Greek Food, Cooking and Recipe Community

Favorite "Greek" Cookout Foods

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axariotisxy

Active member
Hey everyone! I’m Greek and love bringing a little taste of home to summer cookouts. I usually try to keep things simple and crowd-pleasing, especially when grilling is involved. My go-to is marinated chicken souvlaki—easy to prep the night before, always a hit, and smells amazing on the grill. I also love bringing a big batch of horiatiki salad with real feta (not crumbled!), and maybe a tub of tzatziki with some warm pita for dipping.

Sometimes I’ll grill halloumi or make spanakopita triangles if I’m feeling fancy. And for a sweet touch, I’ve even brought baklava bites or loukoumades if I have time.

Anyone else here bring Greek dishes to summer cookouts or potlucks? What’s your favorite to make—or what do people always ask you to bring? I’d love to get some more ideas for the season!
 
Love this post—it’s making me hungry! I’m also Greek and totally relate to wanting to share our food at cookouts. Souvlaki and horiatiki are staples for me too, but one thing I’ve found people go wild for is grilled lamb keftedes. They’re easy to prep ahead, and the herbs really pop on the grill. I sometimes stuff them into pita with tzatziki and a sprinkle of sumac.

Another crowd favorite is melitzanosalata—smoky, creamy eggplant dip with olive oil and garlic. It’s a nice change from hummus and pairs perfectly with grilled bread. For something refreshing, I’ll make watermelon and feta skewers with mint—it’s so simple but always disappears fast.

And if I’m short on time, a big tray of tiropita spirals made with phyllo and kefalotyri or feta is always appreciated.

It’s amazing how Greek food brings everyone together—can’t wait to try some of your ideas this summer!
 
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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.

How does your family season dolmades?

I’ve been thinking about how much dolmades can vary from one family to another, especially when it comes to seasoning. Even when the basic ingredients are similar, the flavor can be completely different depending on which herbs and spices are used.

How does your family season dolmades? Do you use mostly dill and parsley, or do you add mint as well? I’ve also seen recipes that include green onions, oregano, or even a little cinnamon, especially when meat is part of the filling.

I’m curious whether you season the rice mixture pretty heavily before rolling the grape leaves or keep it simple and let the lemon and olive oil provide most of the flavor. Does your family add lemon juice directly to the filling, or only during cooking and serving?

I’d especially love to hear about any regional or family traditions. What gives your dolmades their distinctive flavor?

Greek cooking without a recipe?

I've been thinking about how much traditional Greek cooking relies on instinct rather than following exact recipes. Some of the Greek dishes I learned to make were taught to me by feel, with someone showing me what to do rather than measuring everything out.

I actually enjoy cooking this way, but I've noticed that it can make certain dishes difficult to recreate consistently! Sometimes everything comes together perfectly, and other times I wonder what I did differently.

I'm curious how others approach this. Did you learn Greek cooking by watching your yiayia, mother, or other relatives? Do you measure ingredients, or do you just know when something looks, smells, or tastes right?

What herbs do you use when making Greek stuffed zucchini?

I've been thinking about making Greek stuffed zucchini (kolokithakia gemista), and I'm curious about which herbs everyone uses in the filling. I've seen quite a few variations, and it seems like the combination of herbs can really influence the overall flavor of the dish.

Some recipes use plenty of fresh dill and parsley, while others include mint or even a little oregano. I've also noticed that some people add green onions for extra flavor. I'm wondering whether certain herbs are considered more traditional, especially when making stuffed zucchini with rice and ground meat.

Do you use a combination of herbs, or do you prefer to keep the seasoning fairly simple? Does your family have a particular recipe that has been passed down through generations?

I'm especially interested in how the herbs complement the avgolemono sauce. What combination do you think gives Greek stuffed zucchini the best flavor?

How Much Garlic in a Batch of Tzatziki?

How much garlic do you usually put in a batch of tzatziki? I think I may be using a little too much. I usually make mine with about 2 cups of Greek yogurt and 4 cloves of garlic, along with cucumber, olive oil, and the other usual ingredients.

It tastes great when I first make it, but we usually take about three days to finish the batch. By the second or third day, the garlic flavor and smell become really strong. Some people in my household love that and don’t mind it at all, but others think it becomes a bit overpowering. I’m starting to agree that four cloves might be too much, especially since the garlic seems to get stronger as it sits.

What do you all do? How many cloves would you use for about 2 cups of Greek yogurt?
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