One of the best things about putting together a Greek meal is that the side dishes don’t have to play second fiddle. Roasted vegetables arrive swimming in good olive oil, potatoes get plenty of lemon and oregano, and even a simple bowl of beans is well worth mopping clean with a piece of bread. Add salads, dips, rice dishes, and a generous amount of feta into the mix and there’s plenty to choose from.
Whether you’re serving grilled meat or fish, putting together a mezze spread, or simply looking for a few new ways to cook your vegetables, these 21 Greek side dishes are a great place to start. Which recipes are you adding to your cooking to-do list?
Tender green beans and a rich tomato sauce make fasolakia lathera a lovely example of what generous olive oil and slow cooking can do. There’s no need to serve it piping hot; the flavors are just as enjoyable once it has cooled to room temperature. And definitely have some bread nearby for scooping up that sauce.
Gemista can be a side dish, but don’t be surprised if it ends up taking over quite a bit of the plate. These stuffed tomatoes and peppers are filled generously with fragrant rice, then baked slowly until the vegetables become soft. They’re especially lovely in summer when tomatoes and peppers are at their best.
Serve them Greek-style with a chunk of feta on the side, either warm from the oven or at room temperature.
A Greek salad really doesn’t need much fussing over, which makes it even easier to enjoy. When the tomatoes are ripe and the olive oil is good, the fresh vegetables, briny olives, and feta do all the work for you. It’s ready in about 10 minutes and goes with almost anything you might be grilling, from fish and seafood to chicken or lamb. Just don’t forget some bread for those tomatoey, olive-oil-rich juices left behind in the bowl.
If a regular Greek salad feels a little too light for what you’re serving, adding crispy roasted potatoes changes things considerably. Suddenly you have a side that’s fresh and colorful but substantial enough to hold its own next to a simple piece of grilled chicken or fish. The potatoes can go in either the oven or air fryer, and everything else comes together while they cook. It’s also a nice middle ground when you can’t decide whether dinner needs potatoes or a salad.
There’s something very comforting about a big dish of gigantes plaki arriving at the table. The giant beans become soft and creamy as they bake in a rich tomato sauce, making the dish substantial enough to serve as a vegetarian main with plenty of bread, though it also works beautifully as a side alongside meat or fish.
You’ll need to remember to soak the beans the night before, but otherwise this is simple, unfussy cooking. Make plenty, because leftovers are excellent for lunch the next day too.
This is the sort of side dish that practically demands a piece of fresh crusty bread. The peppers cook down into a rich, slightly sweet tomato sauce, while the feta softens into it without disappearing completely. It’s bold enough to perk up something simple from the grill and takes only about half an hour from start to finish. Or skip the main altogether, put the pan in the middle of the table and call it lunch.
Spanakorizo is simple home cooking at its best: inexpensive, easy to make, and much more flavorful than a bowl of spinach and rice has any right to be. The generous squeeze of lemon at the end is especially important, giving the whole dish a fresh, bright finish. Serve it alongside fish or roasted meat, or add feta and enjoy a bigger bowl of it for lunch. It’s also naturally vegan if you leave that feta on the side.
If you have a basket of summer vegetables to use up, briam is a very good place to start. The vegetables become soft and sweet in the oven, with olive oil and their own juices forming a sauce underneath. A little feta adds the perfect amount of salty contrast. It’s a relaxed sort of dish, especially good when you can give it time to bake without hurrying it along. It’s a great match for most mains, and a good choice next to a summer barbecue.
This is a handy little salad to have in your repertoire when you want something fresh but a bit more substantial than leafy greens. The beans give it enough staying power for lunch, while the crunchy vegetables and lime keep the whole thing light and bright. It takes about 20 minutes to put together and actually benefits from sitting for a few minutes before you serve it. Pair it with roasted potatoes or grilled meat to make the most of it.
Give sweet peppers enough time in a pan and they become soft, almost jammy, and so much more flavorful than you might expect. Add a generous layer of cheese on top and let it bubble under the broiler, and you have a side that’s especially hard to resist straight from the pan. It’s lovely alongside your favourite grilled meats, where all that sweetness works nicely against the bitter chared edges.
Hortopita is a wonderfully rustic Greek pie that makes the most of whatever fresh greens and herbs are in season. Traditionally, the filling can change throughout the year depending on what’s available, which is part of the dish’s charm. This version is completely vegan, with a homemade pastry that bakes up beautifully golden around all those greens. Cut it into smaller wedges for a side or mezze spread, or make the pieces a little more generous and have it for lunch.
Lahanorizo is exactly the sort of simple, homey side that works with almost anything, and it’s quite satisfying to boot. The cabbage cooks until tender and slightly sweet, with the rice making it substantial enough to hold its own next to roasted chicken or grilled fish. Finish it with a good squeeze of lemon to brighten everything up, or add some feta if you want a little extra richness.
No list of Greek sides would feel quite complete without tzatziki. Cool, garlicky, and refreshing, it’s the thing you want alongside hot souvlaki, gyros, grilled meat or fried zucchini. This version uses both dill and mint, which gives the thick yogurt base plenty of freshness. Just remember to allow a couple of hours for the yogurt to drain before you start, as that’s what gives you the thick consistency tzatziki is known for.
Greek lemon potatoes are proof that the potato side doesn’t always need to be crispy to be irresistible. They soak up plenty of lemon, garlic, and herbs as they roast, becoming wonderfully soft and flavorful inside while still picking up some golden edges. They pair well with roast chicken or lamb, where those bright, lemony flavors can cut through the richer meat. Make more than you think you’ll need. Potatoes this good have a habit of disappearing.
Traditional youvetsi is usually made with meat, but mushrooms make a surprisingly convincing stand-in when you want to keep things vegetarian. The orzo cooks right in the rich tomato sauce, soaking up all that savory mushroom flavor and giving the finished dish an almost risotto-like comfort. It’s substantial enough to eat by the bowlful, though a smaller helping works nicely next to roasted vegetables or a fresh Greek salad. Finish it with plenty of grated cheese and serve it while it’s still piping hot.
Garlic lovers, this one’s for you. Skordalia is a classic Greek dip with a serious garlicky kick, and this version uses bread and walnuts to give it a thick, slightly coarse texture. A little vinegar keeps all that richness in check and makes it particularly good alongside fried or roasted vegetables and fish. You can also simply put it out with warm pita and let everyone help themselves.
When you want something really crisp and refreshing on the side, Politiki salad is hard to beat. Unlike a classic Greek salad, there are no tomatoes or feta here. Instead, it’s all about crunchy shredded vegetables in a bright, vinegary dressing, with a little chili if you like some heat. It keeps well in the fridge too, so you can make a generous batch and enjoy it over the next few days alongside grilled meats, sandwiches, or pretty much anything that needs something fresh on the side.
Bouyourdi is what you make when plain feta on the side simply isn’t going to cut it. Baking it with tomatoes and peppers softens the cheese and creates plenty of warm, flavorful juices underneath, while chili gives the whole thing a proper kick. Bring the dish straight to the table while everything is still hot and bubbling, with plenty of bread for dipping. It makes a brilliant addition to a mezze spread, but don’t be surprised if everyone gravitates toward this one first.
That gorgeous pink color alone is enough to make this beetroot dip stand out on a table full of mezze. It has the earthy sweetness you’d expect from beets, but the yogurt keeps things cool and tangy, with just enough garlic to give it some bite. It only takes about 15 minutes to put together once the beets are cooked, so it’s an easy way to add something a little different to the spread. Serve it chilled with pita, crackers, or crunchy vegetables.
If you enjoy the lemony version of spanakorizo earlier in this list, try this tomato-based variation too. The tomato gives the rice a fuller, gently tangy flavor, while the spinach keeps it recognizably the same comforting Greek dish. Serve alongside fish or meat, or crumble a little feta over the top to add some extra protein and savoriness.
Skioufichta is a traditional Cretan pasta with a wonderfully chewy bite, and here it gets paired with spinach and a cool, garlicky yogurt sauce. It’s a simple combination, but one that works particularly well when you want a pasta side that isn’t covered in a heavy sauce. Toasted pine nuts add a little crunch at the end, while Parmesan brings in some extra savoriness. Serve it warm rather than piping hot so the yogurt stays creamy and fresh.
Related: Top 25 GreekFoods
Related: Greek Christmas Food: 25 Beloved Dishes & Desserts
Related: Top 20 Most Popular Greek Desserts
Related: Fasolada (Greek Bean Soup)
Related: Taramosalata: Greek Fish Roe Dip
