With a culinary tradition that emphasizes freshness, Greece is one of the most favorable countries for vegetarians.  The use of fresh vegetables and cheeses, olive oil, and a plethora of herbs and spices puts this at the top of our list.  Additionally, honey and nut-based desserts make Greek cuisine truly worthy of the gods.

Dishes to Try

Greek salad: a “summer” salad, consisting of a light and fresh medley of tomato, black olive, cucumber, onion, and feta cheese.  The dish is usually seasoned with salt and oregano, then dressed with olive oil, vinegar, and a dash of fresh lemon juice.

Spanakopita: a baked  filo pastry stuffed with layers of spinach, feta cheese, onion, and sometimes ricotta and egg.  It is similar to börek (link), banitsa (link), and brik (link), and is commonly referred to as “spinach pie”.

Moussaka: the Greek version of eggplant (courgette, in the UK) lasagna.  It is typically made for carnivores, but can easily be transformed into a vegetarian dish by substituting the meat with mushrooms.

Tzatziki: a delicious yogurt-based dip, with cucumbers, dill, and garlic.  This can be served as a dip or topping to accompany almost any Greek dish.

Dolmathes: grape leaves stuffed with lemon rice.  Again, they can be made with meat, so be sure to make the distinction.  These are amazing when dipped in tzatziki or lemon sauce, and resemble the Turkish zeytinyagli dolma (link) .

Vocabulary