Greek food & culture

Why olive oil sits at the heart of Greek cooking

From grove to village table · Original Greek Food Table editorial

Olive oil is more than a finishing drizzle in Greek cooking. It is used to soften onions for a pot of beans, roast vegetables, dress salads, and carry the fragrance of oregano and lemon. In many households the amount of oil is generous, especially in vegetable dishes called ladera—literally, foods cooked with oil.

A living tradition

The flavour varies with the olive variety, harvest time, and storage. Peppery oils can brighten a salad; milder oils work beautifully in a slow braise. Fresh oil belongs away from light and heat, tightly capped.

Bring it to your kitchen

Try fasolada, gemista and lemon potatoes to see how olive oil creates three very different dishes.