Crete

🍳Cooking Style

Simple preparations, abundant wild greens (horta), local olive oil, slow-cooked meats. Strong emphasis on seasonal eating.

📜Historical Context

Crete's isolation preserved ancient dietary traditions that researchers later identified as the healthiest Mediterranean diet.

🍽️More from Crete

Greece·Hard·2 hours 55 minutes

Moussaka

Greece's beloved layered casserole featuring tender slices of eggplant, a rich, spiced lamb and tomato filling, and a creamy, decadent béchamel sauce, baked until golden brown and bubbling.

Greece·Easy·4 hours 30 minutes

Arnaki Kleftiko

A traditional Greek dish where lamb shoulder is slow-cooked with potatoes, garlic, and lemon, sealed in parchment paper to trap moisture and flavor. The result is incredibly tender, fall-off-the-bone lamb.

Greece·Medium·2 hours 45 minutes

Arnaki me Bamies

A classic Greek summer dish featuring tender, slow-cooked lamb and okra simmered in a rich tomato sauce. The vinegar soak for the okra is key to preventing sliminess.

Greece·Medium·8-10 hours (including marinating)

Authentic Greek Gyros

Experience the king of Greek street food with these authentic gyros. Tender, marinated pork shoulder is slow-cooked on a vertical rotisserie (or baked in a loaf pan for a home version) until golden and crispy, then thinly shaved and served in warm pita bread with fresh toppings and creamy tzatziki sauce.

Greece·Easy·1 hour 15 minutes - 1 hour 20 minutes

Bamies Latheres

A classic Greek summer dish where tender okra pods are gently braised in a rich, flavorful sauce of olive oil, tomatoes, and aromatics. This preparation method minimizes the okra's natural sliminess, resulting in a delicious and healthy vegetable side dish.

Greece·Easy·1 hour 45 minutes

Briam

Briam is a rustic and flavorful Greek dish of mixed summer vegetables baked in olive oil and tomato. It's a staple of Greek home cooking, celebrated for its simplicity and delicious, tender results.