One of the most popular salads in the world: healthy, delicious, and very easy to make. With only 8 simple Greek Salad recipe ingredients: cucumber, tomatoes, green bell pepper, red onions, olives, feta cheese, dried oregano, and of course – olive oil you will surely satisfy those cravings for Greek food!
Greek cuisine has a reputation for providing heart healthy and balanced diet, this is because they primarily eat plant-based foods and consume nine servings of vegetables each day! Having this in mind it’s no wonder why Greek salad or Horiatiki as they call it in Greece, is one of the most popular salads in the world – healthy, delicious, and very easy to make!
Greek Salad History
Greek salad history begins when tomato seeds were brought to Spain from South America by during the exploration of the New World and they then spread to Italy, and Greece. The first tomatoes to grow in Greece were on the island of Syros, not long after they were grown in Santorini where to this day tomatoes are thriving on rich volcanic soil.
Even tho the basis of Horiatiki salad was a simple farmer’s lunchbox of olives, onions, and a slice of bread wrapped in a towel today’s Greek salad was invented by tavern owners in Plaka, at the foot of the Acropolis in Athens around 1960’s and early 1970s. At the time government introduced fixed prices on tomatoes, cucumbers, and other vegetables, so tavern owners found a way to get around the law and charge customers a higher price by adding a block of feta cheese and olive oil on top.
Is Greek Salad Healthy?
According to the U.S. World News Report, a team of nationally recognized health professionals found that the Mediterranean diet is the No. 1 diet in the world. As stated in a report Mediterranean diet uses different varieties of produce, seafood, herbs, and spices, and plenty of nutrient-rich foods are consumed regularly. The Mediterranean diet focuses on diet quality rather than a single nutrient or food group. People who eat a Mediterranean-style diet have longer lifespans, report a higher quality of life, and are less likely to suffer from chronic diseases such as cancer and heart disease. So, yes, if you want to eat healthily and enjoy delicious meals Greek cuisine is one of the best choices, so this salad recipe is a perfect kickoff.
Greek Salad Ingredients
Horiatiki or Greek Village Salad is served from early spring to the early part of fall – that’s the time when fresh season products are available. For a tasty salad choose ripped, fresh ingredients.
- Tomatoes – fresh, ripe, and juicy tomatoes are the basis of Greek salad, best to use Roma tomatoes. An authentic Greek salad is made with chunks of large tomatoes
- Cucumber – smooth-skinned, firm cucumber brings crunchiness and juiciness to the salad
- Green bell pepper – this ingredient not only adds crunchiness to the dish but is high in iron and rich in vitamin C, which can help your body absorb iron more efficiently
- Onion – Greeks use red onion, its a bit sweeter and has a more intense flavor, moreover, it contains a higher amount of antioxidants than white onions, so that is one more reason why this dish can be called a healthy meal
- Olives – Kalamata olives would be the best choice for Greek salad – they are considered to be the overall healthiest type of olives: high in sodium, contain healthy fats, are a natural antioxidant, and contain plenty of vitamins and minerals, with iron and mineral A.
- Feta cheese – is traditional Greek brined white cheese made from sheep’s milk. No traditional Greek salad can be served without fresh and good-quality feta cheese which adds saltiness and tanginess to this recipe
- Olive oil – keeping in mind that Greece is the world’s third-largest producer of olive oil no wonder it is essential in this recipe.
Tips to Make Traditional Greek Salad
- Cut tomatoes, cucumbers, and green bell pepper into large chunks
- Do not slice olives, originally they are left whole
- Serve salad in a shallow bowl or plate with a slice of bread
- Season with a dash of kosher salt and dried oregano
- For the original recipe – add a whole block of feta on top, do not crumble
- Sprinkle
- Serve immediately
Greek Salad Serving Suggestions
In a traditional greek home among various of dishes you will almost always find a bowl of a fresh Greek salad – amazingly it goes with almost everything! Grilled or roasted meat and fish, Greek-style appetizers, classic dishes, as well as burgers. It’s the perfect side dish, but also makes a great light meal! If serving as a side dish does not divide the salad into separate dishes, traditionally it is eaten on its own dish by everyone and this gives the opportunity to dip the bread in its juice
Greek Salad Dressing
Original Greek salad is served with nothing more but olive oil and some dried oregano, but for a more zesty and brisk flavor, you can try mixing it with a simple, but easy-to-make Greek vinaigrette salad dressing.
In a bowl mix olive oil, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, minced garlic cloves, dried oregano, and pepper. Sprinkle a generous amount of dressing on the prepared salad or serve in a separate bowl so everyone adds a desirable amount.
Preparing the Horiatiki or Greek Village Salad
1. Slice cucumber into large chunks
2. Cut cherry tomatoes in half. If using large tomatoes divide them into four pieces
3. Cut the red onion in half and slice it
4. Cut green bell pepper into large bite-size chunks
5. Mix all ingredients
6. Add kalamata pitted olives
7. Add dressing if using and mix everything well again
8. Add feta cheese, frizzle a bit of olive oil, and season with dried Oregon
Greek Salad Variations
If you want to make it a bit different or spice it up a bit Greek salad is one of the best meals to do so, because even Greeks have their own way of making Horiatiki in different parts of the country.
- Greek Salad with vinegar – to spice it up pour over a splash of red wine vinegar and add thinly sliced garlic and capers
- Greek salad with avocado – to create a more creamy version of Greek salad slice up an avocado, mix it with other ingredients, and top it with a splash of fresh lemon juice
- Greek salad with nuts – to make salad packed with ALA omega-3 fatty acids add chopped walnuts
- Greek Salad from Tinos – to create Tino’s island version of Greek salad add capers, substitute kalamata olives with black ones, green bell pepper with orange ones and also add sweet seaweed
Storage Tips
Even tho these Greek Salad is quick and easy to make you can prepare the ingredients ahead of time and store them in the refrigerator. Prepared salad can be stored in a tight-lid container for up to 2 days in the refrigerator, but keep in mind that it’s best to prepare it right before you are planning to eat it as it becomes soggy rather quickly. If you must prepare it beforehand – keep all ingredients in a fridge separately.