Meat-Free Recipe for Greek Potato Stew: A Heartwarming Mediterranean Staple

Globally, everyday chefs routinely try to transform a simple bag of potatoes into a delicious evening meal. In my culinary journey often involve a aromatic Sri Lankan potato curry, a savory Gujarati version, or even a slow-cooked Spanish tortilla for a cozy occasion. Today, however, inspiration comes from Greece. Yahni describes a classic Greek cooking method: vegetables simmered amply in olive oil and tomatoes until wonderfully yielding. It’s as much a philosophy—it’s a endorsement of the unfussy, the slow, and the truly delicious (and yes, it ultimately is a fantastic dinner).

Greek Braised Potatoes

Enjoy this with a rustic loaf or soft flatbreads for a substantial dinner. It also pairs beautifully with a few picky bits or even topped with a sunny-side-up egg for a remarkable breakfast.

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Serves: 4 people

You Will Need

• Extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 large red onion, peeled, halved, and thinly sliced
• Fine sea salt
• 4 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
• 1kg desiree potatoes (or other waxy variety), cut into 2½cm wedges
• 2 tsp dried oregano, plus extra for garnish
• 2 tbsp tomato puree
• 2 x 400g tins of finely chopped tomatoes
• 150g feta cheese
• 75g Greek yoghurt
• 1 lemon, finely zested, plus 1 tbsp of juice
• 80g pitted kalamata olives

Directions

1. The Base

Place five tablespoons of olive oil in a large, heavy-based pot that has a fitting lid. Set it over a fairly high heat. Once the oil is heated, add the onion slices and a teaspoon of salt. Fry, giving it an occasional stir, for about 10 minutes, until the onion is translucent enough to be cut a wooden spoon.

Step Two

Add the minced garlic and cook for about two minutes more, to release its aroma. Then, toss in the potato wedges and oregano, tossing until they are evenly covered in the oil. Add the tomato puree and cook for one minute. Add the chopped tomatoes along with 400ml of water. Increase the heat until it boils, then put the lid on, turn down the heat to a steady bubble, and leave to cook for 20 minutes.

Preparing the Topping

Meanwhile, make the whipped feta. In a small bowl with a hand blender, blitz the feta, Greek yoghurt, lemon zest and juice, three tablespoons of olive oil, and a couple of good pinches of salt until the mixture is luxuriously creamy.

Finishing the Stew

Mix the pitted kalamata olives into the tomato and potato mixture. Let it cook with the lid off for a further 15-20 minutes, until the potatoes are easily pierced with a knife and the sauce has thickened nicely.

5. To Serve

Serve the steaming yahni into serving dishes. Finish each with a generous spoonful of the whipped feta and a dusting of dried oregano.

This dish is a tribute to the beauty of few components transformed by patient cooking. Enjoy!