In the heart of spring and summer, Greek gardens brim with fragrant vegetables—zucchini, eggplant, mushrooms, and even cauliflower florets. These fresh picks are often dipped in a light, beer-infused batter and fried to golden perfection. The result? Crisp, airy bites that strike the perfect balance between rustic and refined. They’re a testament to the cook’s skill and a guaranteed crowd-pleaser.
Classic Greek-Style Batter (Kourkouti) for Fried Vegetables
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Difficulty: Easy
Servings: 8
Ingredients:
- 500 ml water (room temperature)
- 330 ml beer (room temperature)
- 500 g all-purpose flour
- 20 g baking powder
- A pinch of salt
- A pinch of sugar
Instructions:
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk all the ingredients together until the flour is fully incorporated and you have a smooth batter.
- Refrigerate the batter until ready to use.
- Dip vegetables of your choice into the batter, shake off the excess, and fry in hot olive oil until golden and crisp.
- Drain on paper towels and serve hot.
What do you serve alongside these golden morsels? A bowl of tzatziki, naturally.
Tzatziki: The Creamy Star of Every Table
Whether smeared on a slice of homemade bread or scooped up with a crispy zucchini chip, tzatziki is a mainstay of any Greek feast. Made traditionally from strained yogurt, cucumber, garlic, and olive oil, it’s as refreshing as it is flavorful. For many visitors, tzatziki is the very essence of Greek cuisine—often requested in their souvlaki “with everything.” But it doesn’t end there. Modern Greek chefs and home cooks alike are continually reinventing this versatile dip.
Here are four creative twists on classic tzatziki that pair beautifully with fried vegetables in a light batter (recipe included below):
Spicy Tzatziki with Almonds and Herbs
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Difficulty: Easy
Servings: 5
Ingredients:
- 300 g strained Greek yogurt
- Juice and zest of ½ lemon
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 2 spring onions, finely chopped
- 1 tbsp red chili flakes (or Greek “boukovo”)
- Fresh parsley, chopped
- Toasted almond slivers
Instructions:
- Mix the yogurt, lemon juice, zest, salt, and pepper in a bowl.
- In a small pan, warm the olive oil and sauté the garlic, spring onions, chili flakes, and a bit of salt for 2–3 minutes. Let cool slightly.
- Stir the sautéed mixture into the yogurt and top with parsley and toasted almonds.
- Serve with freshly fried vegetables.
Tzatziki Meets Hummus: A Fusion Dip
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Difficulty: Easy
Ingredients:
- 300 g prepared hummus
- 300 g strained Greek yogurt
- 1 garlic clove, crushed
- 1 cucumber, grated and drained + 1 small cucumber diced
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- Salt and pepper
- 1 tbsp chopped dill
- 5 cherry tomatoes, diced
- 10 olives, chopped
- A few capers
- 80 g crumbled feta cheese
Instructions:
- Mix yogurt with garlic, grated cucumber, dill, lemon juice, salt, and pepper.
- Spread the hummus on a serving plate and layer the yogurt mixture on top.
- Garnish with cherry tomatoes, diced cucumber, olives, capers, and feta.
- Perfect served with seasonal fried vegetables.
Pistachio Tzatziki with Aromatic Herbs
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Difficulty: Easy
Ingredients:
- 200 g cucumber (about 2 medium), finely chopped
- 2 cups strained yogurt
- ½ cup fresh dill, chopped
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 100 g shelled pistachios, coarsely chopped
- 1 tbsp dried mint
- 2 garlic cloves, grated
- 10 ml extra virgin olive oil
- Dried rose petals (optional, for garnish)
Instructions:
- Salt the chopped cucumber and let sit for 15 minutes to release moisture. Drain well.
- Mix the cucumber with yogurt, pistachios, dill, mint, garlic, salt, and pepper.
- Garnish with additional pistachios, dill, and dried rose petals. Drizzle with olive oil before serving.
Green Tzatziki with Spinach and Zucchini
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Difficulty: Easy
Servings: 6
Ingredients:
- 400 g spinach, chopped
- 5 ml olive oil + 10 ml for finishing
- 1 tsp minced garlic
- Juice of 1 lemon + extra for finishing
- Salt and pepper
- 200 g zucchini, grated and drained
- 1½ cups strained yogurt
- ½ cup chopped parsley
- ½ cup chopped basil + extra leaves for garnish
Instructions:
- Sauté garlic in 5 ml olive oil for 1 minute. Add spinach and cook until wilted (about 5 minutes). Add lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Let cool, then strain well and chop finely.
- In a bowl, mix the spinach with grated zucchini, yogurt, herbs, more lemon juice, and 10 ml olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.
- Garnish with fresh basil and serve with fried seasonal vegetables.
