The Most Wonderful Greek Salad

March 30, 2024

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This 15-minute Greek salad options conventional components: tomatoes, cucumber, bell pepper, olives, purple onions, and feta cheese, tossed with the traditional selfmade Greek dressing. You will not have the ability to cease consuming this wholesome Mediterranean salad – it is that good! It retains nicely refrigerated – nice for making forward and sharing with the gang at Summer season events, picnics, potlucks, and household gatherings.

Greek salad with grape tomatoes, cucumber, bell pepper, olives, red onions, and feta cheese - in a white bowl.

Greek salad

This fast and simple Summer season salad options staples of Mediterranean delicacies: tomatoes, cucumber, bell pepper, onion, olives, feta cheese, lemon, olive oil, and contemporary herbs. It is a versatile recipe that you may function a facet salad, facet dish, or a lightweight meatless meal. You may even flip it into an entire, extra substantial meal by including your favourite protein (equivalent to grilled meats, seafood, rotisserie hen, hen kebabs and so many different choices!). The Greek salad actually deserves a spot in your recipe rotation! And, for those who love Greek delicacies as a lot as I do, you should definitely take a look at these extremely popular recipes: hen and lemon rice with chickpeas and tomatoes and family-favorite Greek shrimp orzo.

Greek salad with grape tomatoes, cucumber, bell pepper, olives, red onions, and feta cheese - in a white bowl.

Why you will adore it

Will be made forward – excellent for meal prep! As a standard Greek salad, this recipe options solely tomatoes, cucumber, bell pepper, purple onion, and feta cheese. When mixed in a salad, these components preserve nicely refrigerated and style even higher the following day as they get marinated with the dressing and launch juices!
No leafy greens which signifies that the Greek salad may be refrigerated for as much as 4 days with out something wilting!
A crowdpleaser. Everybody will love the freshness of this Summer season recipe. Share it with your loved ones and associates at Summer season barbecue events, picnics, potlucks, and vacation occasions!
An important facet salad. Pair it with any most important course, particularly grilled meats, hen, seafood, and pasta.

The components

Tomatoes. I used grape (or cherry) tomatoes in two colours. They make an exquisite presentation, however you need to use common tomatoes, too.
Cucumber. Use two medium cucumbers or one giant one.
Bell pepper. I used purple bell pepper simply because it provides such a pop of colour! I like to recommend utilizing purple, yellow, or orange bell peppers.
Olives. Use pitted black, inexperienced, or kalamata olives. I used a combo of black and inexperienced olives, once more for a pop of colour!
Feta cheese has a tender texture and briny taste. You should buy a contemporary block of cheese or crumbled Feta – both works!
Pink onion supplies a zesty chunk and much more vibrancy to this colourful salad.

Traditional Greek salad dressing

The salad dressing is constructed from scratch with just some easy components: further virgin olive oil, freshly squeezed lemon juice, purple wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, dried oregano, minced garlic, salt, and pepper. You may as well use dried Italian seasoning, or Herbs from Provance as an alternative of oregano. Mix all dressing components in a small mason jar and whisk with the fork. Or, shut it with the lid, and shake vigorously to emulsify.

The way to make Greek salad

This Summer season salad solely takes quarter-hour to make. You may serve it instantly or refrigerate it for as much as 4 days. Beneath is the overview. The detailed recipe (with quantities) is on the backside of this publish (on the recipe card).

Make salad dressing in a medium bowl by whisking collectively further virgin olive oil, freshly squeezed lemon juice, purple wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, dried oregano, minced garlic, salt, and pepper.
Put together the veggies. Add diced tomatoes, cucumber, bell pepper, purple onion, olives, and crumbled Feta to the big mixing bowl.
Meeting. Add dressing to the big mixing bowl and toss to mix. Season with salt and pepper.

Greek salad with grape tomatoes, cucumber, bell pepper, olives, red onions, and feta cheese - in a white bowl.

Protein concepts

It is simple to show a Greek salad into an entire meal. Simply add your favourite grilled meats (hen and steak) or seafood (salmon or shrimp). There are additionally some ways to raise this recipe to a extra substantial Mediterranean meal. Listed here are some concepts:

Add prosciutto or bacon. You may briefly crispy up the prosciutto within the preheated oven at 350 F for about 10 minutes.
Add leftover hen, together with rotisserie hen.
Add seafood, equivalent to sauteed or grilled shrimp, scallops, salmon, lemon cod, or some other fish to show Greek salad into a fast and simple weeknight dinner!
Add chickpeas (or garbanzo beans) for a meatless protein addition.

Variations and substitutions

Veggies. What are you able to add along with the standard Greek components? My favorites are asparagus, mushrooms, sun-dried tomatoes, marinated artichokes, and zucchini.
Add leafy greens, equivalent to spinach, arugula, or butter lettuce.
Cheese. This recipe makes use of feta cheese. You may as well add small Mozzarella balls (pearls), sliced Mozzarella, or cubed Parmesan. Or, add grated Parmesan.
Salad Dressing. Make a dressing from scratch or use your favourite store-bought Greek dressing.
Do not like purple onions? Attempt chopped inexperienced onions.
Lime or lemon will work nice. Freshly squeezed juice is at all times the very best!

Scrumptious add-ins

Add pasta. Smaller pasta works nice, equivalent to orzo or couscous. However you possibly can add any pasta you want, together with spaghetti, linguine, angel hair, farfalle, penne, or rigatoni.
Add pine nuts as a topping. I wish to toast pine nuts briefly (and thoroughly!) within the oven for a fair richer taste.
Add capers as an alternative of olives, or add them as well as.
Add different toppings, equivalent to contemporary herbs (basil, thyme, or oregano), chopped inexperienced onions, or chopped chives.

Recipe ideas and recommedations

Chunk-sized components. Reduce, slice, or cube all salad components into bite-sized items (not too massive and never too small).
Use cherry or grape tomatoes and slice each in half. I like to make use of tomatoes of each yellow and purple colour. Common tomatoes work too, however cherry tomatoes make a greater presentation and often maintain up higher in a salad, particularly for those who make it forward.
Add pitted olives and slice them into smaller items. Olives are likely to have a robust, pronounced taste, so slicing them into smaller bites actually helps mellow that robust taste.
Add a combination of kalamata, black, and inexperienced olives. Including totally different olives provides extra taste and colour to the Greek salad!

Greek salad with grape tomatoes, cucumber, bell pepper, olives, red onions, and feta cheese (close-up photo).

Storage Ideas

Fridge. Retailer the leftover salad refrigerated in an air-tight container within the fridge for as much as 4 days.
Make-ahead tip: For those who plan on refrigerating the salad for a day or two, do not add the dressing. Add the dressing proper earlier than serving.

Mediterranean most important dishes to go together with Greek salad

What goes nicely with Greek salad for dinner? Grilled meats, equivalent to hen, beef, pork, lamb, and salmon. You may as well serve it along with your favourite pizza, pasta, and even frivolously charred pita bread. And, if you would like particular Mediterranean dinner suggestions, listed below are some concepts:

Different refreshing Summer season salads