Vegetarian Greek Food

Aincludes shredded cabbage and carrots, olive oil, lemon juice, and salt and pepper.

Vegetable fritters

The most common form of vegetable fritters you will find are kolokithokeftedes (or squash fritters), but depending on the area and recipes, you may also find tomato keftedes (tomato fritters), eggplants, and so on. Tzatziki sauce usually accompanies these fritters for dipping.

Dakos

This Cretan-style salad, also called koukouvayia, is a slice of soaked barley rusk covered with chopped or grated tomato, crumbled feta or mizithra cheese, and olive oil. This dish is a tasty and healthy meal, providing you with fiber and antioxidants

Beetroots or patzaria

Served cold or still slightly warm, beetroots are delicious on their own, but they are often paired with skordalia, a garlicky potato purée. Usually boiled, they are seasoned and served with a dash of olive oil.

Brian

A dietician’s dream food, the dream is the equivalent of the French ratatouille. Part of the Ladera style of dishes (vegetables cooked in an olive oil-based sauce), consists of chunks of zucchini, potatoes, and eggplant baked in an oven and mixed with tomato sauce and olive oil.

Leafy greens, boiled greens, or Horta (vista)

Growing virtually everywhere, wild leafy greens, such as vlita, beet, dandelion, or other local greens, are boiled, seasoned, and served with olive oil and lemon. Healthy, simple, and tasty, all you need to do is savor them with some bread, and you’re good to go!

Dolmades

The staple meze in every Greek restaurant across the world, dolmades are delectable vine leaves stuffed with lemon-flavored rice, fresh herbs, and spices and then rolled up.

Fava

You can never go wrong with ordering a plate of fava. This delicious dip/purée features a blend of split peas and olive oil. Sometimes garnished with onions and capers, it’s even better when paired with some bread.

Gigantes

A healthy and satisfying dish, Gigantes are broad beans (butter beans) baked in a thick, sweet tomato sauce, although you may find them cooked in a variety of ways. Sometimes they have crumbled feta cheese on top as a garnish.

Imam

This toothsome dish, called imam or imam Baldi, dates back to the Ottoman period and consists of sliced eggplants cooked with oil, tomatoes, onions, and spices. It can be roasted or baked in an oven.

Spanakopita

The ubiquitous spanakopita (or spinach pie) is a baked phyllo pastry stuffed with spinach and onion. Sometimes feta cheese is also included in the mix. You can eat these tasty delicacies as a snack, a side dish, or even a main meal.

Spinach rice or spanakopita

A creamy and appetizing recipe, spanakopita is a rice dish made with spinach, onion, and seasoning and has the consistency of risotto. Easy to make and full of flavor, it can be a main or side dish.

Tzatziki

This refreshing yogurt-based sauce includes cucumbers, dill, and garlic. Usually served as a dip, it is also used in pittas (yes, you can even find the ikologiko souvlaki, the meatless version of the all-time favorite street food).

Gemista

Hearty and filling, genista (meaning stuffed or filled) are oven-baked tomatoes or bell peppers stuffed with a filling of rice, veggies, and fresh herbs. Of course, there are many variants of this dish, but the result will always make your mouth water.

Ladera dishes

Greek cuisine includes a type of dish commonly called Ladera, which means cooked in oil, or oily. Almost always vegetarian, these vegetable stews (or casseroles) consist of a variety of vegetables cooked (often baked in an oven) with oil and tomato sauce and include okra (babies), green beans, stuffed tomatoes, zucchini, eggplant, and legumes. Usually eaten as a main dish, it can also contain feta cheese, and an extensive amount of bread for dipping often accompanies it.

And of course, all these dishes are nutritional powerhouses full of fiber, antioxidants, and vitamins.

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