📍 Where this dish comes from: The Peloponnese · Ancient Olympia / Mystras / Sparta (Kalamata olive country)
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Skordalia is one of the ancient dips of the Mediterranean world — a dense, powerful sauce made from almonds and raw garlic pounded with olive oil and lemon until thick and creamy. Its flavor is bold, its uses are endless, and once you taste it alongside fried zucchini or grilled fish, you will understand why it has survived for thousands of years.
What You’ll Need
Servings: 1.5 cups
Calories: 195kcal
Ingredients
- 1 cup blanched almonds soaked in water 1 hour
- 4 large garlic cloves (or fewer for a gentler version)
- 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 2-3 tbsp cold water
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
Instructions
- Drain soaked almonds. Place in a food processor with garlic and blend until finely ground.
- Add lemon juice and salt. Process until combined.
- With the motor running, drizzle in olive oil in a very slow, thin stream until the mixture emulsifies and becomes thick and creamy.
- Add water 1 Tbsp at a time to reach desired consistency — thick as hummus or a little thinner.
- Taste and adjust garlic, lemon, and salt. Refrigerate up to 1 week.
Nutrition
Serving: 3Tbsp | Calories: 195kcal | Protein: 4g | Fat: 19g | Fiber: 1.5g
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Health Benefits
- Raw garlic delivers allicin at its most potent — unstabilized by heat, with full antimicrobial and blood pressure-reducing effects.
- Almonds provide more vitamin E per gram than almost any other food.
- Olive oil emulsified into the sauce dramatically increases the bioavailability of the fat-soluble vitamins in the almonds.