Skordalia (Greek Garlic and Potato Spread)

Greek skordalia dip served in a brown bowl with small pita breads on the side.

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Skordalia (Greek Garlic and Potato Spread)

Skordalia is a thick Greek garlic dip or spread, typically thickened with mashed potatoes and enhanced with fresh lemon juice and vinegar. If you love garlic, whip together this delicious dip for your next gathering. Simply serve it as a tasty side with fish or meat, or use it as a savory sandwich spread.

Prep Time15

Cook Time15

Total Time30

Course: Appetizer, Side Dish, Snack

Cuisine: Greek

Diet: Vegan, Vegetarian

Servings: servings

Calories: 373kcal

Author: Victoria

Ingredients

1 pound (455 grams) potatoes peeled and cubed (both Yukon golds or russets will work)
Kosher salt
6 cloves garlic
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil

Instructions

Add the cubed peeled potatoes to a pot and cover generously with salted water. Bring to a boil and then lower the heat to simmer, cooking the potatoes until they are tender but not falling apart, about 10 to 15 minutes. Drain the potatoes in a colander.
Meanwhile, prepare the garlic. Peel the cloves and if there is a green sprout inside any of your garlic cloves, remove it. Then, either 1) mash the garlic with a big pinch of salt in a mortar and pestle until you have a paste 2) pass it through a garlic press, 3) mince/mash the garlic into a paste by mincing on a cutting board, adding a big pinch of salt and crushing/scraping it with the side of a knife until smooth, or 4) process the garlic with a big pinch of salt and the lemon juice and vinegar in a small but powerful food processor until smooth (you could also add some of the oil if needed to get the mixture smooth).
Either transfer the drained potatoes to a mixing bowl to mash them by hand with a potato masher or transfer to a food mill fitted with the finest disk or potato ricer (set over a mixing bowl) to process them into the smoothest texture.
Add the garlic paste, lemon juice, vinegar, and season with salt. Stir until completely smooth (this may require mashing the mixture together versus stirring as it will be quite thick). Drizzle in the olive oil a little at a time while stirring/mashing, just to ensure it combines evenly and doesn’t “break” or separate.
Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Serve immediately, or cover and chill in the refrigerator until ready to serve (bring back to room temperature before serving). The flavors will develop more the longer it sits. If desired, garnish with chopped chives, scallions, and/or sliced Kalamata olives.

Notes

Potatoes: You could use any potatoes you might use for mashed potatoes. Common options would be Yukon gold (a flavorful waxy style potato) or russets (soft and pillowy floury potatoes). Either will work in this recipe, but keep in mind that floury potatoes like russets are more apt to fall apart easily if you overcook them.
Garlic: Because the garlic isn’t cooked in this recipe and can have a strong/sharp flavor, make sure you use the freshest you can get. If your garlic has sprouted, remove the green sprout from the center before using it.
Olive Oil: Ideally, use the best quality extra-virgin olive oil you can get/afford. You will be using quite a lot and it’s an important element to the dish so make sure it tastes really good!
Acid: Although you could use either fresh lemon juice or red wine vinegar, I am using both here because each type of acid provides its own unique flavor, and both are very common ingredients in Greek cooking.
Storage: Store leftover skordalia in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 4 to 5 days. Note that the garlic flavor can get more potent over time. If the skordalia has gotten too firm in the refrigerator, even after leaving out to come back to room temperature, stir in a little hot water to adjust the consistency.

Nutrition