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Skordalia

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traditional skordalia with beautiful beet salad

traditional skordalia with beautiful beet salad

Skordalia is one of the most traditional dishes in all of Greece. It’s so so simple to make with a just few everyday ingredients and remarkably delicious – if you haven’t already, this one is a must-try!

Often described as Greek garlic mashed potatoes, traditional skordalia is much more than that. Creamy, ‘buttery’ potato goodness with the pop of mashed raw garlic folded in – it’s indescribable really. And skordalia is in no way overwhelmingly garlicky, just almost peppery with that bite of raw garlic coming through the velvety potato.

Have only 1 russet potato and a few cloves of garlic in the house? Then you’re about 15 minutes away from crazy amazing skordalia! Spread it on EVERYTHING or pair it with it’s bestie, a simple beet salad / pantzaria salata. However you choose to enjoy it, you’ll love every last bit!

Russet potatoes are my-go to here. They boil up quick and fluffy and are usually a pretty good size each, probably 1/2 to 3/4 of a pound each. Peel and cut into small cubes and boil for maybe 6-8 minutes until super tender.

peeled, chopped russet potato

peeled, chopped russet potato

While potatoes are on the stove, peel and mash in a mortar and pestle, the cloves of garlic and salt. Mash these into a smooth paste. Doesn’t take but a minute or two of good mashing.

mashed garlic paste

mashed garlic paste

Measure out your almond flour, vinegar, olive oil and salt. Use a good quality red wine vinegar and good Greek olive oil. Don’t skimp on the quality of your ingredients here – thee are only a few so use the best you can find! And I like to sift my almond flour if I have an extra minute – helps to ensure maximum creaminess.

skordalia ingredients - use best quality possible

skordalia ingredients – use best quality possible

Get your hand mixer plugged in and ready to roll and the minute potatoes are done – drain, transfer into a small bowl and mash with a fork. Quickly add your mashed garlic and IMPORTANT – gently fold the hot, mashed potato around the garlic paste. This lets the heat of the potatoes bring out all of the garlic oil in addition to softening it just slightly.

Give it a minute to sit and then whip them together for a minute with your mixer. Add the almond flour, mix for about 30 seconds and drizzle in your olive oil. Mix for 1 minute and add vinegar and lemon juice.  Another minute and you’re done!  That’s it 🙂

skordalia drizzled with olive oil

skordalia drizzled with olive oil

The recipe here makes about 2 1/2 – 3 cups of skordalia.  It is extremely easy to scale and I most often triple if serving 6 or so people. Always nice to have a little leftover for the next day too and skordalia will stay refrigerated and covered for up to 3 days.

Ingredients

  • 1 russet potato (approx 1/2 – 3/4 pound)
  • 10 cloves of garlic
  • 1/2 cup Greek olive oil
  • 1/3 cup almond meal (Bob’s Red Mill Almond Meal)
  • 2 tsp red wine vinegar
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • squeeze of lemon juice

Peel and chop potato into cubes and boil in salted water (on addition to salt above). Boil for approx 6-8 minutes until very tender.

While potato is boiling, mash garlic and salt in a mortar and pestle until you get a smooth garlic paste. Set aside.

Measure out all remaining ingredients and set aside.  Get hand mixer ready.

As soon as potatoes are done, drain and transfer to bowl. Mash with a fork and fold in garlic paste.  Allow to sit for a minute and then whip them together for a minute with your mixer. Add the almond flour, mix for about 30 seconds and drizzle in your olive oil. Mix for 1 minute and add vinegar and lemon juice. Give a last mix and you’re ready to enjoy!

** As noted in the comments below, it’s imperative not to over mix your skordalia when using a hand mixer. You’ll end up with something closer to glue so keep to the one minute/30 second instructions above. OR feel free to go old school and mash by hand – I often do this for a chunkier skordalia and it’s just as wonderful!

Serve with crusty or grilled bread or homemade pita chips. Also delicious with roasted beets or beet salad.

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19 Responses to Skordalia

  1. Johan August 20, 2015 at 1:34 am #

    If you use the mixer to long your skordalia will be like wallpaper glue. Mash and mix all by hand for the perfect authentic taste.

    • Kiki August 20, 2015 at 9:59 am #

      You know Johan you’re absolutely right! I’ll make that clear in the notes above and recommend mashing by hand – thing is, it often produces a slightly more chunky version which I love myself but others want that smooth texture. Honestly, that is why I say “mix for one minute” in the instructions – I will add “if you mix longer, you’ll end up with glue!” Thanks again, Kiki 🙂

      • Wendy August 26, 2015 at 11:57 am #

        Add a bit of starchy water from the pot, see my comment below 🙂

  2. Holly Pearson August 20, 2015 at 8:31 am #

    Skordalia! Wonderful name for a wonderful creation. Might I suggest you add the phonetic spelling of dishes? When I serve this and other “The Greek Vegan” recipes to guests, I want to make sure to pronounce the lovely names properly. Thanks for all the scrumptious recipes.

  3. Wendy August 26, 2015 at 11:56 am #

    Yia Yia taught me, for a more “whipped” consistency, save the starchy water that you boiled your potatoes in and add a few drops at a time until you have the desired consistency. Works great for taramosalata, too!!!

  4. Liz September 19, 2015 at 8:24 am #

    Is there anything you can recommend to substitute for the almond meal? I have a nut-allergic son, but I’d love to make this for my family! It sounds very much like something I used to buy at Whole Foods, but they no longer carry. Thanks!

    • Kiki September 19, 2015 at 8:03 pm #

      absolutely! you can used plain, finely crushed bread crumbs in equal substitution for the almond flour and it will still be just delicious 🙂 let me know what you think! Kiki xx

    • sandy konstantinidis January 28, 2016 at 3:33 pm #

      We have NEVER used almond or any type of meal! Still best ever!

      • Kiki January 28, 2016 at 4:07 pm #

        isn’t it amazing how many ways there are to make skordalia and they’re all so delicious?! I’ve tried a number of different variations and loved them all 🙂 Do you use potato or bread?

        • sandy konstantinidis January 29, 2016 at 4:42 pm #

          potatoes only….no fillers!

  5. Cathie September 22, 2015 at 4:22 pm #

    My mom has always made skordalia with bread instead of potatoes. Do you have any suggestions as to how much bread to use instead of potatoes?

    • Kiki September 22, 2015 at 7:24 pm #

      Cathie, I’ve always made it with potato so I wouldn’t know firsthand. I’d suggest trying souvlakiforthesoul.com or kalofagas.com – they always have amazing Greek recipes! Kiki 🙂

  6. Jim November 13, 2015 at 5:31 pm #

    Under the picture of mashed garlic, your instructions say to add almond flour. Your ingredients list almond meal. They’re two different things. I bought almond flour, and I believe it’s much finer than meal. Do you think I should use the same measurements? By the way, I made your cabbage soup and followed the instructions exactly. Awesome recipe, and a keeper! My girlfriend loved it and has been talking about it for days. You made me a hero! I’m making your beet dish for her next. Kali Orexi!

    • Kiki November 15, 2015 at 8:11 pm #

      Hi Jim, so I actually use almond flour/meal from Bob’s Red Mill and he differentiates between blanched (which is a finer texture and light in color) and natural (rougher texture, skins on so flecks of brown). I think yours would be the blanched if its fine so I think you’ll not require any equivalents for the recipe. If you chose to use the natural almond flour/meal, then I’d say use a hair less and it’s bulkier when added to the recipe. hope this help! and so glad you liked the cabbage soup – it’s one of my favorites 🙂 Kiki

  7. Erika June 5, 2016 at 5:10 pm #

    Delicious!! I only made the potato part and had pickled beets on the side- amazing. Thanks again!

  8. Mihaela May 22, 2017 at 10:56 am #

    I never made it with almond flour so I don’t have it right now but I do have almonds so I just wonder can I blend almonds and use that ?

    • Kiki May 22, 2017 at 11:15 am #

      absolutely! i do it all the time 🙂
      just whiz them through the food processor – better to blanch the almonds first, though, and rub off the brown skins. soak the almonds in boiling water for maybe no more than a minute and rub skins off in a clean dish towel, takes two seconds! you can leave the brown skins on and if you do, I’d suggest using a bit less almond meal in your skordalia as the natural (skins on) meal is slightly bulkier than the finer, skin-less meal. long answer for a short question 🙂

  9. Mike Jay August 1, 2017 at 8:19 am #

    Fantastic! Didn’t have any ground Almonds or Almond meal so just ground whole Almonds, worked a treat, really enjoyed. I like to eat wholefoods so kept the skins on both the Almonds and Potatoes, if anything makes it more wholesome. Great!

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