Best Greek Salad Recipe

A vibrant and fresh traditional Greek salad (Horiatiki) featuring crisp vegetables, salty feta, and a zesty lemon-oregano vinaigrette. Perfect as a light lunch or a superb side dish.

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Prep Time 20

Total Time 20

Servings: 4 servings

Course: Appetizer, Side Dish

Cuisine: Greek, Mediterranean

Calories: 250

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

For the Salad

2 large Tomatoes Thickly sliced or cut into large wedges
1 large English Cucumber Thickly sliced or cut into half-moons
1 whole Green Bell Pepper Roughly chopped
1/2 cup Red Onion Thinly sliced
8 ounces Feta Cheese Preferably block feta packed in brine, cut into large chunks
1/4 cup Kalamata Olives Pitted

For the Vinaigrette

1/2 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 tablespoons Red Wine Vinegar
1 teaspoon Dried Oregano High quality Greek oregano is best
1/2 teaspoon Salt Or to taste
1/4 teaspoon Black Pepper Freshly ground

Method

Instructions

Prepare the vegetables: In a large, shallow serving bowl, arrange the sliced tomatoes, cucumbers, green bell pepper, and thinly sliced red onion. Do not toss them yet.
Make the dressing: In a small bowl or jar, whisk together the olive oil, red wine vinegar, dried oregano, salt, and pepper until well emulsified.
Assemble the salad: Place the feta cheese block directly on top of the arranged vegetables. Scatter the Kalamata olives around the feta and vegetables.
Dress the salad: Drizzle the vinaigrette evenly over the entire salad, making sure to coat the vegetables and the feta. The traditional method avoids tossing to keep the vegetables crisp and the feta whole.
Season and serve: Allow the salad to sit at room temperature for about 10 minutes before serving so the vegetables can absorb some of the dressing flavor. Serve immediately with crusty bread for dipping into the resulting juices.

Notes

For the most authentic flavor, use whole, good quality ingredients, especially the feta (which should not be pre-crumbled) and the olive oil. If using a block of feta, rub a little extra fresh oregano directly onto the top of the cheese before serving.