Vibrant Greek Salad (Horiatiki)
A classic Greek salad recipe that is refreshing, simple, and packed with fresh cucumbers, juicy tomatoes, olives, onions, and feta cheese.
Recipe Details
Quick summary of cook times and nutrition
Ingredients
- 3 large ripe tomatoes, cut into wedges
- 1 English cucumber, sliced into thick half-moons
- 1 red onion, thinly sliced into rings
- 1 green bell pepper, chopped into bite-sized pieces
- 1/2 cup Kalamata olives, pitted
- 7 oz block of high-quality feta cheese
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
- Pinch of sea salt
Instructions
- 1
In a large shallow bowl or platter, arrange the tomato wedges, cucumber slices, green pepper pieces, and red onion rings.
- 2
Scatter the Kalamata olives evenly over the top of the vegetables.
- 3
Place the block of feta cheese directly on top of the salad (traditional Greek style), or crumble it gently over the salad if preferred.
- 4
Whisk the extra virgin olive oil and red wine vinegar in a small bowl, then drizzle it evenly over the entire salad.
- 5
Sprinkle the dried oregano and a pinch of sea salt over the feta cheese and vegetables.
- 6
Serve immediately at room temperature with crusty bread to soak up the delicious juices.
Horiatiki, or traditional Greek Salad, is eaten all over Greece during summer. Unlike Western versions, authentic Greek salad does not contain lettuce. The key to the best Greek salad is using high-quality ingredients, particularly a good extra virgin olive oil and a block of sheep’s milk feta cheese rather than pre-crumbled varieties.