Greek Food, Cooking and Recipe Community

Briam (Greek Roasted Vegetables) Recipe

1 - 2 of 2 Posts
GreekGirlCooks

GreekGirlCooks

Active member
I love making Briam the time of year. I thought I'd share a recipe. Sometimes I skip the eggplant and add an extra zucchini.

Ingredients:​

  • 2 large potatoes, thinly sliced
  • 2 zucchinis, sliced into rounds
  • 1 eggplant, cut into half-moons
  • 2 bell peppers, sliced
  • 4 ripe tomatoes, grated or blended
  • 1 large onion, thinly sliced
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • ½ cup olive oil
  • 1 tbsp tomato paste
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • Salt & pepper to taste
  • Fresh parsley for garnish

Instructions:​

  1. Preheat oven to 200°C (400°F).
  2. In a large baking dish, mix all the vegetables.
  3. In a bowl, whisk together olive oil, tomato paste, grated tomatoes, garlic, oregano, thyme, salt, and pepper. Pour over vegetables and toss well.
  4. Cover with foil and bake for 45 minutes.
  5. Remove foil, stir, and bake uncovered for another 15 minutes until tender and slightly caramelized.
 
That sounds like a delicious Briam recipe—perfect for this time of year! I love how versatile Briam is, and I totally get skipping the eggplant for more zucchini. Sometimes, I swap in sweet potatoes for a bit of extra depth and natural sweetness.

Another variation I enjoy is adding feta towards the end of baking—it melts slightly and adds a salty contrast to the roasted veggies. If you like a bit of crunch, sprinkling toasted pine nuts or a handful of coarse breadcrumbs in the last 10 minutes can be a great touch.

For extra flavor, I sometimes roast everything uncovered a little longer for more caramelization, or I add a splash of red wine vinegar before serving for brightness.

Your recipe is such a great base—thanks for sharing!
 
1 - 2 of 2 Posts
You must log in or register to reply here.

JOIN THE DISCUSSION AND READ OTHER GREEK INFO:

Do You Put Cinnamon in Your Keftedes?

I’m curious how everyone here makes keftedes, especially when it comes to cinnamon. I know some Greek families add a little cinnamon to the meat mixture, while others would never think of putting it in.

In my experience, even a small amount can change the flavor quite a bit. It gives the keftedes a warmer, slightly sweeter spice in the background, but I can also see how it might not be for everyone. I’ve had versions that lean more heavily on oregano, mint, parsley, garlic, and onion instead.

Do you put cinnamon in your keftedes? If you do, how much do you usually use, and was that something your family always did? I’d also be curious to know if it varies depending on what part of Greece your family comes from.

Would love to hear how everyone seasons theirs and what you consider essential for really good keftedes.

Is lamb or beef more traditional for giouvetsi?

I've been looking into traditional Greek giouvetsi recipes lately, and I'm curious about which meat is considered the most traditional. I've seen recipes that use lamb, others that call for beef, and even some that use chicken.

I love the idea of slowly cooking the meat in a rich tomato sauce with orzo until everything becomes tender and flavorful. However, I'm wondering whether lamb or beef would be the more authentic choice.

Is one traditionally preferred in certain regions of Greece? I've read that lamb is often associated with older Greek recipes, but beef seems to be very common in modern versions of giouvetsi.

I'm also curious whether the choice of meat changes the way the dish is prepared. Does lamb require different seasonings or cooking times than beef?

For those familiar with traditional Greek cooking, which version do you prefer, and which would you recommend trying first?

My Family’s Keftedes Recipe

Keftedes are one of those foods that always remind me of family gatherings. Everyone seems to make them a little differently, but this is the basic version my family has always used.

For about a pound of ground beef, we add one small grated onion, a handful of chopped fresh parsley, a little fresh mint, one egg, breadcrumbs, salt, pepper, oregano, and a small splash of red wine vinegar. Sometimes we add a little grated garlic as well.

The important part is mixing everything well and then letting the mixture sit in the refrigerator for a little while before shaping the keftedes. We make them fairly small, roll them lightly in flour, and fry them in olive oil until browned on the outside and cooked through.

We usually serve them with lemon, potatoes, salad, or tzatziki.

How does your family make keftedes? I’m especially curious about which herbs and seasonings everyone uses. Thought I'd share!

What is your favorite Greek potato dish?

Potatoes show up in so many Greek meals, and I think they are often at their best when they soak up plenty of olive oil, lemon, herbs, and cooking juices.

Greek lemon potatoes are probably the first thing that comes to mind for me. I love when they are roasted until they are soft inside, a little crisp around the edges, and full of lemon and oregano. Potatoes cooked alongside chicken or lamb are also hard to beat because they absorb so much flavor from the pan.

I also enjoy simple boiled potatoes dressed with olive oil, lemon, parsley, and salt, especially with fish or grilled meat.

What Greek potato dish do you make most often? Do you prefer lemon potatoes, potatoes roasted with meat, fried potatoes, or something else? And is there a particular seasoning or family method that makes your version especially good?

Favorite Greek Cheeses Beyond Feta

Feta gets most of the attention when people talk about Greek cheese, but there are so many other varieties worth trying. I’m curious which Greek cheeses everyone enjoys most beyond feta.

Graviera is one of my favorites because it works so well on a cheese plate, grated over dishes, or just eaten with bread. Kasseri is another one I really like, especially melted. I’ve also been interested in trying more regional cheeses like metsovone, manouri, kefalotyri, and formaela.

Some Greek cheeses seem to be much easier to find outside Greece than others, so I’d also love to know which ones people regularly buy and where they usually find them.

What Greek cheeses do you keep coming back to? Are there certain ones you associate with a particular region, dish, or family tradition? And if someone has mostly eaten feta, which Greek cheese would you recommend they try next?
Sign up for a free account and share your thoughts, photos, questions about Greek food, travel and culture!

WorldwideGreeks.com is a free online forum community where people can discuss Greek food, travel, traditions, history and mythology.
Join Worldwide Greeks here!

JOIN COMMUNITY FOR FREE

LOGIN TO YOUR ACCOUNT
Back
Top