Classic Greek Feta Salad

Experience the vibrant flavors of the Mediterranean with this incredibly fresh and easy-to-make Greek Salad Recipe with Feta. Perfect for any season, this salad shines brightest in the summer when garden tomatoes are at their peak. However, it’s just as delightful year-round using sweet grape or cherry tomatoes. Paired with a simple, yet utterly delicious, homemade Greek Salad Dressing, this recipe is sure to become a staple in your culinary repertoire.

A refreshing Mediterranean salad is always a welcome addition to any meal, offering a delightful blend of crisp vegetables, tangy feta cheese, and a zesty vinaigrette. This classic Greek Salad with Feta embodies the essence of wholesome eating, providing a light yet satisfying dish that’s bursting with flavor. Whether you’re hosting a summer barbecue, looking for a quick weeknight dinner side, or simply craving a taste of the Aegean, this recipe delivers on all fronts. Its straightforward preparation ensures that even novice cooks can achieve a restaurant-quality salad in minutes.

Why You Must Make This Greek Salad with Feta

There are countless reasons why this easy Greek salad recipe stands out. It’s not just a dish; it’s an experience that brings freshness and zest to your table. Here’s why it deserves a permanent spot in your recipe collection:

• Effortlessly Refreshing: This salad is incredibly simple to assemble, making it ideal for busy weeknights or impromptu gatherings. Its light and crisp ingredients offer a delightful coolness, perfect for combating summer heat or brightening up colder days.
• Celebrates Garden Freshness: If you’re lucky enough to have a garden, this salad is the ultimate way to showcase your ripe, juicy tomatoes. The flavor of sun-kissed, freshly picked tomatoes is unparalleled and transforms this salad into something truly special. For those times when garden tomatoes aren’t available, quality grape or cherry tomatoes make an excellent substitute, ensuring a sweet burst of flavor.
• Infinitely Customizable: The beauty of this Mediterranean chopped salad lies in its flexibility. While our core recipe provides a fantastic base, feel free to add or omit vegetables based on your preferences or what’s in season. For instance, if artichoke hearts aren’t a favorite, simply leave them out. Common additions include Kalamata olives, thinly sliced red onion, or even bell peppers for extra crunch and color.
• Versatile Pairing: This salad isn’t just a side dish; it’s a culinary chameleon. It pairs wonderfully with grilled entrees, like our Chicken Feta Kabobs, making for a truly authentic Greek feast. It also complements seafood, pasta dishes, or can even be bulked up with a protein to serve as a light lunch. Don’t forget to finish your meal with a slice of classic baklava for the complete Greek dining experience!
• Healthy and Nutritious: Packed with fresh vegetables, healthy fats from olive oil, and protein from feta cheese, this salad aligns beautifully with a healthy eating lifestyle. It’s a delicious way to boost your daily vegetable intake.

Key Ingredients for the Perfect Greek Salad

The success of any simple dish hinges on the quality of its ingredients, and this fresh Greek salad is no exception. Here’s a detailed look at what you’ll need and why each component is vital:

• Kitchen Staples: Always have essentials like good quality salt, freshly ground black pepper, and a touch of sugar on hand. These seasonings balance the flavors in the dressing and enhance the natural taste of the vegetables.
• Iceberg Lettuce: Chopped into neat cubes, iceberg lettuce provides that essential crisp crunch that contrasts beautifully with the other ingredients. Look for a dense, firm head to ensure maximum freshness and texture. While some traditional Greek salads omit lettuce, we find it adds a refreshing base.
• Ripe Garden Tomatoes: These are the stars of the summer version. Choose firm, vibrant red tomatoes, chopping them and removing seeds if preferred for a cleaner texture. During the off-season, sweet grape or cherry tomatoes, simply halved, are an excellent and flavorful alternative, ensuring your salad still bursts with juicy goodness.
• English Cucumber: Cubed for easy eating, English cucumbers are favored for their thinner skin, fewer seeds, and milder, sweeter flavor compared to standard cucumbers. If available, mini Persian cucumbers are an equally delightful substitute, offering a similar crunch and delicate taste.
• Artichoke Hearts: A 14-ounce can or jar of drained artichoke hearts, cut in half, adds a unique tangy and tender texture. These delightful morsels bring an extra layer of Mediterranean flavor that truly elevates the salad.
• Red Bell Pepper: Cut into cubes, a red bell pepper contributes a sweet crunch and a beautiful pop of color, enriching both the flavor and visual appeal of the salad.
• Feta Cheese: This is arguably the soul of the Greek salad. Always opt for a block of feta cheese, ideally from sheep’s or goat’s milk. Cubing it yourself ensures a superior texture and richer flavor compared to pre-crumbled varieties, which can often be dry and less authentic.

The Heart of the Dressing:

• Extra Virgin Olive Oil: The cornerstone of any Mediterranean dressing. Use a high-quality extra virgin olive oil for its fruity, peppery notes and smooth texture. It’s crucial for achieving that authentic flavor.
• Good Quality Red Wine Vinegar: The vinegar provides the essential tang. Invest in a good quality red wine vinegar; cheaper brands can be harsh. Locally sourced options from specialty shops often offer a superior, more balanced acidity.
• Freshly Squeezed Lemon Juice: Never compromise with bottled lemon juice! Freshly squeezed lemon juice brightens the dressing with its vibrant, zesty aroma and unparalleled freshness. It makes a noticeable difference.

Crafting Your Delicious Greek Salad: Step-by-Step Guide

While some purists might debate the authenticity of including lettuce or French feta in a “chopped Greek Salad,” this recipe prioritizes ease, lightness, and incredible flavor, especially perfect for those long summer days when gardens overflow with ripe, juicy tomatoes. This is the kind of homemade Greek salad you’ll want to eat every single day!

1. Prepare the Vinaigrette: In a small bowl, whisk together the red wine vinegar, freshly squeezed lemon juice, salt, sugar, and freshly ground black pepper until thoroughly combined. The sugar helps to balance the acidity of the vinegar and lemon.
2. Emulsify the Dressing: Slowly drizzle in the extra virgin olive oil while continuously whisking the mixture. This gradual addition and constant agitation are key to emulsifying the dressing, creating a thick, smooth, and satiny vinaigrette that clings beautifully to the salad ingredients. Set the finished dressing aside.
3. Chop the Ingredients: Carefully cube the feta cheese, ensuring consistent pieces. Proceed to chop all the vegetables – iceberg lettuce, tomatoes (or grape/cherry tomatoes), English cucumber, red bell pepper, and halved artichoke hearts. Aim for uniformly sized pieces for an aesthetically pleasing and easy-to-eat salad.
4. Layer the Base: Begin by layering the chopped iceberg lettuce evenly on the bottom of a large serving bowl. This forms a crisp and refreshing foundation for your salad.
5. Arrange Vegetables and Cheese: Artfully arrange the chopped tomatoes, cucumbers, red bell pepper, artichoke hearts, and cubed feta cheese over the bed of lettuce. You can either toss them gently together at this stage or create distinct layers for a more visually striking presentation.
6. Dress and Serve Immediately: Just before serving, pour the prepared Greek salad dressing over the vegetables and feta. Toss everything gently to ensure every ingredient is coated with the vibrant vinaigrette. Serve your fresh Greek salad immediately to enjoy its peak crispness and flavor.

Pro Tips for an Unforgettable Greek Salad Experience

Since the ingredients for this easy Greek salad are relatively minimal, the quality of each component is absolutely paramount to achieving a truly exceptional dish. Follow these expert tips to elevate your salad to new heights:

• Prioritize Ingredient Quality: This cannot be stressed enough. Fresh, high-quality ingredients are the secret to a simple salad that tastes extraordinary.
• Selecting the Perfect Tomatoes: Winter grocery store tomatoes are notoriously bland. During the off-season, always opt for sweet cherry or grape tomatoes. Their concentrated flavor will provide the juicy, tangy burst that larger, out-of-season tomatoes often lack.
• The Feta Difference: Say no to pre-crumbled feta in plastic containers. These often contain anti-caking agents and lack the creamy texture and rich, briny flavor of block feta. Purchasing a block of your favorite Greek, French, or Bulgarian feta and cubing or crumbling it yourself ensures a superior taste and texture that truly defines a great Feta cheese salad.
• Cucumber Choices: An English cucumber is highly recommended due to its smaller seeds, thinner, less bitter skin, and slightly sweeter taste. If you can find them, mini Persian cucumbers are another fantastic alternative, offering a delightful crispness.
• Invest in Good Vinegar: Just like olive oil, the quality of your red wine vinegar matters. Inexpensive grocery store brands can sometimes have a harsh or overly acidic flavor. Seek out a reputable brand or a locally sourced vinegar for a smoother, more nuanced dressing.
• Mastering the Vinaigrette: To create a perfectly emulsified homemade Greek salad dressing, whisk together all liquid ingredients (vinegar, lemon juice, salt, sugar, pepper) first. Then, slowly and steadily drizzle in the olive oil while whisking continuously. This technique combines the oil and water-based ingredients into a stable, creamy mixture, preventing separation and ensuring a rich, clinging dressing.
• Recipe Inspiration and Variations: This particular recipe, shared by a friend of Lebanese descent, leans into Middle Eastern flavors, offering a slightly unique take on what many consider a traditional Greek salad. Feel free to explore other additions such as thinly sliced red onion for a pungent bite, Kalamata olives for their briny depth, or even a sprinkle of fresh oregano for an aromatic touch.
• Serving and Storage Tips: Always toss the salad with dressing just before serving to prevent the lettuce and other vegetables from becoming soggy. If preparing ahead, keep the dressing separate and combine right before your meal. Leftover dressing can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week.

The Mediterranean Diet Connection

This healthy Greek salad recipe isn’t just delicious; it’s a prime example of the health benefits inherent in the Mediterranean diet. Rich in fresh vegetables, healthy monounsaturated fats from olive oil, and calcium-rich feta, it offers a powerhouse of nutrients. The diet, recognized for promoting heart health, longevity, and overall well-being, emphasizes plant-based foods, lean proteins, and healthy fats. Incorporating dishes like this vibrant Greek salad regularly into your diet can contribute significantly to a balanced and nutritious lifestyle, making healthy eating both easy and enjoyable.

Frequently Asked Questions About Greek Salad

For those new to making Greek salad or looking to perfect their technique, here are some common questions and answers:

• What makes a salad “Greek”? Traditional Greek salads (Horiatiki) typically feature tomatoes, cucumbers, red onion, Kalamata olives, and a large slice of feta cheese, often without lettuce. The dressing is usually just olive oil and red wine vinegar. Our recipe is a popular Americanized version that includes lettuce and artichoke hearts, offering a slightly different, equally delicious profile.
• Can I add protein to make it a meal? Absolutely! Grilled chicken, shrimp, chickpeas, or even canned tuna make fantastic additions to transform this side salad into a complete and satisfying meal.
• How far in advance can I prepare this salad? You can chop all the vegetables and cube the feta several hours in advance. Store them separately in airtight containers in the refrigerator. Prepare the dressing separately as well. Combine and toss with dressing just before serving for the freshest taste and best texture.
• What if I don’t like red wine vinegar? While red wine vinegar is classic, you can experiment with other vinegars like white wine vinegar or even apple cider vinegar for a different flavor profile. Just be sure to taste and adjust the sweetness and acidity.
• Are Kalamata olives essential? While not included in this specific recipe, Kalamata olives are a hallmark of Greek salads. Adding them will impart a distinct salty, fruity flavor that many people love. If you enjoy olives, feel free to add about 1/2 cup, pitted and halved.

You May Also Love These Salad Recipes:

• Watermelon Feta Salad
• Mediterranean Chopped Salad
• Guacamole Salad
• Greek Farro Salad
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• More of the Best Salad Recipes

The Recipe:

Greek Salad with Feta Recipe

Prep Time
20 minutes

Total Time
20 minutes

Yield
4 servings

A healthy, tasty Greek salad packed with fresh vegetables and creamy feta cheese, perfect for any meal!

Ingredients

• Half a head of iceberg lettuce, chopped into cubes (may use full head if preferred)
• 1-2 ripe garden tomatoes, chopped with seeds removed if desired (or 1-2 cups grape/cherry tomatoes, halved)
• ½ English cucumber, cubed
• 14 ounce can artichoke hearts, drained and cut in halves
• 1 red bell pepper, cut into cubes
• ½ cup Feta cheese, cubed from a block

Dressing:

• ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 4 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
• ½ teaspoon salt (or to taste)
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Instructions

1. Whisk together vinegar, lemon juice, salt, sugar, and pepper in a small bowl until well combined.
2. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil while continuously whisking to emulsify the dressing. Set aside.
3. Layer the chopped iceberg lettuce on the bottom of a large serving bowl.
4. Arrange the chopped tomatoes, cucumber, red bell pepper, artichoke hearts, and cubed feta cheese evenly over the lettuce.
5. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss gently to coat all ingredients immediately before serving.

Notes

Slowly adding the olive oil to the other dressing ingredients while whisking continuously allows the dressing to emulsify. This process helps mixtures that don’t typically combine smoothly to become thick, homogeneous, and satiny, ensuring the dressing evenly coats your salad.

Recommended Kitchen Tools

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• Santoku Knife
• OXO Cutting Board
• OXO Good Grips 11-Inch Better Balloon Whisk

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

4

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving:
Calories: 248Total Fat: 18gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 15gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 571mgCarbohydrates: 20gFiber: 8gSugar: 7gProtein: 5g

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