This refreshing Greek salad, loaded with vegetables, kalamata olives, and feta cheese is a delicious summer treat. Greek vegetable salad, traditionally known as horiatiki or xoriatiki salata is a meal in itself, super simple to put together and so good for you!

Visiting Greece has been on my bucket list like forever. I hope that comes true someday. What’s not to love about this beautiful Mediterranean country? The rich history, culture, breathtaking views and for a foodie like me, obviously the food. Food from different cultures has always intrigued me.

Having lived in a multicultural country like India for the better part of my life, I’ve learned how food differs regionally, and have come to appreciate the variety!

Mediterranean diet is considered to be one of the healthiest diets in the world. Fruits, vegetables, legumes, lean meats, whole grains, and nuts are a part of this healthy diet, and of course olive oil and some red wine too!

This Greek Salad or Horiatiki/Xoriatiki Salata as it is traditionally known as is one of the simplest Greek recipes and one that you should have at the back of your hand. ‘Horiatiki’ simply means village or peasant salad.

While it’s true that this salad will taste best in Greece because of the local produce that goes into the salad, you can still enjoy this salad even if you are not in Greece. Just remember to use really good quality and if possible organic vegetables.

Table of Contents

What’s a Greek salad?

Xoriatiki Salata, also known as a Greek village salad is a rustic, refreshing, and delicious salad made with fresh summer produce.

This salad is quite popular in Greece (but obviously) and also in Cyprus. Let’s have a detailed look at the ingredients that go into a Xoriatiki Salata.

Horiatiki salad ingredients

A traditional Greek salad is made with;

Juicy tomatoes
Cucumbers
Red onions
Green bell pepper
Plump kalamata olives
Seasoned with some Greek oregano.
The salad is dressed with olive oil and a splash of red wine vinegar.
Traditionally, a slab of feta cheese is placed over all the ingredients in a bowl.

The ingredients vary from region to region. Some may include green bell pepper, while others may not. Some also add capers.

Lettuce and lemon juice are not a part of a traditional Greek Salad. Lettuce is pretty much a part of ‘American’ Greek Salad, I think it is not a bad addition after all.

If you like lettuce, go ahead and use it, after all, you are going to eat the salad, so customize it as per your needs. I see no reason why you can’t make this salad with lettuce even though the authentic version has none.

One of the major reasons that I read was that lettuce is basically a winter produce, whereas the rest of the ingredients that go into this salad are all fresh, summer produce, which could explain why lettuce is not used for this salad in Greece. But here in the US, lettuce, that too all kinds, are available throughout the year, so if you love lettuce in this salad, add some.

Variations

Avocado: To make a this salad with a twist, try adding avocados! Greek salad with avocados? Heck yes, try it, the creamy, buttery avocados add a nice dimension to this salad. Of course, if you don’t like avocados in the first place, this variation won’t work.

Pasta or grains: You can add cooked pasta like tortellini or small pasta like orzo, couscous or grains like barley or a seed like quinoa to this Grecian salad to make it heartier.

Vary the salad dressing: Try changing up Greek vinaigrette, by including some minced garlic, mustard etc. Play around with the ingredients if you are feeling particularly adventurous!

Not a fan of vegetable chunks? If you don’t like a chunky Greek salad like this, then chop down the veggies into small pieces.

How to make a good traditional Greek salad?

The best Greek salad is filled with clean, delicious flavors and textures. This has got to be one of the easiest salads you can ever make

Using good quality, fresh ingredients is the only key in making a really delicious Greek peasant salad.

Start off by cutting tomatoes into wedges. The best tomatoes for Greek salad should be ripe, and juicy. That is why it makes sense to make this salad during the summers when tomatoes are at their peak. You can also use cherry tomatoes, they are so good all year round.

Next, the cucumbers, you may or may not peel them. Slice it into rounds and then into half-moons. I recommend using English cucumbers, they have fewer seeds. I, however, could find none the day I went grocery shopping, so I used regular cucumbers.

Slice the onions thinly and green bell pepper too if using.

Add the tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, and bell peppers in a shallow bowl. Add the kalamata olives. Kalamata olives are the best olives for Greek salad, so definitely try and use those.

As for the spices and herbs in Greek salad, you only need to sprinkle some Greek oregano and a tiny pinch of salt, since the feta is salty.

Then drizzle some extra virgin olive oil, and red wine vinegar. Toss to combine everything very gently.

Finally, place a slab of sheep’s milk feta cheese, drizzle some more olive oil and Greek oregano over the feta cheese. This the classic Greek salad presentation.

However, you can also cut the feta cheese in smaller cubes if you prefer it that way. Or use crumbled feta cheese if that is what you have.

What dressing goes on this salad?

If you are wondering what kind of dressing to use for Greek salad, then let me tell you that the best dressing for a Greek Salad are simply;

Good quality extra virgin oil
A splash of aged red wine vinegar
And some Greek oregano.

That’s all there is to this easy homemade Greek dressing, you don’t even need to add these to a separate bowl and whisk, just pour them over the salad ingredients and toss everything.

Feta cheese is already salty, so you may skip adding salt.

A lot of folks use lemon juice in this Greek salad recipe. While it is okay, lemon juice is not traditionally used in the classic Greek salad.

Is this salad healthy?

Considering all the ingredients that go into a classic and authentic Horiatiki salad, they are definitely good-for-you ingredients packed with nutrients, vitamins, and anti-oxidants.

A simple and clean dressing with good quality olive oil and red wine vinegar is so much better than the commercially available dressings that are sold in the name of Greek dressing. You don’t need these and are much better off making your own at home.

You must keep in mind though that feta cheese is high in calories, so consume it in moderation.

Otherwise, this is a really nutritious salad, and you must definitely make the most of it during the fresh seasonal produce, having it every day if you may, just as the Greeks do during the summers.

What to serve with Greek salad?

Serve this healthy Greek Salad as a light meal along with some crusty bread to soak up all that juices at the bottom of the bowl.

If I’m serving Greek Salad as a side dish, I love to make Greek Moussaka or Chicken Souvlaki as the main dish.

Greek lamb cutlets, Greek lasagna, or Greek meatballs would be lovely choices for a hearty Greek fare too.

How to make Greek salad recipe – step by step instructions

Step 1: Slice the tomatoes & cucumber

Cut the tomatoes into wedges. Peel the cucumber to create a striped pattern (optional). Slice into 1/4 inch thick rounds, and then into half moons.

Step 2: Slice the bell pepper and onion

Core and seed the bell pepper, and cut into thin round or strips, whatever you prefer.

Slice the onions thinly.
Tip: If you do not like raw onions, you may soak the onion slices in ice cold water for 10-15 minutes, drain and then use in the salad. This step removes the pungency of the onions. If you do this step, then start off by slicing the onions first, and let it soak while you prep the other veggies.

Step 3: Assemble the salad

Place all the veggies in a shallow bowl. Add the Kalamata olives.

Drizzle olive oil and red wine vinegar.

Sprinkle dried oregano along with a tiny pinch of salt (not much, since feta is already salty) and toss everything gently.

Next, place a slab of feta cheese on top. Drizzle some more olive oil, and some more dried oregano. Enjoy!

★ If you try this ultimate Greek salad recipe, I would love to hear from you! I’d appreciate it if you could rate and leave a review below in the comments. Your reviews help others know the recipe better too. Feel free to share your feedback and suggestions at aromaticessence77@gmail.com. Thanks so much 🙂

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