Comfort Food from the Mountains of Western Greece

In the mountain villages of Western Greece, trachanas soup has long been a staple of home cooking — a humble yet deeply satisfying dish that connects generations. Made from fermented cracked wheat and milk or yogurt, trachanas is one of the most traditional foods in Greek cuisine, particularly cherished in the cooler regions of Aetolia-Acarnania and Evrytania.

Trachanas comes in two basic types: sweet (made with milk) and sour (made with yogurt or buttermilk). In its dried form, it looks like coarse crumbs or tiny pellets, but once simmered in water or broth, it transforms into a creamy, porridge-like soup.

In Western Greece, the soup is often cooked simply with water, olive oil, and a bit of salt, but it can also include additions like tomato, cheese (usually feta or hard goat cheese), or even bits of cured pork in the winter months. It’s a deeply nourishing meal, packed with flavor and gut-friendly probiotics from the fermentation process.

Trachanas soup isn’t just food — it’s comfort, tradition, and a way of preserving the resourcefulness of rural Greek kitchens. A bowl of trachanas is a warm embrace from the past.