This Greek salad is a basic that you just’ll end up making repeatedly. It takes simply minutes to make, and the mixture of crisp greens, briny olives, salty feta, and the sunshine French dressing is inconceivable to withstand!
Spring is right here, and summer season might be right here earlier than you already know it. I don’t learn about you, however when the climate begins warming up, I discover myself craving gentle meals filled with brilliant colours and daring flavors.
All these creamy casseroles and comfy soups do a fantastic job preserving us heat in the course of the lengthy, chilly winter months, however now it’s time to fill our plates with colourful contemporary vegetables and fruit.
Enter this Greek salad.
Greek Salad
It is a dish the place colours, flavors, and textures take heart stage. Juicy tomatoes and crisp cucumbers and peppers; briny kalamata olives and salty feta.
And all of it comes along with the best Greek salad dressing, seasoned with oregano for a few of that signature Mediterranean aptitude. Pair it with Greek hen for the proper heat climate dinner.
Dietary Word
If you happen to’re on a dairy-free eating regimen – otherwise you’re not a fan of feta – you’ll be able to skip it or swap it out with additional olives. A briny inexperienced olive can be a pleasant shade distinction to kalamatas.
Elements and Substitutions
- Cherry tomatoes – I like the cherry tomatoes that come on the vine, however you should utilize one other selection in the event you’d like. Grape tomatoes, colourful heirloom varieties—they’re all a fantastic addition to a Greek salad.
- English cucumber – English cucumber has smaller seeds than backyard cucumbers; in the event you use an everyday cucumber, you’ll be able to minimize it lengthwise after which scoop out the seeds with a spoon earlier than slicing it. This may hold the salad from getting soggy.
- Inexperienced bell pepper – Inexperienced bell pepper has a extra pungent taste than pink, orange, or yellow.
- Purple onion – If you happen to’re not a fan of onions, attempt slicing them so skinny they’re virtually shaved. As soon as they’re tossed within the dressing and left to soak it up a bit, their taste might be a lot milder.
- Olives – We used pitted kalamatas.
- Feta cheese – Diced or thick-sliced—whichever you favor.
Greek Dressing:
- Further-virgin olive oil – Greek salad is an efficient excuse to interrupt out that bottle of tremendous fancy olive oil out of your pantry.
- Purple wine vinegar – To me, that is actually key to that basic Greek salad taste, though some individuals desire lemon juice.
- Dry oregano
- Sea salt
- Floor pepper
Variations
- Attempt swapping the inexperienced bell pepper for pink bell pepper, or use a mixture of each. Not a fan of the feel of contemporary bell peppers? Attempt roasted pink peppers as an alternative.
- Make additional dressing and use it as a marinade for grilled hen or shrimp. Add the hen or shrimp to the Greek salad for a whole dinner.
- Serve the Greek salad with cooked quinoa or toss it with orzo for a deli-style salad that’s good for work and college lunches.
Instructions
- Make the dressing – Mix all the dressing elements in a jar and shake it vigorously till the dressing is emulsified.
- Assemble – Pour the dressing over the salad elements, gently toss to coat, and sprinkle the salad with extra oregano earlier than serving.
Tip
You may assemble this as a tossed salad, or prepare your Greek salad elements on a platter for extra visible influence after which pour the dressing excessive.
Shortcut
For a salad with virtually no prep time, go to the salad bar at your grocery retailer and purchase all of the veggies, olives, and feta there. No slicing, dicing, and chopping wanted!
Find out how to Retailer
Retailer Greek salad in an hermetic container within the fridge. If you happen to’ve already added the dressing, it is going to final about 2 days; undressed salad can final 3 to 4 days. Give the dressing a superb shake earlier than utilizing it.
Often Requested Questions
No, Greek salad doesn’t sometimes comprise lettuce, though you’ll be able to undoubtedly add it in the event you’d like! Historically, although, Greek salad is a mixture of vine-ripened tomatoes, cucumbers, bell peppers, olives, feta cheese, and pink onions all tossed collectively in a lightweight French dressing.
Greek salad is a good selection for anybody who needs so as to add extra greens to their eating regimen. The pink wine French dressing is olive oil-based, so it’s a lot decrease in energy and saturated fats than most creamy dressings, and all the contemporary greens are loaded with nutritional vitamins, minerals, and fiber.
I take advantage of halved cherry tomatoes, however in the event you’re utilizing bigger tomatoes, minimize them into wedges. This may give your salad extra visible enchantment than diced tomatoes!
Greek salad pairs properly with grilled meats, hen, and seafood. It additionally tastes superb as a topping for gyros or pita sandwiches. For a vegetarian meal, you’ll be able to serve Greek salad with roasted chickpeas or baked falafel—crumbled falafel is so good on a salad!
Suggestions
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For additional taste, add some contemporary herbs—mint, parsley, basil, and oregano all work properly with the Mediterranean flavors of Greek salad. You may add capers to the dressing too, in the event you’d like.
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Dry the greens properly; if there’s any water clinging to them while you toss them collectively and add the dressing, your salad will find yourself soggy and the flavors might be watered down.
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Serve it with crusty bread or pita to absorb the dressing and bits of feta which might be left in your plate.
Dietary Issues
- Gluten Free
- Dairy Free (make sure you’re select a feta cheese created from sheep’s milk or goat’s milk)
- Nut Free
- Vegan
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Greek Salad
This Greek salad is a basic! It takes minutes to make and the mixture of crisp veggies, briny olives, and feta is inconceivable to withstand.
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Directions
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Place the dressing elements in a jar and shake vigorously. (Alternatively, you’ll be able to place them in a bowl and whisk them.)
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Pour the dressing over the salad elements, toss to coat, and sprinkle with extra oregano earlier than serving.
Diet Data
Energy: 335kcal (17%), Carbohydrates: 6g (2%), Protein: 4g (8%), Fats: 34g (52%), Saturated Fats: 7g (35%), Polyunsaturated Fats: 3g, Monounsaturated Fats: 22g, Ldl cholesterol: 17mg (6%), Sodium: 632mg (26%), Potassium: 225mg (6%), Fiber: 1g (4%), Sugar: 3g (3%), Vitamin A: 522IU (10%), Vitamin C: 27mg (33%), Calcium: 116mg (12%), Iron: 1mg (6%)
Estimated diet info is supplied as a courtesy and isn’t assured.
