This Classic Greek Salad Recipe is loaded with juicy tomatoes, crisp cucumbers, creamy feta, and tangy kalamata olives, and you’ll love the perfectly seasoned Greek salad dressing that will make you want to lick the bowl. Serve this all summer long with fresh veggies, or to add a zing to wintertime cucumbers and tomatoes!
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As one of my favorite ways to enjoy fresh veggies from the garden, this recipe was originally featured in my Natasha’s Kitchen Cookbook, but I am excited to finally share it on my blog with a full video tutorial.
Greek Salad Video
From start to finish, this Traditional Greek Salad recipe takes under 10 minutes, because it’s just a little slicing to prep the veggies and a bit of mixing for the perfect Greek Salad Dressing. Done!
Easy Greek Salad Recipe
In this classic Greek salad or “Horiatiki” recipe, fresh tomatoes and crisp cucumbers from my garden take center stage, and then they are perfectly complemented by salty feta cheese, olives, and a tangy Greek Salad Dressing. It’s refreshing and perfect for a quick lunch or as a side to grilled or roasted protein.
I love how easy it is to make and you can customize it. Feel free to swap ingredients (I shared suggestions below) to make it fit your tastes or what you have on hand, like I did with my Greek Chicken Bowl.
I love tossing fruits and veggies from my garden into a dish like this Classic Greek Salad recipe or other veggie favorites like my Caprese Skewers and Pico de Gallo. It’s a feeling of accomplishment when I get to say, “Hey, I grew that!”
Ingredients for Traditional Greek Salad
Fresh vegetables are ideal, but if you don’t have a garden or it’s the middle of winter, don’t worry! You’ll be amazed how quickly this easy Greek salad dressing brings winter and less-than-ripe produce back to life.
- Cherry tomatoes – grape tomatoes work well too. If they are large, you can cut them in half, or you can use garden tomatoes chopped into uniform chunks.
- English cucumber – slice in half longways and then into half-moons. This variety is longer and thinner, and they are usually wrapped in plastic. Substitute with 4 garden cucumbers chopped into bite-sized chunks if you’d prefer.
- Bell pepper – I love any color bell pepper here. You can substitute with mini bell peppers or leave them out if you don’t love bell peppers.
- Feta cheese – provides saltiness and creaminess. Buy crumbles or break up a brick of feta cheese into pieces. You can also use a whole block of feta, which is traditional for Greek salad – I’ve had it served in a Greek restaurant this way and it’s beautiful!
- Kalamata olives – cut in half or chop. You can also use sliced olives to save a step. I love the salty and tangy bite these add to the salad.
- Red onion – gives a delicious layer of flavor to salads. You can use shallots or white onions, or leave them out (but only if you must).
Pro Tip:
Some recipes call for cutting the seeds out of the cucumbers to make it less watery, but my crew eats the Greek salad so fast, I don’t include this step. If you plan to make it ahead, consider removing the seeds.
Greek Salad Dressing Ingredients
- Red Wine Vinegar – gives the dressing the perfect tanginess. Swap with white wine vinegar, rice vinegar, apple cider vinegar, or lemon juice, although it may change the flavor slightly.
- Olive oil – extra virgin olive oil is the best oil to use for Greek salad dressing, because it has a neutral flavor with some peppery notes
- Seasoning – dried oregano, minced garlic cloves, salt, and pepper
Natasha’s Tip To Cut Cherry Tomatoes:
I love this quick kitchen hack for cutting cherry tomatoes. Sandwich the tomatoes between two plastic lids, and cut using a serrated knife while holding the lids steady. Easy! P.S. I use the lids from my Tupperware containers.
How to Make Greek Salad
It couldn’t be easier to make my Greek salad recipe with homemade Greek salad dressing.
- Make the dressing – Whisk together all the salad ingredients, or shake in a mason jar.
- Make the salad – Place all the chopped veggies in a serving bowl.
- Dress and Serve – Add the dressing just before serving and toss to combine. I add all of the dressing, but you can add it to taste.
Make-Ahead and Storage Tips
Once the Greek salad dressing is added, it’s best eaten within a few hours, so keep the dressing separate from the vegetables to make my recipe last longer.
- Make-Ahead: Make the dressing and store it in an airtight container for up to 7 days in the fridge. Chop and combine the salad ingredients, then store them in a separate airtight container for up to 2 days.
- To Refrigerate: leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge overnight, but keep in mind the veggies will soften and will release water.
What to Serve with Greek Salad
Greek food is simply so delicious, and this classic Greek salad recipe goes well with a whole range of dishes. You can eat the salad as a meal for lunch, topped with Baked chicken Breast, or serve it with these recipes for dinner:
- Shrimp Scampi
- Pan-seared Steak
- Salmon Patties
- Greek Lemon Potatoes
- Garlic Chicken Skewers
- Homemade Pita Bread
- Beef Kabobs
- Baklava
My Classic Greek Salad recipe with easy homemade Greek salad dressing showcases the beautiful colors and fresh flavors of the garden! It’s the perfect way to use those freshly picked veggies or to bring life back into winter menus. Make this your own by adding your favorite salad ingredients!
Easy Greek Salad Recipe
Ingredients
Ingrediants for Greek Salad Dressing
- ¼ cup red wine vinegar
- 1 tsp dried oregano leaves
- 2 garlic cloves, minced or grated
- ¾ tsp fine sea salt
- ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
- ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
Greek Salad Ingredients
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved (or 1 pound garden tomatoes, chopped)
- 1 English cucumber, or 4 garden cucumbers, sliced into 1/2 inch-thick half-moons
- 1 bell pepper, any color, stemmed, seeded
- 6 oz feta cheese, diced from a block or crumbled (about 1 cup)
- ½ cup pitted kalamata olives, halved or roughly chopped
- ¼ cup thinly sliced red onion
Instructions
- Make the dressing – Measure the vinegar, oregano, salt, and pepper into a medium bowl or resealable mason jar, and mix to combine. Next, add the oil to the mixture, and whisk or shake vigorously. Set aside.
- Make the salad – In a large serving bowl, place the prepared tomatoes, cucumber, bell pepper, feta, olives, and red onion. Toss to combine. Add the dressing and toss to coat the vegetables just before serving. Serve immediately.
- Dress and Serve – Just before serving, drizzle the dressing over the top and toss to combine. This salad is best enjoyed within 2-3 hours of adding the dressing.
Notes
Storage: You can refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 1 day.
Nutrition Per Serving
Filed Under
More Easy Salad Recipes
This Greek salad recipe takes less than 10 minutes to make a delicious and filling salad. Next, try these other quick salad recipes:
- Caesar Salad
- Avocado Chicken Salad
- Maroulosalata
- Greek Pasta Salad
- Chickpea Salad
- Tomato Cucumber Mozzarella Salad
- Asian Chopped Salad
- Shrimp Cobb Salad
- Avocado Tuna Salad
NATASHA:
I MAKE THIS ALL THE TIME, BUT TO YOUR RECIPE I ADD DICED GREEN ONIONS; SLICED BLACK OLIVES; CHOPPED FRESH ITALIAN PARSLEY AND BASIL; CHOPPED SWEET PEPPERS; SLICED GREEK PEPERONCINIS; ADDITIONALLY, I USUALLY ADD A RASPBERRY INFUSED WHITE BALSAMIC.
I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us, John!