Turnip Skordalia

Healthy AND tasty? Well, this is Greek cuisine we’re talking about after all. If you’re a fan of Greek food – let’s be honest, who isn’t – then you’re got to give this simple side dish a go.

A Greek potato dip or side that’s a standard in households and restaurants across Greece and beyond, skordalia is creamy, garlicky and full of flavor.

Its origins of this potato dip are thought to stretch all the way back to the Ancient Greeks, who loved all things garlic, mashed or otherwise, and swore that several cloves of garlic were ideal for health and wellbeing.  

While methods and recipes have changed a lot over the years, the traditional Greek method retains its simplicity and dedication to the prep work. 

Traditional Greek garlic and potato skordalia is made slowly and carefully, with a pestle and mortar to mash the potato, rather than a food processor or blender. This allows the starch of the mashed potatoes to break down slowly, while oil, water and garlic are added bit by bit.

The result is a creamy, heavenly potato dip, rather than the sticky, gummy consistency that you get by whizzing up mashed potatoes in a food processor.

Of course, nowadays, there are many alternatives to using mashed potatoes, particularly for those following a keto diet. That’s where my delicious turnip skordalia comes in!

Say that to a Greek, I dare you.

No, absolutely not. It’s all about the prep and the combination of flavors. Also, for me, the thing that separates this recipe from plain old mashed veg is the addition of a quality extra virgin olive oil.

It gives it a wonderful silky smooth texture. Plus, with the mixture of oil and butter, it’s a lot lighter than the standard stodgy side dish that you would normally think of on the side of a roast, for example.

Yes! This is the classic Greek garlic dip with a keto spin on it. 

For years, the standard alternative to Greek garlic and mashed potatoes skordalia has been stale bread. Well, I’m here to rip up the recipe book and suggest a better alternative to mashed potatoes for the modern era… the humble turnip.

It’s one of those vegetables that’s so often overlooked. However, not only are turnips good for you, they can be really tasty when paired with the right ingredients. Plus, they produce great texture to a dish when cooked and prepared in the right way.

For me, Greek garlic skordalia is the perfect fit. Rich, earthy garlic with its unique taste, silky smooth delicious olive oil, lemon juice, a sprinkling of quality sea salt and a hint of citrus. 

It keeps the spirit of the original, with that magical simplicity that makes Mediterranean food so special, yet adds a modern healthy low-carb twist.

You can also add nuts for that extra depth and a splash of red wine vinegar for extra acidity.

Don’t worry… a lot of people have trouble pronouncing it! The Greeks pronounce it “Score-dal-ya.” Very satisfying when you put extra emphasis on the “YA” at the end!

The word garlic in Greek is “skórdo,” so the thick garlic dip became known as skordalia.

Yes, very! So, if you’re not a fan of the taste of garlic or if you’re a vampire, you might want to look elsewhere. 

However, if like me, you can’t get enough garlic in your life, this is the side dish for you. The garlic flavor is very potent, as it’s not cooked. Instead, you add the garlic raw, then mash it into the turnip.

It’s best served warm, but is still delicious when chilled. Whatever floats your boat!

Absolutely. Turnip skordalia will last from 3–5 days in the refrigerator when stored in an airtight container. 

You can also heat it through if you’d rather serve it warm. Simply place it into a saucepan and heat gently until fully warmed.

To make this recipe, you’ll need a quality olive oil. Typical of Greek cuisine, skordalia uses a lot of olive oil to flavor the dish and give it the right texture.

So, take my advice… don’t be tempted to skimp on quality here and go for a standard vegetable oil, for example. The Greeks – and the Italians for that matter – really know what they’re doing when it comes to producing amazing quality extra virgin olive oil.

When you get the right stuff, extra virgin olive oil is good for you and delicious. See ‘Products you need for this recipe’ above for my recommendation on which oil you should choose.

The Greeks have served skordalia with fried fish for centuries. When you taste the two in combination, you can certainly see why!

It works equally well when served with meat. Whether it’s chicken, turkey, ham, pork or beef, a generous helping of turnip skordalia would add a completely new dimension.

As well as a side, it also makes a great dip. Skordalia can be used with simple breadsticks, crudités, crackers or lots of other types of simple finger food.