Plant-Based Recipe for Greek Potato Stew: A Soul-Satisfying Mediterranean Staple

Globally, kitchen enthusiasts often find themselves transform a basic purchase of potatoes into a delicious evening meal. My personal kitchen experiments might lead to a spicy Sri Lankan potato curry, a savory Gujarati version, or even a slow-cooked Spanish tortilla for a special occasion. This time, however, the answer comes from Greece. Yahni denotes a time-honored Greek culinary style: vegetables slow-cooked generously in olive oil and tomatoes until wonderfully yielding. It’s as much a philosophy—it’s a endorsement of the simple, the patient, and the incredibly satisfying (and yes, it doubles as a wonderful dinner).

Greek Braised Potatoes

Dish this up with crusty bread or grilled bread for a hearty meal. It also goes perfectly with a few small sides or even crowned with a sunny-side-up egg for a unexpectedly great breakfast.

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

What's Required

• 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

Method

1. The Base

Heat five tablespoons of olive oil in a capacious casserole dish that has a cover. Set it over a medium-high heat. Once the oil is heated, add the sliced red onion and a teaspoon of salt. Sauté, moving it around, for about 10 minutes, until the onion is soft enough to be cut a wooden spoon.

Adding the Potatoes

Add the minced garlic and cook for another two minutes, while stirring. Then, toss in the potato wedges and oregano, mixing until they are evenly covered in the oil. Add the tomato puree and cook for one minute. Tip in the chopped tomatoes along with 400ml of water. Let it come to a boil, then put the lid on, turn down the heat to a low simmer, and leave to cook for 20 minutes.

Preparing the Topping

Meanwhile, prepare 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 big pinch or two of salt until the mixture is smooth and creamy.

Finishing the Stew

Stir the pitted kalamata olives into the tomato and potato mixture. Continue to simmer uncovered for a further 15-20 minutes, until the potatoes are tender all the way through and the sauce has thickened nicely.

Step Five

Serve the warm yahni into shallow bowls. Top each with a liberal amount of the whipped feta and a dusting of dried oregano.

The stew is a testament to the power of few components turned into something special by time and care. Enjoy!