Traditional Authentic Greek Cypriot Recipes from Cyprus

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If you love Greek food and are looking for authentic Greek Cypriot Recipes then look no further, as I’ve got lots for you to try out!

Whether you are looking for some mealtime inspiration to remind you of holidays to Cyprus or are preparing a Greek dinner party and need some meze ideas, scroll through my list of recipes, and get cooking!

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25+ Authentic Greek Cypriot Recipes

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Cypriot Recipes

How can I guarantee you that every one of the Greek Cypriot recipes that I share on my blog are 100% authentic?

Well, I’m part Cypriot (and part Lithuanian), and have been taught these recipes by some of the best cooks in the world—my family!

I’ve learned from my grandmother, father, and other extended family members, and am now able to share these delicious dishes with you.

Before I get into the recipes, here is some handy information for you.

Cypriot recipes are not the only ones I have on my blog, there are 500+ Recipes here for you to enjoy! Please feel free to check them out too.

If you are looking for a specific recipe, please use the search function below. If you can’t find what you are searching for, then please do contact me as I take all reader suggestions on board!

Greek Cypriot Meze Dishes
Homemade Greek Cypriot Meze

Links to the various recipes on The Purple Pumpkin Blog will open the same window/tab, so to reach this page again, just hit the back button on your browser.

Cypriot Meze Recipes

If you’ve been on holiday to Cyprus, Greece, or any of the Greek Islands, you have probably eaten a meze, and looking to recreate some of those dishes now you are home.

And if you don’t know what a meze is, the easiest way to describe it is a meal comprising of lots of different dishes – dips, salads, hot, cold, meat, fish, vegetarian – served over several courses. Think of it a bit like tapas! You can read all my tips for preparing a Greek Cypriot Meze here.

Homemade Hummus – like my Great-Grandfather used to make!

Homemade Tzatziki – a cucumber, mint, and yogurt dip.

Tachinosalata – a sesame dip made with tahini.

You can’t have a meze without lots of pitta bread! Sure you could buy it, but it’s so easy to make, and tastes so much better.

Manitaria Krasata – mushrooms cooked in wine.

Cypriot Potato Salad – best served warm with lots of lemon juice and olive oil.

Cypriot Village Salad – I also sometimes add thinly sliced white cabbage, just like my Yiayia (Grandmother in Greek) used to.

Marrow, Greens & Blackeyed Beans – not strictly a meze dish, but I wanted to include it here because it is a delicious vegan/vegetarian dish, and an option to serve to non-meat eaters.

The first set of meze dishes I shared above are fairly quick and easy to make. The next few can be served as part of a meze, or as a meal in themselves with some salad and bread.

Dolmades – these are vine (grape) leaves that have been stuffed with a meat and rice mixture. They are a labour of love to make, but so worth it! They taste great both hot and cold. Also known as koupepia.

Pilafi Pourgouri – a vegetarian and vegan dish made with crushed (bulgar) wheat, tomatoes, and garlic. Pilafi works as both a side and main dish.

Afelia is always a real treat to have as I don’t make it that often. Pork is marinated with red wine and crushed coriander seeds – so good!

You will always get served a plate of meat and/or fish at a meze in Cyprus, and Souvlakia (kebabs) are easy to make.

Greek Cypriot Stuffed Vegetables

Classic Cypriot Recipes

Here are some Greek Cypriot recipes that you can try at home. I will be adding more over time, including my dad’s moussaka!

Greek-Cypriot Macaroni Pie – or macaronia as we call it. You may also hear it described as pastichio, but I have never heard it called that. In fact, when I look at recipes for pastichio they seem to be described as a Greek lasagna, which my macaroni pie certainly is! And they seem to contain tomatoes – which mine definitely doesn’t! This recipe is my all time favourite Cypriot dish, and my ultimate comfort food.

Avgolemono is a egg-lemon soup made with chicken broth. It’s another one of my personal favourites.

Dhiafora Parayiemista, also known as Greek Cypriot Stuffed Vegetables is a great dish for the weekend when you have time to prepare the filling and stuff all the vegetables. It’s also great for a dinner party, or even on a knife-and-fork buffet if you use smaller vegetables like tomatoes, and mini aubergines.

Kleftiko is a lamb and potato dish cooked low and slow. The meat is fall-off-the-bone tender, and this is a fab alternative to a Sunday roast. Serve with a village salad.

Another comfort food dish (for me at least!) is Greek-Cypriot Pork Tavas. My (Lithuanian) mum taught me how to make this – my grandmother, her mother-in-law showed her! It’s made in rustic, one-dish recipe with rice, pork, and vegetables.

Cypriot Street Food

Street food has gained in popularity over the years hasn’t it? But I’ve been eating Cypriot street food since before it was cool and Instagrammable!

I remember as a kid on holidays in Larnaca, walking along the seafront and dad buying us something from a street vendor. From simple Barbecued Corn on the Cob sprinkled with salt, to a delicious toasted Lounza and Halloumi Sandwich – ah the memories!

A plate of Greek orzo salad

Cypriot Recipes with a Twist!

Okay, so I said that every one of my Greek-Cypriot recipes on my blog are authentic – and they are. However, there are some that I have that have been inspired by my favourite cuisine, using ingredients and flavours that I love from Cypriot cooking.

I’ve called these recipes with a twist for that very reason! Eating them is somehow familiar, and comforting, yet you probably won’t find them in a traditional Cypriot cookbook!

My twist on a Greek classic – Moussaka is that I managed to prepare it in a way so that it came in at under 400 calories a portion. At the time I was on a calorie counted diet, but wanted to eat some of my favourite foods!

Halloumi Wrap – take this salty Cypriot cheese, slice it, grill it, and put it in a wrap with some olive oil or mayo.

Grilled Lamb & Halloumi Wrap – an extension of the wrap above with flavoursome homemade lamb meatballs.

Lamb, Spinach & Feta Filo Pie – this was a cross between spanikopita (which is a Greek spinach and feta pie) and moussaka (which is lamb mince between layers of vegetables, and a bechamel topping). It was ridiculously delicious!

Using the ingredients of a traditional Greek salad, and mixing it with orzo pasta produces this yummy Greek Orzo Salad with Feta.

My Perfect Chicken Kebabs – kebabs in Cyprus are usually pork, but my dad makes chicken kebabs marinated in Greek yogurt, so it makes the cut for Cypriot recipes with a twist!

These Sweet Potato & Halloumi Burgers are a very popular recipe here on my blog. Halloumi is a cheese made from goat and sheep milk.

Cypriot Desserts & Pastries

Flaounes – these Greek Cypriot Easter Cheese Cakes have a sweet and savoury taste, and I absolutely love them!

Greek Baklava – layers of filo (phyllo) pastry, chopped walnuts flavored with cinnamon, and doused in a sweet honey syrup.

Paris on Ice is a layered gelatin dessert made with cherry jelly and condensed milk. The condensed milk layer is flavoured with almonds and masticha. Masticha is the resin from a particular tree that only grows in a certain part of Greece. It is my childhood favourite!

25 delicious Greek Cypriot Recipes

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