This traditional Greek salad is made with fresh veggies, creamy feta, kalamata olives, and a simple lemon-oregano vinaigrette.
Growing up just three hours away from Chicago, we would frequent the Windy City frequently. One of my favorite memories of Chicago which has remained a tradition to this day is eating authentic Greek food in Greektown.
Whether it’s Greek Egg Lemon Soup, Creamy Yogurt Tzatziki or Greek Souvlaki, I am a huge fan of all Greek cuisine!!
Regardless of what else everyone orders, one thing remains the same every visit: we always get a large Greek salad for the table. Starting a meal with a salad is not only a great way to fuel your body with nutrients but it’s a great way to fill up on a low-calorie item.
What’s in a traditional greek salad:
Traditionally you will find chopped romaine, cucumbers, tomatoes, onions, feta cheese, and kalamata olives. Sliced, canned beets are commonly added as well. If you have fresh herbs like parsley or dill I suggest those as well.
Differences between a traditional greek salad and a greek village salad:
A Greek Village Salad is a chopped vegetable salad that does not contain lettuce. You can view my recipe for a Greek Village Salad here.
What’s in the salad dressing?
A traditional Greek vinaigrette is made with olive oil, lemon juice, red wine vinegar, garlic, oregano, salt, and pepper. Fresh dill is commonly added as well.
Prepping ahead of time:
If the salad base is made of lettuce I don’t recommend dressing the salad more than 5 minutes before you plan to serve. If you dress the salad too far in advance you’ll end up wilting the greens. To save time, you can prep the vinaigrette up to 3 days in advance and simply toss with the greens right before serving. If you’re dressing a cabbage-based salad or a village salad that doesn’t have lettuce you can dress it a bit more ahead of time.
Cheeses used:
Block or crumbled feta both work but I love using large blocks of feta cheese which is customary in Greece.
What to serve with a greek salad?
Many things will complement a greek salad. Here are some options you can serve it with
What are your favorite Greek specialties? Are there any you’d like me to make? Let me know!
Your fork is waiting.
Traditional Greek Salad
Ingredients:
- 8 cups chopped romaine
- 1 large tomato cut in wedges
- 1 medium English cucumber sliced
- 1 cup red onion cut in wedges
- 4 ounces feta cheese cubed
- 1/2 cup kalamata olives pitted
- 1/4 cup banana pepper rings
Greek Vinaigrette
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice juiced
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons fresh dill minced - optional
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1 clove garlic grated
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
Instructions:
- Assemble the salad in a large serving bowl by layering the lettuce with all remaining ingredients.
- Whisk the Greek vinaigrette in a small bowl and drizzle on the salad right before serving. Divide between bowls to serve.
Nutrition Facts:
Similar Recipes:
Find more healthy salad recipes on my Pinterest!
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