Skordalia Greek Potato and Garlic Dip

Skordalia is a popular Greek potato and garlic dip that's creamy and oh-so-tasty. Watch the video to learn how to make this traditional Greek dip with just a few ingredients. 

If you love Mediterranean recipes, you must be in love with Greek food. From keftedes and spanakopita, to Greek chicken souvlaki with some tasty classic Greek salad, all Greek food is made with fresh ingredients and today's recipe, skordalia or Greek potato and garlic dip, is no exception. Made with potatoes and garlic, this dish is the perfect addition to your Greek recipes collection! 

What is Skordalia

Skordalia, skordhalia or skorthalia (spellings vary) is a traditional Greek puree or dip that's made with garlic and a base of potatoes, almonds or soaked stale bread. Olive oil is usually added to skordalia to make it smooth and for more flavor and a touch of acidity, it's common to add vinegar or lemon juice to this dip. 

The Greeks usually serve skordalia dip with fried salt cod or boiled beets. However, we love having it on its own or maybe with some bread. Just like toum, this Greek dip is very garlicky so try to be very generous with garlic! 

Do you always use potatoes to make this Greek dip? 

Even though one of the most common ways to make skordalia recipe is with potatoes, it's not the only way to make it. As mentioned before, a traditional skordalia recipe can be made with almonds, walnuts or stale bread instead of potatoes, and garlic is always a must. 

Greek potato and garlic dip ingredients

This skordalia recipe with potatoes is simple and easy to make. All the ingredients you need to make this Greek skordalia recipe are:

• Potatoes
• Garlic 
• Olive oil 
• Lemon juice or white vinegar 
• Salt and pepper 

This recipe for skordalia also calls for green onions and parsley but it's totally optional. I love the addition of herbs as it makes the dip taste so fresh. I would also like to suggest that you give this dish a taste test before serving it to make sure you've used enough salt, pepper and lemon juice. 

The benefits of garlic

Garlic is a common ingredient used in middle eastern and Mediterranean cuisine. It's also used in other cuisines around the world. Tiny but mighty, this tasty ingredient is so nutritious and comes with lots of benefits. Garlic can fight sickness including common cold and the active compounds in garlic can reduce blood pressure. It also boosts heart health and lowers cholesterol levels. For more information about garlic and its benefits, read this article. 

How to make Greek skordalia with potatoes

• Blend the garlic with olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Blending garlic with lemon juice will reduce its pungency. 
• Boil the potatoes in water with some salt until they're fully cooked. Drain and let them cool for 5 minutes. 
• Mash the potatoes well and then add then add the olive oil and garlic mixture. Stir well until combined. 
• If you like, add chopped green onions and parsley to your skordalia. 

How to serve skordalia 

This Greek potato and garlic dip can be served cold or at room temperature. Skordhalia is usually served alongside batter fried salt cod, fried vegetables or boiled beets. It adds so much flavor to the dish and the creamy texture is just perfect to accompany any dish. 

How long does skordalia dip keep

Because of garlic, skordalia's taste would get stronger the more it stays in the fridge. It's best to serve skordalia fresh, however, you can store the leftovers in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 2 days. 

Can you freeze skordalia

I'm not a big fan of freezing skordalia. It's best to serve it fresh or within a couple of days. The dish comes together very quickly so it's best to make it fresh every time. 

Looking for more Greek recipes? 

• Greek lemon chicken orzo soup
• Tzatziki recipe 
• Greek potatoes (oven roasted) 
• Greek one pan chicken and rice
• Eggplant moussaka recipe
• Greek salmon salad
• Greek chickpea salad with feta 

Notes and tips for making this Greek skordalia dip recipe

• It's common to make homemade skordalia with russet potatoes. However, yukon gold or red potatoes work just as well for this recipe. All kinds of potatoes must be peeled before being used in the recipe. 
• As for the acidity, you can use either lemon juice, white wine vinegar or white vinegar. Please avoid using apple cider vinegar or red vinegar. 
• Using herbs such as green onion and parsley is optional in this recipe. 
• This Greek potato and garlic spread is supposed to be very creamy, therefore make sure you have as few lumps in the potato mash as possible. 
• You can serve skordalia as a part of your mezze platter with pita bread, crackers or raw vegetables.