If summer had an official salad, it would be this vibrant and refreshing Traditional Greek Salad Recipe (Horiatiki Salata). Fresh tomatoes, crisp cucumber, briny olives, and creamy feta come together in one glorious bowl. My go-to salad recipe for dinners in the garden.
Serve it as a side dish with any of my Mediterranean Mains or Greek Recipes. It can also be served as a light meal for lunch with some bread. See below for menu ideas and pairings.
Table of Contents
Why This Recipe Works
- Simple and Quick: Everything comes together in under 15 minutes. Just chop, dress, and serve.
- Seasonal and Fresh: Bursting with summer vegetables at their peak, this classic Greek salad truly tastes like sunshine. Though I would urge you to make this in the summer months, you can make it year-round.
- Perfect Pairing: Ideal alongside grilled fish, lamb skewers, or even just a slice of crusty bread. I think it works as a great side or starter with any of my grilling recipes, but especially my Chicken Souvlaki and Chicken Shish Tawook recipes.
Ingredients
Simple, seasonal, delicious. Use the freshest ingredients you can. Here’s what you will need to make this refreshing salad:
- Ripe Tomatoes: Use sweet, juicy, and ripe heirloom varieties if you can, but grocery store vine-ripened tomatoes or cherry tomatoes work too. Sometimes I like to mix and match and include a handful of cherry tomatoes in the salad, like I’m doing here. The key is to cut the sweet tomatoes into large chunks.
- Cucumbers: I recommend Persian-style cucumbers. Their seed cavities are small and the skin is tender. But English cucumbers work too, but I would recommend peeling and cutting out the seed cavity so the salad doesn’t end up being too wet. If you’re a fan of the tomato/cucumber combo, try my Jerusalem Salad, my Tahini Salad or my Fattoush Salad recipes.
- Green Peppers: I don’t always make this salad with bell pepper, but if you have it, add it. Red bell pepper could be subbed in.
- Red Onion: Sharp and slightly sweet; soak slices in cold water for a milder flavor. The key is to slice them thinly. If you are sensitive to the flavor of onion, you could use a milder sweet onion or even green onion, but it won’t be traditional.
- Kalamata Olives: I personally prefer to include olives with the pit, as I find them juicier and tastier than pitted olives. But if you are serving this for a crowd, or maybe to younger children, pitted olives are a safer bet.
- Greek Feta: Look for block feta in brine for the best flavor and texture. A traditional Greek salad is served with a block of Greek feta cheese, which you would then break apart at the table. I am a big fan of feta and use it in some of my recipes: Greek Lentil Salad, Grilled Corn Peach Salad, Watermelon Cucumber Feta Salad, Cucumber Radish Feta Salad and Cucumber Chickpea Feta Salad.
- Dried Oregano: Earthy and fragrant; a must for authentic flavor. I like to include it in the dressing and then sprinkle some more over the cheese in the end.
Refer to the recipe card at the bottom of this post for a full list of ingredients and quantities.
How to Make This Horiatiki Salad Recipe
Step 1. Prepare Dressing. Make the dressing by whisking together extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, dried oregano, salt, and black pepper in a small bowl.
Step 2. Assemble. In a serving bowl, add the tomato chunks, cucumbers, red onion slices, green bell pepper, and Kalamata olives.
Step 3. Toss. Pour the dressing over the vegetables and toss gently to combine.
Step 4. Add Cheese and Serve. Place a large chunk of feta on top of the salad. Sprinkle with a pinch of dried oregano and drizzle with a little extra olive oil. Serve immediately or at room temperature.
Pairing and Menu Ideas
This is an excellent summer salad to serve as a starter or as a side with one of my grilled or roasted Mediterranean or Middle Eastern protein recipes. Serve it with:
Expert Tips
- Use fresh vegetables. This is a simple salad with few ingredients. Good quality ingredients go a long way.
- Always use block feta in brine, not pre-crumbled, for authentic texture and flavor.
- For a milder onion taste, soak sliced onion in ice water for 10 minutes before using.
- Always serve some bread to sop up the salad juices left in the bowl.
- Other additions (non-traditional): fresh herbs like fresh dill, fresh Greek oregano, fresh mint or fresh parsley. You can also use a splash of red wine vinegar or sherry vinegar instead of the lemon juice if you don’t have lemons on hand.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, you can prep the vegetables and dressing separately up to a day in advance. Combine just before serving.
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 day. The vegetables will soften slightly, but the flavors will still be delicious.
Other Salad Recipes
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Traditional Greek Salad Recipe (Horiatiki Salata)
Ingredients
Salad Dressing
- 3 tablespoon Extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoon Lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon Dried oregano
- ¼ teaspoon Kosher salt – remember the feta and olives are salty, so don't add too much salt right away
- ¼ teaspoon Black pepper
Salad Ingredients
- 3 Large tomatoes (cut into chunks) – about 3 cups
- 2 Persian cucumbers (cut into chunks)
- ½ Green bell pepper (cut into strips)
- ½ Red onion (cut into thin strips)
- ¼ cup Kalamata olives
- ½ cup Feta cheese (block)
- Drizzle with olive oil and a sprinkle of dried oregano for garnish
Instructions
- Prepare Dressing. Make the dressing by whisking together 3 tablespoon Extra virgin olive oil, 2 tablespoon Lemon juice, 1 teaspoon Dried oregano, ¼ teaspoon Kosher salt, and ¼ teaspoon Black pepper in a small bowl.
- Assemble. In a serving bowl, add 3 Large tomatoes (cut into chunks), 2 Persian cucumbers (cut into chunks), ½ Green bell pepper (cut into strips), ½ Red onion (cut into thin strips), and ¼ cup Kalamata olives.
- Toss. Pour the dressing over the vegetables and toss gently to combine. Taste the salad, it should be just salty enough. Adjust the seasoning to your liking.
- Add Cheese and Serve. Place ½ cup Feta cheese (block) on top of the salad. Drizzle with olive oil and a sprinkle of dried oregano for garnish. Serve immediately or at room temperature.
Notes
- Cucumbers: I recommend using crisp Persian-style cucumbers. Their seed cavities are small and the skin is tender. But English cucumbers work too, but I would recommend peeling and cutting out the seed cavity so the salad doesn’t end up being too wet.
- Green Peppers: I don’t always make this salad with sweet pepper, but if you have it, add it. Red bell pepper could be substituted in.
- Red Onion: Soak slices in cold water for a milder flavor. The key is to slice them thinly. If you are sensitive to the flavor of onion, you could use a milder sweet onion or even green onion, but it won’t be traditional.
- Kalamata Olives: Briny and rich; substitute with other Greek olives if desired. I personally prefer to include olives with the pit, as I find them juicier and tastier than pitted olives. But if you are serving this for a crowd, or maybe to younger children, pitted olives are a safer bet.
- Greek Feta: Look for block feta in brine for the best flavor and texture. A traditional Greek salad is served with a block of Greek feta cheese, which you would then break apart at the table.
- Dried Oregano: I like to include it in the dressing and then sprinkle some more over the cheese in the end.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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