Greek Salad

Cool and crunchy, this Greek salad with crispy cucumbers, juicy tomatoes, briny olives, and creamy feta cheese is the perfect summer meal.

Greek Salad
Photo:

Matt Taylor-Gross

Yield:
12

Greek salad dates back to 19th century Greece. Taking advantage of the bounty of tomatoes and cucumbers, this salad has since captivated the world over. With a handful of ingredients, it’s quick and effortless to assemble. It’s crunchy and refreshing, with creamy bites and a pop of acid to bring it all together.

What Is in a Greek Salad?

Also called horiatiki, which translates to village or peasant salad, this Greek salad has everything you are seeking with chopped Kirby cucumbers, juicy tomatoes, briny olives, and creamy feta cheese. In this recipe, we us Gaeta olives instead of swap kalamata olives, but feel free to use your favorite. We added some romaine lettuce to for even more crisp textures. Fresh herbs like mint and oregano add earthy notes, while a bright lemony vinaigrette balances out all the cool ingredients.

How to Make Greek Salad

Greek salad could not be easier to prepare. First, make the herby vinaigrette with olive oil, lemon juice, and red wine vinegar — you can make this three or four days in advance of eating the salad; just store it in the refrigerator. Tear the romaine hearts into small pieces and chop the cucumbers and tomatoes. Assemble the salad in a large bowl with the crumbled feta cheese, then toss it with the vinaigrette. Feel free to customize this salad to your palate – you can try adding pickled onion, bell pepper, or caperberries. Or, you can choose to skip the romaine if you prefer. Meant to be eaten when tomatoes and cucumbers are at their peak, this salad is a perfect side dish for any summer gathering. And if you want to turn it into a main course, simply add some grilled chicken, salmon, or steak to the plate.

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

  • 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar

  • 3 tablespoons lemon juice

  • 2 tablespoons chopped oregano

  • 1 tablespoon chopped mint

  • Salt and freshly ground pepper

  • 4 romaine hearts, torn

  • 6 medium tomatoes, cored and cut into wedges

  • 6 kirby cucumbers, peeled and sliced 1/2 inch thick

  • 1/2 pound feta cheese, crumbled (about 1 1/2 cups)

  • 1 cup Gaeta olives, pitted (6 ounces)

Directions

  1. In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, vinegar, lemon juice, oregano and mint. Season with salt and pepper. In a large bowl, combine romaine, tomatoes, cucumbers, cheese and olives. Toss salad with dressing and serve at once.

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