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Different Kinds of Greek Olives

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D

dimi_pat

Active member
I love Greek olives, hough, to be honest, my knowledge is pretty limited to Kalamata olives since that’s all I can find in stores near me. I live outside of Greece, so my access to different varieties is a bit limited. I've had other types in restaurants and stuff but I don't know their names or uses specifically because I just haven't had a lot of exposure.

I know there must be so many other kinds of Greek olives with unique flavors and uses, but I’m not sure where to start. Can anyone recommend other Greek olive varieties to try? I’m curious about their taste, texture, and how they’re typically used in Greek cooking.

Also, if you have tips for sourcing them outside of Greece or favorite recipes that feature these olives, I’d love to hear about those too. Do any of you have a favorite olive dish or preparation method?
 
Greek olives are such a treasure trove of flavors and textures! Beyond the well-loved Kalamata olives, there are several other varieties worth exploring:
  • Halkidiki (Green Olives): These are large, firm, and slightly tangy, often stuffed with ingredients like garlic, almonds, or peppers. They're perfect for snacking or adding to salads like horiatiki (Greek salad).
  • Amfissa Olives: These soft, black olives have a mild, fruity taste. They pair beautifully with roasted meats or in olive bread (eliopsomo).
  • Throuba Olives: Found in the Greek islands, particularly Thassos, these are wrinkly and naturally cured, offering a rich, slightly sweet flavor. They’re delicious with fresh bread and olive oil.
For sourcing, try online specialty food shops or Mediterranean markets—they often carry a wider selection. As for dishes, try spetsofai, a sausage and pepper dish where olives add a tangy depth, or a simple olive tapenade for spreading on crusty bread.
 
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What traditional Greek foods do you still cook at home?

Lately I’ve been realizing how much my everyday cooking has drifted away from traditional Greek food. I still love it just as much, but instead of making it at home, I often end up going out to Greek restaurants for the dishes I really crave.

There are a few things I still make regularly, though. Spanakopita is one that never fully left my kitchen, and there are a handful of simple, familiar flavors I return to when I want something comforting. But many of the dishes I grew up loving — the ones that feel more involved or time-consuming — have slowly turned into “restaurant foods” for me instead of home foods.

It made me curious about how this plays out for other people. Which traditional Greek dishes do you still cook at home on a regular basis? Are there foods you love but mostly eat out now instead? And what determines whether something stays part of your home cooking versus becoming a special treat?

New Greek Food Trends?

I’ve been curious lately about whether food trends show up in Greece the same way they do in the U.S. and other countries. Here, it feels like there’s always a new wave, fusion concepts, ingredient obsessions, reinterpretations of older dishes, or even whole eating styles that come and go.

When I think of Greece, I tend to picture the cuisine as more fixed and stable, rooted in tradition and everyday habits. But I’m starting to wonder if that’s an incomplete picture. Are there noticeable trends happening now, either in restaurants or home cooking? Things like lighter versions of classic dishes, new ingredient pairings, regional foods becoming more popular, or influences from travel and immigration?

I’d love to hear from people who live in Greece or visit often. Does food culture shift there over time, or does it resist trend cycles more than other places? And for those outside Greece, have you noticed changes in how Greek food is presented or cooked compared to earlier years?

Making Greek Lemon Potatoes

I can't seem to get it right - mine never get crispy! This is the recipe I use. What do you think? Are the promotions okay? The technique?

Greek Lemon Potatoes​


Ingredients​

  • 2½–3 lbs Yukon Gold or yellow potatoes
  • ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • ⅓ cup fresh lemon juice (about 2 lemons)
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1½ tsp dried oregano (Greek oregano if you have it)
  • 1 tsp salt (or to taste)
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • ½ cup water or chicken broth

Instructions​

  1. Preheat oven to 400°F
  2. Cut the potatoes in wedges. Peel if you want to (don't have to).
  3. Arrange potatoes snugly in a large roasting pan (single layer if possible).
  4. In a bowl, whisk olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, oregano, salt, and pepper.
  5. Pour mixture over potatoes, then add water or broth around them (not on top).
  6. Toss gently to coat.
  7. Roast uncovered for 40–45 minutes, turning once halfway.
  8. Raise heat to 425°F and roast another 10–15 minutes until deeply golden.

Greek Dishes Using Winter Vegetables?

As the seasons change, I’m curious how winter vegetables show up in everyday Greek cooking. Not in a nostalgic or celebratory way, but in the practical meals that were made simply because those ingredients were available and affordable.

I’m thinking of vegetables like cabbage, leeks, potatoes, carrots, cauliflower, celery, and various greens — the kinds of things that quietly formed the base of many winter dishes. Often these meals didn’t feel special at the time, but they were reliable, filling, and familiar.

I’d love to hear which winter vegetable dishes stayed in regular rotation in your household. Were they mostly soups, oven dishes, lemon-based stews, or simple stovetop meals? And if you’re cooking outside Greece, did access to ingredients change which winter dishes you continued to make?

Did your family use beef or lamb in Greek dishes?

My family cooked according to what was available. So, it was mostly beef - even though I preferred lamb for the most part. This used to bother me, because I wondered if I had missed out on something essential in Greek cooking. Then I realized, the constant in Greek cooking is to use the freshest ingredients. Lamb that had to come to the United States from New Zealand wasn't always the best choice!

So, in retrospect, I don't mind it. I feel blessed I learned that essential lesson early. That Greek cooking is all about preserving the freshness of the food and adapting when you needed to. How about you? Did your family use beef, lamb, something else?
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