Hilopites (Χυλοπίτες) — Greek egg pasta with tomato and butter
Hilopites are traditional Greek egg pasta, often cooked in a light tomato sauce or finished simply with butter and cheese. This version keeps the flavors rustic and home-style, like a village Sunday lunch.
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Servings: 4 · Total: 35 min · Difficulty: easy
Ingredients (quick list)
- 320 g hilopites (Greek egg pasta)
- 2000 ml water
- 10 g salt (for boiling water)
- 60 g unsalted butter
- 15 ml extra-virgin olive oil
- 120 g yellow onion (finely chopped)
- 8 g garlic (minced)
- 400 g crushed tomatoes
- 20 g tomato paste
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 0.25 tsp ground cinnamon (optional but traditional in many Greek tomato sauces)
- 0.5 tsp black pepper
+ 1 more in the full ingredients section below.
Steps (summary)
- Start the tomato sauce so it has time to mellow. Heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat, then add the onion a…
- Add the minced garlic and cook for 45 seconds, stirring constantly so it does not brown. Stir in the tomato paste for 1 minute…
- Pour in the crushed tomatoes and the 180 ml water, then add oregano, cinnamon, black pepper, and 4 g salt. Bring to a gentle si…
- While the sauce simmers, bring 2000 ml water to a rolling boil in a large pot and add 10 g salt. Add the hilopites and stir for…
- Reserve 120 ml of the pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta well. Return the hilopites to the pot immediately so the residu…
- Add the butter to the hot pasta and stir for 45–60 seconds until the noodles are evenly coated and glossy. Add 30–60 ml of rese…
+ 2 more steps in the full instructions section below.
Cultural Background
Hilopites are a beloved Greek pantry staple, traditionally made with eggs and flour and dried for winter meals. They appear in everyday home cooking and festive tables alike, often paired with tomato, butter, or braised meats.
Equipment
💡 Tips
- For a richer, more traditional finish, brown 20 g of the butter for 2 minutes before adding the remaining 40 g, then toss with the pasta.
- If your sauce tastes sharp, simmer it 3–5 minutes longer and add 30 ml pasta water; the starch rounds the acidity without adding sugar.
- Grate Kefalotyri very fine so it melts on contact and clings to the hilopites instead of falling to the bottom.
⚠️ Common Mistakes
❌ Overcooking hilopites until mushy.
✅ Fix: Boil 1 minute less than you think you need, then finish in sauce or with butter using a splash of reserved pasta water.
❌ Sauce tastes raw or overly acidic.
✅ Fix: Simmer the sauce at least 12 minutes and stir in 30–60 ml starchy pasta water to soften the edges.
❌ Butter separates and leaves the pasta greasy.
✅ Fix: Toss off the heat and add 30–60 ml reserved pasta water while stirring to emulsify.
🧊 How to Store
Cool leftovers within 1 hour, then refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat in a skillet over medium-low with 30–60 ml water per serving, stirring until hot; add 10 g butter to refresh the texture.
📅 Make Ahead
Make the tomato sauce up to 3 days ahead and refrigerate it, or freeze it for up to 2 months. Cook the pasta fresh and toss with hot sauce or butter just before serving for the best texture.
🍽️ Pairs Well With
- Greek salad
- feta and olives
- grilled chicken souvlaki
- roasted vegetables
- crusty village bread
Regional Variations
- Peloponnese-style: add 1 bay leaf (remove before serving) and a pinch more cinnamon for a warmer tomato sauce.
- Island-style: finish with 15 ml extra-virgin olive oil instead of part of the butter and add 10 g chopped parsley.
- With meat: simmer hilopites in chicken broth and serve alongside braised rooster or chicken for a Sunday classic.
Ingredients
- 320 ghilopites (Greek egg pasta)
- 2000 mlwater
- 10 gsalt (for boiling water)
- 60 gunsalted butter
- 15 mlextra-virgin olive oil
- 120 gyellow onion (finely chopped)
- 8 ggarlic (minced)
- 400 gcrushed tomatoes
- 20 gtomato paste
- 1 tspdried oregano
- 0.25 tspground cinnamon (optional but traditional in many Greek tomato sauces)
- 0.5 tspblack pepper
- 40 gKefalotyri cheese (finely grated)
🔄 Substitutions
- hilopites (Greek egg pasta)→ orzo
- Kefalotyri cheese→ Pecorino Romano
- unsalted butter→ extra-virgin olive oil
Instructions
- 1
Start the tomato sauce so it has time to mellow. Heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat, then add the onion and cook for 6 minutes until soft and translucent.
- 2
Add the minced garlic and cook for 45 seconds, stirring constantly so it does not brown. Stir in the tomato paste for 1 minute to caramelize it slightly and deepen the flavor.
- 3
Pour in the crushed tomatoes and the 180 ml water, then add oregano, cinnamon, black pepper, and 4 g salt. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 12 minutes, stirring every few minutes, until the sauce is lightly thickened and glossy.
- 4
While the sauce simmers, bring 2000 ml water to a rolling boil in a large pot and add 10 g salt. Add the hilopites and stir for 20 seconds to prevent sticking, then boil according to package timing, typically 6–8 minutes, until al dente.
- 5
Reserve 120 ml of the pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta well. Return the hilopites to the pot immediately so the residual heat helps the butter melt smoothly.
- 6
Add the butter to the hot pasta and stir for 45–60 seconds until the noodles are evenly coated and glossy. Add 30–60 ml of reserved pasta water if needed to create a silky emulsion rather than an oily coating.
- 7
To serve in the tomato style, spoon about three-quarters of the sauce into the pot and toss for 30 seconds so the hilopites absorb some sauce. Plate and top each serving with the remaining sauce and 10 g grated Kefalotyri per portion.
- 8
To serve in the butter style, skip adding sauce to the pot and keep the buttered hilopites plain. Plate and add a small spoon of tomato sauce on the side or omit it completely, then finish with Kefalotyri for a classic taverna-style bowl.
🪪 Recipe Passport
Cultural Background
Hilopites are a beloved Greek pantry staple, traditionally made with eggs and flour and dried for winter meals. They appear in everyday home cooking and festive tables alike, often paired with tomato, butter, or braised meats.
Regional Variations
Researched from multiple sources and validated by the Zaffaron editorial team. Every recipe is tested for accuracy, measurements, and cultural authenticity.
Nutrition per serving
Pairs well with
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