Make the Most of Your Summer Veg: Greek Meals Featuring Tomatoes and Courgettes

If your garden, veg box or local market is overflowing with tomatoes and courgettes, now’s the perfect time to let them shine. Greek cooking is all about seasonal ingredients and letting them speak for themselves, especially in the summer when everything is full of flavour.

These six dishes are some of the tastiest ways to use tomatoes and courgettes while they’re at their best. All of them are vegetarian, rich in olive oil, and perfect for family dinners, light lunches or sharing with friends.

1. Kolokithokeftedes (Courgette Fritters)

These are crisp, herby fritters made with grated courgette, feta, mint and dill. They’re shallow-fried until golden and pair perfectly with a dollop of tzatziki and a fresh Greek salad on the side. Courgette can get watery, so the trick is to salt and squeeze it first. A great starter or mezze plate.

2. Tomatokeftedes (Tomato Fritters)

A Santorini classic that works beautifully with ripe, juicy tomatoes. These fritters are soft and packed with flavour, thanks to sweet tomatoes, red onion, herbs and a little flour to bind. They’re cooked in olive oil until crisp at the edges, and are brilliant dipped in tzatziki.

Perfect for a summer lunch or as part of a spread.

3. Briam (Greek Roasted Summer Vegetables)

Briam is a kind of Greek traybake that celebrates what’s in season. You slice courgettes, tomatoes, potatoes, onions and sometimes aubergine, then roast them slowly in a rich tomato sauce with lots of olive oil and garlic. Everything softens and caramelises in the oven. Serve it warm with crusty bread and a wedge of feta.

4. Spanakopita with Courgette

You’ve probably tried spanakopita before, but in the Peloponnese, it’s common to add grated courgette to the filling alongside spinach and herbs. It adds a lovely sweetness and keeps the pie moist. Wrapped in layers of crisp filo and filled with feta and greens, this is a lunchbox favourite or picnic hero.

5. Kagianas (Tomato and Egg Scramble)

This is a simple Maniot dish that makes the most of juicy summer tomatoes. You simmer them until thick and saucy, then scramble in eggs to create a soft, rich mix that’s perfect with crusty bread. Some people add sausage, but it’s delicious just as it is. It’s a go-to for late breakfasts, easy lunches or quick dinners.

6. Fasolakia (Braised Green Beans in Tomato Sauce)

Fasolakia is one of the most comforting Greek home-cooked meals. Green beans are stewed slowly with tomato, onion, garlic and olive oil until soft and full of flavour. Often served with potatoes and a squeeze of lemon, it’s a nourishing, plant-based dish that makes the most of simple ingredients.

One More Reason to Love Summer

These meals are proof that you don’t need fancy ingredients to eat well. When you start with proper veg, good olive oil and a few herbs, you’ve got everything you need. Whether you’re cooking for your family or putting together a table full of mezze, Greek food lets summer produce do the talking.