Sauces And Dips Often Seen At Greek Restaurants
Posted on: 26 January 2023
At most Greek restaurants, there is a big focus on salads, soups, and sandwiches. Greek cuisine does do all of these dishes well. However, Greek cuisine is also known for its sauces and dips. The next time you visit a traditional Greek restaurant and look over the menu, ensure you don't overlook them. Here are four excellent Greek sauces worth trying whenever you see them.
Tzatziki Sauce
Tzatziki sauce is a thick, white dip that uses yogurt as a base. It also includes cucumber, vinegar, and garlic. The cucumber gives this dip a really unique, cooling quality, while the vinegar and garlic add some bite. It has a truly balanced flavor and is delicious on sliced pita. Some Greek restaurants will serve a bowl of tzatziki sauce and pita slices as an appetizer to share. You may also see tzatziki sauce spread on various sandwiches.
Tirokaferti
Feta cheese is really popular in Greek cuisine. Its salty, zippy flavor really livens up any dish. Now, imagine a sauce made from feta cheese. That's exactly what tirokaferti is. This is basically a cheese dip made from pureed feta, olive oil, vinegar, and chili peppers. The chili peppers give it some heat, which is not that common in Greek cuisine. Tirokaferti can be enjoyed on toasted bread. It's also sometimes served as a dip for fresh veggies. If you love spicy foods, order this — it will usually be one of the few spicy foods on a Greek menu.
Melitzanosalata
Melitzanosalata is a delicious and healthy dip or spread. It's made with a base of roasted, pureed eggplant. Some oil is added to thin it down, and the flavor comes from a blend of spices — often oregano, thyme, and some garlic. A few spoonfuls spread on toast or pita are enough to fill you up. Some restaurants serve melitzanosalata as a shared appetizer so everyone can have a few bites.
Skordalia
Skordalia is a unique dip that may sound strange at first, but it really grows on you. The base ingredient is potatoes, which means this dip closely resembles mashed potatoes. However, lots and lots of garlic is added to them. So, you won't necessarily want to eat them by the spoonful, but they are delicious spread on other foods.
Greek cuisine has lots of tasty sauces and dips. The next time you see these ones on a menu, give them a try.
Visit a traditional Greek restaurant near you to try these options.
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