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Greek briam is one of those dishes that makes you wonder why you don’t make it more often. A big pan of seasonal vegetables, plenty of good olive oil, a hot oven, and very little effort. That’s really all there is to it. It’s a traditional Greek dish, part of a family of recipes called ladera (or lathera) (vegetables slow-cooked in olive oil), and home cooks have been making it forever.
If you’ve made my ratatouille, you already know the spirit of briam. The two dishes are cousins, but briam goes into the oven instead of the stovetop, and the addition of potatoes makes it hearty enough to serve as a main dish. The long, slow roast is what sets it apart. The vegetables turn silky and tender, the tomatoes break down into a light, fragrant sauce, and the olive oil does the heavy lifting from the bottom up.
It may look like a labor of love when you see all those vegetables, but the hands-on time is short. Slice, layer, season, pour, and let the oven do the rest.
Ingredients
Fresh, seasonal, and full of color. Find the complete recipe with measurements below.
- Yellow gold potatoes — Waxy and firm, they hold their shape well through the long roast. Yukon Gold works perfectly.
- Red onion — The most common choice in Greek cooking, and for good reason. It’s sweeter and holds up beautifully in the oven. Yellow onion works too if that’s what you have on hand.
- Eggplant — Absorbs the olive oil and tomato juices beautifully, turning incredibly tender and flavorful. A good source of fiber and antioxidants, particularly nasunin, which gives it that deep purple color.
- Zucchini — Turns soft and silky in the oven, soaking up all the olive oil and herb flavors around it.
- Bell peppers (yellow and green) — Adds sweetness and color. Red bell pepper works just as well.
- Tomatoes — Choose tomatoes with real flavor. Locally grown heirlooms or large slicing tomatoes are ideal. Roma tomatoes are acceptable but not very flavorful. Avoid supermarket vine-ripe tomatoes. Not sure which tomato to pick? This video from America’s Test Kitchen is really helpful. Out of season, a 20 oz can of San Marzano tomatoes works well.
- Garlic — Six cloves, minced and divided between two layers. Don’t be shy.
- Dried oregano — The essential Greek herb here. It perfumes the whole dish as it roasts.
- Extra virgin olive oil — Use a good one. It’s not just for flavor, it’s the cooking medium that creates the gorgeous saucy base. Rich in heart-healthy monounsaturated fats and a cornerstone of the Mediterranean Diet.
- Fresh parsley — Scattered over the top just before serving for brightness and color.
- Salt and black pepper — Seasoned in layers, which makes a real difference in the final depth of flavor.
How to Make Greek Briam
Simple layers, a generous pour of olive oil, and the oven takes it from there. Full recipe below.
- Drizzle olive oil in the bottom of a 9×13″ baking dish and build your layers, seasoning as you go.
- Finish with a final layer of tomato slices on top, pour the remaining olive oil over the whole dish, and cover loosely with foil.
- Bake covered for 30 minutes, then remove the foil and bake another 40 to 45 minutes until the tomatoes are beautifully caramelized.
- Rest for 15 minutes, scatter fresh parsley on top, and serve.
Cooking Timeline
🔪 Prep (slicing and layering): 25-30 minutes
🫕 Covered bake: 30 minutes
🔥 Uncovered bake: 40-45 minutes
⏱️ Rest: 15 minutes
🕐 Total time: about 2 hours
Serving Suggestions
Briam is wonderful on its own as a vegetarian main, with a chunk of crusty bread to mop up the olive oil at the bottom of the dish. A side of crumbled feta and a handful of olives rounds it out beautifully. Very traditional and very Greek.
It also makes a lovely side dish alongside grilled fish or my Mediterranean Grilled Chicken. And if you have leftovers, briam is one of those dishes that tastes even better the next day, served at room temperature straight from the fridge with some good bread. Very much in the spirit of the Mediterranean Diet.
Your Questions, Answered
Briam is fairly flexible, but the classic combination of potatoes, zucchini, eggplant, bell peppers, onion, and tomatoes is traditional for a reason: it works beautifully. Yellow squash can stand in for zucchini, and red bell pepper works just as well as yellow or green. Use what looks good at the market.
Yes, and don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. The olive oil is not just for flavor. It’s the braising liquid that cooks the vegetables from the bottom up and creates that rich, flavorful base that is so characteristic of briam. It’s also where much of the nutritional power of this dish lies. Extra virgin olive oil is rich in polyphenols and heart-healthy monounsaturated fats, and research shows that cooking vegetables in olive oil actually increases the polyphenol content of the dish, making briam a true expression of the Mediterranean Diet. Reducing it significantly will result in a less rich and satisfying dish.
A little. Starting with a layer of tomatoes at the bottom is a good idea. Their juices keep the vegetables from sticking to the dish. Finishing with tomatoes on top is nice too, since they caramelize beautifully in the oven and make for a pretty presentation. As for the layers in between, you have some flexibility. What does matter is seasoning as you go rather than all at once. Adding the garlic, oregano, salt, and pepper in two layers makes sure the flavor is well distributed throughout the dish.
Advance Prep & Storage
Make ahead: Briam is actually better the next day, once the flavors have had time to meld. You can make it up to 2 days ahead and refrigerate. In Greece, it’s often served at room temperature, which is a perfectly traditional way to enjoy it.
Storage: Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Reheating: Warm gently in a low oven (325°F) or on the stovetop over low heat. A quick turn in the microwave works too for a single serving.
Freezing: Not recommended. The vegetables become too soft after freezing.
Other Recipes to Try
Greek Briam (Rustic Roasted Vegetables)
Ingredients
- 1 lb yellow gold potatoes peeled and sliced ¼” thick
- 1 red onion sliced ¼” thick
- 1 small eggplant sliced ¼” thick
- 2 zucchini sliced ¼” thick
- 2 bell peppers 1 yellow, 1 green, sliced
- 3 to 4 large flavorful slicing tomatoes heirloom preferred, sliced ¼” thick. Or one 20 oz can whole or diced San Marzano tomatoes.
- 6 garlic cloves minced
- 2 tsp dried oregano plus a pinch for the top
- 2 tsp salt plus a pinch for the top
- 1 tsp black pepper plus a pinch for the top
- ¾ cup extra virgin olive oil
- Fresh parsley chopped, for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Drizzle 2 tablespoons of olive oil across the bottom of a 9×13″ baking dish.
- Spread a layer of tomato slices across the bottom of the dish, then layer the potatoes on top.
- Sprinkle with half the minced garlic, 1 tsp oregano, 1 tsp salt, and ½ tsp black pepper.
- Continue with the eggplant, bell peppers, and red onion.
- Add the remaining garlic, 1 tsp oregano, 1 tsp salt, and ½ tsp black pepper.
- Finish with the zucchini and a final layer of tomato slices on top.
- Pour the remaining olive oil evenly over the entire dish. Finish with a pinch each of salt, pepper, and oregano.
- Cover loosely with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes.
- Remove the foil and bake for another 40 to 45 minutes, until the vegetables are very tender and the tomatoes on top are caramelized.
- Remove from the oven and rest for 15 minutes before serving.
- Scatter fresh chopped parsley over the top and serve.
Notes
- Scaling down: This recipe can easily be halved for four servings. That said, leftovers are so good you may not want to.
- Reheating: Warm gently in a low oven (325°F) or on the stovetop over low heat. Also great served at room temperature, which is very traditional.
- Dietary: Naturally vegan and gluten-free.
- Make ahead: Briam tastes even better the next day. Make up to 2 days ahead and refrigerate.
I can’t believe it took me this long to post this recipe! If you can get your hands on good heirloom tomatoes for this, don’t hesitate. It makes all the difference.