Greek food is known for featuring delicious dishes with unique, complex combinations of ingredients and toppings. These enticing offerings are often created using multiple spices, each of which serves a distinct purpose in the overall flavor profile of the meal. To better understand how these spices are used and which ones are the most common, check out the guide below.

3 Popular Spices Used in Greek Foods

1. Coriander

Coriander is a spice that features a bold, earthy flavor. Eaten raw or grated on top of meat, the taste can sometimes be a bit strong—however, because it is most often used in Greek soups and roasts, some of the more pungent notes are cooked away, leaving a subtler aftertaste that is similar to citrus.

2. Curry

Curry can be found in an extensive range of Greek foods, although it’s most often used with chicken. If you’ve sampled this spice before and found it hard to pin down just one flavor, that’s because it’s actually a mixture of several spices. These may include cumin, ginger, turmeric, black pepper, and more.

3. Saffron

Saffron is one of the most popular and important spices in Greek culture— beyond culinary uses, it also serves medicinal purposes for everything from asthma to insomnia. It’s made from crocus flowers, which are widely harvested in Greece. As far as the cuisine goes, it is most often found in rice and potato dishes, although it is also used to flavor vegetables, seafood, and chicken.

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