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Tzatziki is a Greek concoction made from yogurt, cucumbers, garlic, and numerous herbs and spices such as dill, mint, or parsley. It is usually served as a sauce accompanying many meat dishes, as a simple dip, or an appetizer. Its name is derived from the Turkish word cacik, denoting a very similar dip, although some suspect that tzatziki was derived from the Indian raita dip.
Tzatziki is always served cold, and it is especially popular to serve it with dishes such as gyros and souvlaki. Often, it is served with pita bread as part of the first course of a big meal. With its huge popularity, and the fact that it is one of the best summer dips, it is not strange that there are many regional variations of tzatziki, in countries such as Iran, Iraq, Turkey, Cyprus, Bulgaria, and Serbia.
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This creamy Greek dipping sauce is usually prepared with a combination of feta cheese, milk or yogurt, hot peppers, garlic, and olive oil. Although it is a traditional dish, it is regionally influenced and may contain anything from roasted red peppers to other types of cheese.
Tirokafteri is a standard Greek appetizer and a typical meze dish that is usually accompanied by warm pita bread.
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Skordalia is a flavorful Greek dish made from a combination of mashed potatoes, olive oil, vinegar, raw garlic, and almonds. The dish is usually served as a spread or a dip, either at room temperature or chilled, when it is typically paired with warm pita bread.
Due to its intense garlicky flavors, skordalia is also often served as an accompaniment to various fish or vegetable dishes.
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Though it only uses a few ingredients, Greek fava dip is an incredibly flavorful dish. It consists of yellow split peas that are cooked alongside onions and various spices until they completely disintegrate and transform into a creamy, velvety purée.
It is believed that the name of the dish stems from the Latin word favus, meaning broad beans or fava beans, though they are never used in the production of this creamy dip. Fava is found in numerous taverns throughout the country, and it is usually enjoyed as a meze dish, traditionally served topped with diced onions and a drizzle of olive oil.
Creamy texture and mild flavor are the main attributes of labneh; a traditional Middle Eastern strained yogurt that is prepared with yogurt and salt. No strict guidelines are used to produce it; plain full-fat yogurt is mixed with salt and left to strain for twelve to twenty-four hours.
During straining, the yogurt whey separates, and what is left is a thick and firm cheese-like product. Its texture can vary from creamy to dense, but it always has a relatively mild and slightly salty flavor. The name labneh is native to the Middle East, but strained yogurt varieties are found in numerous other countries and regions such as Greece, Turkey, Cyprus, Central Asia, the United States, Mexico, and the United Kingdom.
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This classic Greek dip typically combines grilled eggplant, garlic, and olive oil into a creamy and flavorful dish that is mainly enjoyed as a part of meze—traditional meal service comprised of a selection of small dishes. Although simple, it is incredibly versatile and is often elevated with additional ingredients such as groundnuts, cheese, different vegetables, and a variety of fresh herbs and spices.
It is typically garnished with parsley and a drizzle of olive oil, then paired with a crispy, rustic bread.
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Taramasalata is a Greek and Turkish specialty dish consisting of mashed potatoes or bread (or sometimes breadcrumbs) combined with lemon juice, olive oil, and fish roe, usually from cod, carp, or mullet. The dip is usually served as an appetizer or a meze dish.
In Greece, taramasalata is traditionally consumed on Clean Monday, which is the first day of Lent. Taramasalata can also be bought pre-made in numerous Turkish and Greek stores, but it is not well-received due to large amounts of food coloring, resulting in an unusual pink color of the dish.
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Brined or dried capers are the main ingredient in this creamy Greek dip. They are usually incorporated in a neutral base that is made with soaked bread or mashed potatoes, which is additionally enriched with garlic, onions, vinegar, olive oil, and the choice of spices and fresh herbs.
Kaparosalata is traditionally associated with the Cyclades island group, namely Syros and Sifnos, and it is usually served as a bread spread or a fragrant dip that accompanies roasted or grilled meat.
TasteAtlas food rankings are based on the ratings of the TasteAtlas audience, with a series of mechanisms that recognize real users and that ignore bot, nationalist or local patriotic ratings, and give additional value to the ratings of users that the system recognizes as knowledgeable. For the “Top 8 Greek Dips” list until March 21, 2025, 2,355 ratings were recorded, of which 1,422 were recognized by the system as legitimate. TasteAtlas Rankings should not be seen as the final global conclusion about food. Their purpose is to promote excellent local foods, instill pride in traditional dishes, and arouse curiosity about dishes you haven’t tried.