Greek Food, Cooking and Recipe Community

Cooking Peloponnese Specialties at Home?

1 - 2 of 2 Posts
GreekGirlCooks

GreekGirlCooks

Active member
I recently traveled to the Peloponnese and absolutely fell in love with the food. From the incredible olive oil of Kalamata to hearty dishes like lamb kleftiko and lahanodolmades, everything was delicious. Now that I’m back home, I’d love to recreate some of the region’s specialties in my own kitchen.

Which traditional Peloponnesian dishes are the easiest to make at home? I’m especially interested in recipes that don’t require hard-to-find ingredients. Are there any must-try stews, simple meze, or seafood dishes that capture the flavors of the region? Also, any tips for making authentic sauces or using Greek herbs would be greatly appreciated!

Looking forward to hearing your recommendations—especially from anyone who has experience cooking these dishes. Thanks!
 
The Peloponnese has some incredible dishes, and it’s great that you want to recreate them at home! A few easy yet authentic options to start with:

  • Lahanodolmades (Stuffed Cabbage Rolls): You can make these with ground beef or lamb, rice, and herbs. The key is the avgolemono (egg-lemon sauce)—whisk eggs and lemon juice, then slowly add warm broth before mixing into the pot.
  • Kagianas (Greek Scrambled Eggs): A simple yet delicious meze—scramble eggs with ripe tomatoes, feta, and oregano, and serve with crusty bread.
  • Moschari Kokkinisto (Beef Stew in Tomato Sauce): Slow-cooked with cinnamon, bay leaves, and allspice, it’s flavorful and easy to make with pantry staples.
For seafood, grilled sardines with lemon and oregano are a great way to capture that coastal flavor. Use Greek oregano and thyme generously—dried herbs from the region have a uniquely bold taste. Enjoy experimenting with these!
 
1 - 2 of 2 Posts
You must log in or register to reply here.

JOIN THE DISCUSSION AND READ OTHER GREEK INFO:

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?

Do you make Greek lentil soup with vinegar

I’ve always made fakes with a splash of vinegar, either stirred into the pot near the end or added individually at the table. To me, that little bit of acidity is part of what makes the soup taste right, especially with the earthy lentils, olive oil, onion, garlic, and bay leaf.

But I have a Greek friend who makes hers very differently. She doesn’t use vinegar at all and instead adds quite a lot of tomato product, so her version is much redder and more tomato-forward than mine.

Now I’m curious about what is considered more traditional in Greek cooking. Is vinegar usually a standard part of fakes, or is it more of a regional or family preference? Are tomato-heavy versions just as traditional?

How do you make yours, and what did your family serve growing up?

What Is the Best Way to Serve Taramosalata?

I absolutely love taramosalata and have it pretty regularly at home, but I’m having some people over soon and was wondering about the best way to serve it when entertaining.

Normally I just eat it with some bread or pita, so I don’t really put much thought into presentation. For guests, though, I’d like to make it part of a nice Greek-style spread with a few other things on the table. I was thinking warm pita triangles, crusty bread, maybe some cucumber and other vegetables for dipping, but I’m curious what everyone else usually serves with it.

Do you drizzle a little olive oil over the top or add any kind of garnish? And are there particular meze that you think pair especially well with taramosalata?

I’d love some ideas for making it look a little more special while still keeping everything traditional and simple.

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.

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?
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