A classic creamy Greek sauce with the foundation of bread, accompanied by garlic (of course!) and vinegar, and then blended with oil. This dip is simple, healthful, and full of vibrant flavor to serve alongside a mezze spread as a dip or serve as a sauce atop seafood and chicken entrees. Serve immediately or prep ahead to serve chilled, either way, you’ll be craving this dip after your first taste!

I will admit when I decided to make this dip (or sauce) to share with you, I was a bit nervous as I have never made it by myself. Skordalia was always in the refrigerator whether in a mason jar at home or a large Tupperware container at my Yaya and Papou’s house. My Yaya actually had two Tupperware containers as she would make them in succession to ensure she always had a batch ready to use. I know you may be thinking ‘But Danielle, didn’t you say I can serve or use right away?’ I did, however, this sauce (or dip) develops flavor the longer it sits as the flavors meld. As it sits, it will also get thicker in consistency.

Now that I gave some insight into how delicious this sauce is, let’s explore what it is and where it came from!

What is Skordalia?

Skordalia pronounced skor-thal-yah, is a garlic-forward Greek sauce (Skorda meaning garlic) that is creamy when the bread and garlic base are emulsified with olive oil. Traditionally, Skordalia is made in a mortar and pestle to create a dip (less added liquid) or a sauce (more liquid).

Recipes vary based on family recipes and region. Although other recipes you may find feature nuts such as blanched almonds, or potatoes as the base rather than bread, this recipe is quick and easy to whip up and allows the garlic to take center stage!

History and Significance

Greek cuisine was heavily influenced by the Byzantine Empire which had vast uses of garlic in a variety of dishes. This in combination with a Greek’s use of nuts such as walnuts and almonds helped shape this dish to how we enjoy it today.

As mentioned above, Skordalia was made with a mortar and pestle to mash the garlic, blanched almonds, and soaked bread together to make a dip or sauce with the addition of olive oil. The process of alternating between the bread and oil allowed for the integration (and emulsification) of all the ingredients.

Origins

Skordalia's origins can be traced back to ancient Greece as a dish served alongside seafood. Throughout the Byzantine and Ottoman empires, Skordalia was made with available ingredients to make the dip (or sauce), and why you may find variations today such as bread or potato as the base or acidity from vinegar or lemon juice. Though, this can be attributed to the slow adoption of new ways to make the dish. The use of bread and vinegar can be speculated as the first form of this dish, to the modern introduction from the Americas’ of potatoes.

How to Make: Ingredients and Steps

Ingredients -

Heads of Garlic: Fresh garlic heads are best to use and I would not recommend using pre-minced.

Bread: White bread works best as it doesn’t have a flavor to impact the overall outcome. Bread provides a base for the sauce and substance. The bread is dipped into water with excess water squeezed out. Another type of bread may be used if you prefer, however, I cannot speak to how this may impact the flavor and/or texture.

Extra Virgin Olive Oil: As always, I recommend investing in a good quality olive oil (check out my post here) as this adds a beautiful flavor and, of course, is vastly prevalent in Greek cuisine. Olive oil acts as an emulsifier when slowly added.

Vinegar: Lemon juice can be used as a substitute.

Salt: To taste

Steps -

1. Prep the garlic and the bread.

Garlic Heads: Break the garlic head by separating all the cloves. Peel the outer shell of each clove and place them into a high-speed blender.

Bread: Fill a bowl with water and submerge one slice of bread at a time. This process is similar to dipping bread into an egg batter to make French toast. The type of bread you use will determine how long to dip bread where it’s lightly soaked through (~2 seconds). Squeeze as much of the water out, repeat with all bread slices, and set aside.

2. Blend the garlic cloves for about 1 minute, scraping the sides of the blender halfway through. Add the bread and blend until combined. The garlic may not be completely broken down at this point and the additional ingredients will help the blender blend to a smooth and creamy texture.

3. Blending on low speed, slowly add vinegar and olive oil alternately in small quantities. This will be a total of 4 additions; two each. Add 1 tablespoon at a time of the water you soaked your bread in until you reach your desired consistency.

4. Pour into a serving dish alongside a Mezze spread, serve with a seafood or meat entree, or store in an airtight container in your refrigerator until you are ready to enjoy!