Being vegan or vegetarian can be a challenge when being on vacation. Often restaurants and eateries will have a very narrow or limited menu. Sometimes even the concept of what a vegetarian or vegan person is may not be understood well enough, resulting in even more limits on the selection of what vegans and vegetarians have to eat.
But not in Greece!
Though there is a lot of meat culture in Greece, the vegan and vegetarian culture is just as extensive. This is because Greeks were religiously obliged by Greek Orthodox Church practices to be vegetarian or vegan for roughly ¾ of a calendar year. On top of that, the poverty that resulted from the many dire historical events that Greece and Greeks have endured deprived people of regular access to meat for a big part of history.
This history is coupled with the fact that Greek cuisine is one of the most representative types of the famed Mediterranean diet. That means there is a general propensity for a lot of fruit and vegetables to take a central role in dishes as a rule.
As a result, Greek cuisine boasts a huge variety of tasty vegan and vegetarian dishes which are still popular today. And it’s not only side dishes either! In Greece, you will find vegan and vegetarian dishes in every traditional Greek taverna listed as options for your main course.
Often in Greek tavernas, you won’t find a dedicated vegan or vegetarian section in the menu, which might disappoint visitors. The more traditional they are, the less likely you are to find that sort of section. Some very traditional tavernas don’t even have a menu!
That doesn’t mean there are no vegan or vegetarian dishes though. With this guide, you will know where to spot them or how to ask for them.
Vegan and Vegetarian Dishes to Try in Greece
Ladera or Oil-Cooked Dishes Are Vegan
Ladera (pronounced ladaeRAH) is a whole class of dishes with the same method of cooking: being cooked in the oil in which a primary base of chopped onions, garlic, and/or tomato was sautéed. Other vegetables are then added to the pot to cook slowly over time and have their juices combine into a delicious, healthy, and vegan dish.
Ladera dishes are one-pot meals, in that the entire dish is cooked together in a single pot. The only difference is that different vegetables are added at different times, as are all the spices and seasoning.
There are several different Ladera. Depending on whether you visit Greece during summer or winter, you will also get the summer or winter selection as these dishes are highly seasonal.
Some of the most popular Ladera dishes include fasolakia (green beans in tomato sauce), bamies (fresh stewed okra), tourlou (eggplant, zucchini, potato, and bell peppers cooked in tomato, either in the pot or in the oven), arakas (green peas with carrot and potato in tomato sauce), prassa yachni (stewed leeks in tomato), agginares me koukia (stewed artichoke with broad beans and lemon) and countless more.
Keep in mind that the more opulent versions of these foods include the addition of meat, traditionally served as Sunday lunch. However, if that is the case the meat is announced in the title, so you’ll know.
Make sure that there is no meat-based bouillon added to the sauce and enjoy freely!
Dishes with Rice Are Often Vegan or Vegetarian
Some of the most famous Greek dishes involving rice are designed to have meat and meat-free versions. Of those, you want to look for and try meat-free dolmadakia and gemista.
Dolmadakia (also called sarmadakia in some regions) are vine leaves stuffed with rice and several fragrant herbs like dill, chives, spearmint, and parsley. The meat version includes ground beef, so you want to look out for the yalantzi or orphan version.
Gemista are vegetables stuffed with rice and herbs, doused with oil, and cooked in the oven or in a pot, depending on the version. Both are extremely succulent and tasty but surprisingly different so make sure to try both!
Lahanodolmades are the winter version of dolmadakia: instead of vine leaves, it’s cabbage leaves that are stuffed with fragrant rice filling!
All three of these dishes are often served with avgolemono sauce, which is a thick sauce made of lemon and egg. If you are vegan make sure the restaurant doesn’t add the sauce for you. If you are vegetarian, enjoy and add a little feta as all the locals do!
Greek risottos are another excellent vegan dish. Usually, these risottos are cooked with greens or specific vegetables. Of these, the most famous and beloved ones are spanakoryzo (spinach rice) which is unbelievably creamy in texture, lahanoryzo (cabbage rice) which is usually cooked in tomato, and prasoryzo (leek rice) which is unexpectedly sweet and rich in flavor.
Pulses and Legumes are Vegan
There is an old saying in Greece that goes “the poor man’s meat is beans”. That’s how widespread and frequent were the meat-free dishes involving beans and other pulses or legumes among the working and middle classes. These dishes are meat-free but extremely nutritious and protein-packed, like meat, hence the old saying.
There are too many dishes to list in this category, but you must make sure to at least try the staples:
Fasolada: The traditional Greek bean soup. This soup is thick almost like gravy, with beans, tomato, carrots, and celery at least. Depending on the region there may be more herbs added and even potato chunks. No matter what its version, it’s always unbelievably tasty.
Fasolia piaz: These are boiled white beans served in a sauce that is created of the beans’ own starch and served with raw tomato, onion, and oregano. If you are vegetarian definitely add feta in while they are still hot!
Fakes: This is lentil soup thickened with its own starch and served hot with bread. If you are vegetarian definitely add feta cheese in!
Revythia or revythada: These are chickpeas cooked in tomatoes. Depending on the region they may be served as a main course with white rice or bread or as a viscous soup for more bread dipping!
Fava: Depending on the region, this is a side dish or a main course dish. It is a creamy stew of split yellow beans served with oil, raw onion, and lemon. On occasion, you may find the ‘special’ version, especially in the islands, which is additionally cooked in a pan with sautéed onions and olive oil and served with capers.
Appetizers Are Often Vegan or Vegetarian
A big highlight in most traditional tavernas is their appetizers. Sometimes there are so many items in that section of the menu that locals, only order appetizers for their meals. This is especially handy for vegans and vegetarians who may find themselves in a traditional taverna with meat-based main dishes: the appetizers will more than make up for it!
Some of the staples you’re bound to find are:
Tiganites patates: The ubiquitous potato fries that you are bound to find everywhere. They are your standard deep-fried delight, only depending on the taverna, some fries are cut more thickly than others.
Patates fournou: These are potatoes cooked in the oven in oil and garlic. They are usually cooked together with meat and are part of the main dish, but if they aren’t they are often listed as an appetizer. They are soft and creamy on the inside and crunchy on the outside. If you spot them, don’t miss them!
Pantzaria skordalia: These are boiled beets accompanied with garlic and bread sauce. It might sound like an unorthodox combination, but it is surprisingly well-balanced! It’s one of the most popular ‘cooked’ salads in Greek cuisine.
Kolokythakia tiganita: The deep-fried zucchini-in-batter slices are a crunchy, slightly sweet treat that goes great with the fries!
Melitzanes tiganites: Eggplant slices dipped in batter and then deep-fried complement the zucchini and usually are ordered together by the locals. If you are vegetarian these go great with feta cheese.
Gigantes: The name means ‘giants’ and it refers to the large beans used to prepare this dish. Giants are baked beans in tomato sauce and parsley. The beans are supposed to melt in your mouth if they have been cooked right!
Tyri saganaki: This is special, deep-fried cheese served with lemon. It develops a golden, crunchy crust on the outside and a chewy, mellow core on the inside. It’s supposed to be immediately eaten so don’t wait when they serve you!
Tzatziki: The famous dip and condiment of Greece, tzatziki is made with yogurt, chopped cucumber, garlic, salt, and drizzles of olive oil. It goes great with pretty much everything deep-fried!
Melitzanosalata: A great creamy side dish to accompany all your deep-fried appetizers is the eggplant ‘salad’. It’s not actually a salad but rather a dip for your bread or fries.
Horta: These are boiled greens. They come in several varieties, from wild to cultivated and from rather sweet to slightly salty to quite bitter. Each type has its own fanbase so make sure to try them all and ask for which variety they have!
Kolokythokeftedes / tomatokeftedes: These are deep-fried zucchini fritters and tomato fritters. They are extremely popular savory donut-style nuggets that are made of batter and their matching vegetable. Depending on the region you might encounter several variations, such as aromatic herb fritters.
Mavromatika fasolia: This is a black-eyed bean salad where boiled beans are mixed in with spearmint, chives, leek, chopped onions, and sometimes carrots. The salad is very tasty and fresh and pretty usual as an item on the taverna menu.
Horiatiki salata: This is the classic, famous, iconic Greek salad. It is made with tomato, cucumber, sliced onion, olives, capers, olive oil, and oregano. It also comes with a large slice of feta cheese on top as a rule so if you are vegan simply ask the taverna not to add this in yours. (There is no lettuce in true Greek salad!)
These are only a few of the most frequently found vegan and vegetarian items in a Greek taverna menu. There may be a lot more, especially depending on the region and the season! This is especially true if you happen to visit during one of the country’s lengthy Lent periods.
Make sure you always ask if the dish has any meat broth or meat-flavored bouillon to avoid any pitfalls when you are ordering vegan or vegetarian food.
Finally, don’t be shy! Explain to the server what your needs are. Even on the rare occasion that there is no vegan or vegetarian item on the menu, they will certainly find ways to accommodate you! More frequently, the server may suggest vegan or vegetarian dishes of the day not on the regular menu for you to discover.