Traditional Greek recipes

A compilation of 10 traditional Greek meals for anyone interested in cooking Greek food.

A compilation of 10 traditional Greek meals for anyone interested in cooking Greek food.


Παραδοσιακές ελληνικές συνταγές. Anyone interested in learning more about Greek cooking and traditional Greek recipes will welcome this post! We’ve compiled a selection of traditional Greek foods which go beyond the better known, and amazing moussaka and pastitsio (don’t worry, we’ve included those too!). We hope that this will help inspire you to make Greek main meals that you may not have heard of, but that we think you will certainly enjoy.

Traditional Greek recipes are very regional; depending upon what area of Greece you are living and eating in, recipes will vary. Our parents are from the Peloponnese, Messinia to be more exact. So, some of these recipes, and their specific preparation are specific to that area, and to our family. We hope that you will enjoy them as much as we do!

A compilation of 10 traditional Greek meals for anyone interested in cooking Greek food.

Ten Traditional Greek Recipes for main meals for you to enjoy:

So, here we go, 10 of our most popular traditional Greek recipes for main meals. If you are looking for more delicious meals, along with an assortment of mezes and desserts, be sure to check out our Recipe List.


1. Lahanodolmades (Cabbage rolls with an egg lemon sauce)

A compilation of 10 traditional Greek meals for anyone interested in cooking Greek food.

These cabbage rolls (or lahanodolmades in Greek) are sure to convert anyone who thinks that they hate cabbage into cabbage lovers. Filled with a delicate and delicious mixture of ground meat, rice and herbs, these cabbage rolls are light, but satisfying. We love to serve them with the rich and tangy egg lemon sauce that is so popular in Greek cooking. Find the recipe for our cabbage rolls with egg lemon sauce by clicking here.

2. Moussaka

A compilation of 10 traditional Greek meals for anyone interested in cooking Greek food.

Everyone probably knows moussaka, but not everyone has felt daring enough to make it themselves. That is really too bad because although time-consuming, our moussaka recipe is easy to follow and fail-proof. This meal of layered eggplant, potatoes, meat sauce and a topping of creamy béchamel sauce is a special occasion meal that all will love. Because we roast our eggplant and prepare our béchamel with olive oil, the result is a moussaka which is light and absolutely delicious. Find the recipe for our moussaka by clicking here.

3. Roast chicken with Greek-style potatoes

The best roast chicken and Greek-style potatoes full of lemon flavour and roasted to perfection.

Chicken and potatoes is not in and of itself a Greek meal; most families and cultures have a recipe for this classic and simple meal. What makes our recipe Greek however is the reliance on herbs such as oregano and paprika, the liberal use of olive oil, and of course the lemon roasted potatoes that are as important to this meal as the chicken is. Read all about our unique cooking technique and prepare to enjoy the best roast chicken and Greek-style potatoes you have every had! Find the recipe for our roast chicken with Greek-style potatoes by clicking here.

4. Youvetsi with chicken

A compilation of 10 traditional Greek meals for anyone interested in cooking Greek food.

Classic Greek comfort food! Youvetsi is an oven baked dish which combines protein (in this case chicken thighs) with orzo, all of which is flavoured with seasonings and baked in a rich tomato sauce. There is something absolutely soothing about this Greek favourite. Youvetsi with chicken is the kind of meal you would expect to be served by a Greek yiayia (grandmother) along with a hunk of fresh bread and a lovely Greek village salad. This is humble food that is just amazing. Find the recipe for our youvetsi with chicken by clicking here.

5. Veal kokkinisto with rice

Veal kokkinisto with rice stars stewed veal slow cooked in a rich tomato sauce

There is a whole category of traditional Greek recipes called kokkinista. These meals are basically vegetables or animal protein slow cooked in a rich tomato sauce. The result is a flavourful and rich meal that is prepared with only a few ingredients. A classic version of kokkinisto is this one; veal kokkinisto served with plain white rice. Our parents loves to serve their rice in a kouppa, or cup, making for a fancy presentation. Find the recipe for our veal kokkinisto with rice by clicking here.

6. Cod and skordalia

A compilation of 10 traditional Greek meals for anyone interested in cooking Greek food.

This is a meal that is often prepared on Greek Independence Day (March 25th) and Palm Sunday, but it can certainly be enjoyed throughout the year. The use of salted cod means that even when fresh cod is not easily available, this is a meal which can be easily prepared – it just requires some pre-planning so that you can soak the cod and remove the excess salt over a few days. Skordalia is a garlic mashed potato spread that pair just perfectly with the fried cod. This is definitely a recipe that you want to try! Find the recipe for our cod and skordalia by clicking here.

7. Yemista

A compilation of 10 traditional Greek meals for anyone interested in cooking Greek food.

A vegan meal that even meat-lovers will enjoy. Our recipe for stuffed vegetables is simply amazing. Peppers, tomatoes, zucchini and eggplant are stuffed with a rice filling replete with herbs and vegetables. There is no better way to enjoy summer fresh vegetables than with yemista. The best part is that you can bake a huge tray of yemista and enjoy them for days – they make great leftovers! Our recipe includes lots of helpful hints to ensure that you make the best yemista you have every tasted! Find the recipe for our yemista by clicking here.

8. Black-eyed peas and spinach

A compilation of 10 traditional Greek meals for anyone interested in cooking Greek food.

Another amazing vegan option, black-eyed peas and spinach is a regional dish found in the Messinia, Peloponnese. This is a hearty and luxurious meal that comes together easily, inexpensively and with very few ingredients. You’ll be amazing at how rich and delicious it is. We can almost guarantee that our recipe for black-eyed peas and spinach will quickly become a favourite. Find the recipe for our black-eyed peas and spinach by clicking here.

9. Pastitsio

A compilation of 10 traditional Greek meals for anyone interested in cooking Greek food.

A classic Greek meal that is often (unfortunately we think) referred to as Greek lasagna. Lasagna is great, but pastitsio is its own thing! Thick noodles layered with the most amazing meat sauce and topped with a creamy béchamel, pastitsio is everyone’s favourite meal. We think that you will love our family recipe for pastitsio; just like with our moussaka, the béchamel is made light by using olive oil and the meat sauce is phenomenal. Although this is an impressive dish, making pastitsio is actually pretty easy. Find the recipe for our pastitsio by clicking here.

10. Biftekia with roasted lemon potatoes

A compilation of 10 traditional Greek meals for anyone interested in cooking Greek food.

This is an amazing Greek recipe! Biftekia are basically oval shaped hamburgers (or elongated meatballs) which are flavoured with onion, herbs and other great stuff. They are lightly fried and then finished in the oven alongside some roasted lemon potatoes. This is the perfect meal for kids and adults hungry for something simple yet delicious. We would often enjoy this meal after a day at the beach in Greece. Served with a fresh maroulosalata, life was definitely good! Find the recipe for our biftekia with roasted lemon potatoes by clicking here.

We love hearing from you!  If you have made our recipes, or if you have a question or comment, or simply want to say Hi!,  please leave a comment below!

A compilation of 10 traditional Greek meals for anyone interested in cooking Greek food.
A compilation of 10 traditional Greek meals for anyone interested in cooking Greek food.

Thanks for sharing!

10 Comments

  1. Dorothy's New Vintage Kitchen says:

    What a lovely sampler!

    1. miakouppa says:

      Thanks Dorothy! We figured it would be fun to put together some of our favourite meals 🙂 xox Helen & Billie

  2. I love Spanakopita, and I am certain you have a wonderful recipe for it! Could you please share it? Many thanks.

    1. miakouppa says:

      Hi Martha!! Thank you for reaching out!! We actually have several different recipes for spanakopita on our website. Some vegan, some with homemade phyllo, another with store bought phyllo…something for everyone 🙂 To find our recipes go to our website Home page and either enter spanakopita into the Search bar (top right) or go to our Recipe List and scroll through – you will find our Spanakopita recipes under the category Meze / Appetizers. Hope that is helpful!! Let us know if you need anything further xoxo Helen & Billie

    2. Hello Martha,
      Thank you for all your lovely recipes….I am thrilled to have found you! Many many moons ago when I was 18-20 I lived in Greece and ate many wonderful recipes made by my friends mother ….they were very nutritious ,….and hey presto you have several of these recipes …I’m so looking forward to making them…..I have always cooked Greek recipes but hankered for these family recipes but I couldn’t remember what they were called…

      1. miakouppa says:

        Hi Angela! We are thrilled that you have found us! Enjoy the recipes and let us know if you have any questions! Welcome to our Mia Kouppa community 🙂 xoxo Helen & Billie

  3. Nick @ GreekBoston.com says:

    These traditional recipes are some of my favorite go-to dishes. Kokkanisto is one of my favorite things to eat during the winter!

    1. miakouppa says:

      Thanks Nick!! Great Greek staples! Can’t go wrong 🙂 xoxo Helen & Billie

  4. Ioanna Balodimos says:

    my dad came from gargalianoi and these were the foods of my childhood. I followed his footsteps and even today serve my rice from an oiled cup. γεια σαζ παιδια!

    1. miakouppa says:

      Hi Ioanna, Love that!! The rice always tasted better when pretty on the plate! So happy that our recipes remind you of your childhood, and your dad 🙂 xoxo Helen & Billie

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *