The Freshest Ever Greek Salad
According to Greek language, Greek Salad is referred to as Horiatiki, which translates, Village or Peasant Salad. In Greece, peasant farmers were known to take Horiatiki ingredients such as tomatoes, feta, and an onion to the fields and bite into them whole—even the onion!* Also, the Greek physician, Hippocrates, advocated for eating salads before main courses to assist in the body’s digestion.** Nowadays, the famed Greek Salad has gained popularity across borders, and I personally love this salad because the crisp crunch of cucumber and sweet, juicy tomato complements with the salty notes of the feta cheese and olives, while the sour tang of the vinaigrette balances well with the earthy oregano. Try it and see for yourself that each bite has a burst of fresh flavors!
Ingredients
- 3 cups tomato, about 5 ripe Roma tomatoes
- 1 English cucumber
- 1 large red bell pepper
- 1 cup sliced black olives
- ½ cup + 1/3 cup cubed feta cheese
- 1/3 cup + 2 T. red onion
- ¼ cup parsley
- 1 T. fresh Mediterranean oregano or 1 t. dried if you can find it.
- DRESSING:
- 1 ½ T. red wine vinegar
- 3 T. extra-virgin olive oil
- ½ t. sea salt
- ¼ t. ground black pepper
Directions
- Step 1 First, cut the tomatoes in half horizontally and scoop out the seeds and their juices with a spoon or otherwise the salad will be too watery. Then, dice or cut the tomatoes into wedges. I originally diced my tomatoes but regretted doing so when a friend brought a beautiful Greek salad to a party with tomatoes cut into wedges. But mulling it over, I think I preferred my version since the smaller cut of tomatoes allowed me to pack more flavors into one bite. I’ll leave the decision up to you.
- Step 2 Second, prep the cucumbers and bell pepper. With the cucumber, cut it in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds with a spoon to prevent the salad from becoming too watery. Then, either dice the cucumber or cut it in crescent shapes, depending on your aim. If you’re shooting for an artistic salad, cut it in crescent shapes, or if you want a mouthful of flavors, dice the cucumber. Either way, add to a large mixing bowl with the tomatoes. Then, with the bell pepper, devein the ribs and remove the pith and seeds. Then, dice or slice the bell pepper, again depending on your objective. For an artistic salad, slice—otherwise, dice. Add to the same mixing bowl.
- Step 3 Third, dice or chop the red onion into curved, matchstick slices. In this case, I prefer to dice the onion since it has a pungent taste, but it’s up to you if you want a more artistic salad, then slice. Mix with the tomatoes, cucumber, and pepper in their bowl. Then, chop the parsley and cut off a couple florets to add to the salad, if you’d like, for a decorative touch. Toss into the mixing bowl. Next, add the olives and cube the cheese, combining both with the rest of the ingredients.
- Step 4 Fourth, to make the dressing, combine the oregano, vinegar, oil, salt, and pepper in a separate mixing bowl. Then, pour the dressing over the rest of the salad ingredients and toss gently since the feta falls easily apart. Let sit for 30 minutes, if you can, to optimize the flavors. Then, serve at room temperature. Enjoy!
With my Freshest Ever Greek Salad, every bite is a burst of flavors—with either a crisp crunch of cucumbers, mixed with a nutty note of black olives and an earthy hint of oregano, or a salty touch of feta cheese, coupled by juicy, sweet tomatoes. Then, you simply can’t forget that tangy vinaigrette, which brings together all the flavors!
NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION:
Serving per recipe: 4, calories: 285, total fat: 22.6 g., saturated fat: 7.7 g., cholesterol: 33 mg., sodium: 957 mg., total carbohydrate: 16.5 g., dietary fiber: 4 g., total sugars: 8.8 g., protein: 7.9 g., calcium: 260 mg., iron: 3 mg., potassium: 545 mg., magnesium: mg., vitamin D: 0 IU.
SOURCES:
*EF Staff, “Traditional Greek Salad’s Origin and the Invasion of the Tomato,” EF: Educational Tours, 16 Apil 2014.
**”How the Greeks Invented Salad,” The Peterborough Examiner, 21 November, 2013. Last updated 14 May 2020.