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Category: Recipes
two round white plates next to each other, one with small preserved fish fillets arranged like rays, the other with a black eyed pea salad

Looking for recipes rich in olive oil these days? Here are some from homemakers on the Greek island of Crete: a black eyed pea salad; a spinach, walnut, and garlic dip; octopus cooked in wine; and spicy meatballs (soutzoukakia) with olives and tomato sauce. They are worth trying, because they are part of the Traditional Cretan Diet: The Secret of Longevity.

Edited and published by the Association of Cretan Olive Municipalities (ACOM – SEDIK), the Traditional Cretan Diet book includes more than 100 recipes made with olive oil.

As Eftihia Diktakis wrote in the foreword, “this book aims at presenting the authenticity of the Traditional Cretan Diet that is the Mother of the invented dietary pattern called [the] ‘Mediterranean Diet,’ by presenting recipes of traditional Cretan dishes as they are executed by various Cretan housewives,” who use plenty of olive oil. The recipes were handed down from mother to daughter over the millennia.

A number of years ago, the Cretan Olive Oil Products Enterprises Network and ACOM – SEDIK sponsored a cooking contest in cooperation with the Municipality of Platanias. The judges deemed all the entries “exceptional,” so those creations by local homemakers and restaurants were all published in this book. Here are a few of the recipes.


Spring Salad with Olive Oil
(Anixiatiki salata me elaiolado)

Arhontoula Koutroubas
Kounoupidiana

Serves 10

Ingredients

  • Olive oil – 1 ½ cups
  • Graviera cheese – ½ kilogram [a bit more than 1 pound]
  • Feta cheese – ½ kilogram [a bit more than 1 pound]
  • Black eyed beans [peas] – 1 kilogram [2.2 pounds]
  • Onion – 1
  • [Salt, to taste]

Preparation

Boil the beans until cooked. Cut the cheeses and onion in cubes, then combine them in a large bowl with the beans, some salt, and plenty of olive oil. Mix and serve.


Skordalia [Garlic Dip] with Spinach
(Skordalia me spanaki)

Sophia Fountoulakis
Hania

Serves 4

Ingredients

  • Olive oil – 1 cup
  • Spinach, finely chopped – 1 ½ cups
  • Walnuts – 1 ½ cups
  • Bread, soaked and strained – 1 cup
  • Garlic cloves – 3 [or more]
  • Vinegar [to taste]
  • Salt
  • Pepper
  • [Walnuts, spearmint, or radish to garnish]

Preparation

Blend all ingredients in a food processor at low speed, then increase to medium speed. (Or pound all ingredients in a mortar in the traditional way.) Add more garlic, if you wish. If the dip is too thick, thin it with more olive oil or some water. Garnish with walnuts, spearmint, or radish.

Octopus Cooked in Wine
(Htapodi krasato)

Ioanna Katsanevakis-Pantelakis
Hania

Serves 10

Ingredients

  • Olive oil – 2 cups
  • Bay – some leaves
  • Octopus – 4 kilograms [8.8 pounds]
  • Onion – 1
  • Wine – 1 cup
  • Pepper
  • Salt

Preparation

Saute the octopus and the finely chopped onion in the olive oil. Add the wine and some salt, pepper, and bay leaves. Simmer over low heat for 40 minutes.

Soutzoukakia [Spicy Meatballs] with Olives
(Soutzoukakia me elies)

Argiro Doundoulakis
Deres, Kidonia

Serves 10

Ingredients

  • Olive oil – 1 cup
  • Garlic cloves, peeled & crushed – 4
  • Minced meat – 3 kilograms [6.6 pounds]
  • Wine – ½ cup
  • Bread, soaked and strained – ½ kilogram [a bit more than 1 pound]
  • Onions – 4
  • Parsley – 1 bunch
  • Red pepper, sliced – 1
  • Tomatoes, grated – 5
  • Cumin
  • Salt – Pepper

Preparation

Mix the meat with the bread, onion, cumin, and parsley, and season with salt and pepper. Shape into elongated balls and fry in plenty of olive oil. Saute the onions and garlic in a pot with olive oil, then add the wine. Season with salt and pepper, add 3-4 teaspoons of the olive oil you used to fry the meat, stir in the grated tomatoes and some water, and bring to a boil. Add the olives [pitted, as many as you like] and the meat rissoles [meatballs], and make sure that they are covered with the tomato sauce. Then add the sliced tomato and red pepper, and cook until the sauce has reduced by about half.


Thanks to Dr. Nikos Mihelakis of ACOM – SEDIK, publishing coordinator for Traditional Cretan Diet: The Secret of Longevity, for permission to republish recipes from it. Slight editorial changes have been made for the sake of clarity and consistency with Greek Liquid Gold’s style; additions to the text are enclosed in brackets. Since the original photos were not available, a photo including a similar salad, but not the identical one described here, was used.

All businesses, organizations, and competitions involved with Greek olive oil or agrotourism or food tourism in Greece, as well as anyone else interested in supporting Greeks working in these sectors, are invited to consider the advertising and sponsorship opportunities on the Greek Liquid Gold: Authentic Extra Virgin Olive Oil website. With more than 200 original articles and recipes, the only wide-ranging English-language site focused on news and information from the Greek olive oil world has reached readers in 196 countries. The high quality of Greek Liquid Gold’s reporting has been recognized by Greek and American embassies and consulates, awarded by the Association of Cretan Olive Municipalities, and cited in various international publications.

Vegetarian Dishes

  • Black Eyed Pea Salad: Healthy, Flavorful, & Vegetarian

    Black eyed pea salad with chopped tomatoes and cucumber, plus sweet pepper and corn for sweetness and extra virgin olive oil and vinegar for a tangy mix.

  • Bread Stuffing (Dressing) with Olive Oil and Herbs

    This is a wonderful stuffing recipe in which I do not miss the butter one bit; good bakery bread and an excellent extra virgin olive oil make it perfect. The herbs do have a strong flavor, so you can use less than called for if you prefer. See the link at the end for my inspiration and enough suggestions for almost endless variations on this theme. Warning: the broth mentioned in the recipe is not necessarily vegetarian, but it certainly can be; the recipe appears here since I don't have a section for carnivors' side dishes.

  • Chickpea and Fennel Ratatouille

    According to Mark Bittman, "When fruits and vegetables are at their best, they give you insight into how the vegan thing can work for you, if only for a day."

  • Courgette Patties - Kolokithokeftedes (Κολοκυθοκεφτέδες)

    Maria Verivaki's amusing discussion of, and recipe for, Zucchini (or courgette, or kolokithi) Patties from her wonderful Organically Cooked blog.

  • Eleni’s Spinach & Feta Filo Pastry Pies

    Another recipe that came with the Irish Times article on Ikaria. I think they mean "serves 4" and "200 grams frozen spinach." Of course you can use fresh spinach, too. The herbs are crucial for a lovely flavor. The pomegranate molasses are an unusual addition, although in Crete cheese pies are sometimes served with honey.

  • Faki (Greek Lentil Soup with Cinnamon and Cloves)

    Accompanying a nice article about Greek food. Ironically, the amount of olive oil has not come through. My Cretan neighbor uses 1 cup of olive oil, an additional onion, and a half cup of red wine instead of the vinegar, but no red pepper flakes. She generally throws some fresh tomato chunks into a food chopper instead of using canned tomato.

  • Farfalle with Avocado Sauce

    An Oldways Mediterranean recipe in honor of Mediterranean Diet Month.

  • Fasolakia Yiahni (Green Beans in Tomato Sauce)

    An easy recipe by celebrity chef Diane Kochilas. As she says, "One of the absolute classics of Greek summer, but also delicious year-round, green beans yiahni are an easy, luscious casserole of fresh beans slowly cooked in olive oil, with tomatoes, onions, potatoes and herbs."

  • Greek Chickpeas: Easy, Healthy, Vegetarian

    This easy, economical, healthy vegetarian (and vegan) chickpea recipe with extra virgin olive oil is a Greek classic commonly eaten by just about anyone.

  • Greek Fava: Heaven In A Bowl

    This can also be made without any stock. Just add more olive oil and adjust seasonings as desired. Notice that many variations on the basic recipe are mentioned.

  • Ikarian Giant Bean Tomato Stew

    A recipe that came with the Irish Times article on the diet and lifestyle of Ikaria, Greece (where people live longer than almost anywhere else in the world). Probably meant to say “serves 4,” and “6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil,” but I’m sure you could use more olive oil and bet they do in Ikaria! I found out that “Passata is made from ripe tomatoes that have been puréed and sieved to remove the skin and seeds”. I’d just purée the whole tomatoes, but you can find or make passata if you want to.

  • Layered Vegetable Torte

    It does take some time to grill or roast all the vegetables, but it may be worth it! A four-minute video illustrates Mark Bittman's written recipe.

  • Maple Sage Roasted Brussels Sprouts

    "The ultimate Thanksgiving side dish, maple sage roasted brussels sprouts pair the popular fall herb sage with sweet and buttery maple syrup." See the recipe under the article.

  • Olive Oil and Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes (Dairy Free)

    "These olive oil and roasted garlic mashed potatoes are creamy and absolutely delicious. Roasted garlic and fruity olive oil give these dairy-free vegan mashed potatoes their great flavor and texture, so there is no need for butter or cream."

  • Pasta with Fried Lemons and Chile Flakes

    I'd be tempted to replace the butter with olive oil as well as using the oil as directed; that would provide a different flavor for the sauce, more healthy polyphenols, and less saturated fat

  • Pasta with Pesto

    A simple summer pasta recipe.

  • Peas in Olive Oil and Tomato Sauce (Arakas Laderos)

    Extra virgin olive oil is crucial to this common, quick and easy Greek dish, making it tasty, filling, and healthy. It can also be made with green beans, but my family and I prefer the sweetness of the peas with onion and carrots.

  • Roasted Cauliflower

    A very easy recipe, tastier than I could have imagined--a healthy favorite!

  • Sofrito (Mediterranean tomato sauce)

    Scientific research has shown that this classic Mediterranean olive oil and tomato sauce is full of health benefits as well as flavor! It can be used in many dishes or simply as a topping for pasta, rice, or eggs.

  • Spanakopita: A Cretan Mother’s Recipe for a Greek Classic

    If you know anything about Greek food, you’ve probably heard of spanakopita, the classic spinach pie with feta cheese and phyllo (or filo) pastry. My Cretan neighbor’s recipe is especially rich in leeks, onion, herbs, and olive oil, which blend beautifully with the spinach and feta. You can buy your phyllo or make your own, like Arhontoula always does.

  • Spanakorizo (a Greek Spinach and Rice Dish)

    A vegan recipe for spanakorizo, a Greek spinach and rice dish with olive oil, herbs, onion, and tomato that can be made with white or brown rice.

  • Stir Fried Vegetables and Rice with Extra Virgin Olive Oil

    A vegetable stir fry recipe with Greek extra virgin olive oil, my pseudo-Greek version of the Chinese-American restaurant classic, so tasty you don’t need MSG.

  • Stuffed Grape Leaves

    From Sparta Groves and food.com

  • Sweet Potato Fries

    As the New York Times puts it, "These addictive seasoned 'fries' from Mark Bittman are actually baked, but we promise you won't miss the grease. The spice mix – garlic powder, paprika, salt and black pepper – can be used on regular potatoes as well (you'll just need to increase the baking time a bit)."

  • Tiropitakia: Mini Greek Cheese Pies (A Cretan Mom’s Recipe)

    These don't have to be filled with cheese, and they can be baked or fried. Soft Greek cheeses and spanakopita fillings make wonderful miniature pies for everyday snacks, parties, and holidays, and many variations are possible. Here is a recipe from a Cretan mother.

  • Unidentified Frying Object or Carrot Onion Parsley Frittata

    This recipe’s first name was my teenage daughter’s idea, and a UFO seems appropriate (like its orange color) for Halloween. The second name is closer to accurate, but not exactly. This is a Cretan mother’s variation on some wonderful carrot parsley bread sticks, and an invention so tasty everyone in my family likes it (hallelujah—a rarity for healthy food!).

  • Vegetable Stuffed Baked Potato

    One of the many healthy, economical recipes on the Food Is Medicine website of Dr. Mary Flynn, an Associate Professor of Medicine at Brown University who has studied olive oil's role as a medicine as well as a food since 1998.

  • White Bean and Herb Olive Oil Cheesecake

    A really unique recipe, courtesy of the North American Olive Oil Association. Note that it is a savory cheesecake, not a sweet one.

  • Yaya’s Zucchini Burger Recipe (Kolokithokeftedes)

    This zucchini burger recipe comes from a grandmother (yaya) in a Cretan village. It differs slightly from the other courgette patties recipe linked on this site. Originally, this version called for pumpkin rather than zucchini, but it is so good with zucchini that I recommend it that way.

Desserts, Sweet Snacks, Breakfast Items

  • Apple Cake

    Maria Verivakis adds this: bake at 180 C for 40-45 minutes and check if done by placing a knife in it to see if it comes out clean. (That's 350 Fahrenheit.)

  • Dario’s Olive Oil Cake with Rosemary and Pine Nuts

    Oranges, pine nuts, raisins, dessert wine, olive oil, and rosemary are combined to create a unique cake.

  • Greek Christmas Cookie Recipe with High Phenolic Olive Oil

    Melomakarona, traditional Greek Christmas cookies, tend to be rich in olive oil and honey (with the beginning of their name coming from meli, the Greek word for honey). Dr. Eleni Melliou, president of the World Olive Center for Health in Athens, shared a version of her grandmother’s cookie recipe that uses super healthy high phenolic extra virgin olive oil (although other olive oil can also be used).

  • Greek Orange Juice Cookie Recipe With Olive Oil

    This is a low cholesterol, vegan recipe for a healthier version of a traditional Greek olive oil and orange juice cookie that is tasty, spicy, and crunchy.

  • Maialino's Olive Oil Cake

    "Author Notes: Olive oil cake at its best has a crackling crust and an aromatic oil-rich middle, which, if it held any more moisture, would be pudding."

  • Mom's Fudge Cake, Even Better With Extra Virgin Olive Oil!

    My mother’s original version was so good that I hesitated to tamper with it, but once I gained the courage, I found that it’s even better with yogurt and olive oil than with butter and sour cream! I always make a double recipe and freeze the sheet cake. This cake is so popular, moist and chocolaty, that it comes in handy for any special occasion.

  • Mom’s Carrot Cake: Nice and Spicy with Fruity Olive Oil

    This is my mother’s wonderful recipe. A fruity olive oil works very well with cinnamon in this popular, tasty cake. It makes a 9 X 13 inch rectangle or a (more impressive) three-layer cake. I double the recipe, freeze the rectangle, and eat the layer cake first. There’s always an occasion when we “need” the other cake before too long, and it freezes well.

  • Olive Oil and Orange Juice Cookies (or Biscuits, in British English)

    The traditional version: a great recipe from a wonderful blog full of olive-oil rich recipes from Greece.

  • Olive oil brownies

    From Nancy Harmon Jenkins, author of Virgin Territory, Exploring the World of Olive Oil. The North American Olive Oil Association Blog says "Nancy recommends the use of a mild, extra-virgin olive oil that still has a fruity flavor.  We promise, these brownies won't taste like olive oil.  The olive oil imparts a complex flavor that you just can't get from butter."

  • Olive Oil Gingerbread Cookies

    These can be made with a mild extra virgin olive oil or a spicier one, given the spice mix.

  • Olive Oil, Raisin and Walnut Cake

    A cake recipe featuring extra virgin olive oil from the website of Eleones Hellenic Olive Products. Note: 7.5 grams baking powder = 1.63 teaspoons—say just over 1 ½ teaspoons. And 175 degrees Celsius is approximately 350 Fahrenheit.

  • One-Pan Chocolate Cake: Quick, Easy, Moist, and Tasty

    This is a very tasty, simple cake that requires just one pan, where the batter is mixed, and no bowl, which makes cleanup very quick. Made with extra virgin olive oil, no butter or eggs, and just a reasonable amount of sugar, it is an excellent cake for an everyday treat. This is my young son’s favorite recipe to make and share, so the recipe is in demand.

  • Pancakes with Apple, Orange, and Olive Oil: Family Favorite

    Sugar-free apple-orange pancakes made with extra virgin olive oil (olive oil pancakes), the one food every member of my family enjoys, tasty enough to eat plain, easy to freeze.

  • Passion Fruit and Olive Oil Sorbet

    This recipe from the Culinary Institute of America comes with a video, as well as a link to another recipe for Greek melomakarona cookies.

  • Sugar Free Banana Bread

    An excellent sweet but sugarless snack for those of you trying to avoid added sugars. If you like things spicy, double the cinnamon and add ¼ teaspoon of cloves. I always use extra virgin olive oil as the oil, which works well. I prefer to use a larger, shallower pan such as a deep rectangular glass baking dish in place of the recommended loaf pan so the center gets fully baked.

Appetizers/Snacks

  • Black Pepper Taralli

    Greece has something like this, too, without the black pepper. 

  • Bread Dips

    This article, “Dunking your bread in olive oil could cut your heart attack risk in just six WEEKS,” more good news about olive oil's health benefits, plus a very short video showing how to make three different herb and spice olive oil bread dips. (Of course, you can make up your own bread dip recipes very easily, using fresh herbs if you have them or dried herbs if you don't, with any kind of bread you like.)

  • Bread with Trahana, Yogurt and Herbs

    This translation of a recipe from the Greek magazine Gastronomos uses trahana in one of the most wonderfully flavorful breads I have tasted. Trahana is a wheat product mixed with a milk product and then dried. There are many types of it; this recipe calls for the sour version made from wheat. If you can’t find it in your area, you can order it from various online sources.

  • Greek Carrot & Parsley Breadsticks

    These are the best bread sticks I've ever eaten, and they're healthy, too! They can be made with some whole wheat flour mixed in with the white flour, although the total amount of flour you need may need to be adjusted so the dough is a good consistency to work with. Baking time will vary depending on your oven.

  • Greek Goddess Dip

    A dip with herbs, garlic, scallions, feta, yogurt, and olive oil; surely the optional mayonnaise is unnecessary!

  • How to Make Avocado Pesto

    A video from Eating Well demonstrating a quick, easy, healthy recipe.

  • Ktipiti (Spicy Whipped Feta)

    A spicy feta, pepper, and olive oil dip that can also be used as a stuffing or topping, as Diane Kochilas explains in her notes with her recipe.

  • Olive Bread

    From the makers of Acaia olive oil; see their site for more intriguing recipes as well!

  • Quick and Easy Olive Oil Popcorn Recipe: The Perfect Snack

    Stovetop popcorn made with extra virgin olive oil—two healthy ingredients that combine beautifully to make an ideal snack. An excellent olive oil transfers its flavor to the popcorn; with some salt, no additional flavoring is necessary to make an addictive all-natural treat.

  • Roasted Feta With Honey

    "A drizzle of honey and a blast of heat transform a standard block of crumbly feta into an unexpectedly luscious, creamy spread for pita and vegetables."

  • Spicy wedges (potatoes)

    An easy, spicy recipe from PrepnReady to try with extra virgin olive oil (my suggestion!).

Salads

Other Main Dishes

  • Lamb Stuffed Green Peppers: A Tried and True Greek Recipe

    An easy time-tested recipe for a perfect Greek main dish for any family dinner. Many variations are possible, and it can be prepared in advance and baked later.

  • Chicken Schnitzel Recipe, As Made in a Greek Taverna

    This chicken schnitzel recipe comes from a cook in a Greek taverna. Very popular with Greek children, it is a healthy food when fried in extra virgin olive oil.

  • Grilled Lamb Chops with Greens and Beets

    "A quick dinner that will satisfy a crowd.... Grilling can take place outdoors or indoors ... [This is] the most popular holiday or big crowd dish I make.  And there is little preparation with a big bang of flavors!"

  • Roasted Turkey Breast

    For boneless turkey breasts, the marinade with Dijon mustard, balsamic vinegar, herbs, and olive oil produces a very tasty turkey dish. Try to prepare this early enough to marinate in the fridge overnight if possible; otherwise, an hour or so will do. There is a gravy recipe, if you want one, as well as photos and a video demonstration.

  • Savory Herb Turkey Rub

    This olive oil and herb rub gives turkey a rich flavor.