Horiatiki Salad – Traditional Greek Village Salad
Add Preferred SourceI love this salad. It’s fresh, tangy, crunchy, colorful, and delicious. It’s perfect when local tomatoes are in season, but I also make and serve it all year long. Horiataki Salad is also super easy to make, and there’s no cooking involved. I like to make it about 20 minutes before we eat it, so the flavors have a chance to blend.
Not only is this easy Greek salad super easy to make, but it’s also packed with nutrition. I love it as a side dish with dinner, but I’ve also been known just to devour a bowl for lunch. It’s also versatile – you can jazz it up with other veggies or keep it simple.
Elegant, gorgeous and delicious, serve this Horiataki Salad in a large salad bowl and let your guests dig in!
Ingredients
- Ripe tomatoes – Use ripe but firm tomatoes so they hold their shape and don’t turn watery once dressed. You can use any good quality tomato. I like Campari tomatoes or sometimes the Roma tomatoes look really good in the store.
- English cucumber – I love English cucumbers because you can eat the skin and they don’t have big seeds in them.
- Green bell pepper – Slice it thin so it adds crunch without overpowering the salad.
- Red onion – Thin slices are key; if it’s sharp, a quick soak in cold water helps mellow the bite.
- Kalamata olives – Use pitted olives for easier eating, and avoid canned if possible for better flavor.
- Feta cheese – You can buy a block and break it into chunks yourself, but I sometimes cheat and use pre-crumbled feta when I want to save time.
- Extra virgin olive oil – A good-quality olive oil makes a big difference here since it’s the main source of richness.
- Red wine vinegar – Adds brightness and balance; start light and adjust so it doesn’t overpower the vegetables.
- Dried oregano – I use dried oregano for consistent flavor; fresh can be overpowering in a simple salad like this.
- Salt and pepper – Season to taste.
How To Make Horiatiki Salad
Scroll down for the full recipe card with exact measurements and printable instructions.
Chop the tomatoes into large chunks, slice the cucumber and green bell pepper, and thinly slice the red onion. Keep the pieces fairly large to maintain the salad’s traditional rustic texture.
Add the tomatoes, cucumber, bell pepper, red onion, and Kalamata olives to a large salad bowl. Gently toss to distribute the vegetables evenly without breaking them down.
In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, red wine vinegar, and oregano until well blended. Drizzle the dressing over the vegetables and toss lightly to coat. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.
Transfer the salad to a serving bowl and place the feta cheese over the top, either in slabs or crumbles. Finish with a light sprinkle of oregano and serve immediately for the freshest flavor.
Chef Jenn’s Tips
- When making a simple recipe, use the best quality ingredients you can find. That includes vine-ripened or heirloom tomatoes, the best briny olives, and a good quality fruity olive oil.
- Traditionally, this salad is served with slabs of feta cheese on top, versus crumbled cheese. This way, everyone can take a chunk and eat it with their salad. Crumbles will make your salad look milky — you can use goat cheese or cow’s milk feta in this recipe.
- Serve with pita bread wedges to soak up all the juice at the bottom!
Make It A Meal
Horiatiki Salad pairs beautifully with grilled meats like Pork Souvlaki, making it a fantastic addition to any barbecue or picnic. For a light meal, serve it with warm pita bread and a side of tzatziki.
Storage
Store any leftover Horiatiki Salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two days. While the salad is best enjoyed fresh, it can be eaten the next day. However, note that the tomatoes and cucumbers might release more juice, making the salad a bit soggier. This salad is not suitable for freezing due to the high water content of the vegetables.
Horiatiki Salad – Traditional Greek Village Salad
Ingredients
- 2 ripe tomatoes chopped
- ½ English cucumber sliced
- ½ green bell pepper sliced
- ½ cup red onion sliced
- ½ cup Kalamata olives
- 4 – 6 ounces feta cheese planks, crumbles or cubes
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 2 teaspoons oregano
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Chop the tomatoes, slice the cucumber, green bell pepper, and thinly slice the red onion.
- Combine the tomatoes, cucumber, bell pepper, red onion, and Kalamata olives in a large salad bowl.
- Whisk the olive oil, red wine vinegar, and oregano in a small bowl, then drizzle over the chopped vegetables and toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper.
- Transfer the salad to a serving bowl and lay or sprinkle the feta cheese over the top. Sprinkle the feta with a pinch of oregano.
- Serve and enjoy!
Notes
Chef Jenn’s Tips
- When making a simple recipe, use the best quality ingredients you can find. That includes vine-ripened or heirloom tomatoes, the best briny olives, and a good quality fruity olive oil.
- Traditionally, this salad is served with slabs of feta cheese on top, versus crumbled cheese. This way, everyone can take a chunk and eat it with their salad. Crumbles will make your salad look milky –- you can use goat cheese or cow’s milk feta in this recipe.
- Serve with pita bread wedges to soak up all the juice at the bottom!
Nutrition
A Note on Nutritional Information
Nutritional information for this recipe is provided as a courtesy and is calculated based on available online ingredient information. It is only an approximate value. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site cannot be guaranteed.
Do you think it would be okay to use crumbled Feta Cheese in this salad instead of the Feta slices? If so, approximately how much? It looks so delicious!
For sure! I often use crumbles – probably about 1/2 cup of crumbles or more, if you like feta! ~Jenn
I have and its fine. this salad is absolutely delicious!!