The Greek diet is excellent for you! Aside from being one of the healthiest diets around, it’s also one of the most flavorful. Greek dishes have been around for years, and unlike other cuisines, they haven’t changed much. Traditional Greek cuisine was born out of necessity and culture, and the same traditions practiced years ago are still very much alive in the food today. Greek cuisine is fresh, local, fun and full of so much flavor. Just one bite will transport you to the beautiful coast of Greece, soaking up the sunshine and fresh local produce. Keep scrolling to discover why we love Greek food so much. After reading this list of delicious and healthy Greek dinner recipes, you’ll be left wanting to purchase plane tickets immediately.
Top Reasons Why We Love Greek Food
Before diving into our favorite Greek dinner recipes, let’s first highlight some of our favorite reasons to eat Greek cuisine. From the many health benefits to the quality of ingredients used, Greek food can’t be beat.
Greek Food Is Great for You
One of the things we love most about Greek cuisine is that the ingredients used are great for your health. A diet based heavily on fruits, vegetables, healthy fats and fish, it’s easy to satisfy your daily nutrient requirement when enjoying Greek meals. When it comes to Greek dinners, most are primarily veggie-based, and meat (if there is any) is considered a side dish. While meat has become more prominent in modern-day Greek dishes, it’s still almost always paired with a massive plate of veggies. Additionally, protein likely comes from nutritious sources like beans, seafood, legumes and lamb. Olives and olive oil are other healthy ingredients that are used in almost every Greek dish. Full of healthy fats, olive oil, is used to flavor and cook everything from appetizers to hearty dinners.
Greek Food Is Flavorful
Greek food is rooted in history. As a result of a melting pot of different cultures, Greek food is heavily influenced by Persian, European and Turkish cuisine. From Middle Eastern foods like yogurt and rice to Turkish beverages like coffee, you can find a bit of everything in Greek meals. Despite these various integrations, Greek food remained steady in its culture and flavorful food sources creating some of the best tasting dishes around!
Greek Food Is Fresh
Fresh, wholesome food is excellent for your health, and it’s a massive part of the Greek diet. In Greece, nearly every meal is made with fresh, local ingredients. Native spices like oregano, basil, thyme, rosemary and sage are used to flavor dishes. Whereas fresh seafood caught daily on the coast is abundant. Farming and produce gardens are also very prominent throughout Greece, and most food is purchased at local markets. Because Greeks buy mainly fresh ingredients, this also means that they eat seasonally. The Greek menu changes depending on what’s in season and is always full of variety.
Greek Food Has History
Greek cuisine remains firm in its history today. In Greece, tradition is very important. Tradition influences the way people dress, work, act and, most importantly, the way they eat. One of our favorite things about Greek Cuisine is that it is still made and eaten the same way it was thousands of years ago. Lentils, olive oil and feta cheese are just a few of the many ingredients passed down throughout Greek generations. While much has changed, the ancient Greeks ate what most modern Greeks still eat today.
Delicious and Healthy Greek Dinner Recipes
Farro Stuffed Peppers
Featured Ingredient(s): Bell Peppers
Most Greek dishes are mainly veggie-based. So it comes as no surprise that Greeks would use bell peppers as a shell for even more hearty food. The perfect dressing for hummus or salad ingredients, crisp, fresh bell pepper is a vegetable that should be included in any healthy eating plan. Bell peppers are a low calorie, high nutrient food that holds a mildly sweet flavor. Their agreeable taste makes them the ideal vegetable to pair with just about anything, making them even more delicious when stuffed with flavorful ingredients, like farro!
These Mediterranean-inspired stuffed vegetables are the perfect Greek dinner recipe to try out if you’re new to cooking this cuisine. It’s a Mediterranean dish that can be served as a light dinner or flavorful appetizer, an easy crowd-pleaser, and an excellent use for leftover farro. Nutty, tangy and full of fresh flavors, these Farro Stuffed Bell Peppers use fresh herbs like mint, making them an ideal accompaniment to roasted meats and fish. Or, for an even healthier meal, pair this stuffed bell pepper plate with a simple green salad side, complete with olive oil and vinaigrette dressing.
Mediterranean Farro Salad
Featured Ingredient(s): Farro
Farro is filling kitchen cabinets everywhere, and for a great reason: It is excellent for you! This ancient grain has recently been deemed one of the best there is. Loaded with nutritional benefits, farro can be used in a variety of recipes, from sweet to savory. Now, you may be wondering why this farro is labeled as ancient if it’s so trendy. Regarding grains, the term “ancient” means that the grain has remained mostly unchanged over the years. Where many modern grains have been refined and re-engineered throughout the years, farro has remained it’s delicious, same self. Because they are whole in their entirety, ancient grains are much more nutritious than refined grains and require lower levels of pesticides, irrigation and fertilizers. All this makes farro a healthier and more environmental grain choice. In regards to nutrition, farro packs a powerful punch. Loaded with fiber, protein and antioxidants, it’s an ingredient you’ll want to incorporate into all of your recipes.
For a healthy and nutritious Greek-inspired dinner, we recommend making this Mediterranean Farro Salad. Our Bob’s Red Mill Farro turns this salad into an extraordinary dish. Unlike green, leafy salads, this meal features a more chewy texture and nutty flavor. Ideal for gathering, this salad is sure to brighten up the room. It’s an excellent foundation for meals and mixed with fresh, local vegetables for a flavorful punch. No matter who you serve this salad to, it’s bound to be their new favorite dish.
Mediterranean Sorghum Grain Bowl
Featured Ingredient(s): Sorghum
Grains are used throughout Greek cooking in several ways, and sorghum tops the list as one of our favorites. An extremely versatile grain, sorghum can be used similarly to rice or quinoa. Sorghum comes in many varieties: whole, pearled, floured, bran, flaked and more! Because of the many types, it’s an ingredient that can be worked into nearly every recipe. Boil it, bake it or pop it. Depending on how you choose to prepare sorghum, it can add a fun and exciting twist to your favorite dishes. A nutritious and filling grain, a sorghum-based dinner is a meal that everyone will love.
For a Greek-inspired dinner dish, make this Mediterranean Sorghum Grain Bowl. At Bob’s Red Mill, we love grain bowls. They’re delicious, great for you and can be easily customized to your taste preferences. This delightful grain bowl features our whole grain sorghum, which is then topped with fresh veggies, garbanzo beans, kalamata olives and more! Perfect for a healthy weeknight dinner or outdoor dining experience, it’s Greek cuisine that everyone will enjoy eating.
Mediterranean Pupusas
Featured Ingredient(s): Amaranth Flour
Our Bob’s Red Mill Whole Grain Amaranth Flour has a mild, slightly sweet, nutty, earthy and meat like flavor that enhances the flavor of anything it’s added to. Easy to use, it’s made from 100% stone ground amaranth and is the ideal gluten free flour. Amaranth seeds initially get their name from the Greek word for “immortal”; this is because the plant is nearly indestructible! Over the centuries, amaranth has faced challenging growing conditions. In the past, Spanish conquistadors even banned the Aztecs from cultivating the amaranth grain. However, its immortality and durability helped the amaranth grain survive, and it is now widely recognized for many nutritional benefits. Loaded with iron, essential amino acids and dietary fiber, amaranth works best when used as a part of a blend, especially when making bread dough.
To create the perfect Greek-inspired amaranth-based meal, we used this grain to make this delicious Mediterranean Pupusa Recipe. In this dish, tasty amaranth and masa flatbreads are packed with roasted beets, smashed chickpeas, and two different kinds of cheese! A drool-worthy dinner, serve this meal with quick pickles and enjoy!
And there you have it! Use this list of our favorite delicious and healthy Greek recipes to spice up your dinner menu. From immortal amaranth to freshly stuffed bell peppers, the dishes in this article will leave you healthy, happy and satisfied. When making these meals, get creative and add your favorite fresh Greek ingredients like vegetables, fruit and herbs. We can’t wait to see what you cook up!
Have a Greek-inspired dinner recipe that you’d like to share? We’d love to hear what it is. Let us know in the comments below. From everyone at Bob’s Red Mill, happy cooking!
