Greek salad
Bright, no-fuss Greek salad with ripe tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, Kalamata olives and a block of feta dressed in lemon and olive oil.
This is the sunny, pared-back Greek salad you want on repeat all summer. Crisp tomatoes and cucumber, punchy red onion, salty Kalamata olives and a block of feta dressed simply with lemon and olive oil.
It’s perfect for a light lunch, a BBQ side or to pile on top of grilled fish. Keep the feta whole until the end for proper presentation and texture — proper Greek style.
Ingredients
- 500 g ripe tomatoes — cut into wedges
- 1 cucumber — about 300 g, halved lengthways and sliced 8–10 mm
- 1 red onion — thinly sliced
- 1 green pepper — seeded and thinly sliced
- 100 g Kalamata olives — pitted
- 200 g feta cheese — block, leave whole for topping
- 60 ml extra virgin olive oil
- 1 lemon — juice of approximately 1 lemon (about 15 ml)
- 15 ml red wine vinegar
- 5 ml dried oregano
- 5 ml sea salt — adjust if your feta or olives are salty
- 5 ml black pepper — freshly ground
Equipment
- citrus juicer
- measuring spoons
- salad servers
Instructions
Prepare the vegetables: cut the ripe tomatoes into wedges, halve and slice the cucumber, thinly slice the red onion and thinly slice the green pepper. Place all prepared veg in a large bowl.
Whisk the dressing in a small bowl: combine the extra virgin olive oil, juice of the lemon, red wine vinegar, dried oregano, sea salt and black pepper until emulsified.
Add the Kalamata olives to the bowl of vegetables. Pour over the dressing and very gently toss everything together once or twice so the tomatoes keep their shape.
Top the salad with the block of feta in the middle. Sprinkle a little extra dried oregano over the cheese and finish with a light drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.
Leave the salad to rest for the flavours to marry for 10 minutes at room temperature before serving.
Tips
- Keep the feta as a block on the top until serving — it looks generous and prevents the salad becoming too salty when mixed with dressing.
- Slice the vegetables roughly the same size so every forkful has a balance of flavours and textures.
- If tomatoes are very ripe, drain any excess juice from the cutting board before tossing to avoid a watery salad.
- Make the dressing just before serving; store-bought or pre-made dressings tend to overwhelm the fresh vegetables.
- Leftovers keep well in the fridge for up to 24 hours, but the salad will become wetter as the vegetables release juice—serve within a day.
Substitutions
feta cheese → goat's cheese, same weight
Stays closeKalamata olives → black olives, same weight
Noticeably differentdried oregano → fresh oregano leaves, use a small handful chopped
Stays closelemon → extra 5 ml red wine vinegar instead of lemon if you prefer less citrus
Stays close
Nutrition
Per serving · estimated
- 355
- Calories
- 8 g
- Protein
- 11 g
- Carbs
- 31 g
- Fat
- 3 g
- Fibre
- 7 g
- Sugar
- 900 mg
- Sodium
FAQ
Can I make the salad ahead?
You can cut the veg a few hours ahead and keep covered in the fridge. Dress and add the feta no more than 30 minutes before serving to avoid sogginess.
Should I crumble the feta into the salad?
Traditional Greek salad places a block of feta on top; crumble only if you prefer smaller pieces and don’t mind a saltier, creamier texture throughout.
How do I reduce the saltiness?
Use low-salt feta or rinse the olives briefly under cold water and dry them. Reduce added sea salt when making the dressing and taste as you go.
Is this gluten-free?
Yes, as written this salad contains no gluten.
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