This Greek Salad recipe comes together quickly and is bursting with fresh, bright flavors and beautiful colors. Tomatoes, olives, feta, cucumber, arugula, scallions and fresh herbs are tossed together with a quick salad dressing prepared from lemons and olive oil. Serve this as a side salad or double it up and add protein for a complete meal!
I recently wrote about 5 ingredients that are worth the splurge. Ingredient quality won’t always have an impact on your recipe results, but there are certainly times when quality matters.
This Greek salad is a perfect example of that. It will taste good regardless, but ingredients like feta cheese and olives will take this simple salad recipe to the next level! Using fresh herbs like mint and oregano also make a huge difference.
Salad Ingredients
For this salad recipe, you’ll need the following:
- Baby arugula (baby spinach also works)
- Grape or cherry tomatoes
- Cucumber
- Kalamata olives
- Scallions (red onions or shallots also work)
- Fresh mint
- Fresh oregano
- Feta cheese
Dressing Ingredients
- Fresh lemon juice
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Salt and pepper
How to Make Greek Salad
Aside from having to chop a few ingredients, this salad couldn’t be easier.
Step 1: Combine salad ingredients (minus the feta)
I try to chop everything so that it’s fairly uniform in size. It creates a more balanced bite. You can technically add the feta at this point, but I prefer to add it at the end so the pieces don’t disintegrate.
Step 2: Prepare the dressing
This vinaigrette takes no time at all. Whisk together fresh lemon juice (never bottled), extra virgin olive oil, and a pinch of salt and pepper. A pinch is technically 1/8 teaspoon, but I rarely measure. Taste and adjust the ratios if desired.
Step 3: Combine the dressing with the salad ingredients
Everyone has their own personal preference for the amount of dressing in a salad (I like slightly more than the average amount), so I highly recommend adding in only half the vinaigrette at first. Taste some of the greens and see if you think it needs more. Repeat after me: it’s always easier to add than to subtract.
Is Greek Salad Actually From Greece?
Greek salad is indeed from Greece; it’s not just a clever name. Ingredients may vary slightly, but the standard version typically includes many of the same ingredients I’ve included here: tomatoes, olives, feta, onion, cucumbers, and olive oil. {Read more about Greek salad on Wikipedia}
However, while I’ve spent time in Greece, I will never claim that any of my internationally-inspired recipes are 100% authentic. Arugula doesn’t show up very often; it’s just my favorite salad green because the bitterness adds such a great flavor balance. Red onions are more common than scallions, but I think the milder-tasting green onions are a more balanced option here.
Why Use Feta in Brine?
When it comes to flavor and texture, pre-crumbled cheeses are never in the same league as blocks of cheese that you slice, grate or crumble just before serving. Feta is one of the best examples of this (blue cheese is another biggie). The salty brine makes so much difference, keeping feta soft and fresh.
Feta in brine is one of my favorite cheeses, whereas I can take or leave the pre-crumbled versions. {Read more about why feta in brine is best on Bon Appétit}
Serving Suggestions
As a main course, this Greek salad recipe is perfect on its own if you size it up and add a protein like grilled chicken (you can cut down on the feta if doubling up is too caloric). Here are a few other ideas if you’re serving it as a side salad:
- Lamb Kebabs (on Emeril)
- Chicken Souvlaki (on Gimme Some Oven)
- Chicken Shawarma (on RecipeTin Eats)
- Gyros (on Foodie with Family)
More Salad Recipes
If you love this recipe, be sure to check out my Strawberry Spinach Salad, Summer Corn Salad, Chicken Bacon Avocado Salad, Cucumber Salad, and Mediterranean Salad with Roasted Tomato Vinaigrette.
Easy Greek Salad
Ingredients
For the greek salad vinaigrette:
- 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 1/2 - 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- Kosher salt and ground black pepper, to taste
For the greek salad:
- 1 cup baby arugula (baby spinach also works)
- 1/2 cup grape or cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1/2 cup cucumber, diced (approximately 1/2 medium)
- 1/4 cup Kalamata olives, pitted and halved
- 2 tablespoons scallions, sliced (chopped red onion or shallot may be substituted)
- 2 tablespoons fresh mint, coarsely chopped
- 2 tablespoons fresh oregano, coarsely chopped
- 1/4 cup good quality feta cheese, cubed (or to taste)
Instructions
- In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice and olive oil (use the full 2 tablespoons for less acidity).
- In a medium bowl, combine the arugula, tomatoes, cucumber, olives, scallions, mint, and oregano. Use kitchen tongs or two large forks to gently combine the ingredients. Briefly re-whisk the dressing ingredients, then add half to the salad. Taste the greens; add the remaining dressing if desired.
- Divide the salad between two small plates, then top each with feta cheese.
Notes
Please read my full post for additional recipe notes, tips, and serving suggestions!
Nutrition
Recipe Troubleshooting
For immediate help troubleshooting a recipe, please email me using the form on my contact page. I’ll try to respond to urgent questions as quickly as possible! For all general questions, please leave a comment here :)
You are so right about the ingredient quality making a difference in this recipe! Amazingly good.
So easy and delicious. One of my favorite salads!
I love how fresh and simple this is!