Home » Featured » Greek Lent (Sarakosti) Recipe Round-up
Artichokes ala Polita

As a convenience to the many readers of this blog, I’ve amassed all the Lenten (and Lent-friendly) dishes that I have posted thus far. Most of the dishes are Greek and appropriate for Lent and some are foreign but due to their ingredients, they fit in nicely with the Greek Lent in which us Greeks abstain from meat, meat by-products, dairy and eggs and fish.

All seafood (not fish), grains, pulses/legumes, fruits, pasta, rice and of course vegetables are allowed in the Lenten diet. I have also included recipes which can be easily adapted to suit Lenten needs. Use of eggs, dairy, cheeses, meats can be omitted and replaced with vegetable stocks, potato as a thickener, bulgur wheat for binder.

For those interested in the the minutiae of Greek Lent, this page from the Greek-Orthodox Archdiocese of America clearly explains the W5 of Lent.

I’ve done my best to include every Lent-friendly recipe I’ve posted so far and have double-checked the links. If there’s an error or dead-linked, please email me and I’ll correct the listing.

This pager of links will remain on the front page of my blog right-up until Easter. I will also be adding some new dishes along the way. Here ae the Νηστισιμα / Σαρακοστιανά…

Kali Sarakosti!

Seafood

Lemon Shrimp Linguine

Garlic Shrimp and Calamari on Fava

Taramosalata Topped With Crab

Mixed Seafood in Marinara Sauce

Seafood Pilaf

Baked Shrimp Scampi (use olive oil in stead of butter)

Galician Octopus

Taramokeftedes

Seared Scallops with Corn

Steamed Clams with Garlic

Braised Cuttlefish with Tomatoes & Capers

Broiled Lobster Tails With Oil Lemon Sauce

Mussels Meze with Zesty Vinaigrette

Grilled Octopus With Santorini Fava

Grilled Calamari with Vine Leaf Chimichurri Sauce

Octopus Stifado

Summer Octopus With Linguine

Octopus Souvlaki With Greek Chimichurri

Snails Stifado with Sour Trahana

Squid Ink Spaghetti With Zesty Calamari

Grilled Octopus Salad With Sea Asparagus

Oyster Loukoumades

Stuffed Mussels

Symi Style Shrimp

Octopus and Pasta Bake

Cream of Chickpea Soup With Shrimp

Ginger Scallion Noodles With Shrimp

Spaghetti With Lemon Shrimp & Saffron

Artichoke Salad With Fried Calamari

Fried Octopus

Herbaceous Green Rice With Shrimp

Crab Kritharotto

Octopus With Olives & Potatoes

Octopus Meatballs

Lobster Saganaki

Tourlou With Seafood

Steamed & Broiled Razor Clams

Crispy Fried Shrimp

Makaronia With Tarama

Steamed & Broiled Razor Clams

Mussels Saganaki With Mustard (omit the cheese)

Grilled Shrimp with Mustard & Honey

Classic Mussels Saganaki

Shrimp Giouvetsi

Lobster Kritharotto

Risotto With Shrimp, Mushrooms & Asparagus

Linguine With Clams

Linguine With Shrimp

Prawns saganaki (omit cheese)

Cuttlefish with Spinach

Prawns Tourkolimano (omit cheese)

BBQ Shrimp

Octopus Salad (Mosaic)

Scallops Saganaki

Grilled Sesame Scallops

Deep-fried Mussels

Grilled Stuffed Calamari (omit cheese)

Wine-steamed Mussels (omit cream)

Grilled Octopus

Grilled Calamari

Fried Calamari

Broiled Scallops

Seafood pasta

Calamari Souvlaki

Shrimp with Ouzo and Pasta

Fried Oysters

Shrimp With Ouzo and Saffron

Calamari L’Amoricaine

Shrimp Salad With Avocado and Pasta Shells

Marinated Calamari Salad

Octopus With Penne

Shrimp Cocktail

Mussels Riganato (omit sausage)

Seafood Pasta with Fusilli

Spaghetti with Shrimp and Mussels

Shrimp With Mastiha liquer

Cuttlefish With Saffron and Potatoes

Harvest Linguine With Clams

Steamed Clams

Shrimp Bisque (omit cream)

Seafood Pizza (omit cheese)

Scallops Provencal

Curly Calamari on Spanakorizo

Shrimp With Capers and Dill

Octopus Krassato

Cuttlefish Lemonato

Thai Green Curry With Scallops & Shrimp

Soup With Mussels and Ginger (omit cream)

Seafood Croquettes (grate some par-boiled potatoes as a binder)

Spaghetti With Mussels and Parsley

Pickled Octopus

Warm Calamari & Prawn Salad

Snails With Gigantes and Artichokes

Snails in a Tomato and rosemary sauce

Spaghetti “al Cartoccio”

Lobster & Spaghetti

Astakomakaronada (lobster pasta)

Octopus Souvlaki

Steamed Crab

Shrimp With Linguine

Lemon-Pepper Calamari

Taramosalata (made with bread)

Taramosalata (made without bread)

Vegetarian (Ladera)

Romaine Salad with Scallions & Dill

Lentil Salad(omit mackerel)

Spring Salad with Kumquat

Mixed salad with Mediterranean Miso Dressing

Whipped Olive Oil Butter

Arugula and Radicchio Salad

Chestnut Stifado

Carob Bread

No-Knead Lagana

Grilled Zucchini

Beet Salad With Arugula

Grilled Eggplant Sicilian Style

Asian Cucumber Salad

Bravas Style Roast Potatoes

Patatopita

Blistered Shishito Peppers

Manestra from Corfu

Baby Arugula and Citrus Salad

Spiced Fig Cake

Eggplant With Sour Trahana

Greek Style Peas

Artichokes Ala Polita II

Chestnut Stifado

Scalloped Roast Lemon Potatoes

Carrot Salad

Romaine Salad with Fennel, Orange and Olives

Hand Smashed Potatoes

Chickpea Fritters

Stove-top Rice

Kolokithopastitsa

Zucchini Lentil Fritters

Piroski

Warm Bean Salad

Stuffed Tomatoes

Roast Potatoes With Tomatoes & Paprika

Ottlenghi’s Fennel Salad

Warm Citrus & Spiced Olives

 Puree of Red Lentil Soup

Bowtie Pasta With Olives & Cauliflower

Cauliflower Stifado With Kale & Kalamata Olives

Walnut Skordalia

Olive Oil French Fries

Warm Citrus & Spiced Olives

Quick Cauliflower Toursi

Politiki Salata

Mushroom Giouvetsi

Patates Plaki

Pickled Green Beans (Toursi)

Samphire Salad

Artichoke Salad With Split-Peas and Shrimp

Fried Peppers

Potato Salad With Samphire

Asparagus Salad (omit Feta)

Bean Salad With Roasted Garlic, Capers & Parsley

Bulgur Wheat Salad

Chickpea Salad With Roasted Red Peppers & Green Beans

Artichokes a la Polita

Lagana (Traditional bread for Clean Monday)

Lenten Tahini and Cinnamon Rolls

Hummus

Potato Salad with Blood Oranges & Kalamata Olives

Steamed Broccoli with olive oil and lemon

Fakkes With Kritharaki

Beet Greens Salad

Tomato Fritters (omit the egg and use boiled bulghur as binder)

Fassoulada Soup

Chickpea Soup

Semolina Halva (replace butter with vegetable or olive oil)

Fakkes (Greek Lentil Soup)

Grilled Pasta Salad

Shrimp Salad

Grilled Polenta with Roasted Red Peppers

Lentils with Pasta (omit pork)

Braised Lentils

Avocado Salad

Salad of Rocket, cabbage and Apple

Greek Roast Potatoes

Creamy Asparagus Soup (omit cream)

Kolokithokeftedes (omit cheese, used boiled bulgur as binder)

Parsley Salad Dip

Eggplant Fritters (omit cheese)

Roasted Red Pepper & Potato Salad

Beet Soup With Oregano

Caper Salad (Dip)

Strawberry Salad

Salad with Sun-dried Tomato Dressing

Balsamic Asparagus Salad

Salad of Broccoli and Cauliflower

Beet Salad

Mixed Greens With Pomegranate Dressing

Spring Salad

Steamed Zucchini and Horta Salad

Sicilian Pasta with Fried Eggplant

Vegetable Toursi

Latholemono

Pumpkin Fritters (omit cheese)

Baked Chickpeas

bean soup (Fassoulada)

Okra Stew

Soupa Horiatiki

Artichokes ala Polita

Another Potato Salad

Spanakorizo Another local variety asks for more spinach, and some lemon too.

Samphire Salad With Onions & Orange

Rice salad

Amaranth Greens (Vlita)

Fassolakia (without meat)

Fried Mushrooms

Warm Green Bean Salad

Green bean and Roasted Cherry Tomato Salad

Steamed Cauliflower & Chives Salad

Chickpea Fritters

Provencal Potato Salad (use vegetable stock)

Imam Baildi

Grilled Vegetable Pasta

Fassoulotavas Makedonikos

Salad of Zucchini Ribbons

Steamed Zucchini Salad (omit cheese)

Melitzanosalata (Eggplant Salad)

Makalo

Potato Salad for Good Friday (no olive oil).

potato salad (with olive oil)

Briam Florinis

Dolmades Gialantzi

Black-Eyed Pea Salad, and Octopus With Vinegar

Ladenia (Greek pizza)

Tagliatelle With Zucchini, Tomato and Fresh Herbs. Add some stir-fried shellfish or mushrooms to make this recipe even better.

Tagliatelle with Mushrooms (omit cheese)

Greek Chickpea Soup. Substitute chicken stock with vegetable stock (note: not all vegetable stocks in the market are vegetarian).

Kampanoules With Peppers and Basil (omit the cheese)

Spinach Salad With Apples & Mint

Meliztanosalata

Spaghetti With Tomato and Basil (omit cheese)

Spiced Cabbage Soup (omit sausage)

Minestrone Soup

Orrechiette with Rapini

Hilopites with Mushrooms (omit cheese)

Artisan Bread in Five Minutes

Wholewheat Artisan Bread

Homemade Pita Bread

Olive Bread

Homemade Buns with Sesame Seeds

For the Lenten Sweet Tooth

Paximadia with Carob, Hazelnut, Cranberry

Strawberry Granita

Macedonian Halva with Spoon Sweet and Cinnamon

Sesame Halva Balls

Kourkoubinia

Tahini & Honey Ice Cream

Raisin Bread

Halva Farsalon (use veg oil instead of butter)

Strawberry Sorbet

Lenten Bougatsa me Krema

Loukoumades

Lenten Cake

Apple Crisp (omit butter and use an olive oil-based margarine)

Nistisima Paximadia

Lemon Halva

46 Responses

  1. Hey! Fantastic recipes, and truly an inspiration for someone just starting out, like myself! I really appreciate the hard work and effort put in here! I hope to get to know you better as a blogger, and foodie.
    Regards from South Africa
    Costa

  2. Yiasou, Peter! And a happy Clean Monday to you. I’d seen via Twitter that you put this up, but am only now getting around to looking. Wow. I can tell that there is more than enough here to see me safely through the Lenten season, and I’m definitely going to link to this page on my blog. The spread looks amazing. As does the blog in general–I think I’ve told you how much I like the new format; it really just looks better all the time.

  3. Great roundup Peter! I, of course, am a heathen and do not fast the entire duration of lent, but would still like to try many of these dishes :)

  4. I could just do a dive onto that table… so many beautiful and delicious foods. This is quite a list of recipes! I’m going to check out the shrimp recipe links!

  5. Wow, Peter. You went all out listing all of these dishes for Lent. While I do not practice Lent, these definitely would keep me well fed. The photo of your table is just stellar…I am in awe. Kudos to you for a gorgeous spread.

  6. Great website. I can’t wait to make some of your recipes . Also, do you have a recipe for “rizopita?”

  7. Amazing website! I have a Greek boyfriend who I am starting to cook for. We ran into some trouble during Lent, so this is perfect for me to start learning the Lent recipes now!

  8. What a wonderful list! I’m exited to revisit some of these over lent.
    Being allergic to shellfish, I went straight for the vegetarian dishes on your list. From the six I clicked on, only one link worked. The links for the potato/orange salad, tahini and cinnamon rolls, semolina halva, olive bread… are the ones I tried.
    I’m going to check back tomorrow and see if you were able to get the links. Some of these sound so good… and tempting.

  9. Hi Peter, just came out of lurking to ask you a Greek food question. I was having a discussion with my mom about artichokes a la polita and she said that back in the day, “artichokes a la polita” was a recipe that included artichokes with carrots, onions, dill etc…it did not include green peas. The dish that did include artichokes with peas was not called “a la polita.” It was merely called “artichokes with peas.” My mom also proved this to me by showing me the original Nikos Tselementes cookbook she has had from 50 yeas ago in Athens. In the book “artichokes a la polita” does not include green peas. What’s your take on this conundrum?

    1. Sophia, it’s true about Greek recipes and Anginares ala Polita not having peas in Tselementes book but how can one book be so limiting on a country and it’s regional differences or family recipes. This recipe was passed down on from Yiayia and Yiayia can’t be wrong. Cook for your family, have some fun with the recipes while still keeping their Greek integrity – I do!

  10. So many incredible foods. I don’t even know where to start!
    This site has become the wikipedia of Greek food. Amazing work, Mr Petah! An inspiration for us all.

  11. Wow! You have obviously blown us all away with this list. But what caught my eye is that fabulous artichoke dish you have in the photo. Reminds me of a dish my husband taught me to make and now I am craving it. I must peruse your stunning recipes!

  12. Hi Peter – that is some body of work! Great resource. I bet it was fun looking back on all your recipes. Which ones stand out the most for you, are you revisiting old favorites, or cooking more new dishes this holiday?
    LL

  13. Fantastic list of recipes Peter – I want to eat all of them!….Not at once lol.
    Seriously you have a great site here – a never ending list of total yumminess :)

  14. Oh my god it is the list from heaven. Especially the vegetarian recipes!!! I am going to have to go through this with a fine toothed comb. It’s the ultimate inspirational list of Greek recipes for me, I can’t wait to put some of them into action!

  15. Hi Peter, have been on your website lots of times and have got some great recipes, but the recipes for lent are wonderful, will try the artichokes first, they look so good.

  16. Just for clarification–Great Lent and Pascha are observed by ALL ORTHODOX CHRISTIANS, and it is not excluctive to the Greek people. So this information in your message is for Great Lent, not Greek Lent and Greek Easter, but for all Orthodox people.
    Thank you for all the Lenten information.

    1. Georgia, thanks for your comment. This round-up of dishes are from my repetoire of Lenten dishes and most of them are Greek. I am very aware of Orthodox Lent being observed by many (beyond Greeks) but again, this is my contribution of Greek Lenten dishes.

  17. Peter – this list is a treasure (like your whole site!) and an Greek Orthodox resource. Thank you! I noticed a number of links are ‘dead’ is that because they are all recipes that appear in your cookbook? For example Nistisima Paximadia and Lenten Cake.

    Kαλή Σαρακοστή!

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