Skordalia is a traditional Greek mashed potato spread that can also be enjoyed as a delicious appetizer! Made with potatoes, garlic and olive oil, this dip is best served room temperature with freshly grilled pita bread on the side!
What Is Skordalia?
Being Greek, I love a good meze platter. All of the delicious dips and spreads served with pita bread is my favorite thing to snack on pre-dinner. Skordalia is often a part of a meze platter. It is a Greek potato dip recipe that is also served as a sauce alongside of freshly grilled fish or seafood.
Skordalia is made by mixing mashed potatoes with bread, lots of olive oil, garlic and some acid like vinegar or lemon juice. The result is a paste-like texture that resembles mashed potatoes or even hummus. So if you’re a mashed potato fan, you’ll be able to enjoy the popular side dish as an appetizer! With that said, this dip is made without dairy making it vegan and much healthier for you and your guests!
Some versions of skordalia are made with ground up almonds and referred to as an ‘almond spread’ however I do not like the taste so I left it out of this recipe. If you’d like to try adding some in, go for it!
How To Make Skordalia (Greek Potato Mash)
This dip is easy to make however it’s ALL about the potatoes! Choosing the right potatoes and cooking them properly is what will prevent a gummy dip.
Choosing The Right Potato:
Potatoes contain different levels of starch. If you don’t choose the right potato, you wont get the same results. Russet potatoes or yukon golds are your best choice!
Cooking Your Potatoes:
Here are my tips for mashed potatoes. This goes for any type of mashed potato dishes you make but especially this dip!
- Do not cut your potatoes TOO small when boiling. 2-3″ pieces are ideal.
- Do not overcook your potatoes! They should not be dissolving in the water. Fork tender is preferred!
- Let your potatoes DRY OUT before working with them! Lay them out on a baking sheet to speed up the process!
- Do not over mix! Using a food processor or standing mixer is not recommended. A potato ricer, masher is best! Limit the mashing as much as possible.
What To Serve With Skordalia
This potato garlic spread is best served with warm pita bread or a loaf of fresh bread. It’s important that you get the best bread possible! It makes a huge difference.
Here is a recipe for grilled pita bread if you want to make your own at home!
Serve Your Skordalia As A Meze Platter!
A meze platter is the best appetizer or ‘tapas’ spread in the world (in my opinion.) It is a traditional pre-dinner snack or ‘appetizer’ spread served in many Greek restaurants especially in Greece.
If you do it right, you wont even need to serve dinner at your next party. You can just serve your guests this as the meal because of how hearty it is.
What Is A Meze Platter?
A Meze platter is a spread of small dishes or appetizers often with many dips, salads or spreads. The most common dips that are served in a meze platter are:
Popular meze spread dips:
- tzatziki (cucumber yogurt dip)
- hummus (garlic chickpea dip)
- melitzanosalata (roasted eggplant spread)
- Tirokafteri (spicy feta spread)
Serve these dips and spreads in a few small bowls or on plates surrounded by grilled pita bread and fresh crusty bread. Throw some Greek kalamata olives in the mix in addition to roasted peppers and you have an easy but filling spread that will please vegans to meat-eaters alike.
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Greek Potato and Garlic Dip (Skordalia)
Greek Potato n’ Garlic Dip (Skordalia)
Ingredients
- 2 medium Russet potatoes ((you want less starchy potatoes))
- 2 Large Cloves Garlic
- 2 oz. Bread ((2 sandwich slices))
- 1/2 Cup Olive Oil
- 1 shallot thinly sliced
- 1 tbsp freshly chopped chives
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 tbsp freshly chopped parsley
Instructions
- Peel and cut your potatoes into large chunks no smaller than 2" x 2". Add them to a pot of cold water and bring to a boil. Remove and drain potatoes when they are fork tender. (Don't over-boil them!)
- While your potatoes are boiling, add all of the other ingredients to a food processor and puree for 30 seconds. Remove and place in a medium to large bowl.
- When your potatoes are fork tender (15-20 minutes) drain them and then lay the potatoes flat on a baking sheet to cool off. This is important since it will allow any excess water to evaporate preventing gummy potatoes.
- Once the steam is gone and your potatoes are somewhat cooled, add them to the bowl with your pureed mix and mash together using a potato masher or large fork. If you have a potato ricer, this works BEST! (Rice the potatoes prior to adding to the pureed mix.) Your dip is ready when the consistency is smooth like mashed potatoes or hummus. *Mix in a little water to thin out the consistency if you need!
- Serve cold or room temperature alongside of warm or grilled pita bread!
Ramona
Sounds absolutely delicious- love Mediterranean cuisine. The best, and this is just the perfect dip for entertaining, nice and filling. I can’t wait to try it.