egg can be added for a slightly richer, more tender pancake, though the eggless version genuinely holds its own.
Frying rather than dry-griddling
Heat a shallow pool of oil, more than you would use for a Western-style pancake but well short of deep frying, in a wide pan, and drop in spoonfuls of batter, frying for two to three minutes per side until golden and cooked through. This shallow-fry method is what gives tiganites their characteristic slightly crisp edge.
Finishing
Stack the warm pancakes and finish generously with honey, warmed briefly if it has crystallised so it drizzles properly, a dusting of ground cinnamon, and a scatter of crushed walnuts. Serve immediately, while still warm, since this is not a dish that improves with waiting.
Tips from my kitchen
Use a shallow pool of oil, not a dry pan
This is what gives tiganites their characteristic slightly crisp edge, distinct from a Western-style dry-griddled pancake.
The eggless version is genuinely good
Do not assume it needs egg to work. This is the traditional Clean Monday version and holds together perfectly well.
Serve immediately
Like most fried food, tiganites are at their best warm and fresh from the pan.
Tiganites me Meli Recipe (Greek Pancakes with Honey)
Τηγανίτες με μέλι · by Kalliopi Andreou · updated 2026-07-31
- Prep
- 15m
- Cook
- 20m
- Total
- 35m
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
Ingredients
Method
- Whisk the flour, baking powder and salt together in a bowl.
- Gradually whisk in the water or milk until you have a thick, smooth, pourable batter with no lumps.
- Heat a shallow pool of vegetable oil in a wide pan over a medium heat.
- Drop large spoonfuls of batter into the hot oil, without crowding, and fry for 2 to 3 minutes per side, until golden and cooked through.
- Drain briefly on kitchen paper and stack on a plate, keeping warm while you fry the remaining batter.
- Warm the honey briefly if crystallised, then drizzle generously over the stacked pancakes.
- Dust with cinnamon and scatter with crushed walnuts. Serve immediately.
Nutrition, per 3 pancakes
- Calories
- 268
- Protein
- 5 g
- Carbs
- 38 g
- Fat
- 11 g
- Sat fat
- 1 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
These figures are calculated estimates based on the ingredients listed, not laboratory analysis. Actual values vary with brands, cuts and portion size.
Frequently asked questions about Tiganites me meli
Why are tiganites made without eggs?
The traditional version is made specifically for Clean Monday, the first day of Greek Orthodox Lent, when eggs are off the table under the fasting rules. The eggless batter proves a good pancake does not strictly need them.
What is the difference between tiganites and a regular pancake?
Tiganites are fried in a shallow pool of oil rather than cooked on a dry griddle, giving a thicker batter and a slightly crisp edge that a standard pancake does not have.
Can you add fruit to the batter?
Yes, though the classic version relies on the honey and cinnamon finish for its flavour rather than fruit mixed into the batter itself.
