Greek Food, Cooking and Recipe Community

Your favorite foods for lenten fasting?

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nadellii

nadellii

Active member
With Lent approaching, I’m looking for some delicious and satisfying meals that fit within the traditional fasting guidelines. I know Greek cuisine has a lot of great options for this time of year, but I’d love to hear your go-to Lenten dishes!

I already know about classics like fava, fasolada (bean soup), and taramasalata, but I’d love to discover more recipes—especially ones that are easy to prepare and keep me full. Do you have any favorite legume-based meals, seafood dishes, or creative veggie recipes that work well for fasting?

Also, any favorite desserts or snacks that are Lenten-friendly? I’ve heard of halva and olive oil-based baked goods, but I’d love to try new ideas.

Looking forward to your recommendations! Thanks
 
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Greek cuisine has so many great options for Lent! Beyond fava and fasolada, here are some other satisfying dishes to try:

Legume-Based Meals:
  • Revithada (Chickpea Stew): Slow-cooked chickpeas with olive oil, onions, and lemon for a hearty, protein-rich meal.
  • Lentil Soup (Fakes): Simple but filling, made with lentils, garlic, bay leaves, and a drizzle of vinegar for extra flavor.
  • Gigantes Plaki: Baked giant beans in a rich tomato sauce with garlic and herbs—great with bread.
Veggie Dishes:
  • Briam: Roasted mixed vegetables in olive oil, similar to ratatouille.
  • Stuffed Tomatoes & Peppers (Gemista): Filled with rice, herbs, and sometimes nuts or raisins.
Of course, everyone's fasting program is different so you'll want to use your judgment. There are some dishes I like.
 
nadellii said:
With Lent approaching, I’m looking for some delicious and satisfying meals that fit within the traditional fasting guidelines. I know Greek cuisine has a lot of great options for this time of year, but I’d love to hear your go-to Lenten dishes!

I already know about classics like fava, fasolada (bean soup), and taramasalata, but I’d love to discover more recipes—especially ones that are easy to prepare and keep me full. Do you have any favorite legume-based meals, seafood dishes, or creative veggie recipes that work well for fasting?

Also, any favorite desserts or snacks that are Lenten-friendly? I’ve heard of halva and olive oil-based baked goods, but I’d love to try new ideas.

Looking forward to your recommendations! Thanks
Click to expand...
I make this Chocolate Salami (known in Greek as Kormo or Mosaiko) which has 2 options (one is vegan). It's so easy to make, too!
 
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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!

Do You Make Avgolemono Thick or Brothy?

I usually prefer avgolemono somewhere in the middle. I don’t like it so thick that it feels almost like a cream soup, but I also don’t want it completely thin and brothy. For me, the best version has enough egg and lemon to give the broth some body while still keeping it light.

A lot probably depends on what kind of avgolemono you’re making, too. In chicken soup, I like it a little more brothy because I want the rice or orzo and chicken to still stand out. With something like lahanodolmades, I don’t mind the avgolemono sauce being thicker because it is coating the food rather than serving as the soup itself.

The lemon level matters just as much as the thickness. I like enough lemon to make it bright and noticeable, but not so much that it overwhelms everything else. I think balance is really the key.

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?

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?

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?
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