Skordalia (Greek Garlic-Potato Spread)

Name: Skordalia (Greek Garlic-Potato Spread)
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 60 min
Total time: 80 min
Ingredients: 2 medium russet potatoes ((about 1 lb. or 450g) peeled, diced, and boiled until tender); 6-7 garlic cloves; 1/2 cup whole blanched almonds, (plus more for garnish (85g)); 3 Tablespoons red wine vinegar or lemon juice; 2 Tablespoons cold water; 1 teaspoon kosher salt; 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper; 3/4 cup olive oil

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Skordalia (Greek Garlic-Potato Spread) is a wonderful dish that is traditionally served as a meze but can also be served as an appetizer or side dish.

Loving recipes with Greek flavors? Be sure to also check out our Greek Meatballs (Keftedes), Baked Greek Feta Fries, and this Beef Souvlaki with Feta and Dill Dip!

A pile of Greek skordalia garlic potato spread on a white plate with soft pita triangles next to it for dipping.

One of our favorite restaurants in San Francisco is Kokkari, an upscale Greek place that serves the most incredible Mediterranean cuisine. Everything there is legitimately amazing, but we always have to get their pantzaria me skordalia, which is described as "roasted beets with Greek yogurt garlic-potato skordalia & pistachio".

If you love garlic, this is the dish for you. Skordalia is a garlicky, creamy spread or dip that makes the best appetizer or side served with pita bread or roasted beets.

Skordalia is a traditional Greek dish frequently served on a meze or mezethes (In Greek: μεζέδες pronounced meh-ZEH-thes) platter, along with other favorites such as tzatziki, hummus, and beef or lamb Greek meatballs (Keftedes). If you haven't had a meze platter, think tapas (small dishes meant to be shared), but Greek style.

The meze (singule for mezethes) tradition dates way back to ancient Greece. They are not actually appetizers, which are meant to whet the appetite for the upcoming meal, but really more like small, savory dishes that are often served with other mezethes and shared with everyone at the table so that family and friends can enjoy a variety of flavor and texture experiences. If you are interested in knowing more about the meze tradition, read here.

Skordalia is one of two classic mezethes that are frequently paired together, the other being simple roasted beets which are amazing with the powerful garlic of the skordalia.

Why this Recipe Works

While skordalia is traditionally made with a mortar and pestle, you can use a food processor (affiliate link) to make a paste from the garlic and nuts with way less effort.
I like to stir in a dollop of Greek yogurt at the end to up the creaminess factor and make it closer to the inspiration dish that we had at Kokkari in San Francisco, but that's optional. Remember that Greek yogurt is a great substitute for sour cream and sour cream and potatoes are a classic combo!
The pungent bite of the raw garlic adds a fantastic kick. But if that's too much for you, feel free to use roasted garlic which is much more mellow and sweeter instead.

A hand holding a pita triangle topped with Greek skordalia garlic potato spread.

A plate with roasted beets and Greek skordalia (garlic potato dip).

Ingredient Notes

Potatoes: Skordalia is typically made with either boiled potatoes or stale bread, depending on what part of Greece you are in. We were introduced to the potato version at our favorite Greek restaurant, which is the version I'm sharing here.
Nuts: Walnuts, pine nuts, and almonds are all commonly used in skordalia, but pistachios are excellent as well. I like to save some in reserve to sprinkle over the top for a little crunch to go with the creamy dip since I'm a texture freak.
Garlic: You just can't make skordalia without plenty of garlic. Use fresh, whole garlic cloves, not the preminced jars of garlic, for best results.

How to Make This Recipe

Start by peeling and boiling potatoes until they are fork tender. For smoother skordalia, use a potato ricer to rice the potatoes or just mash them with a potato masher. Set those to the side for now.

Boiled potatoes draining in a colander over a pot.

Ricing boiled potatoes into a glass bowl.

In a food processor (affiliate link), combine the almonds (or pistachios or whichever nut you want to use), garlic cloves, vinegar, oil, and salt & pepper and process them into a smooth paste.

Adding salt and pepper to garlic and almonds in a food processor.

Adding olive oil to almonds and garlic in a food processor.

Add the garlic paste to the mashed potatoes and stir well to combine. For a creamier version, add in a generous scoop of Greek yogurt.

A bowl filled with mashed potatoes and garlic almond paste.

Hands stirring a garlic almond paste into mashed potatoes in a glass bowl.

Transfer the skordalia to a serving dish and drizzle with a little extra olive oil, sprinkle with some additional chopped nuts, and sprinkle with salt & pepper, to taste. Serve with roasted beets or pita bread wedges.

A close image showing the texture of Greek skordalia garlic potato spread.

How to Roast Beets in the Oven

Since we almost always serve our skordalia with roasted beets, here's how we do that. First wash the beets well and drizzle them with a little olive oil, then place them in a pan with 1 cup of water. Cover the pan with aluminum foil and roast for about an hour in a 425°F oven until they pierce easily with a knife.

Once the beets are cool enough to handle, the skins peel right off by rubbing your thumbs over them, easy-peasy. Then slice the beets into discs or dice them into bite-size chunks to serve alongside your skordalia.

Prepping beets for roasting in the oven in a glass dish.

Recipe FAQ's

How do you eat skordalia?

Skordalia can be served chilled or at room temperature. You can serve it with roasted beets (my personal favorite) or warmed pita bread cut into triangles, or alongside of grilled or fried fish, chicken, or other proteins. You could also just enjoy it with veggies or crackers, similar to hummus.

Recipe Tips

Storage: Skordalia keeps in the fridge for about 3-4 days, although the flavor often intensifies over time.
Greek Yogurt: We like to add a generous scoop (probably ⅓ to ½ cup) of plain Greek yogurt sometimes to make the skordalia extra creamy. It's not traditional, but very delicious.
Get rid of excess starch: Rinse the diced potatoes for 20 seconds both before and after cooking to get rid of some of the unwanted surface starch, which can cause the skordalia to be gummy.
Mix the olive oil into the potatoes while they are still warm so it incorporates well.

A grey dish filled with garlic potato spread.

A pile of Greek skordalia garlic potato spread on a white plate with roasted red beets and a spoon.

What do I Serve with Pantzaria me Skordalia?

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