Ultimate Guide

The Ultimate Mediterranean Legume Table (Budget-Friendly, Crowd-Pleasing) 🫘

Beans are the hero for holiday buffets. They’re hearty, inexpensive, and so customizable. They are a great source of protein for any gluten-free, vegan people at the holiday gathering, and they can be set out in big pots with bright sides, and fun toppers. You can even set them out so guests can build their own sides/bowls. I want to share with you some of my favorite Mediterranean Bean Recipes that make perfect dishes for this holiday season.

A bowl of lentil soup with carrots and vegetables is held by a pair of hands. A spoonful of the soup is lifted from the bowl, showing the rich broth and colorful ingredients. Warm light illuminates the scene. - 2

History of Legumes in the Greek Diet

In Greek culture, legumes have long been the quiet heroes of the holiday season, especially because the lead-up to Christmas traditionally included periods of fasting. For centuries, beans, lentils, chickpeas, and split peas were everyday staples that nourished communities when olive oil, meat and dairy were off the table. Dishes like revithia (chickpeas), fakes (lentil soup), and silky yellow fava weren’t just budget-friendly winter meals but they were a way to make the most of what the land could give during the colder, winter months.

Around Christmas itself, when fasting relaxed and tables grew fuller, legumes still held their place alongside richer foods at the table. Rustic bean dishes were often served on Christmas Eve or in the days between Christmas and Epiphany, grounding celebrations in tradition and balance. In many regions, legumes were believed to bring prosperity and abundance for the year ahead. So even though today, more glamorous dishes like roast lamb and delicious sweets steal the spotlight, legumes still have a place at the table and are deeply woven into Greek Christmas culture.