Saganaki
A satisfying Greek starter built around graviera or kefalograviera cheese, all-purpose flour and olive oil β roughly 50 minutes start to finish, and rated easy to make. Scroll down for the ingredient checklist, a serving scaler and unit converter, and the method broken into 5 steps.
You'll mainly reach for frying pan / skillet and pan. At easy difficulty across 5 steps, it's a good one for a busy evening. As written, it's meat-free.
What you'll need
Shopping list (1)
Pantry staples (you likely have these)
π Unit converter
How to make it
- Cut the cheese into four slabs about 1 cm thick and dip each piece briefly in cold water so the flour will cling.
- Dredge the damp cheese thoroughly in the flour, pressing to coat all sides evenly and shaking off any excess.
- Heat the olive oil in a small heavy skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers and is nearly smoking.
- Lay the cheese in the hot pan and fry for about 1 to 2 minutes per side, until a deep golden crust forms and the inside just begins to soften.
- Slide the saganaki onto a warm plate, grind over black pepper, and squeeze the fresh lemon generously over the top, then serve immediately while hot and molten.
You'll use: Frying pan / skillet Β· Pan
Ingredient substitutions
- Lemon
- lime Β· 1 tbsp white wine vinegar per lemon
What to serve with Saganaki
- Garides Saganaki Seafood
- Moussaka Beef
- Honey Yogurt Cheesecake Dessert
- Stuffed Lamb Tomatoes Lamb
Tips & common questions
How long does Saganaki take to make?
About 50 minutes from start to finish β an estimate based on the 5 steps and 6 ingredients. Times vary with your kitchen and how much prep you do ahead.
What can I use instead of lemon?
Try lime. See the substitutions section above for more swaps.
Can I scale this recipe up or down?
Yes β use the servings control above the ingredients and every quantity rescales automatically (fractions included). Cooking times stay roughly the same; very large batches may need a little longer.
Is Saganaki vegetarian?
Its ingredients contain no meat or fish, so it's suitable for vegetarians. Check any cheeses for animal rennet if that matters to you.
Related recipes
Saganaki is an original Greek recipe developed in-house by Consomee. Photo: Prawn saganaki in Kardamena, Kos, Greece (5654028077).jpg by Michal Osmenda from Brussels, Belgium, CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons. We add the serving scaler, ingredient tools, timing and structure on top β how we source recipes.