Greek salad is a fresh, flavor-packed dish loaded with juicy tomatoes, crunchy cucumbers, and creamy feta, all tossed in a simple olive oil and red wine vinaigrette. Briny olives, capers, and a sprinkle of oregano make this Mediterranean favorite unforgettable.

The traditional Greek Salad (Horiatiki), crunchy, juicy, salty, and creamy.

Here is Why This Greek Salad Recipe Works

Bold, Simple Flavors: No fuss here—just fresh veggies, creamy feta, and a zingy vinaigrette that lets each ingredient shine.

All About That Texture: From juicy tomatoes to crunchy cucumbers and briny olives, every bite’s got something to love.

Easy to Throw Together: It’s a one-bowl wonder! Toss it all together, and you’re basically done.

Perfect Make-Ahead: This salad gets even better as the flavors meld, so it’s ready whenever you are (or when you finally sit down to eat!).

The Ingredients

Dairy: Feta cheese
Produce: Tomatoes, English cucumber, purple onion, green bell pepper
Pantry: Kalamata olives, extra-virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar, capers
Pantry Seasonings: Sea salt, black pepper, dried Greek oregano

Variations

Greek Salad with Roasted Red Peppers and Artichokes: Toss in ½ cup of chopped roasted red peppers and ½ cup of marinated artichoke hearts.

Herb-Infused Greek Salad: Mix in ¼ cup of chopped fresh basil and ¼ cup of chopped fresh mint.

Greek Salad with Avocado and Sun-Dried Tomatoes: Fold in 1 diced avocado and ¼ cup of chopped sun-dried tomatoes.

Tips for Success

Slice the onions thinly: Thin rings of onion add just the right amount of bite without overpowering other flavors.
Don’t skimp on the oregano: Dried Greek oregano brings authentic flavor, so be generous with your sprinkle!
Serve with extra olive oil on the side: Some guests might want a little more dressing to bring out the flavors even further.
Chill before serving: Letting the salad sit in the fridge for 15–20 minutes after tossing helps the flavors meld.

Storage

To store leftover Greek salad, transfer it to an airtight container and keep it in the fridge for up to 2 days. Keep in mind that the vegetables may lose some of their crunch as they sit, so it’s best enjoyed fresh.

Freezing is not recommended for this salad.

Horiatiki Greek Salad

This Greek salad, or Horiatiki, is a rustic, no-lettuce salad that brings the essence of the Mediterranean right to your table. Fresh, bold, and packed with flavor,

Check out these recipes with feta cheese:

This recipe was adapted from “Opa! Healthy Greek Cookbook” by Theo Stephan and Christina Xenos

Greek Salad (Horiatiki)

The traditional Greek Salad (Horiatiki) is a variety of bright, crunchy, flavorful fresh vegetables; juicy tomato wedges, crisp cucumber slices, crunchy green bell peppers, fruity Kalamata olives, salty capers and large triangles of thick creamy feta cheese all dressed with olive oil and red wine vinegar.

5 from 21 votes

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Prep Time: 10

Total Time: 10

Servings: servings

Calories: 394kcal

Author: Pat Nyswonger

Ingredients

5 medium tomatoes cut into wedges
An English cucumber cut into 1/4-inch slices
1 medium purple onion thinly sliced into rings
1 large green bell pepper cut into 1-inch chunks
3/4 to 1 cup Kalamata olives
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
8 ounces feta cheese slices cut diagonally into triangles
1/4 cup capers rinsed and drained
2-3 teaspoons dried Greek oregano

Instructions

Add the prepared vegetables to a large salad bowl with the Kalamata olives, salt and pepper. Drizzle the olive oil over the top and sprinkle with the red wine vinegar. Toss the salad together and place the feta cheese triangles on top. Sprinkle the capers and dried oregano over the top. Serve with a pitcher of olive oil for guests to add if desired.
Alternative serving suggestion: Add the prepared vegetables to a salad bowl with the Kalamata olives, salt and pepper. Toss with the olive oil and red wine vinegar. Divide the salad equally into 4 serving bowls/plates. Place the feta cheese triangles on each serving and sprinkle with the capers and dried Greek oregano. Serve with a pitcher of olive oil for guests to add if desired.

Notes

Buy the Kalamata olives with pits as they have more flavor than the pitted variety.

The Greeks add large slabs of feta cheese to their Greek Salad (Horiatiki) so they can control how much cheese goes into each bite.

Nutrition

5 from 21 votes (14 ratings without comment)

Delia Sadler

Monday 7th of November 2022

Yes! I have made and eaten this Greek Salad since my mother took a tour of Greece probably mid 1980's. She was a self taught cook, having never cooked until she married. Her family had a cook so basically she never set foot in the kitchen. She was one of the best cooks around. She served us a Greek salad upon her return from Greece. She did leave out the capers. I have just read capers were included. But the Feta adds enough. Mom was eager to explain that Greek salads have no lettuce as the country is so arid and lettuce is near to impossible to grow. My family loved the salad then and still do now that they are out of the house.

Pat Nyswonger

Wednesday 9th of November 2022

Hi, Della....thanks for visiting our blog site! I loved hearing your story and your mother's adventures in cooking, family memories are so precious! This is a wonderful salad that is full of nutrition and flavors, it is one of my favorites also.