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Tomato and Cucumber Greek Salad Recipe

The popular Greek Salad has many variations and robust flavors. The freshness of the vegetables combined with the rich taste of the feta and Kalamata olives makes for a delightful meal. You can easily make a Greek salad at home with easy-to-find ingredients.

The Vegetable Base

The vegetable base of a Greek salad is very important. You should choose the freshest vegetables available. The core ingredients include ripe and juicy tomatoes, crispy cucumbers and some Kalamata olives.

Salad dressing poured over Greek Salad.

The Dressing

The secret to making a delicious Greek salad lies in the dressing. It is not that difficult though, you just need to mix up olive oil, red wine vinegar, and lemon juice. You should also add salt and pepper to your taste. The dressing might taste a little sharp, but when mixed with the other ingredients, it will become an attractive and tasty delight to your palate. Remember, this dressing can be used to marinate feta cheese and boiled eggs for best flavor.

The right cheese

Feta cheese is the perfect cheese for Greek salad since it is tangy and salty, has a smooth texture, and perfectly complements the crispy vegetables. Feta cheese is easy to find and is readily available in supermarkets or speciality cheese shops. The great thing about Feta cheese is that it never overpowers the other flavors, but rather complements them.

Greek salad with dressing on a white plate.

Variations

You can just about any vegetable to the core ingredients. Some variations include adding lettuce, spinach, quinoa, bell peppers or pickles. Ultimately it is YOUR salad and you can do whatever you want with it. Consider this Greek Salad ‘recipe’ as a guide and experiment to your heart’s content!

Do you have a favorite Greek Salad combination that you like? Leave a comment and let us know.

Greek salad is an easy recipe to follow and versatile. It’s an excellent dish for any season and is adaptable to anyone’s preference. It suits people on weight-watching diets, vegetarians, and those who enjoy refreshing vegetable salads.

Greek salad with dressing on a white plate.

FAQ

WHAT IS THE DRESSING MADE OF IN A TRADITIONAL GREEK SALAD? – Very good extra virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar and fresh lemon juice.

WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN GREEK AND MEDITERRANEAN SALAD? – The Mediterranean is a much larger area than Greece itself and includes many cultures and culinary palates. To say that a salad is a Mediterranean salad is saying that the ingredients are common to the Mediterranean area and not necessarily to a specific country or culture. Common ingredients in Mediterranean salads include red onions, yogurt, dill, chickpeas, cheese local to the region and sometimes charcuterie. This type of salad is more of an umbrella of salads than an actual salad.

DOES GREEK SALAD CONTAIN LETTUCE? – A traditional ‘Greek salad’ does not contain lettuce but Greeks do eat lettuce in their salads, sometimes calling it a ‘peasant salad’.

Greek salad with dressing on a white plate.

Traditional Greek Salad Recipe

Yield: 6 cups
Prep Time: 10 minutes

A traditional Greek salad with tomatoes, cucumbers, kalamata olives and feta cheese.

Ingredients

  • 2 cups of cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 2 cups sliced cucumbers
  • 1 cup Kalamata olives, pitted
  • 1 cup Feta cheese
  • parsley for garnish
  • 5 Tbs extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 Tbs lemon juice
  • 1 Tbs red wine vinegar

Instructions

  1. In four bowls, evenly divide the tomatoes, cucumber, feta, olives. Sprinkle with chopped parsley as desired.
  2. Mix olive oil, lemon juice and vinegar in a jar with a lid. Drizzle evenly over the four salad bowls. Serve.

Notes

  • This recipe is scalable.
  • You can save the individual ingredients in the fridge and assemble when ready.
  • Variations include red onions, black pepper, chickpeas, fresh herbs, lettuce or other greens.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 341Total Fat: 32gSaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 22gCholesterol: 33mgSodium: 558mgCarbohydrates: 8gFiber: 2gSugar: 4gProtein: 7g

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