Greek Salad with Feta and Olives
No lettuce here — a traditional Greek horiatiki relies on ripe tomatoes and cucumbers marinating briefly in their own juices with the dressing.
Serves
4
Prep
15 minutes
Cook
0 minutes
Ingredients
- 4 large ripe tomatoes, cut into wedges
- 1 English cucumber, sliced into half-moons
- 1 green bell pepper, sliced into rings
- 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup Kalamata olives
- 6 ounces block feta cheese, sliced into 1-2 large slabs
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano, plus more for garnish
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- 1
Combine the tomato wedges, cucumber, bell pepper, red onion, and olives in a large bowl.
- 2
In a small bowl or jar, whisk together the olive oil, red wine vinegar, oregano, salt, and pepper until combined.
- 3
Pour about two-thirds of the dressing over the vegetables and toss gently to coat.
- 4
Let the salad sit at room temperature for 10–15 minutes before serving — this brief rest lets the tomatoes and cucumbers release some juice, which mingles with the dressing into a light, flavorful pool at the bottom of the bowl.
- 5
Transfer the salad to a serving platter. Lay the whole slabs of feta on top rather than crumbling it — this is the traditional presentation, and it keeps the feta from disappearing into the vegetables.
- 6
Drizzle the remaining dressing over the feta, sprinkle with a pinch of extra dried oregano, and serve at room temperature with crusty bread.
Chef's Tip — Salt the tomatoes lightly and let them sit for 5 minutes before adding them to the bowl — it draws out extra moisture and concentrates their flavor.
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