Mediterranean Chopped Salad
Add Preferred SourceI love chopped salads because they always have such good stuff in them! This Mediterranean Chopped Salad is loaded with tasty greens, green beans, cucumbers for crunch, and feta cheese. The dressing is lemony and tangy and perfect on top. Ready in a jiffy, this is a terrific side salad or main event!
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Mediterranean cuisine, with bright flavors and good-for-you-ingredients, is one of my favorite cuisines. This easy Mediterranean Chopped Salad is right at the top of my list! It’s so easy to swap in all your favorite ingredients, too, so be sure to see my suggestions below!
Ingredients
- Shallot – Finely chopped so it blends into the dressing instead of standing out too sharply.
- Lemon zest – Zest lightly and avoid the white pith to prevent bitterness.
- Lemon juice – Always use lemon juice from a fresh lemon; it has a much better flavor than the bottled stuff.
- Champagne vinegar – You can use cider vinegar or even red wine vinegar if you prefer.
- Olive oil – I use a smooth, good-quality olive oil since its flavor comes through in every bite.
- Salt and pepper – Season to taste
- Green beans – Make sure they’re fully chilled and well dried so they don’t water down the salad.
- English cucumber – I love English cucumbers because you can eat the skin and they don’t have big seeds in them.
- Romaine hearts – Use the inner leaves only; they hold their texture better once dressed.
- Iceberg lettuce – Cut slightly larger so it keeps its structure after tossing.
- Radicchio – Radicchio has a bright red color, but this is a bitter green so don’t add too much.
- Feta cheese – You can buy the block and crumble it yourself, but sometimes I cheat and buy a bag of it already crumbled.
How To Make Mediterranean Chopped Salad
Scroll down for the full recipe card with exact measurements and printable instructions.
Start by making the dressing. In a large bowl, combine the minced shallot, lemon zest, lemon juice, and champagne vinegar. Let the mixture sit for about 10 minutes to mellow the shallot while keeping its flavor.
Whisk in the olive oil until the dressing is smooth and well blended.
Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and blanch the green beans just until crisp-tender, about 2–3 minutes. Immediately transfer them to ice water to stop the cooking, then drain well.
Add the green beans, cucumber, romaine, iceberg lettuce, and radicchio to a large salad bowl. Drizzle with the dressing and toss gently to coat.
Finish by crumbling the feta over the salad and tossing once more. Serve immediately.
Chef Jenn’s Tips
- You can add your own veggies to this chopped green salad, including radishes, fava beans, olives, bell peppers, and more.
- To save time, you can blanch the green beans and chop the vegetables ahead of time and store them in the refrigerator.
- If you prefer a creamier dressing, add a spoonful of Greek yogurt to the vinaigrette.
Make It A Meal
Mediterranean Chopped Salad That Will Make You Forget the Rest is versatile enough to be the star of the show or a fantastic sidekick. Serve it with grilled chicken or shrimp for a protein-packed meal. It’s also great alongside a bowl of soup or a sandwich for a light lunch. For a vegetarian option, add some chickpeas or roasted vegetables.
Storage
Store any undressed salad leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. The dressing can be stored separately to keep the salad from becoming soggy. Unfortunately, this salad doesn’t freeze well due to the high water content of the vegetables, so it’s best enjoyed fresh.
Mediterranean Chopped Salad
Ingredients
- 1 shallot finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- ¼ cup lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon champagne vinegar
- ¼ cup olive oil
- salt and pepper pinch
- 8 ounces green beans blanched and chilled
- English cucumber cut into half-moons
- 1 romaine heart chopped
- ½ head iceberg lettuce chopped
- 1 head radicchio chopped
- 6 ounces feta cheese
Instructions
- Mix the shallot, lemon zest, lemon juice, and champagne vinegar in a large bowl and let it sit for 10 minutes. This will take the sharpness out of the shallot but leave behind all the sweet shallot flavor.
- Whisk in the olive oil until the dressing is well combined.
- Blanch the green beans by cooking them briefly in boiling water until just tender, then plunge them into ice water to stop the cooking process. This keeps them crisp and vibrant.
- Combine the green beans, cucumber, romaine, iceberg lettuce, and radicchio in a large salad bowl.
- Drizzle the dressing over the salad and toss gently to combine.
- Crumble the feta cheese over the top and give the salad one last gentle toss to distribute the cheese evenly.
Notes
Tried-And-True Tips
- You can add your own veggies to this chopped green salad, including radishes, fava beans, olives, bell peppers, and more.
- To save time, you can blanch the green beans chop the vegetables ahead of time, and store them in the refrigerator.
- If you prefer a creamier dressing, add a spoonful of Greek yogurt to the vinaigrette.
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.
