Craving a little Mediterranean magic? These easy and authentic Greek recipes, from crispy calamari to classic moussaka and sweet loukoumades, bring the bold, sunny flavors of Greece right to your kitchen. Perfect for family meals or a taste of something new!

Fried Calamari

Serves 4 | Prep. time 10 minutes | Cooking time 15–20 minutes 

Ingredients

• 1½ pounds calamari, cleaned
• ½ tablespoon paprika
• 1 tablespoon oregano
• 1 tablespoon ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons salt
• ¾ cup bread flour
• ¼ cup semolina flour
• Vegetable oil as needed
• Salt to taste
• Juice of half a lemon

Directions

1. Cut the calamari into ½-inch slices.
2. Combine all the spices in a bag and add the flours. Put in the calamari rings and shake to coat well.
3. In a medium-sized deep frying pan or pot, heat the oil over medium-high heat.
4. Working in batches, when the oil reaches 350°F, fry the rings for about 2 minutes, turning halfway. Let the oil return to temperature between batches.
5. Set them on a plate lined with paper towel to drain, and sprinkle with some salt. Top with lemon juice and serve.

 

 

Santorini Salad

Serves 2 | Prep. time 5 minutes

Ingredients

• ½ cucumber, peeled, halved and sliced
• ½ red onion, thinly sliced
• ¾ green bell pepper, thinly sliced
• ½ cup Greek olives
• ½ cup cherry tomatoes, halved
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• 1 tablespoon dill, chopped
• Salt and pepper
• 1 slice of feta cheese
• 1 tablespoon capers

Directions

1. Toss all the ingredients together in a bowl EXCEPT the feta and capers.
2. Lay the feta cheese on top, sprinkle with capers and serve.

 

 

Pork Souvlaki

Serves 6 | Prep. time 15–20 minutes | Cooking time 15 minutes 

Ingredients

• 3 pounds pork tenderloin, cut into 1 ½-inch cubes
• ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil
• ⅓ cup lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons sea salt
• 2 tablespoons ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon dried Greek oregano
• 2 red onions, quartered
• 3 bell peppers, any color, cut into 1-inch squares
• Lemon slices, for garnishing
• Barbecue skewers, for bamboo, soak before using for 30 minutes

Directions

1. Preheat a grill to medium-high.
2. In a mixing bowl, combine the pork, olive oil, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and oregano. Set it aside for 15 minutes.
3. On the skewers; alternately pierce the pork pieces, red onion, and bell pepper.
4. Grill for 6–7 minutes. Turn and cook for 7–8 minutes more, or until the meat is cooked through.
5. Serve warm, garnished with lemon.

 

 

Pork Souvlaki Pita Sandwich

Serves 6 | Prep. time 10 minutes | Cooking time 12 minutes 

Ingredients

• 1 recipe pork souvlaki
• 6 pita breads
• 2 cups shredded green leaf lettuce
• 1 small white onion, thinly sliced into half moons
• 3 large round tomatoes, medium dice
• ½ cup olive oil
• 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• Tzatziki or feta sauce or crumbled feta cheese (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat the grill to medium-high, and cook the pork until done (remove any skewers after grilling) or fry it in a lightly oiled skillet over medium-high heat.
2. In a medium bowl, toss the lettuce, onion, tomatoes, olive oil, vinegar, oregano, salt, and pepper together.
3. Spoon the meat into a piece of pita (grilled, if desired) and top with lettuce mixture and tzatziki, feta sauce, or crumbled feta cheese (optional). Serve.

 

 

Classic Moussaka

Serves 7–8 | Prep. time 30–40 minutes | Cooking time 70–80 minutes 

Ingredients

• 6 eggplants, cut into ½-inch slices
• Vegetable oil as needed

For the meat sauce:

• ¼ cup olive oil
• 2 red onions, chopped
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 ½ pounds ground beef or lamb
• 1 cup red wine
• 1 (14-ounce) can chopped tomatoes
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• Sea salt and ground black pepper to taste
• Pinch of cinnamon
• 1 bay leaf

For the sauce:

• ¾ cup butter
• ¾ cup all-purpose flour
• 3 ½ cups milk
• 2 egg yolks
• Pinch of nutmeg
• 1 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

Directions

1. Season the eggplant slices with salt, mix well, and set them aside for 30 minutes in a colander.
2. Rinse and remove any excess liquid. Dry them as well as you can with paper towel.
3. In a frying pan, heat the oil and fry the slices until they are golden. Cover, and set them aside.
4. Prepare the meat sauce. Place a medium saucepan over medium-high heat.
5. Add the oil and onions. Stir-fry until they are softened and translucent.
6. Add the tomato paste, garlic, and meat. Cook until everything is evenly browned, breaking up the meat with the spoon as you go.
7. Mix in the wine and cook to allow it to reduce a little. Then add the tomatoes, sugar, salt and pepper, cinnamon, and bay leaf.
8. Bring it to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium, cover, and simmer for 25–30 minutes. Remove the bay leaf.

For the sauce:

1. Place a medium saucepan over medium-high heat.
2. Melt the butter and mix in the flour. Whisk for about a minute, and then add the milk, whisking constantly to avoid lumps.
3. Cook over medium heat until it thickens, and then take it off the heat and add the egg yolks and nutmeg. Mix well.

For the moussaka:

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
2. In a large baking dish (greased with some butter), place half the eggplant slices and top them with the meat sauce.
3. Layer on the remaining eggplant, and top with the sauce. Spread it evenly.
4. Sprinkle with Parmesan.
5. Bake for 55–60 minutes, until evenly brown.
6. Slice, and serve warm.

 

 

Chicken Feta Orzo

Serves 4 | Prep. time 10–15 minutes | Cooking time 30 minutes 

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 red onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 chicken breasts
• 1 cup orzo
• ½ cup chicken stock
• 1 tablespoon brandy (optional)
• 1 tablespoon fresh oregano, chopped
• 1 tablespoon fresh basil, chopped
• Ground black pepper and salt to taste
• ½ cup crumbled feta
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, cut in two

Directions

1. Place a medium saucepan over medium-high heat.
2. Add the oil, onion, and garlic. Stir-fry until the onions are softened, about 1 minutes.
3. Add the chicken breasts, and fry until cooked through, about 5-7 minutes per sides or until the chicken has an internal temperature of 165°F. Remove from pan and set aside.
4. Add the orzo, stock, brandy, pepper, and salt to the pan.
5. Bring it to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium, and simmer until the pasta is cooked through, 8–10 minutes.
6. Dice chicken and add to the pan with the oregano, basil, and tomatoes. Stir to combine.
7. Top with crumbled feta and serve.

 

 

Honey Loukoumades

Serves 10 | Prep. time 60–70 minutes | Cooking time 25–30 minutes 

Ingredients

• 1 cup water, lukewarm
• ½ ounce active dry yeast
• 1 cup milk, lukewarm
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ¼ cup olive oil
• 3 ¼ cups flour
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• Vegetable oil sufficient for frying

Garnish

• ¾ cup honey
• Ground cinnamon

Directions

1. In a mixing bowl, combine the water and yeast and stir gently.
2. Add the remaining dough ingredients and combine to form a smooth batter.
3. Cover and set aside for an hour to rise.
4. In a large, heavy saucepan, heat the oil to 350°F over high heat. Try to maintain this temperature.
5. Spoon the dough in balls one by one into the hot oil, and fry them until they are golden brown from all sides, turning as needed.
6. Drain them on paper towel, and then arrange them on a large platter. Top with the honey and sprinkle with cinnamon and walnuts.

 

 

***These recipes and more are found in Sarah Spencer’s A Taste of Greece: Greek Cooking Made Easy with Authentic Greek Recipes. To get your copy, click on the cover below or click here.

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