A fresh Greek salad made with ripe tomatoes, crisp cucumber, green pepper, red onion, Kalamata olives and feta, finished with olive oil, red wine vinegar and oregano. It is bright, briny and ready in 20 minutes.
Calories
255kcal
Protein
7g
Carbs
Fat
Wash and dry the tomatoes. Cut each tomato into large wedges, then cut very large wedges in half. Place the tomatoes in a wide salad bowl, including any flavourful juices left on the cutting board.
Partially peel the cucumber, leaving narrow strips of skin for colour and texture. Cut it into thick half-moons. Slice the green pepper and red onion thinly, then add them to the bowl with the tomatoes
In a small bowl, combine the olive oil, red wine vinegar, 1 teaspoon of the dried oregano, salt and black pepper. Stir until evenly mixed. Taste carefully and adjust the vinegar only if necessary.
Add the Kalamata olives to the salad bowl. Pour the dressing over the vegetables and gently turn everything together using a large spoon. Avoid vigorous mixing, which can crush the tomatoes.
Arrange the feta in large pieces or slabs over the dressed vegetables. Sprinkle the remaining ½ teaspoon of oregano over the feta and salad. Add a small final drizzle of olive oil if desired.
Allow the salad to stand for 5 minutes at room temperature so the tomato juices combine with the olive oil, vinegar and oregano. Serve immediately with bread, grilled meat, seafood or another Mediterranean-style main dish.
This Greek salad recipe combines juicy tomatoes, crisp cucumber, green pepper, red onion, Kalamata olives and feta with a simple oregano dressing. It is fresh, colourful and ready in about 20 minutes without any cooking.
The salad works as a light lunch, an appetiser or a refreshing side dish for grilled meat, chicken, fish, beans and Mediterranean-style meals. Large vegetable pieces and generous portions of feta give every serving a balance of freshness, saltiness and acidity.
A traditional Greek salad, commonly called horiatiki, is a simple combination of fresh vegetables, olives, feta, oregano and olive oil. Unlike many restaurant salads served outside Greece, it does not require a base of lettuce.
The vegetables are normally kept in noticeable pieces instead of being finely chopped. Feta may be placed over the salad in a large slab or several substantial pieces rather than being completely crumbled.
Ripe tomatoes provide sweetness and natural juice, while cucumber and green pepper bring freshness and crunch. Red onion adds a sharper flavour, and Kalamata olives contribute a rich, briny character.
The dressing is intentionally simple. Extra-virgin olive oil adds richness, red wine vinegar provides acidity, and dried oregano gives the salad its recognisable herbal aroma. Because feta and olives are naturally salty, only a small amount of additional salt is necessary.
Tomatoes are the foundation of this salad, so choose ripe tomatoes with good colour, aroma and flavour. Medium vine tomatoes, plum tomatoes or other firm but juicy varieties can work well.
Avoid cutting the tomatoes too small. Larger pieces hold their shape and release their juices more gradually.
An English cucumber is convenient because its skin is relatively tender and its seeds are usually smaller. Partially peeling it creates a pleasant balance between colour, texture and tenderness.
If using a cucumber with large watery seeds, remove some of the centre with a spoon before slicing it.
Feta stored in brine is especially suitable because it remains moist and has a pleasantly tangy flavour. Drain it shortly before assembling the salad and add it after the vegetables have been dressed.
Large feta pieces provide a more traditional-style presentation and are less likely to disappear into the dressing than finely crumbled cheese.
Kalamata olives have a dark colour and a distinctive fruity, salty flavour. Pitted olives are easier to eat, while whole olives often retain a firmer texture.
If using olives with stones, make this clear to anyone eating the salad.
Red wine vinegar gives the salad a clean, sharp finish. Begin with the stated quantity and avoid adding excessive vinegar before tasting the dressed vegetables.
Dry all washed vegetables before cutting them. Water remaining on the cucumber, pepper or tomatoes will dilute the olive oil and vinegar.
Use ripe but firm tomatoes rather than tomatoes that are extremely soft. If the cucumber contains a particularly wet seed centre, remove some of it before slicing.
Dress the salad shortly before serving. Salt and vinegar gradually draw moisture from vegetables, so a salad left for several hours will naturally become more liquid.
Very small vegetables soften quickly and lose their separate textures. Keep the tomatoes, cucumber and feta in generous pieces.
Feta and olives may already provide enough salt for some tastes. Begin with a small amount and adjust only after the salad is fully assembled.
Adding the feta before vigorously tossing the salad can cause it to crumble into the dressing. Gently mix the vegetables first, then arrange the feta on top.
Because this recipe contains very few ingredients, bland tomatoes produce a bland salad. Use the most flavourful ripe tomatoes available.
Very cold tomatoes and olive oil can have muted flavour. For better results, allow the vegetables and feta to lose their refrigerator chill briefly before assembling the salad.
The vegetables can be washed and prepared a few hours in advance, but they should be stored separately from the dressing. Keep the feta and olives in separate covered containers as well.
Mix the salad shortly before serving. This preserves the crispness of the cucumber and pepper and prevents the bottom of the bowl from becoming excessively watery.
Cherry tomatoes can replace larger tomatoes. Cut them in half so their juices can mix with the dressing.
Black or green olives may be used when Kalamata olives are unavailable, although the flavour will be different.
White wine vinegar can replace red wine vinegar for a lighter acidity. Fresh lemon juice may replace part of the vinegar, but it will create a less traditional flavour.
Fresh oregano can be added when available. Use it sparingly because its flavour and texture differ from dried oregano.
For a vegan variation, omit the feta or use a suitable plant-based alternative. This changes the traditional character of the salad but still produces a fresh vegetable side dish.
This salad pairs well with many savoury dishes, including:
Bread is particularly useful for enjoying the tomato juices, olive oil and vinegar that collect at the bottom of the serving bowl.
Place leftovers in an airtight container and refrigerate them promptly. The dressed salad is best eaten on the day it is prepared, but it may be kept for up to two days.
The vegetables will soften and release more liquid during storage. Drain excess liquid if necessary and gently turn the salad before serving. This salad should not be frozen because freezing damages the texture of the raw vegetables and feta.
A traditional-style horiatiki salad generally does not contain lettuce. It is based on tomatoes, cucumber, pepper, onion, olives and feta. Lettuce can still be added for a personal variation.
A block of feta stored in brine is a good choice because it is moist, tangy and easy to cut into large pieces. Add it near the end so it keeps its shape.
Yes. Crumbled feta is convenient, but add it after dressing the vegetables and mix very gently to prevent it from becoming too broken down.
It is better to prepare the components separately and combine them before serving. A fully dressed salad left overnight will become softer and more watery.
The most common causes are wet vegetables, very soft tomatoes, a watery cucumber or adding the salt and dressing too early.
Yes. Regular black olives can be used, but they will not have exactly the same fruity and briny flavour as Kalamata olives.
It is usually served cool or near room temperature. Allowing the ingredients to lose their deep refrigerator chill can make the tomatoes, feta and olive oil taste more flavourful.
No. The cucumber, tomato and pepper become soft and watery after freezing and thawing. Prepare only the quantity that can be refrigerated and eaten within a short period.
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