Greek Recipes for Kids

The key to deliciously tender lamb is slow cooking. When done, the meat should flake off the bone.

Greek Leg of Lamb Roast

1 boneless leg of lamb (about 5-6 pounds), butterflied
1/2 cup olive oil
juice of 1 lemon
4 tablespoons dried oregano
1 tablespoon salt (sea salt is best)
4 cloves garlic, crushed 2 extra lemons, quartered
continental parsley

Preheat oven to 425F degrees (220C). Cut slits in the lamb and poke garlic cloves in slits. Mix oil, lemon, and garlic together and spread over lamb with your hands. Rub salt and oregano over lamb. Place lamb in roasting pan. Once in the oven, turn heat down to 325F degrees (160C) and roast for 4 hours. Remove from oven. Serve with lemon wedges and parsley sprigs on the side. A salad or potatoes goes well with the roast lamb.

Oven Roasted Greek Potatoes

8 baking potatoes
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon dried oregano
2 cloves garlic, minced
juice of half a lemon

Preheat oven to 425F degrees (220C). Scrub and peel potatoes then cut into quarters. Boil potatoes for about 7 minutes, then remove and drain. Add olive oil, salt, pepper, oregano, and garlic to potatoes. Toss to coat potatoes. Sprinkle with lemon juice. Place in a large baking dish and bake for 20 minutes. Remove potatoes and toss once. Then bake for another 15 to 20 minutes until potatoes are soft inside and crispy on the outside. Serve with Greek gyros or grilled meat dish. Add a dollop of Greek yogurt or Tzatziki.


The Greek gyro (pronounced "yee-roe") is a meat sandwich (chicken, lamb, pork, or beef) roasted on a vertical rotisserie and served in pita bread with salad material and sauce. Gyros are often served with fried potatoes on the side. This recipe for how to make your own gyro meat is quick and easy.

Easy Greek Gyros

2 pounds meat (very thinly sliced pork loin, beef minute steak, or chicken breast)
white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon oregano or rosemary
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced
6 pitas, cut in half
2 tomatoes, sliced
lettuce
1 onion, sliced

Tzatziki sauce:

1/2 cup Greek yogurt
1 cucumber, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced

Meat should be thinly sliced (about 1/4" thick). Mix together vinegar, oil, spices, and garlic. Marinate meat in mixture for at least 2 hours. Grill meat turning once until edges are slightly crisp. Remove from grill and cut into strips. Fill each pita with meat, tomatoes, lettuce, and onion. Then add a dollop of Tzatziki sauce. Serve with French fries.

Every traditional Greek salad has two key ingredients: feta cheese and Kalamata olives. Lettuce is never a part of a Greek salad. Instead use fresh herbs such as oregano, parsley, or basil.

Easy Greek Salad

4 tomatoes, cubed
3 cucumbers, unpeeled and sliced in quarters
1 purple onion, sliced
1/4 cup Greek Kalamata olives
4 ounces feta cheese, cubed
salt and pepper to taste

Dressing:

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon white balsamic or white wine vinegar
2 teaspoons fresh oregano, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, minced

Mix ingredients together in a large salad bowl. Add dressing ingredients in a small bowl or cup. Shake or stir well, then pour over salad and gently toss.


No Greek meal is complete without Greek yogurt. It is thicker and creamier than other yogurts.

Greek Yogurt Salad

1 cup Greek yogurt (preferably goats milk)
1 cup cucumber, peeled and cubed
1 clove finely sliced garlic
coarsely chopped mint leaves
salt to taste
paprika

Add all the ingredients into the yogurt leaving a few mint leaves for the garnish. Mix well. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and sprinkle paprika on top. Garnish with mint leaves. Serve cold. This recipe was submitted by Ellie, age 13, from the United Kingdom.