Loaded with fresh veggies, the best vinaigrette and lots of feta, Greek Salad has to be the absolute best of its kind. Chop, whisk, toss, and serve! It’s as simple as that. It just might be one of the only salads that you can not just store leftovers, but they end up tasting even better the next day.
Here’s to my all-time favorite salad! We have cucumber (the best vegetable), cherry tomatoes (a literal burst of happiness), kalamata olives (okay this one is controversial; I’ll eat them by the handful), and, most importantly, tons of feta cheese. Everything is better with cheese, and that’s a fact.
It’s a really easy beginner-level recipe that you can serve your family on a casual night in, dinner guests, or even contribute to your neighborhood potluck. You probably don’t have tons of questions surrounding such a simple 3-step recipe, but I have everything you need to know about substitutes, and a couple of tricks to make this recipe your own.
Ingredients
Click “Jump to the Recipe” at the top of the page or keep on scrolling down to the recipe card for full ingredient amounts and instructions. Below I have ingredient substitutes, extra detail, tips, and tricks.
- Onion – Red onion is traditional for Greek salad. That being said, use any type you like! You can also slice your onion into strips if you prefer. I dice the onion to give every ingredient a some-what even size in each serving.
- Red wine vinegar – This is what gives Greek salad its classic, recognizable flavor. If you don’t have any on hand, you can use other types. Sherry vinegar, while a little sweeter, will work. White wine vinegar can also be used.
- Extra virgin olive oil – The best oil for salads! Other types you can use are sunflower, walnut, or avocado oil.
- Lemon – Freshly squeezed juice is best. Are you a big lemon fan, grate a bit of zest for the dressing before squeezing it.
- Sugar – You can use as much or little as you want depending on how vinegary you’d like the dressing. Honey or agave can also be used.
- Garlic – I used 2 cloves. Use more or less as you see fit!
- Oregano – The recipe calls for dried, but feel free to use fresh if you have it. In that case, double the amount called for.
- Salt & pepper – Season to taste.
- Cucumber – Make sure you grab an English cucumber. They have nice and thin skin which is perfect for salads like this.
- Bell pepper – Any color you’d like! I prefer the sweetness from red bell pepper.
- Tomatoes – I always go for cherry tomatoes. They hold up nicely in Greek salad without falling apart. You can use grape or Roma tomatoes instead.
- Olives – Kalamata is traditional and, in my opinion, the BEST tasting for this recipe. The Mediterranean offers up many gorgeous varieties of olives! Use your favorite(s).
- Feta – I like to cube half the feta and crumble the remaining half to ensure lots of cheesy goodness in each bite. Grab feta made from cow’s milk, sheep’s, goat’s, or a mixture.
How to make Greek salad
- Start the dressing: Add the red wine vinegar, lemon juice, sugar, garlic, oregano, salt, and pepper to a mixing bowl and whisk to dissolve the sugar and salt.
- Finish the dressing: Slowly pour the olive oil in, while whisking vigorously, until completely incorporated.
- Toss: Add the rest of the ingredients to a salad bowl and top with the prepared dressing. Toss well to combine and serve.
FAQ
No problem at all; I have a great trick for taking the edge off the onion in Greek salad.
1. Boil 1-2 cups of water and place the prepped onion in a colander.
2. Pour the hot water over the onion and drain well.
3. Transfer the onion to the bowl with your prepared dressing. Cover and refrigerate for 10-20 minutes, then toss with the remaining salad ingredients.
Trying to use some produce? Looking to substitute an ingredient or two that you don’t love in the recipe? Greek salad dressing has a flavor that works with so many fresh ingredients.
You can add fresh parsley, mint, various different colors of bell pepper, greens such as lettuce or spinach, avocado, artichoke hearts, chickpeas, capers, bocconcini, to name a few.
This salad is great a side dish or appetizer. Keep in mind the dressing becomes a little liquid as moisture is pulled from the veggies, so I like to serve it in a bowl.
Try this salad as a main dish with my Mediterranean Lamb Meatballs, a dollop of tzatziki, and fresh pita bread.
How to store leftover Greek salad
Transfer leftovers to an airtight container and store in the fridge. They will last for up to 3 days.
If you plan on making Greek salad ahead, keep in mind the vinaigrette will have a very light pickling effect on the veggies. It’s a flavor that I love! You might even want to prepare this salad the day before if you like the pickling.
If you prefer ultra-fresh veggies, you can prep ahead of time by mixing up the dressing, chopping the veggies, then tossing everything together when you’re ready to serve.
Check out these simple, fresh salad recipes:
- Dad’s Classic Caesar Salad
- Salad de Maison
- Pico de Gallo
- Watermelon and Feta Salad
- 20 Salad Recipes that will Blow Your Mind!
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Greek Salad
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
- 1 tbsp lemon juice from half a lemon
- 1 tsp sugar
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tsp oregano dried
- 1/2 tsp salt or to taste
- 1/2 tsp pepper or to taste
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 English cucumber cubed
- 1 bell pepper diced
- 1/2 cup red onion diced
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes halved or quartered, depending on the size
- 1/2 cup kalamata olives pitted
- 1 cup feta cheese 1/2 crumbled, 1/2 cubed
Instructions
- Add the red wine vinegar, lemon juice, sugar, garlic, oregano, salt, and pepper to a mixing bowl and whisk to dissolve the sugar and salt.
- Slowly pour the olive oil in, while whisking vigorously, until completely incorporated.
- Add the rest of the ingredients to a salad bowl and top with the prepared dressing. Toss well to combine and serve.
The best!!!
This will be my favourite recipe for a Greek salad. Will make this week!
I hope you love it! 😁
Added mint and it was the best Greek Salad I have ever had!
Fresh mint is a great idea! 😋
I love the scrumptious picture and the information on the calories etc. We will be trying out the onion tip the next time we try your Greek salad recipe.
Hi. This looks amazing. I love Greek salad and will try it soon. We were in Greece last year, and they rarely serve it with peppers, sometimes serve it with anchovies, and most often had a simple slab of feta cheese right on top. Super easy.
I could eat this every day. Will definitely try the onion tip!
Love your blog!!
I was at a greek restaurant with the slab of feta on top a few weeks ago, it was fantastic! Thank you so much 🙂
Wow thanks for the onion tip! I will be trying that.