Greek Side Dishes
Vrasta Lahanika me Ladolemono Recipe (Greek Boiled Vegetables with Lemon Oil)
Βραστά λαχανικά με λαδολέμονο vrah-STAH lah-hah-nee-KAH meh lah-thoh-LEH-moh-noh · Vrasta lahanika me ladolemono
In short
Vrasta lahanika me ladolemono is a plate of seasonal vegetables, potato, carrot, courgette and greens among them, simply boiled until tender and dressed with ladolemono, the olive oil and lemon sauce. It represents Greek home cooking at its plainest and most honest, built to be genuinely nourishing rather than impressive.
Vrasta lahanika is the dish a Greek household reaches for when the body genuinely wants something plain and easy to digest rather than another rich, oil-heavy stew, a plate of seasonal vegetables, whatever is good that week, simply boiled until tender and dressed with nothing more than ladolemono. It has none of the drama of a baked dish and asks for almost no skill at all.
This is deliberately unfussy, and the vegetables chosen matter less than the principle: potato, carrot, courgette, green beans, cabbage, whatever combination is genuinely in season, boiled together or in stages depending on their different cooking times, then finished with a good, sharp dressing.
It is exactly the food a Greek grandmother makes when someone in the family has been unwell, or simply when the table wants a lighter night after too many richer dishes in a row.
Key preparation steps
- Choose a mix of seasonal vegetables.
- Boil in stages, according to how long each takes.
- Drain well and arrange on a plate.
- Dress generously with ladolemono.
Choosing the vegetables
Potato and carrot, which take longest, go in first, followed by courgette, green beans, or cabbage wedges, added in stages so that everything finishes tender at roughly the same time rather than some pieces turning to mush while others are still firm. There is no fixed recipe here, just whatever good vegetables are genuinely in season.
Boiling in stages
Boil the potato and carrot in salted water for ten minutes before adding faster-cooking vegetables like courgette or green beans, continuing until everything is tender but not falling apart, checking with a knife tip rather than trusting a fixed time, since vegetable size and freshness both affect how long this actually takes.
Dressing simply
Drain thoroughly and arrange on a plate while still warm, then dress generously with ladolemono, olive oil and lemon whisked together with a little oregano and salt. This simple dressing is genuinely what makes plain boiled vegetables worth eating rather than a diet obligation.
Tips from my kitchen
Boil in stages
Potato and carrot take considerably longer than courgette or green beans. Adding them at different times means everything finishes tender together.
Check with a knife tip
Vegetable size and freshness both affect cooking time, so test for doneness rather than trusting a fixed timer.
Dress it generously
The ladolemono is genuinely what makes this simple dish good rather than merely virtuous.
Vrasta Lahanika me Ladolemono Recipe (Greek Boiled Vegetables with Lemon Oil)
Βραστά λαχανικά με λαδολέμονο · by Kalliopi Andreou · updated 2026-07-31
- Prep
- 20m
- Cook
- 25m
- Total
- 45m
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
Ingredients
Method
- Bring a large pot of well-salted water to the boil. Add the potatoes and carrots and cook for 10 minutes.
- Add the courgettes and green beans and continue boiling for a further 10 to 12 minutes, until all the vegetables are tender but not falling apart.
- Drain thoroughly and arrange on a plate while still warm.
- Dress generously with the ladolemono.
- Serve warm or at room temperature.
Nutrition, per 1 portion
- Calories
- 218
- Protein
- 4 g
- Carbs
- 28 g
- Fat
- 12 g
- Sat fat
- 2 g
- Fibre
- 6 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 Vrasta lahanika me ladolemono
What vegetables go into vrasta lahanika?
Whatever is genuinely good and in season, typically a mix of potato, carrot, courgette, green beans or cabbage, boiled in stages so everything finishes tender together.
Why is this dish considered simple, home comfort food?
It asks for almost no skill or elaborate ingredients and is often what a Greek household eats when wanting something plain and easy on the stomach, particularly after illness or a stretch of richer meals.
Is vrasta lahanika vegan?
Yes, entirely, made from vegetables, olive oil and lemon, and it is a traditional Lenten dish for exactly that reason.
