horiatiki salad

Greek classic: Horiatiki salad

Not all salads are based on lettuce! Horiatiki salad, a Greek classic, is a summer favorite at our house. It’s quick, easy, and delicious – especially when we grow luscious ripe tomatoes.

Fresh ingredients are the star in this salad. Use ripe tomatoes and local produce, if at all possible. It’s worth seeking out a farmers market in your area, if you don’t grow your own.

Use a decent feta that you buy in a block, not the pre-crumbled stuff from a plastic package. Make your own dressing from olive oil and red wine vinegar in a 3:1 ratio. Use fresh oregano. If you like the zing, add a squeeze of fresh lemon juice. I promise you’ll like the results.

 

horiatiki salad

Horiatiki Salad

Course: Salad
Cuisine: Greek
Keyword: salad, summer, tomatoes, cucumbers
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 0 minutes
Servings: 4
A Greek classic: chopped cucumbers, tomatoes, and onions, enlivened with Feta cheese and olives.
Print Recipe

Ingredients

  • 2-3 medium ripe tomatoes, cut in chunks
  • 1 medium cucumber, peeled or unpeeled as you prefer
  • 1 medium green or red bell pepper, in chunks
  • ½ medium red onion, in thin slices
  • 1 small block feta cheese
  • fresh oregano
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 tsp red wine vinegar
  • salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

  • Cut the vegetables; nothing in a horiatiki salad should be bigger than bite-sized. If the onion is a bit too sharp for your taste, you can soak the slices in ice-water for up to an hour, to remove some of the heat (or just use less).
  • Strip oregano leaves from the stems, and run a knife through them to chop them a bit smaller, and to release their flavors (you’ll smell this – mmm, fresh!). Put the leaves in a bowl, and add salt if using, and then the olive oil and vinegar. Whisk well to combine (nothing fancy here, a fork works) then add all the chopped vegetables and olives. Toss lightly.
  • Top with crumbled feta cheese and serve at room temperature or slightly chilled. Add a squeeze of fresh lemon if you’d like a bit more zip.