In this post, we’ll discuss two simple methods and recipes for how to cook halloumi cheese using a pan. The first method is grilled halloumi in a grill pan and the second is pan fried halloumi with honey and sesame seeds. Both of which will give you a delicious result each time!

Tip: You could also use an outdoor barbecue to grill halloumi.

What is Halloumi Cheese?

Halloumi cheese is a firm, salty cheese made from sheep and/or goat milk originating in Cyprus. It is a semi-hard and unripened cheese that is tangy and salty.

Halloumi cheese has become increasingly popular in recent years as both an ingredient in Mediterranean dishes and as part of modern fusion cuisine. 

• Traditional cheese: Halloumi cheese comes from Cyprus and is a favorite in Greek recipes.
• Halloumi cheese has a high melting point, so the outside sears and becomes crisp and charred or browned (depending on the cooking method), while the inside is deliciously warm and chewy.

Grilled Halloumi Key Ingredients

Halloumi Cheese: A block of halloumi around 250g or 8 ounces works well for two portions.
Other ingredients: You’ll want some olive oil, juice of half a large lemon and either mixed pepper or black pepper to taste.

Grilled Halloumi Key Preparation Tips

There are just four steps to make simple grilled halloumi:

• Remove the halloumi from the packaging and use some kitchen towel to dry it as much as possible. Cut it into eight pieces.
• Heat a griddle pan to a very high heat. You want your grill pan to be nice and hot before adding the cheese! This helps prevent sticking. Brush each piece of halloumi with olive oil and season.
• Cook for 1-2 minutes on each side. Don’t move it around the pan to create nice brown lines on it.
• Remove from the heat and squeeze over the lemon juice before serving. Enjoy!

Find the complete recipe with measurements below.

Pan Fried Halloumi with Honey & Sesame Key Ingredients

Halloumi Cheese: Use the same 250g or 8 ounces for this recipe.

For this fried Halloumi recipe, you’ll need olive oil, runny honey, lemon juice, and some sesame seeds.

Tip: Use the best honey you have here as you can really taste the flavour in the finished dish.

Fried Halloumi Key Preparation Tips

To prepare this fried Halloumi remove the cheese from the packaging and use some kitchen towel to dry it, then cut it into eight pieces.

Heat a thick bottom frying pan over medium heat and toast the sesame seeds for around 1 minute until colored. Remove from the pan, making sure you wipe out any stray seeds.

Return the pan to the heat, add oil and heat until shimmering, then add the cheese. Cook on each side for 3-4 minutes until golden.

Spoon the honey over the cheese, then flip and as soon as the honey starts to bubble, remove it from the heat.
Serve with lemon juice drizzled over it, the remaining honey from the pan over it and topped with sesame seeds.

Find the complete recipe with measurements below.

Can you use different pepper on the cheese?

Using a mixture of peppercorns, including green and pink on the halloumi adds a variety of different flavors to the cheese. Pink peppercorns work particularly well.

However, regular freshly ground black pepper is a delicious alternative. If you don’t have a grinder for different peppercorns, they can be crushed using a pestle and mortar.

Variations

Instead of pepper or honey and sesame seeds, other variations that can be added to halloumi include garlic, herbs such as oregano or basil, cumin, chili flakes, lemon juice, olive oil and paprika.

Other creative additions could include sautéed mushrooms, grated apple, or even diced tomatoes. Whatever you decide to add to your dish, be sure to balance out the flavors to get the desired taste.

Making ahead of time and storing

Leftover grilled halloumi can be stored in the refrigerator for up to three days. To store, wrap it tightly in foil or place it in an airtight container. When you’re ready to reheat, put it on a grill or pan over medium heat until heated through.

Alternatively, you can also reheat it in a microwave. Before serving, make sure to check that the halloumi has been heated all the way through.

Serving suggestions

Grilled or fried halloumi can be enjoyed with a variety of Greek appetisers such as:

• Greek Tzatziki (Yogurt, cucumber and garlic dip)
• Keftedes (Greek meatballs)
• Spanakopitakia (Spinach triangles with phyllo)
• Dolmades (Stuffed grape leaves)
• Spetsofai (Spicy greek sausages with peppers)
• Kolokithokeftedes (Greek zuchini fritters)

Popular options include salads (Greek salad) roasted vegetables, couscous, rice, or quinoa. You could also serve fried or grilled halloumi alongside some village bread, pita bread and hummus for a delicious and filling meal.

For something more unique, try serving it with grilled fruit such as peaches, plums, or apricots for a sweet and savory dish. Enjoy!

How to cook Halloumi cheese (Pan fried and Grilled Halloumi recipe)

(51 votes, average: 4.71 out of 5)
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• Author: Eli K. Giannopoulos
• Prep Time: 5 minutes
• Cook Time: 10 minutes
• Total Time: 15 minutes
• Yield: 2 portions
• Category: Appetizers
• Method: Fried/ Grilled
• Cuisine: Greek

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Description

If you love the taste of halloumi cheese, you’ll be pleased to know that you can cook it in various ways in no time! From pan fried halloumi to grilled halloumi, there are plenty of options for how to cook Halloumi cheese, this delicious Mediterranean cheese!

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Ingredients

Grilled Halloumi cheese (Grill Pan Method)

• 250g block halloumi cheese (approx. 8 oz)
• extra virgin olive oil
• mixed pepper or black pepper to taste
• juice of 1/2 large lemon

Pan Fried Halloumi with Honey & Sesame

• 1 tsp sesame seeds
• 250g block halloumi cheese (approx. 8 oz)
• 1 1/2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tbsp runny honey
• juice of 1/2 lemon

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Instructions

Grilled Halloumi cheese (Grill Pan Method)

1. Remove the halloumi from any packaging and pat as dry as possible with a piece of kitchen towel. Slice into 8 pieces (approx. 1/2 inch, 1.3cm thick) and pat each piece dry with a fresh piece of paper.
2. Heat a seasoned or non-stick griddle pan over a very high heat. Meanwhile brush each halloumi piece with olive oil and season well with freshly ground pepper.
3. Cook the cheese for a minute or two on each side, trying not to move it around the pan so it forms nice golden lines.
4. Remove from the heat and squeeze over the lemon juice before serving immediately.

Pan Fried Halloumi with Honey & Sesame

1. Remove the halloumi from any packaging and pat as dry as possible with a piece of kitchen towel. Slice into 8 pieces, and pat each piece dry with a fresh piece of paper.
2. Heat a very bottomed, non-stick frying pan over a medium heat. Toast the sesame seeds for about a minute until just coloured, and remove from the pan.
3. Wipe any stray seeds from the pan and return it to a medium high heat. Add the oil and once it is shimmering, add the halloumi. Cook for 3-4 minutes on each side until golden.
4. Spoon the honey over the top of the halloumi slices. Flip them, and the moment the honey starts to bubble, remove the pan from the heat. Squeeze over the lemon juice.
5. Serve the halloumi immediately with the honey from the pan drizzled over the top, and the toasted sesame seeds sprinkled over each slice.

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Keywords: fried halloumi, grilled halloumi, how to cook halloumi cheese

The post How to cook Halloumi cheese (Pan fried and Grilled Halloumi recipe) appeared first on My Greek Dish.

Read on to learn about the best potatoes for Greek potato salad and how to make this easy and flavourful dish to perfection!

What is Greek Potato Salad (Patatosalata)?

Greek potato salad (Patatosalata) is a classic rustic dish. It’s a simple and delicious combination of potatoes, olive oil, lemon juice, fresh parsley, red onion, garlic, dill and feta cheese.

All the ingredients are mixed together and is served cold or at room temperature to allow the the flavours to mix!

This is a great side dish to serve with grilled meats or fish or as part of a summer meal. Enjoy Greek potato salad as an easy and flavorful way to enjoy the best flavors of Greece!

• Easy to make: This is a simple dish that’s ready in around half an hour
• Scale as you need: Make as much salad as you need for bigger occasions

Greek Potato Salad Key Ingredients

• Potatoes: You’ll need around 750g of baby potatoes for this recipe to serve up to six people.
• Salad ingredients: This potato salad recipe uses feta cheese, red onion, capers and lemon juice, along with fresh dill and parsley.

Key Preparation steps for Greek Potato Salad

There are just two main steps in creating this potato salad recipe:

1. Cook the potatoes
2. Create the salad

Cook the potatoes

Put the potatoes in a pan of cold water with lots of salt and bring to the boil. Cook for 20 minutes until tender, then drain and leave them to cool.

Create Greek Potato salad

Take a large bowl and whisk together the lemon juice and olive oil. Half the potatoes and add them to the bowl, then crumble in the feta.

Peel and finely chop the onion, then add to the potatoes.

Add the drained capers, chopped herbs and a good amount of black pepper.

Fold together the ingredients and season as needed. Leave to set for 20 minutes to let the flavors mix before serving.

What are the best potatoes for Greek potato salad?

For the best flavor and texture, the ideal potatoes to use in Greek potato salad are waxy varieties such as red potatoes or new potatoes.

These types of potatoes are lower in starch and will hold their shape better when boiled, resulting in a delicious and sturdy salad. Yukon Gold or russet potatoes can also be used but may break down more quickly.

What could you use in Greek potato salad in place of feta cheese?

If you’re looking for a substitute for feta cheese in Greek potato salad, try substituting it with crumbled goat cheese or a vegan cheese alternative. Both of these options will give the dish a tangy flavor and creamy texture similar to that of feta.

Consider adding capers or kalamata olives to add additional Mediterranean flair and saltiness.

What can you add if you don’t like capers?

If you don’t like capers, you can still achieve a similar flavor in a Greek potato salad with other Mediterranean ingredients. Try adding roasted red peppers or chopped artichoke hearts to give the dish extra texture and flavor.

Or, go with something more traditional and opt for chopped green olives or sun-dried tomatoes to give your Greek potato salad an extra punch. Finally, if you’re looking to add a bit of sweetness, consider some diced shallots.

Variations

Greek potato salad can be easily adapted to suit different tastes. For a saucier version of the dish, use plain Greek yogurt or mayonnaise and add diced cucumbers or tomatoes for a refreshing twist.

Add chili flakes or replace the feta cheese with crumbled goat cheese for a spicier version.

Substitute olives for the red onion and oregano for dill to give it a Mediterranean flair.

Serving suggestions

Greek potato salad is a versatile side dish that pairs well with roasted chicken or fish, grilled lamb, or other Mediterranean-inspired dishes.

It can also be served as a light lunch or dinner on its own, topped with chopped fresh herbs such as oregano, thyme, or parsley.

Try adding a few Kalamata olives, feta cheese and village bread for an easy and flavorful meal!

Other delicious Greek salads

If you love my salad, then you’ll also love my following handpicked recommendations!

1. Greek Orzo Salad (Orzo feta salad)
2. Traditional Greek salad (Xoriatiki)
3. Delicious Greek Lentil Salad Recipe with Feta cheese (Fakes Salata)
4. Refreshing Watermelon Feta Salad recipe
5. Grilled Halloumi and Roasted Vegetables Salad Recipe
6. Greek Pasta Salad recipe
7. Greek chickpea salad

Easy Greek Potato Salad (Patatosalata)

(78 votes, average: 4.92 out of 5)
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• Author: Eli K. Giannopoulos
• Prep Time: 15 minutes (plus cooling and resting time)
• Cook Time: 20 minutes
• Total Time: 35 minutes
• Yield: 4-6 portions
• Category: Salad
• Method: Boiled
• Cuisine: Greek
• Diet: Vegetarian

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Description

Looking for a delicious and flavorful side dish or a light meal? This Greek potato salad (Patatosalata) is the answer! A classic Mediterranean dish perfect for any occasion!

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Ingredients

• 750–800g baby potatoes (roughly 1 3/4 lb)
• salt
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 1/2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 100g feta (3 1/2 oz)
• 1/2 red onion
• 4 tbsp capers in brine
• 2 tbsp finely chopped fresh dill
• 2 tbsp finely chopped flat leaf parsley
• black pepper to taste

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Instructions

1. To prepare this Greek potato salad recipe start by boiling the potatoes. Place the potatoes in a pan of cold water with a very generous amount of salt and bring to the boil. Cook until tender; this should take about 20 minutes. Drain, and set aside to cool.
2. To assemble the salad, in the bottom of a large bowl whisk together the extra virgin olive oil and the fresh lemon juice.
3. Halve the potatoes into the bowl, then crumble in the feta. Peel and finely chop the red onion, before adding it to the potatoes along with the drained capers, chopped herbs and a good amount of black pepper.
4. Fold together the salad and season to taste with more salt and pepper, if needed. Set aside to allow the flavours to blend for at least 20 minutes. Enjoy!

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Keywords: greek potato salad, patatosalata

The post Easy Greek Potato Salad (Patatosalata) appeared first on My Greek Dish.

So, if you want to try something beyond traditional Greek dishes but stick with something that many Greeks enjoy, Imam Bayildi is a perfect idea. This dish is a classic of Ottoman and “Politiki” cuisine, that is the best way to serve eggplants (or aubergines if you like) and is really easy to make!

What is Imam Bayildi?

Imam Bayildi is a classic vegetarian dish that can be served as a main or side dish. The story behind the name of the dish is that the first Imam to try it was so impressed by the flavor that he fainted! So the dish is called ‘the imam fainted’ in Turkish.

What you’ll need to make Imam Bayildi the traditional way

You can make this Imam Bayildi recipe at any time of the year but to get the best results, it is worth using summer aubergines and the best tomatoes. But if you can’t get good quality plum tomatoes, you can use the tinned variety. You might find you need to add some sugar to the sauce as tinned tomatoes tend to be a bit more acidic and the sauce will be sharper.

Imam Bayildi Key Ingredients

Basics: For this imam Bayildi recipe, you will want 1 large eggplant per 2 portions you want to create. You’ll also want onion and garlic cloves along with plum tomatoes for the basics of the dish.

Seasoning: To add flavor to the ingredients, use cumin, smoked paprika, oregano and either a little fresh parsley or mint. Have some tomato puree to use to bind them together and a little black pepper to finish.

Key Preparation steps 

There are three main steps involved with this Imam Bayildi recipe:

1. Prepare the eggplant
2. Make the filling 
3. Finish the dish

Prepare the eggplant 

Preheat the oven to 150 degrees (300 F). Half the eggplant and score the flesh with a cross-hatch marking with the tip of the knife, being careful not to break the skin. Rub plenty of salt into the flesh and set it aside.

Measure the olive oil in a cup or jug and keep it to one side by the stove. Add more oil to a large, non-stick frying pan over a high heat then fry the eggplant in batches, adding more oil as needed. The flesh needs to be golden.

Place the cooked eggplant in a baking dish snugly.

Make the filling for Imam Bayildi 

Reduce the heat under the pan to medium and cook the thinly sliced onions with a bit of oil and salt. Cook for 5-6 minutes until soft and starting to change color.

Finely slice the garlic cloves and add them to the pan then cook for another few minutes until soft and aromatic.
Roughly dice the tomatoes and add them to the pan, cooking for another 5 minutes until breaking down into a rough sauce.

Stir in the cumin, paprika, oregano and fresh herbs with tomato puree and season with salt and black pepper.

Tip: If you don’t like tomato skins in your sauce, the easiest thing to do is make a small cross on the top of each tomato with a sharp knife. Then submerge them in some boiled water. Once the water is cool enough to put your hands in, remove the tomatoes and the skin will come off.

Finish the dish

Remove the filling from the heat and stir in 4 tablespoons of water.

Use a spoon to add the mixture over the cut sides of the eggplant then drizzle with olive oil and cover the dish with foil.
Bake in the oven for 1 hour 30 minutes or until the eggplant is soft and has collapsed.

Leave to stand and serve warm or at room temperature.

Do you need to salt eggplants?

You may have heard that you need to salt eggplants before cooking them, but is this really necessary? Modern eggplant varieties are bred to be less bitter, so in most cases, there’s no need to salt them.

However, if you find that the eggplants you usually buy are bitter, or if you’re using an heirloom variety, it’s worth salting them.

To do this, simply season the eggplant halves with salt and leave them to sit for 30 minutes. This will help to remove any bitterness. Rinse the salt off and squeeze out any excess moisture before proceeding with the recipe.

It may seem strange to double-salt them, but the key to a delicious dish is to be bold with the seasoning!

Making ahead of time and storing

If you have any leftovers, allow them to cool then store them in an airtight container and keep them in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

You can freeze it once it is cold and use a freezer-safe bag or container. Store for no more than 3 months and allow to defrost overnight before reheating in the oven for 10-15 minutes.

Serving suggestions

Imam Bayildi is great on its own but you can also serve it as part of a meze-style meal. You can serve it with some plain rice or steamed vegetables but avoid anything too spicy as this could make the meal too strongly flavored.

Love eggplant? More recipes to try

Take a look at my some of my favorite Greek eggplant recipes like:

1. Traditional Moussaka with aubergines and potatoes
2. Stuffed eggplants with mince (Melitzanes papoutsakia)
3. Eggplant dip (Melitzanosalata)
4. Pan-fried battered eggplants (Melitzanes tiganites)
5. Vegan Moussaka with Lentils 
6. Vegetarian Moussaka with mushroom sauce

Imam Bayildi recipe

(97 votes, average: 4.78 out of 5)
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• Author: Eli K. Giannopoulos
• Prep Time: 15 minutes (plus cooling time)
• Cook Time: 2 hours
• Total Time: 2 hours 15 minutes
• Yield: 4 pieces
• Category: Main
• Method: Baked
• Cuisine: Politiki
• Diet: Vegan

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Description

Imam Bayildi (stuffed eggplants) is a simple, delicious vegan dish, packed with so much flavor! An amazing combination of fresh aubergines stuffed with a juicy tomato based filling, caramelised onions, garlic with aromatic herbs and spices!

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Ingredients

• 2 large eggplant
• salt
• 150ml olive oil
• 1 brown onion
• 4 large garlic cloves
• 4 large plum tomatoes
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp sweet smoked paprika
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tbsp tomato puree 
• handful fresh parsley or mint, or a mixture of the two, plus extra to serve
• black pepper, to taste

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Instructions

1. Pre-heat the oven to 150 degrees (300 fahrenheit).
2. To make this Imam bayildi recipe start by preparing the eggplants. Half the eggplant and score the flesh on a cross hatch, trying not the break the skin with the tip of your knife. Rub a generous amount of salt into the flesh, and set aside. 
3. Measure out the olive oil in a measuring cup or jug, and keep it by the stove. Add a generous splash to a large, non-stick frying pan set over a high heat. Fry the eggplant, working in batches and adding a little more oil if necessary until their exposed flesh is golden. As you remove them from a pan, nestle them cut side up in a baking dish just large enough to fit them snugly.
4. Reduce the heat to medium and add the onion, thinly sliced into half moons along with another splash of oil and another pinch of salt. Fry for 5-6 minutes or so until they’re soft and just starting to colour.
5. Finely slice the garlic cloves before adding them to the pan and cook for another couple of minutes until they’re soft and aromatic. 
6. Roughly dice the tomatoes and add them to the pan, cooking for a further 5 minutes until they start to break down into a rough sauce. Stir in the cumin, paprika, oregano, tomato puree and the fresh herbs, finely chopped. Season generously to taste with more salt and a little black pepper.
7. Remove from the heat and stir in 4 tbsp of water before spooning the mixture over the exposed cut sides of the eggplant. Drizzle the remaining olive oil over the dish before covering with foil and baking for 1 hour and 30 minutes, or until the aubergines and soft and have collapsed. 
8. Leave to stand and serve either warm, or at room temperature. Enjoy!

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Keywords: imam bayildi

The post Imam Bayildi recipe appeared first on My Greek Dish.

What is Spanakopita (Greek spinach pie)?

Spanakopita is a traditional Greek dish that combines spinach and feta cheese in a pastry filling. It is often made with phyllo pastry (spanakopita with phyllo) but I went for puff pastry here because it is easier to work with! If you have the time, you can also make it with homemade phyllo (spanakopita with homemade phyllo).

Sometimes you see the spanakopita made into small pies (spanakopitakia) as well as in larger casserole dishes like this one. In Northern Greece, it is known as spanakotiropita (spinach feta pie) while the term spanakopita tends to be used in Southern Greece but both are referring to a tasty spinach and cheese pie.

• Classic Greek dish: Ideal for larger family gatherings.
• Delicious combination: Spinach and feta cheese are at the heart of the dish.

Tip: During religious fasts, a version of the recipe is often made without using cheese and eggs.

What you’ll need to make Spanakopita with Puff Pastry

You will want good quality feta cheese for this recipe to bring out the best of the flavors. Don’t be tempted to go for something lesser quality or even try a different cheese as it won’t produce the same results as feta does.

Key Ingredients for Spanakopita with Puff Pastry 

Filling: For the spanakopita pie filling, you need leeks, garlic cloves, fresh spinach and then some spring onions, mint, lemon zest and nutmeg. Feta cheese is added for the classic Greek flavor.

Pastry: You’ll need eggs, puff pastry and some flour for rolling to prepare the pastry for the dish.

Key Preparation Tips

There are three main steps involved with making spanakopita with puff pastry:

1. Prepare the filling
2. Prepare the puff pastry
3. Finish the spinach pie

Prepare the filling

Heat some olive oil in a large frying pan or skillet over medium heat. Trim the leeks into 1cm or ⅓ inch pieces then fry in the pan with some salt until soft and starting to color, usually around 10 minutes.

Peel and crush the garlic clove then add to the pan, cooking for another minute until soft.

Chop the spinach roughly and add to the pan, a handful at a time. Stir it frequently and let it wilt then add more. Cook the spinach until almost all of the liquid has evaporated from it, around 15-20 minutes then remove from the heat.

Prepare the spring onions and add them to the mixture with roughly chopped fresh mint, lemon zest and nutmeg. Crumble in the feta cheese, season with salt and black pepper then leave to cool.

Prepare the puff pastry

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees (390 F). Lightly flour a surface or board and divide the pastry block into two.

Generously grease a 20 x 20cm baking tray that can hold at least 4 inches of filling with butter then roll out one piece of pastry making sure it can line the dish. Press into the corners with your fingertips for complete coverage.

Finish the Spanakopita (Greek spinach pie)

Beat an egg and stir into the spinach mixture before spreading it across the pastry, pushing into corners and using a spoon to have a smooth surface.

Beat the other egg and brush it across any exposed pastry above the filling.

Roll out the second sheet and add it to the top, using fingers to pinch the two sheets together. Trim off any excess and brush with the rest of the egg.

Cook for 30 minutes until the pastry is crisp and golden. Remove from the oven and leave for another 30 minutes before slicing and serving. Warm or room temperature is perfect for this recipe.

Can you Use Frozen Spinach?

I prefer to use fresh spinach when making this Spanakopita with puff pastry recipe but you can use frozen spinach too.

Spinach is a great leafy green to keep in your freezer for when you need it. It can work for this recipe too because you don’t need to cook it in advance, just as part of creating the filling.

Just make sure to fully thaw the spinach and squeeze out all the liquid before adding it to the rest of the filling ingredients. This will help to prevent the spanakopita from becoming too waterlogged.

Making ahead of time and storing

You can make the Spanakopita with puff pastry ahead of time and store it until you want to serve it. Follow the instructions for assembling but don’t bake it. Cover it tightly and store it in the refrigerator until you are ready to bake it then follow the instructions.

It will also store in the refrigerator for 2-3 days after cooking. You can heat it back up in the oven.

To freeze it, take the cooked recipe and cut it into portions then freeze it like this. Once cooled pop into an airtight container. Defrost overnight then heat up in the oven.

Serving suggestions

This delicious Spanakopita with puff pastry works well on its own as a standalone dish, but is also great if you have a few people to feed alongside dishes such as Greek lemon chicken or a lamb recipe. You can serve it with Greek salad and some dips such as Tzatziki or garlic hummus.

More delicious Greek Pies!

If you love a traditional Greek pie, the below recipes are made for you! 

1. Greek Meat Pie (Kreatopita)
2. Greek Chicken Pie Recipe (Kotopita)
3. Traditional Greek Leek Pie Recipe (Prasopita)
4. Mini Spanakopita Triangles Recipe (Spanakopitakia / Greek Spinach Triangles)
5. Greek Feta Cheese Pies Recipe (Tiropitakia)
6. Spiral-Shaped Greek Cheese Pie Recipe (Kichi Kozanis)
7. Traditional Zucchini Pie Recipe With Feta Cheese (Greek Kolokithopita)
8. Traditional Tiropita Recipe (Greek Cheese Pie With Feta)
9. Delicious Little Cheese Pies! (Pitarakia Milou)

Easy Greek Spanakopita with puff Pastry

(89 votes, average: 4.79 out of 5)
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• Author: Eli K. Giannopoulos
• Prep Time: 25 min
• Cook Time: 1 hour
• Total Time: 1 hour 25 minutes
• Yield: 4-6 portions
• Category: Side dish
• Method: Baked
• Cuisine: Greek
• Diet: Vegetarian

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Description

Making spanakopita sounds too complicated? Well not anymore with my super easy spanakopita with puff pastry recipe!

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Ingredients

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 2 leeks 
• salt
• 2 large garlic cloves
• 400g-500g fresh spinach (roughly 1 lb)
• 4 large spring onions
• large handful fresh mint
• zest of 1/2 lemon
• generous pinch ground nutmeg
• 150g feta (5 1/4 oz)
• black pepper to taste
• 2 eggs
• 1 x 500g block puff pastry (1 lb 1 1/2 oz)
• flour, for rolling out the pastry 
• softened butter, for greasing the baking dish

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Instructions

1. To prepare this super easy spanakopita with puff pastry recipe, start by making the filling first.
2. Heat the oil in a very large frying pan or skillet set over a medium heat. Trim and slice the leeks into 1 cm (1/3 inch) pieces and fry with a pinch of salt for about 10 minutes until they’re soft and just starting to colour.
3. Peel and crush the garlic into to the pan, cooking for a further minute until it has turned soft and aromatic. 
4. Roughly chop the spinach and gradually add handfuls to the pan, stirring often until it has wilted enough to allow you to fit more. Then, continue to cook the spinach until almost all of its liquid has evaporated; this should take around 15-20 minutes, depending on the size of your pan. Remove it from the heat.
5. Top, tail and finely slice the spring onions before stirring them into the spinach mixture along with the fresh mint, roughly chopped, the lemon zest and the nutmeg. Crumble in the feta, before seasoning to taste with more salt and a little black pepper. Leave the spanakopita filling to cool.
6. Meanwhile, pre-heat the oven to 200 degrees C (390 fahrenheit).
7. On a lightly floured surface, divide the pastry block into two. Generously butter a 20x20cm (roughly 8×8 inch) baking dish and roll out one piece of pastry to be big enough to line the dish allowing the filling to take up at least 4cm (1 1/4 inches) of depth, and the other to form a lid. Line the dish, pressing the pastry into the corners carefully with your fingertips.
8. Lightly beat the first egg, and stir it into the spinach mixture before spooning the cooled filling into the prepared pastry case, pushing it into the corners and smoothing the surface with the back of the spoon. 
9. Beat the other egg, and brush the egg wash across the exposed lip of the pastry, just above the filling. Top with the lid, and again use your fingertips to press the edges together. If necessary, trim off any excess that overhangs the dish with a sharp knife before folding the pastry over and crimping it with your fingertips to seal the pie. Brush with the remaining egg wash and cut two small slits in the middle of the pie to allow steam to escape.
10. Bake for 30 minutes until the pastry is crisp and golden. Remove from the oven, and rest for a further 30 minutes at least before slicing and serving either warm or at room temperature. Enjoy!

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Keywords: spanakopita with puff pastry, spinach pie with puff pastry, spinach pie, easy spinach pie, easy spanakopita

The post Easy Greek Spanakopita with puff Pastry appeared first on My Greek Dish.

So go ahead, read along to discover how to make it to perfection with my delicious recipe, step by step photos, tips and tricks, variations and ingredient suggestions!

What is Greek Orzo Salad?

Greek Orzo Pasta salad is a traditional dish that is used as a side for parties, gatherings and even as a light mid week dinner! It is a simple recipe that can be adapted to whatever vegetables you have around the kitchen but is usually made with tomatoes, cucumber, onion and olives.

• Easy to make: There’s just a short preparation time and a little cooking needed to make this recipe. Then simply chill it and it will be ready to serve.
• Use up ingredients: Once you’ve tried it the traditional way, mix up those ingredients for a great use-up recipe.

Greek Orzo Pasta Salad Key Ingredients

There are a few key ingredients needed to make this salad recipe:

1. Orzo salad: As well as the orzo pasta, you’ll want some cherry tomatoes, red onion, English cucumber and Kalamata olives to mix in. Season with olive oil, fresh basil and dill.
2. For the dressing: A simple dressing made with olive oil, red wine vinegar, a little lemon zest and oregano works perfectly.
3. To finish: As well as salt and pepper, adding some cubed feta is always my favorite option.

Tip: Use good quality Greek dried oregano here for the best results as some of the big-name brands tend to be very dry. If you can’t get Greek oregano, the next best would be a quality Mexican oregano.

Key Preparation Tips

There are three main steps involved with making this orzo salad:

1. Cook the orzo pasta
2. Prepare the dressing
3. Make the salad and finish

Cook the Orzo pasta

Boil up your kettle full of water and, at the same time, heat some olive oil in a large saucepan over a medium-high heat. When the oil is shimmering, add the orzo and cook until it starts to color, stirring regularly.

Then add the boiling water from the kettle with a teaspoon of salt and cook for 10-12 minutes until just tender and al-dente.

Drain the orzo and rinse it under a cold tap until the water flowing out of the pasta is clear. This will cool the orzo down, stopping it from cooking any further and preventing it from getting too soft and soggy.

Finally, set aside to drain any extra moisture, stirring occasionally to prevent the pasta from sticking together.

Make the dressing for Greek Orzo salad

For the dressing we keep it nice and simple using classic and earthy Greek flavours. Just make sure you use good quality and fresh ingredients!

My favourites are some extra virgin olive oil, a little red wine vinegar to add some acidity, lemon zest for some delicious freshness and of course some Greek oregano. In a small dish, combine all the ingredients together, season and whisk to combine.

Prepare the Orzo feta salad

Prepare the salad ingredients by quartering the cherry tomatoes, peeling and finely chopping the onion and cucumber and cutting the olives into quarters. If you find red onion is a little sharp in flavor, run it under the cold water tap before adding it to the salad mix.

Pour the orzo pasta into a large mixing bowl and add the salad vegetables. Roughly chop the fresh herbs and add them to the mix as well. Pour in the salad dressing and toss.

Stir in the cubed feta and gently stir so your feta doesn’t break apart. Taste and if needed, season with some more salt and pepper before serving. Just be careful not to add too much salt as both the feta and olives are usually quite salty on their own.

Tip: For maximum flavour, allow your salad to marinate for about an hour before serving so that the orzo absorbs the sauce.

What is Orzo?

If you’ve ever eaten orzo before, it is easy to confuse it with rice due to its shape! However, Orzo is, in fact, pasta and you can find it at the grocery store alongside other shaped kinds of pasta.

Flavor wise, Orzo tastes mild, making it the perfect match for pasta salads like this Greek Orzo Salad, but also it is a wonderful pairing for soups and even risotto-like dishes.

You’ll also find whole wheat orzo, much like most kinds of pasta. If you want to increase the fiber and protein in this dish, use the whole wheat variety instead.

Can I Use Another Type of Pasta?

While there’s something just perfect about orzo for this recipe, you can swap it for other types of pasta if that’s what you have. Spiral, bowtie, penne or even macaroni pasta will work the same, just use the same weight. You could even test something like a cheese-filled tortellini but use double the weight listed.

Variations

Many traditional Greek recipes will use green bell peppers in this dish but it is a controversial flavor in our house! So we left it out but if you want to add some, finely chop one pepper and add it to the salad. They will add some extra crunch to the orzo salad together with some additional freshness.

Finally, you could also add artichoke hearts which will add some delicious tenderness to the dish or some salad greens such as spinach or arugula.

Making ahead of time and storing

You can keep the pasta salad in the refrigerator for 2-3 days in an airtight container. If it feels a little dry when you take it out, mix some olive oil into it to refresh it.

Can You Freeze Greek Pasta Salad?

While you can freeze pasta salads, some of them don’t freeze as well as others. It all depends on the components in the dish.

In general, if you use raw crisp vegetables such as cucumbers or tomatoes, I don’t suggest freezing them since they won’t work well when frozen.

Therefore, this dish is best eaten fresh, rather than frozen. Alternatively, wait to add the veggies until after it’s thawed!

Serving suggestions

You can serve the dish as a side salad, where this recipe will make around 8 portions. It works well alongside burgers, chicken souvlaki, beef souvlaki, pork souvlaki and of course chicken gyros and pork gyros as well as other side dishes such as briam (mixed roast vegetables).

Finally, you can make this into a more substantial meal by adding something like some grilled shrimp or shredded chicken to the recipe once you have made it. Serve it with some homemade crusty bread for a simple and filling meal.

Other delicious Greek salads

If you love my Greek orzo pasta salad, then you’ll also love my following handpicked recommendations!

1. Delicious Greek Lentil Salad Recipe with Feta cheese (Fakes Salata)
2. Refreshing Watermelon Feta Salad recipe
3. Grilled Halloumi and Roasted Vegetables Salad Recipe
4. Traditional Greek Salad recipe (Horiatiki / Xoriatiki)
5. Greek Pasta Salad recipe
6. Potato Salad (Greek Patatosalata)
7. Greek chickpea salad 

Greek Orzo Salad (Orzo feta salad)

(113 votes, average: 4.58 out of 5)
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• Author: Eli K. Giannopoulos
• Prep Time: 15 minutes (plus 1 hour chilling time)
• Cook Time: 15 minutes
• Total Time: 30 minutes
• Yield: 4 as a main, 8 as a side
• Category: Salad
• Method: Boiled
• Cuisine: Greek
• Diet: Vegetarian

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Description

Greek Orzo Salad with feta cheese is one of those super simple dishes that take just so little effort to prepare! Short cooking time, little preparation and you will have a delicious light meal or side dish in 30′!

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Ingredients

For Greek orzo salad

• 3 tbsp olive oil
• a kettle of boiling water
• 300g orzo (1 3/4 cups)
• 400g cherry tomatoes (14 oz)
• 1 small red onion
• 1 English cucumber
• 2 handfuls Kalamata olives
• 30g fresh basil leaves (1 oz)
• 15g fresh dill (1/2 oz)

For the orzo salad dressing

• 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 4 tsp red wine vinegar
• 1 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• zest of 1 lemon

To season and decorate

• salt to taste
• black pepper to taste
• 180g cubed feta (6 oz)

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Similar recipes you may like!

• 

  Potato Salad (Greek Patatosalata)

• 

  Greek Pasta Salad recipe

• 

  Grilled Halloumi and Roasted…

• 

  Refreshing Watermelon Feta Salad recipe

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Instructions

1. To prepare this delicious Greek orzo salad recipe, start with cooking the orzo pasta. Boil the water in the kettle. At the same time heat the olive oil over a medium high heat in a large saucepan. Once the oil is shimmering, add the orzo and cook, stirring often until the orzo starts to color. Fill the pan with boiling water, stir in a of teaspoon of salt and cook the orzo for 10-12 minutes, until just tender and al-dente.
2. Drain the orzo and rinse under a cold tap until the water running out the pasta runs clear. Set aside to drain away any excess water, stirring occasionally to prevent the pasta sticking to each other.
3. Meanwhile, quarter the cherry tomatoes, peel and finely chop the onion and the cucumber, and quarter the olives.
4. Transfer the cooked orzo to a large bowl and stir in the salad vegetables. Roughly chop the fresh herbs and add those too.
5. To make the dressing, in a small bowl combine the extra virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar, dried oregano, lemon zest, and a generous amount of salt and pepper. Stir this into the orzo mixture.
6. Add the cubed feta and stir carefully, making sure the cheese pieces don’t break up too much. Season to taste with more salt and pepper, if needed, and leave to stand in the fridge for roughly an hour before serving to allow the orzo to soak up the dressing. Enjoy!

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Keywords: greek orzo salad, greek orzo pasta salad, orzo feta salad

The post Greek Orzo Salad (Orzo feta salad) appeared first on My Greek Dish.

With my Vegan Lentil Moussaka, you get all the delicious potatoes and eggplants along with a vegan-friendly Béchamel sauce that even uses a clever ingredient to create that cheesy flavor on the topping and my delicious, packed with flavour, lentil based filling! 

So read along to discover what you’ll need to make the most delicious vegan lentil moussaka, my tips and tricks to help you make it to perfection, my step by step photos, and of course my unique recipe!

What is a traditional Moussaka?

Moussaka is arguably the most famous Greek dish. It is served in every Greek taverna and is the dish of choice for a large family gathering and special occasions.

Moussaka is a delicious eggplant, potato and mince meat casserole topped with a deliciously creamy and cheesy béchamel sauce. The essence of the traditional moussaka is summarised in:

1. Its umami packed filling: The traditional Moussaka sauce is a deep dark red/brown ragu, which is both meaty yet fragrant and is packed with umami flavours. The traditional moussaka uses a combination of beef or lamb to make the sauce together with garlic, bay leaves, cinnamon and red wine.
2. Its creamy béchamel: The traditional Moussaka is topped with a creamy, thick béchamel that is packed with a distinct savoury taste yet is extra fragrant because of the grated cheese and nutmeg!
3. Its deliciously juicy vegetables: Aubergines and potatoes are cooked separately and then added to the moussaka when ready to assemble. The aubergines give it a delicious juiciness and the potatoes that extra starchiness and robustness in its flavour, making it a complete meal!

So keeping the above in mind, how can we make the perfect Vegan moussaka while keeping its “essence” – the umami packed filling, its creamy béchamel and its deliciously juicy vegetables intact?

Making the perfect Vegan Moussaka with Lentils – Key Ingredients

In order for your Vegan moussaka recipe to keep its authenticity, we need to carefully select our meat and dairy substitutes. After plenty of experimentation I’ve narrowed it down to the following key ingredients:

• Lentils: they are the perfect meat substitute. They are nutritious, natural and healthy. Also they are a staple ingredient in the Greek cuisine! In my recipe I’ve opted to use green Lentils but you can also use any variety of whole (not split) brown lentils as well.
• Dried mushrooms: To make the sauce more “meaty” I’ve opted to use a sprinkling of dried mushrooms. They will expand when cooking and will impart their natural umami flavour that makes this vegan moussaka so delicious!
• Herbs and spices: After plenty of experimentation and keeping to the moussaka tradition, I’ve put together a delicious herbs and spices mix that makes this moussaka taste just like the original! You’ll need some garlic, cinnamon, tomato paste, chopped tomatoes, red wine, oregano and a bay leaf to season your sauce to perfection
• Vegan friendly béchamel: The classic Bechamel sauce is unfortunately using cows milk and butter so is not vegan or lent friendly. In keeping with the Greek tradition, I’ve opted to prepare my vegan béchamel using olive oil for the roux. To give it that extra creaminess but without sacrificing its flavour, I’ve found that soy milk is an excellent substitute for regular cows milk. To bring in those delicious Greek flavours and aromas, I’ve also infused the béchamel with a brown onion, cinnamon stick, bay leafs, nutmeg and garlic powder.
• Nutritional yeast: This is my one secret ingredient that makes the béchamel taste so special! So what is nutritional yeast? It’s a natural product that is made out of deactivated bakers or brewers yeast. It is highly nutritious, containing plenty of vitamin B and proteins. And best of all? It imparts a deliciously cheesy flavour to the béchamel!
• Potatoes and Aubergines! A Moussaka is not a moussaka without potatoes and generous helping of aubergines. So make sure you grab yourself a bunch and let’s get cooking!

Tip: You can use almond milk in place of soy milk if you prefer. It will give the sauce a nuttier flavor but it won’t brown as much as it would with soy milk. So if you want to use this option, add some breadcrumbs to the top to help brown the dish.

Preparing your Vegan Moussaka with Lentils

To prepare your Vegan Lentil Moussaka you’ll need to follow the following four key steps:

1. Prepare the lentil sauce
2. Prepare the vegetables
3. Prepare the bechamel
4. Assemble and bake!

So get your pans out and let’s get started!

Preparing the Vegan Moussaka Lentil sauce

To prepare your Vegan Moussaka recipe lentil sauce, you’ll firstly need to soak your dried mushrooms in 500ml / 2 cups of boiling water. This will help the mushrooms hydrate!

Then in a large saucepan, warm 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the red onion and cook for 5-6 minutes until translucent and just beginning to color. Add the crushed garlic and cook for another minute until its aroma is coming through.

Once your onions are soft and translucent and the garlic cooked, its time to add the spices. Start by adding the ground cinnamon, the tomato paste and simmer until the tomato paste has caramelised. This releases the delicious umami flavour in the tomato paste!

Next stir in the chopped tomatoes, red wine, balsamic vinegar and the water from the dried mushrooms, keeping a little aside to wash out the tomato tin to get all that delicious tomato juice! Stir in the lentils, oregano, the bay leaf and lastly add the soaked dried mushrooms.

Bring to a boil, then season with salt and pepper. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 1 hour until the lentils are soft, stirring occasionally.

Tip: Keep an eye on your lentil sauce when its cooking. If it looks like its drying out add a little more water and stir.

Preparing your Vegan Bechamel Sauce

To prepare our delicious Vegan Bechamel sauce firstly we will need to infuse the milk. In a medium sized pot add your soy milk, the roughly chopped white onion, the cinnamon stick, the peppercorns and the bay leaf. Cook over medium-high heat until it just comes to a boil then remove and set aside to infuse.

To make the béchamel sauce, you’ll first need to make a roux. In another saucepan, heat the extra virgin olive oil over medium heat. Once the oil is warm and has started to simmer, add the flour and whisk. Cook for 1-2 minutes stirring constantly so your flour cooks and looses that flour-y taste.

Strain your milk and gradually whisk in the flour mixture. You’ll need to keep whisking so no lumps form. To take some of the labour out, you can use your electric hand mixer with the whisk attachment!

Once all the milk has been absorbed into the flour and the sauce has thickened, remove from the heat and whisk in the spices – the nutmeg, garlic powder and salt. Add the nutritional yeast, whisk and taste. Add some more salt if needed to bring out the cheesy flavour of the yeast.

Your vegan moussaka béchamel sauce is now ready!

Preparing your Vegan Moussaka Vegetables

Start by preparing your potatoes. Slice them thinly and lay them our on a large baking sheet or two, depending on the size of your sheets and spray or brush with olive oil. Season your potatoes with some salt, flip them over and repeat.

Preheat your oven to 220C/430F and place your potato tray in to cook for approximately 30 minutes or until well browned.

Tip: Line your baking sheets with parchment paper – your potatoes won’t stick and you won’t have to flip them over while cooking either! Also, if you don’t have an olive oil spray you can brush olive oil onto the potato and eggplant slices using a pastry brush.

Now its time to prepare your eggplants. Cut them lengthwise into finger-width slices, place them on baking parchment lined baking sheets and season with salt. Spray or brush with some olive oil, flip them over and repeat.

In the preheated oven (220C/430F) bake your eggplants for approximately 20 minutes until tender. As with your potatoes, you won’t need to flip them over half way. However you’ll need to rotate the baking sheets in the oven half way to make sure they brown evenly!

Do you need to fry the potatoes and eggplant?

It is common to fry the potatoes and eggplant before assembling the dish but I roasted them instead for a healthier option. If you do prefer to fry them, cover the base of the pan with olive oil and cook over a high heat until golden on each side. Use some kitchen towel to blot away the oil and continue with the vegan moussaka recipe!

Do you need to salt the eggplant?

With modern eggplant varieties, there’s no need to salt them to remove bitterness. However, if you use heirloom varieties or find your eggplant is unusually bitter, you can salt the slices and leave them in a colander for about 30 minutes.

Rinse off the salt and squeeze out extra moisture before continuing with the recipe. Just skip the salt before roasting them if you do this.

Assembling your Vegan Moussaka with Lentils and baking it

Now that your key ingredients are all ready, its time to assemble the vegan moussaka and bake it. Start by spreading the potatoes in a single layer over the bottom of a deep 32cm x 20cm (12-inch x 8 inch) baking dish.

Then layer half of the eggplant slices, followed by the lentil mixture. Add the rest of the eggplant, spreading them evenly on top. Finally pour over the béchamel and smooth it over with a spoon or a spatula.

Reduce the oven temperature to 180C/350F and bake your moussaka for 30-45 minutes until the top is golden brown.

To serve, remove your vegan moussaka with lentils from the oven and let it rest for 10-15 minutes until it has cooled down a bit. This will help you cut the dish without it falling apart!

Making ahead of time and storing

From my experience, this recipe doesn’t freeze very well as the béchamel, filling and potatoes turn soggy when frozen. If you want to prepare it in advance, prepare all the key steps and assemble the dish. Cover it with some cling film and place in your fridge where it will last for 1-2 days. When you want to serve, preheat the oven and cook for approximately 45 minutes to 1 hour.

To store any leftovers, slice them up and place them in airtight containers. You can store them in the fridge for up to 3 days. To serve, place your slices on a baking sheet and reheat at 100C / 220F for approximately 30 minutes until piping hot throughout.

Serving suggestions

This vegan lentil moussaka recipe is delicious on its own and a complete meal! I do love serving it with some delicious village crusty bread, sourdough bread, some delicious vegan tzatziki and a delicious Greek Salad! If I’m looking to make it into a larger meal I love pairing it with some delicious Greek lemon roast potatoes and some roast vegetables (briam) on the side!

More delicious Greek Vegan recipes

For more Greek vegan and lenten recipes take a look at my hand selected collection below:

• Greek Peas And Potato Stew With Tomatoes
• Country-Style Greek Potato Stew
• Delicious Briam Recipe (Greek Mixed Roasted Vegetables)
• Traditional Greek Green Beans
• Chickpea Fritters Recipe (Revithokeftedes)
• Traditional Greek Kolokithokeftedes (Fried Zucchini/Courgette Balls)
• Tinos Fennel Fritters
• Tomatokeftedes (Fried Santorini Tomato Balls / Tomato Fritters)

And of course my vegan meze platter collection below:

Vegan Meze Platter:

• Vegan tzatziki sauce
• Greek Pita bread
• Greek “village style” rustic bread
• Hummus dip
• Crispy Greek Fried Eggplant
• Crispy Fried Zucchini – Courgette Fritters
• Greek Dolmades (stuffed vine leaves with rice)
• Authentic Greek Fava Recipe (Yellow Split Peas Puree)

Vegan Moussaka with Lentils

(100 votes, average: 4.88 out of 5)
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• Author: Eli K. Giannopoulos
• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 1 hour 45 minutes
• Total Time: 2 hours 5 minutes
• Yield: 8
• Category: Main
• Method: baked
• Cuisine: Greek
• Diet: Vegan

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Description

So you love moussaka but you are fasting for lent or you are a vegan? That doesn’t mean you have to miss out on your favorite dish anymore! This is my delicious vegan moussaka with lentils recipe that I’ve specifically crafted, so it keeps the essence of the traditional one, yet is fully plant based!

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Ingredients

For the Vegan Moussaka Lentils sauce

• 5g dried mushrooms (1/2 tbsp)
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 red onion
• salt to taste
• 2 garlic cloves
• 3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 1/2 tbsp tomato paste
• 400g can chopped tomatoes (14 oz)
• 1 glass red wine (approx. 250ml / 1 cup)
• 1/2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 200g dried green lentils (7 oz)
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 bay leaf
• black pepper to taste
• sugar to taste

For the Vegan Moussaka Béchamel sauce

• 1 brown onion
• 600ml soy milk (2 1/2 cups)
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 bay leaf
• 4 black peppercorns
• 60ml extra virgin olive oil (1/4 cup)
• 80g flour (2 3/4 oz)
• 1 tbsp nutritional yeast flakes
• 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• salt to taste

For the Moussaka

• 3 large eggplant
• 3 medium potatoes
• olive oil
• salt

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  Country-style Greek Potato stew…

• 

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  Greek peas and potato stew with…

• 

  Crispy Greek Fried Eggplant…

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Instructions

1. Pour 500ml (2 cups) of boiling water over the dried mushrooms and set aside to soak.
2. Infuse the milk for the béchamel. Roughly chop the white onion and add to a small saucepan or milk pan along with the soy milk, cinnamon stick, one of the bay leaves and the peppercorns. Set over a medium high heat and gently bring to the boil. Remove from the heat and leave to infuse.
3. Heat 2 tbsp of the olive oil in a large saucepan over a medium-high heat. Add the chopped red onion and cook for 5-6 minutes until translucent and just starting to colour. Add the crushed garlic and cook for a further minute until aromatic.
4. Stir in the ground cinnamon, followed by the tomato paste. Cook for a further minute or two until the tomato paste has caramelised slightly and turned brick red.
5. Stir in the chopped tomatoes, red wine, balsamic vinegar, and the dried mushroom soaking liquid, using a little soaking liquid or wine to wash out the tomato tin so you don’t leave any juice behind. Stir in the lentils, oregano, the remaining dried bay leaf, and the soaked dried mushrooms, finely chopped.
6. Bring to the boil and season well with salt and pepper. Reduce the heat to medium low and cook, uncovered, for 1 hour until the lentils are tender, stirring occasionally.
7. Meanwhile, pre-heat the oven to 220C/430F.
8. Slice the potatoes into 0.5cm (half a finger width) slices. Line a large baking sheet (you might need two depending on the size of your sheets) with baking parchment and lay out the potato slices. Spray with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Flip the pieces over and repeat. Roast in the oven for 30 minutes or until well browned – with the baking parchment, there should be no need to flip them to colour both sides.
9. To prepare the eggplant, slice lengthwise into 1cm (one finger width) wide strips. As with the potatoes, transfer to baking parchment lined baking sheets, season on both sides with salt, and spray with olive oil. Roast for 20 minutes; there will also be no need to turn the eggplant pieces half way, but you’ll want to rotate the pans in the oven roughly half way to make sure everything browns evenly.
10. Once the vegetables are done, drop the oven temperature to 180C/350F.
11. When the lentils are about 10 minutes from being cooked, start the béchamel. Heat the extra virgin olive oil in a medium, heavy bottomed saucepan over a medium heat. Once the oil has just started to shimmer, whisk in the flour. Cook for 2 minutes, whisking constantly to cook the raw flavour out of the flour.
12. Strain the infused milk and gradually whisk it into the flour mixture, whisking quickly to avoid any lumps. Whisk in the nutritional yeast, nutmeg, and garlic powder, and and season to taste with salt – you’ll probably need more than you think to bring out the ‘cheesy’ flavour of the nutritional yeast. Remove from the heat only when the mixture is thick, but still spreadable.
13. To assemble the moussaka, spread the potatoes in a single layer across the bottom of a deep 32cm x 20cm (12 inch x 8 inch) baking dish. Then, layer half the eggplant slices, followed by the lentil mixture. Add the rest of the eggplant, and smooth the béchamel over the top.
14. Bake the moussaka for 30 minutes or until the top is golden. Leave to rest for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

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Keywords: vegan moussaka, vegan moussaka with lentils, moussaka with lentils, vegan lentil moussaka

The post Vegan Moussaka with Lentils appeared first on My Greek Dish.

So read along to discover my vegan yogurt shoot-out to find the best vegan yogurt for your tzatziki, my step by step preparation photos and of course my delicious recipe and vegan dish pairing suggestions for you to make the best dairy-free tzatziki you have every had!

What is tzatziki?

Tzatziki is a creamy, yoghurt based sauce, flavoured with minced garlic, grated cucumber, olive oil and vinegar. Tzatziki is commonly served as a dip, paired with sticks of cucumber and carrots or as part of a maze platter, together with some crusty bread and toasted pita breads! 

The secret behind the traditional Greek tzatziki is its yoghurt. Traditionally, tzatziki is made with Greek yoghurt, which is different from your usual yogurts because it is strained and the excess milk whey is removed. 

This straining process results in a much thicker yogurt that is also tangier and much creamier than plain yogurt. However, if you have ever tried a Vegan Tzatziki sauce before, you may have noticed that it just didn’t taste the same as the original. Why? It’s all because of the yogurt…

So, to make my Vegan Tzatziki taste just like the original I knew I had to find the best vegan yoghurt, one that tastes just like a strained Greek Yogurt. But how?

I tried all of the Greek style vegan yogurts available at your local supermarket – both branded and own brand, as well as their variations – soy, oat and coconut based.

I also tried the popular home-made “yogurts” which are made with ground up cashew nuts and soy. And I finally found one that is virtually indistinguishable from the original! 

So let’s get started! 

Vegan Tzatziki Ingredients

To make your dairy-free Vegan Tzatziki sauce to perfection you’ll need a handful of ingredients:

1. Vegan Yogurt: This is the base of your dairy-free vegan tzatziki. You will need a yogurt that is neutral in flavour, creamy and tangy, that has no hints of sweetness. Most vegan tzatziki recipes use either cashew nuts or soy to make the yogurt base. However, these just don’t taste the same as a traditional strained Greek Yoghurt. Luckily  there is one natural vegan yogurt that tastes just like the original – check out my vegan yogurt shoot out below for more!
2. Cucumber: You’ll need around half a cucumber to make your vegan tzatziki. The cucumber will add freshness to the tzatziki sauce, together with a crunchy bite to it.
3. Garlic: Arguably the most important flavouring in your tzatziki! Depending on how “spicy” you like it, use 2-4 cloves. Make sure you mince them using a garlic press to extract all their delicious aromas and flavors!
4. Olive Oil: Extra virgin olive oil is a must. It will add a delicious earthy, nutty flavor to your tzatziki, complementing the creaminess of the yogurt.
5. Vinegar: A dash of plain white wine vinegar will cut through the creaminess of the yogurt, giving your vegan tzatziki a slight acidity. If you don’t have white wine vinegar, a cider vinegar also works great.
6. Salt, Pepper and (optionally) herbs: While the traditional greek tzatziki does not call for any herbs, if you like yours a bit more fragrant, you can try adding some chopped dill or mint!

Picking the right yogurt for your vegan tzatziki 

Since the basis for your vegan tzatziki is the dairy-free yogurt, we need one that closely resembles the taste, consistency, and color of the traditional strained Greek yoghurt. What we are looking for is:

1. Creamy: The texture of the vegan yogurt needs to be thick, creamy and by no means watery. 
2. Tangy: The vegan yogurt needs to have a tangy aftertaste and a hint of sharpness to its flavour. 
3. Neutral in flavor: Ideally the vegan yogurt needs to be neutral in taste, without a sweet or fruity aftertaste. A neutral base will allow the flavours of the garlic, cucumber and the optional dill or mint to come through. And of course, it must not have an artificial aftertaste!
4. White in color: The vegan yogurt needs to have a white or off-white color, to resemble the original as closely as possible.

With that in mind, I bought all the vegan yogurts I could find at my local supermarket and taste tested them to see how they compare against the original.

I tried both brand named ones as well as a store own brand as well as their three major variations – soy, oat and coconut based. And there was one clear winner! 

The best yogurt for your Vegan Tzatziki: Oatly Oatgurt Greek Style

Without a doubt, the Oatly Oatgurt Greek style dairy free yogurt is the best for making your vegan Tzatziki. I was admittedly surprised when I tasted it for the first time. It tasted exactly the same as a strained Greek Yoghurt. So much so that I decided to do a blind test between it and my regular, usual strained Greek Yogurt. I could not distinguish the two! 

Its consistency is thick and creamy, just as you would expect from a Greek yogurt. Its color is a beautiful slightly off-white shade. 

When tasting the Oatly Oatgurt Greek Style yogurt, you initially get that sharp tangy flavor, together with a velvety, smooth taste in the mouth. Thankfully, it also did not leave any artificial aftertaste. This is a beautiful vegan Greek Yoghurt, ideally suited for savoury dips, like our dairy-free, vegan tzatziki!

How did the remaining vegan yogurts in my round up taste like? Read on to find out!

Alpro Greek Style Oat vegan yogurt

I had high hopes for this one. After all, it is also an oat based yogurt, just like my favorite, the Oatly. However, when I opened it I was surprised by its color and texture.

The Alpro Greek Style Oat yogurt was a lot more jelly like, feeling almost like a creme brûlée in texture. Its color was also slightly more off-white than the Oatly. 

When tasting it, it was obvious that this yogurt is much sweeter than the Oatly and the traditional Greek yogurt. The tangy, sharp “bite” I was expecting was not there. You definitely don’t want to be making a savoury dip with this one!

Thankfully, it also did not leave an artificial aftertaste but rather one that had a hint of oats. All in all, it tasted like a delicious desert and it would go great with some chopped up fruit or biscuits, like my delicious quick and easy Greek yogurt desert!

Alpro Greek Style Coconut vegan yogurt

With the Alpro Greek Style Coconut vegan yogurt being coconut based I expected it to be sweet and, of course, taste like coconut milk!

And indeed that is exactly how it tasted! It was fairly sweet, velvety in texture with a hint of sharpness and tanginess. Its consistency was thick and very, very creamy. As expected, it left a slight coconut aftertaste, like the you’ve drunk coconut milk.

What really impressed me with the Alpro Greek Style coconut yogurt was its color. It was bright white, much whiter than all the rest, including the original Greek Yogurt! 

Finally, while I loved its taste, it would not be suitable for a savoury dip, like my vegan tzatziki sauce. However, its deliciously creamy texture and sweetness would work amazingly well with some chopped up fruit as a light dessert! 

And lastly – Tesco’s Free From Soy vegan yogurt

I must admit, I was disappointed when tasting Tesco’s Free From Soy vegan yogurt. Being soy based, I was expecting a neutral flavor that could be a good alternative to the Oatly and similar to the original Greek yogurt. 

However, I was disappointed. Firstly, its consistency was very watery and not creamy at all. Texture wise, from the ones I’ve tested, it resembled the original strained Greek yogurt the least.

Looking at the nutritional label, that shouldn’t come as a surprise. It has the least amount of fat among all of the vegan yogurts I tested.

Secondly, its taste had a strong hint of soy coming through with a very little sharpness and tanginess. While it had no hint of sweetness, it also left a weird aftertaste that felt very artificial.

Unfortunately this yogurt would not be suitable for a vegan tzatziki. Also due to its odd aftertaste I could not imagine myself using it for a fruit or biscuit based dessert either. 

How to make a vegan, dairy-free, Tzatziki sauce

Making your vegan tzatziki sauce is super simple. Start by pouring the yoghurt in a large bowl. Then, grate your cucumber using a box grater. You don’t need to peel the cucumber – just cut it in half and grate it! 

Tip: The cucumber is quite watery. After you’ve grated it you’ll need to squeeze it with your hands over your sink to remove any excess moisture. When it’s dry, place it in your bowl.

Now let’s peel and press the garlic. Grab a couple of garlic cloves, gently press down on them using your hands and peel them. Then, use your garlic press to squeeze them on your bowl.

Finally, add your olive oil, vinegar, a pinch of salt and some freshly ground pepper and mix it all together. Give your vegan tzatziki a taste and add some more salt if it tastes bland.

If you’d like your dairy-free tzatziki sauce a bit more creamy, add a little bit more olive oil and mix. This is also the time to add any chopped up herbs, if you’re using them. Finally top it off with some olives and chopped up cucumber for some extra crunch!

Storing your Vegan Tzatziki

To store your vegan tzatziki, wrap your bowl with some cling film (plastic wrap) and pop it in the fridge. It will keep for approximately 4 days. When you want to use it, take it out of the fridge, mix it so any liquids that may have come out are incorporated and serve.

What to serve your Vegan Tzatziki sauce with?

This vegan yogurt sauce is super versatile and goes well with pretty much any savoury dish you can imagine!

I love serving it with some sliced up cucumber and carrots as a simple dip to start our dinner as well as as part of a vegan meze platter and as a side to some delicious Greek vegan dishes.

Below are my top recommendations and serving suggestions!

As part of a Vegan Meze Platter:

• Greek Pita bread
• Greek “village style” rustic bread
• Hummus dip
• Crispy Greek Fried Eggplant
• Crispy Fried Zucchini – Courgette Fritters
• Greek Dolmades (stuffed vine leaves with rice)
• Authentic Greek Fava Recipe (Yellow Split Peas Puree)

As a side dish to a vegan dish:

• Vegan moussaka with lentils
• Greek Peas And Potato Stew With Tomatoes
• Country-Style Greek Potato Stew
• Delicious Briam Recipe (Greek Mixed Roasted Vegetables)
• Traditional Greek Green Beans
• Chickpea Fritters Recipe (Revithokeftedes)
• Traditional Greek Kolokithokeftedes (Fried Zucchini/Courgette Balls)
• Tinos Fennel Fritters
• Tomatokeftedes (Fried Santorini Tomato Balls / Tomato Fritters)

Vegan Tzatziki Sauce Recipe

(94 votes, average: 4.97 out of 5)
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• Author: Eli K. Giannopoulos
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 0 minutes
• Total Time: 10 minutes
• Yield: 1 bowl
• Category: Dips
• Cuisine: Greek
• Diet: Vegan

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Description

This is my ultimate Vegan Tzatziki recipe! Deliciously creamy, refreshing and, best of all, even though its dairy-free, it tastes just like the original!

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Ingredients

• 1 tub of Oatly Oatgurt Greek Style Vegan Yogurt (or similar alternative)
• 1/2 large cucumber
• 2–3 garlic cloves, minced
• 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tbsp white wine vinegar
• a pinch of salt and pepper
• 1 tsp chopped dill or mint (optional)
• 1 tbsp black olives

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Instructions

1. To prepare your vegan tzatziki start by pouring the vegan yoghurt in a large bowl.
2. Wash your cucumber, cut it in half and grate it using a box grater in a second bowl. You don’t need to peel it, just grate it whole. Using your hands, squeeze your cucumber shreds until all the water has come out. Place your dried out cucumber in the yoghurt bowl.
3. Then, peel your garlic cloves and using a garlic press squash them into your bowl.
4. Finally add your olive oil, vinegar, a pinch of salt and freshly ground pepper and mix it together using a spoon. Taste your tzatziki and, if it feels bland, add some more salt, mix it and taste it again.
5. If you’re using any herbs add them now and using your spoon mix your vegan tzatziki again.
6. Finally top your vegan tzatziki off with some olives, some chopped up cucumber and a drizzle of olive oil.
7. Enjoy!

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Keywords: vegan tzatziki, vegan yogurt sauce, vegan tzatziki sauce, vegan yogurt and cucumber sauce

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