You might think you know how to make a Greek salad, but do you really? A proper Greek salad means no lettuce, no chopped up feta, and no fancy dressings. It’s such a simple, nutritious meal, and even more delicious if you get it absolutely right!
A Greek salad is a meal in itself!
Who would have thought that tomatoes, cucumber, onions, green peppers, feta cheese, black olives, oregano and olive oil could be quite so perfect a combination of ingredients?
I’ve lost count of the number of times someone’s told me that they ate Greek salads every day while they were on holiday in Greece and never got bored of them.
They ate them with almost every meal and even for lunch by themselves with fresh Greek bread. And no wonder because with that creamy, tangy feta cheese on top Greek salads really can be a meal in themselves.
I’ve personally eaten hundreds of Greek salads in Greece (really!), and they don’t vary very much. The type of feta may vary between creamy and delicious to even more creamy and delicious, the tomatoes may be a more or slightly less red and juicy version of perfection and the olives and olive oil may be a little different to those in your last salad, but all in all a Greek salad is a Greek salad …
Am I making you hungry yet?
The good news is that Greek salads are really easy to recreate at home, wherever in the world you are.
So if you want to know how to make a Greek salad…
What’s in a traditional Greek salad?
- juicy red tomatoes
- cucumber chunks
- large slices of green bell peppers (Australia: capsicum!)
- thin rounds of onion
- Kalamata olives (preferably with the stone still in!)
- a big fat slice of feta cheese
- dried oregano
- good quality olive oil
You may be wondering where the lettuce is. Well… no lettuce in Greek salads.
I’ve never had a Greek salad with lettuce in it in Greece.
And don’t be mean with the feta. There’s nothing worse than a Greek salad with hardly any feta cheese in it. You need to lay a big thick slice of real Greek feta cheese on top of the salad.
Take the salad to the table and break up the cheese before everyone serves themselves. You don’t have to do this, of course, but once I lay 3 smaller slices of cheese on top and one guest took a whole slice for himself. Oops.
This is my basic Greek salad 101, but here are more tips for making your Greek salad extra amazing:
1 Cut up your tomatoes irregularly – just slice them up any which way. Squeeze about half of them a little as you add them to the dish. This is a great tip I once got from a Greek friend of mine. This way, you get more juice to mix with the olive oil. Delicious!
2 Slice the cucumber thickly – chop the thick slices in half if you like. Slice the onion thinly and don’t add too much of it. Ideally, chop the green pepper from the bottom up so that you end up with pretty rounds.
3 Try to use big and juicy Kalamata olives – jarred is fine. Ideally get the ones with the stone still in for a more authentic Greek salad experience.
4 As mentioned above, don’t be stingy with the feta … or the olive oil, for that matter. Lay a thick slice of feta on top, then sprinkle it generously with dried oregano.
5 Finally, drizzle lots of olive oil all over the salad so it combines with the salad juices to make a perfect no fuss dressing.
6 Don’t forget the fresh crusty bread for mopping up all the delicious juices. Mmmmm.
So how do I make Greek salad dressing?
Erm, you don’t (see tip 5 above!). The good quality olive oil you drizzle over the salad generously combines with the juices from the other salad ingredients to make the perfect tasty and easy dressing. No other salad dressing necessary! Another reason this delicious Greek salad is so easy to make.
Finally, just in case you’re ever in Greece and would like to ask for one of these in Greek, just to be fancy and everything, you need to ask for a ‘xoriatiki salata’. It’s pronounced hori-AT-iki sal-AT-a if you’re one of those people like me who likes to get things right!
Make your next Greek salad just like this, and you’ll never look back!
To see EXACTLY how I make my Greek salads (I think I can make them with my eyes closed!), take a look at the handy video!)
So, what meals can you serve a Greek salad with?
The list is endless, but here are some ideas to get you started:
Greek lemon and oregano chicken
Easy moussaka (you HAVE to make a Greek salad to go with this!)
Greek spinach and feta filo pie (vegetarian option!)
Remember, a Greek salad is also delicious served on its own with some fresh bread!
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How to make a Greek salad
Ingredients (UK/Australia? Click below for grams/ml)
- 4 or 5 medium tomatoes the redder & juicier the better, randomly sliced into chunks
- half to 2/3 of a cucumber thickly sliced
- 1 green pepper sliced into thin rounds from the bottom up
- a small amount of thinly sliced onion to taste
- a handful of juicy black olives stone in (jarred is fine)
- 3.5 ounces feta cheese a thick slice
- dried or fresh oregano
- 1/4 cup good quality olive oil
Instructions
- Add the first five ingredients to a medium-sized salad dish and combine well.
- Place the feta on top of the salad, sprinkle the feta and salad with oregano, then drizzle generously with the olive oil.
- Serve with nice crusty bread to mop up the juices!
[email protected] Eats says
Do you think you might have started a riot by saying that once you’ve had one greek salad, you’ve had ’em all…..he he he!! I love that. Your HUMBLE opinion though. I love that you stressed that!! This is a great classic. I love that you’ve made it PROPERLY with just olive oil. Here in Oz, it tends to be soured with lots of lemon juice! I’m saving this one as my “go to” Greek salad recipe 🙂
Helen says
Teehee … shhhh, don’t give anyone any ideas about that riot! Totally true, though … Greek salads are so similar wherever you go in Greece … again, in my HUMBLE opinion 😉
Very happy that this is going to become you’re go-to Greek salad recipe!
Judit+ Corina | Glamorous Bite says
We adore a good Greek salad and yours looks deliciously authentic, Helen! Just the way we like it with juicy black olives, of course with stone in, and a big slab of feta. There are so many different versions in America that we wonder why even name it Greek salad. Mmm have to make it soon 🙂
Helen says
I’m so happy that you approve of this version (the proper one … hehe!) It’s the same here in the UK … I’m not sure why people can’t get it right. It’s so easy!
sherry from sherryspickings says
this sounds wonderful. i agree that usually people are very stingy with the fetta and they use small tasteless olives. you just have to have big olives and lots of fetta! i like your hints about the tomato juice and cucumbers. happy 2015!
Helen says
Hi, Sherry! Happy New Year to you, too. Glad you like the salad tips!
Pamela @ Brooklyn Farm Girl says
Love that it’s Winter out and I’m freezing but you created a great healthy and fresh meal! Looks so pretty too!
Helen says
Oh, Greek salad is good any time of year, Pamela … it would go great with your enchilada casserole! 🙂
Cindy @ Pick Fresh Foods says
Lovely photos and your salad makes my mouth water. Looks delicious and I love that big piece of feta. Yum!
Helen says
Thanks so much, Cindy … I actually struggled a bit with the lighting in these photos, so thanks for saying they’re lovely 😉
Mariana @The Candid Kitchen says
I love the creamier type of feta and although black olives are a little expensive they are such a treat for me. I can imagine myself eating this with some grilled fish for dinner heaven!
Helen says
I only realised how delicious feta could be when I first travelled to Greece, Mariana! And how it can differ … this goes great with grilled fish. I’ve tried it many times and it makes such a delicious, healthy dinner!
Jessica @ Jessica in the Kitchen says
I love your breakdown of a perfect greek salad! Also LOVE how we are both talking about Mediterranean food and amazing feta cheese haha – something I really love! Beautiful looking salad especially the feta on top!
Helen says
Really? You’ve been talking about Mediterranean food, too? Got to pass by and check out your post! I get very excited about anything with feta in! 😉
Rachel (Rachel's Kitchen NZ) says
A very good Greek Salad – indeed.
Helen says
Hi, Rachel … thanks so much for saying so!
Susan says
Helen, thank you very much for giving us the skinny on how to properly make a Greek salad. I had no idea. I think I’ve had one in Santorini, but don’t really remember it (it was several years ago). Even our favorite Greek restaurant uses lettuce, though. I would definitely choose to use Kalamata olives, since they are definitely Greek. I just wish I could get more Greek olive oil easily (as in another trip to Greece…) 🙂
Helen says
Hello, Susan! Happy New Year! I’m really happy that you learnt something useful from this post. I was extremely surprised a few weeks ago too when I went to a Greek restaurant here in my city and they put lettuce in their salad, too! I couldn’t believe it and was quite disappointed. I think the only way is to make your own at home 😉
P.S. I think you need to start working on your husband to take you back to Greece. After all, you NEED to go to bring back some of that lovely, healthy olive oil!
Culinary Ginger says
I think everyone loves a Greek salad, the variety of flavors are so good. Refreshing cucumber and salty olives and feta. Lovely recipe.
Helen says
Couldn’t agree more that everyone likes Greek salad – glad you like it too, Janette!
Shashi @ runninsrilankan says
Ok Helen – I am going to sound like a complete idiot, but I had no clue Greek salads did not contain lettuce or spinach – and I order them often here in the States!
I am loving the sound of that slab of feta on it!
xxs – oh, and thanks for cohosting that giveaway!
Helen says
Tee hee … thanks for telling me that, Shashi, because I had no idea that Greek salads always had lettuce in in the states … I’m surprised actually because there must be so many Greeks over there! 🙂
Kathleen | hapanom says
Oh Helen! I’m not at all exaggerating when I say, I could eat a good Greek Salad every single day! And I say ‘good’ because so many times I’ve order one and they’re just terrible! I’m totally with you on the immense disappoint that you feel when you order one at a restaurant and it’s not at all what it should be. I’m so glad you posted this – because this is everything a GREAT Greek Salad should be! Now I’m really craving one!
Helen says
I know! (on every count!) I’d sort of ‘forgotten’ about Greek salads recently and now I’ve ‘remembered’ them again I can’t stop making them! I suspect making them at home is the only way to get a good one when you’re not in Greece. 🙂
cheri says
Hi Helen, I sure learned a lot from you today, did not realize that Greek salads did not have lettuce in them, love the way you describe the experience. Will try it this way for sure.
Helen says
Hi, Cheri! I’m so surprised by the lettuce thing in the States! Glad I’ve inspired you to try it this way … it’s much better, I promise you!
Rebecca says
Mmm..yes! A REAL Greek Salad! I spent some time studying in Greece but back in the UK I have never managed to quite replicate the salads I had there. Even though all the ingredients are there, it’s never exactly the same, is it?
Stingy feta portions are also my pet hate!
Helen says
Hello, Rebecca! So nice to get a visitor from the UK – they are a bit sparse around here 😉
Do try the Greek salad again in the UK – I’ve been making them quite a lot over the past few weeks and actually I do feel like they taste the same as in Greece. Just make sure you get some good Greek feta (the big supermarkets all seem to do packaged feta that’s made in Greece) and the reddest tomatoes you can see and it’ll taste great! 🙂
Rebecca says
Yeah, UK food bloggers don’t seem so common! In fact, I remember a few months ago when I commented on one of your recipes and mentioned I was thinking of starting my own food blog, you were so nice and offered to answer any questions if I needed help. Well, I finally took the plunge and launched on January 1st! Your lovely blog was definitely an inspiration!
Helen says
Hi, Rebecca! So nice to hear that you did in fact start your blog – I’m looking forward to passing by and having a look around! I feel really honoured that I inspired you a little on your journey towards starting your own blog. Hope you’re enjoying it and the offer still stands to email me and ask anything you’d like. I’m still not an expert (by any means!!) but I guess I’ve learnt a few things along my way now 🙂
Joanne says
I SO love a good Greek salad. That slab of feta on top = heaven!
Helen says
Totally agreed! The feta absolutely makes it … 😉
Dannii @ Hungry Healthy Happy says
Look at all that feta cheese *eyes pop out*
I remember the last time I was in Greece, I ordered a Greek salad (how can you not?) and they gave me enough cheese for 4 people. They must have known how much I loved it!
Helen says
Haha … yes, they are always very generous with the feta … and the olive oil! The only place I find they can be a bit stingy is in the central tourist areas, but everywhere else you’ll get a good one!
Dimitar Kolev says
For me that’s not a Greek salad!That’s a Shopska salad!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shopska_salad
http://topfoodfacts.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/Salad.jpg
We ate almost everyday this kind of salads so… next time try Tarator!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tarator
People use to call it -cucumber-dill-Greek-yogurt-dip!
http://www.oikosyogurt.com/assets/images/products/large/cucumber-dill-greek-yogurt-dip.png
but at least I know where come from <3
…
Helen says
Hi, Dimitar! Is a shopska salad Bulgarian? I have a good Bulgarian friend and she tells me that a lot of the food is similar to Greece. Glad this is like something you recognise. I know the dip, too … tsatziki! Delicious!
Alyssa @ My Sequined Life says
Okay I could most certainly eat this salad every day, Helen! Although here in the US it’s hard to come by a Greek salad without lettuce, in my experience. I love the tip about squeezing some of the tomatoes to free some of the juices. Makes total sense!
Helen says
You are about the 3rd person to tell me that about the lettuce, Alyssa … I can’t believe it! The Greeks would be very annoyed about that 😉
Glad you like the squeezing the tomatoes tip! It works so well!
Medha @ Whisk & Shout says
I absolutely love Greek salads! You’re so right, they are a crowd-pleaser. Yours looks amazing 🙂
Helen says
Hi, Medha, and thanks! Glad you like it! 🙂
Chrissy says
A grilled version was such a staple for me all summer and I can’t wait to get back to it once the weather warms. It’s too cold now!
Helen says
Mmm … a grilled version? I like the sound of that. Wait, no, I LOVE the sound of that 😉