Skordalia is a delicious, thick and creamy Greek garlicky potato dip.
If you are a garlic lover, you have to try Skordalia. This simple garlic and potato dip is creamy, tangy, hearty, and most importantly very very garlicky. Skordalia is also very easy and cheap to prepare, and totally versatile as well. It can be served as an appetizer or snack, or as a side dish with your favorite fried veggies.
Skordalia or mashed potatoes?
Listen. If you’ve never tried Skordalia, you might wonder if it isn’t just a simple mashed potato recipe. But no, it isn’t. Well….okay, technically speaking it is. But it’s so much more too!
Yes, Skordalia is creamy potatoes (though using stale bread instead of potatoes for a base is also popular), but it’s mashed with olive oil, instead of butter and cream. Additionally it’s flavored with lots of garlic, and vinegar or lemon juice. Pureed almonds or walnuts are also popular additions.
So basically if you like garlic and mashed potatoes, plus don’t mind a squeeze of lemon or vinegar on your food, Skordalia is your kinda food.
How to eat Skordalia
This Greek garlic and potato dip is especially awesome for dipping crackers, fresh veggies, flatbread, or pita chips. Just pile Skordalia into a small bowl, or spread it over a nice serving plate. Drizzle it with extra olive oil, then top it with fresh parsley or mint, olives, or vegan feta.
Or serve it as a side dish. Fried or grilled veggies, breaded tofu, or a little Greek salad go all well with it.
Customize it the way you like it!
- The most popular base for Skordalia is potatoes. However stale bread is a great option too. Simply soak coarsely chopped bread in water for 5-10 minutes, then squeeze and add to the blender with the rest of the ingredients.
- Adding nuts to this garlic and potato dip is a popular choice as well. Walnuts or almonds are especially delicious here. Soak the nuts for at least 1 hour, then drain, and add to the blender with the rest of the ingredients.
- If raw garlic is too pungent for you, try using roasted garlic instead.
- Vinegar, lemon juice, or a combination of the two works here well too.
- Good quality olive oil makes this dip not only extra creamy, but also gives it a classic, unmistakable flavor. However you can keep your Skordalia oil-free, if you prefer. Simply avoid olive oil, and add more of the cooking liquid instead. Unsweetened plant milk can be an option too – though that case you are getting dangerously close to mashed potatoes.
Skordalia – Greek Garlic and Potato Dip
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
Ingredients
- 1 lb/450 g peeled and chopped potatoes
- 2 tbsp white vine vinegar (or lemon juice)
- 4–6 cloves of garlic
- 4 tbsp olive oil (or more of you prefer)
- salt, pepper
To serve:
- olives
- chopped parsley or mint
- flatbread or pita
Instructions
- Cook potatoes in salted water until very tender, about 20 minutes. Drain, reserving cooking water.
- Add garlic cloves and vinegar to a small food processor. Blend until smooth and paste like. Add olive oil, salt and pepper, and blend again to emulsify.
- Place a 3-4 cubes of potatoes to the food processor as well, and blend together with the garlic mixture.
- Transfer drained potatoes and blended mixture to a large bowl. Using a potato masher mash potatoes, until creamy and fluffy. Add a little of the reserved cooking water as you go to reach desired consistency.
- Skordalia tastes best if you place it in the fridge for a couple of hours before serving. However you can also eat it right away.
- To serve Skordalia simply spread it onto a serving plate. Drizzle with olive oil, and top with chopped herbs and olives. Enjoy!
Notes
If making Skordalia oil-free, simply avoid olive oil, and add more of the cooking liquid instead.
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 20 mins
Food loaded with garlic tastes yummy :-)) The dip looks very creamy.
So true! Garlic is my favorite flavor ever 😍
This sounds delicious! I just love both garlic and potatoes, so I know I’d love this too. Yum!!
Oh yes, garlic and potatoes are an unbeatable combo 😍
I needed to read no further, I was sold out at these three words – very very garlicky 😀
Hahaha, my favorite three words 😀