Of all the culinary traditions across the Mediterranean\u2014a region renowned for its healthy, vibrant foods\u2014Greek cuisine easily boasts the greatest array of traditional plant-based recipes.<\/p>\n
What sets it apart, beyond sheer variety, is that countless plant-based Greek dishes are main courses and not relegated to side dish status.<\/p>\n
Sure, there is a great fresh salad tradition, and the meze table is filled with small plates that are often plant-based. But it is the wealth of plant-based main courses that sets Greek cuisine apart from other Mediterranean traditions.<\/p>\n
The country\u2019s sunny, dry climate means that plants have to struggle to survive, producing fruit that is minimally watered and intensely flavored.<\/p>\n
Its cultural and religious traditions, evolved over millennia, directly shaped its cuisine. For more than half the year, many people still follow the traditional fasting periods, going off all animal products.<\/p>\n
It stands to reason that an expansive yet simple spectrum of plant-based dishes evolved. Today, there are countless delicious seasonal plant-based recipes in every region. Until half a century ago, Greece was poor, so people could not afford to eat meat and even dairy often. Even shepherds and dairy farmers preferred to sell their milk rather than consume it all themselves.<\/p>\n
But there are other reasons, too. Most notably that the cuisine of Greece is so vibrant with plant-based delights. Despite its long history of plant-based eating, there are practical reasons why Greek plant-based cuisine is both vast and truly delicious. I have distilled those reasons down to a few observations and cook\u2019s thoughts \u2026<\/p>\n
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Photo: Deposit Photos<\/p><\/div>\n
Fats and Flavors<\/h3>\nOlive Oil<\/h4>\n
Without the olive tree, there would be no Greece.<\/p>\n
Olive oil is the most important ingredient in Greek cooking and plays a special role in plant-based dishes. For the most part, these are easy, often one-pot recipes that call for slow cooking in generous amounts of extra-virgin olive oil.<\/p>\n
The slow cooking helps bring out the natural sugars in vegetables, and the olive oil gives these dishes a distinct level of comfort and craveability. Fat is \u201ccraveable\u201d!<\/p>\n
Greek extra-virgin olive oil is some of the best in the world. On most plant-based dishes, olive oil is used as both a cooking fat and as a garnish or condiment drizzled over the finished dish before serving.<\/p>\n
Herbs<\/h4>\n
The intensity of Greek herbs, whether fresh or dried, is palpable. Greek vegetable and plant-based recipes tend to be characterized more by their herbal palette and less by a spice palette as you would find in North Africa and the eastern Mediterranean. Herbs, especially when dried, also have therapeutic qualities. Herbs add subtle complexity to many Greek plant-based dishes and make everything they touch more vibrant.<\/p>\n
Sea Salt<\/h4>\n
Right behind herbs on the flavor palette of Greek plant-based cooking comes sea salt. And there\u2019s plenty of it in Greece, a country with one of the longest coastlines in the world. Real sea salt is unprocessed and contains no additives. It is packed with electrolytes and brimming with flavor, different depending on where it\u2019s gathered. Sea salt adds an almost umami quality to the simple plant-based dishes that are part of the Greek tradition.<\/p>\n
Nuts and Other Condiments<\/h4>\n
I have a few secret ingredients up my chef\u2019s jacket sleeve that I often slip into my plant-based recipes. Nuts are one of them, and ground walnuts are a particular favorite. You can use them instead of ground meat (try mixing them with ground mushrooms for a new take on carbonara) or sprinkle them between layers of vegetables before baking in place of cheese (because they contain fat, they also lend that elusive craveability to the finished dish). They are sometimes used to thicken tomato sauces or added to savory dishes that typically also call for dried fruits. Think rice with dried fruits, nuts, herbs, and spices.<\/p>\n
Unusual ingredients such as mastiha, a resinous spice from the island of Chios; Greek saffron; olive pastes; lemon zest; and dried mushroom powder are some of the other ingredients that I sneak into my vegetable or bean dishes to make them even more desirable.<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/healthyaging.net\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/headshot-tinos.jpg\")
Diane Kochilas<\/p><\/div>\n
One Pot Is All You Need<\/h3>\n
Most traditional plant-based Greek dishes\u2014whether for greens, beans, or garden vegetables\u2014are prepared in a single pot and cooked slowly. The wealth of vegetable and bean stews is mind-boggling. Many of these dishes, especially tomato-based, begin with the same step: cooking onions and then garlic slowly in a generous amount of olive oil and building the dish from there, inside one pot. Once you have this simple technique mastered, you can prepare anything\u2014from greens to dried beans\u2014all in one easy pot.<\/p>\n
Flexibility<\/h3>\n
Variety, facility, and flavor are the pillars of Greek plant-based cooking. But when it comes to serving these delicious recipes, you should know a thing or two about how to serve them. Most plant-based recipes in the Greek kitchen can be served as a meze, main course, or even cooked salad. But most importantly, these dishes may be served hot, warm, at room temperature, or even chilled, making them easy to make a day or two ahead of time and easy to enjoy without stress.<\/p>\n
No matter what you\u2019re cooking that\u2019s plant-based and Greek, a few things are for sure: the prep will be easy; the cooking simple; the palette of flavors and textures rich, satisfying, and complex; and the way to serve about as easy as it gets!<\/p>\n