Greek Salad
This post may contain affiliate links. Read my full disclosure policy.
Want to make the best-ever Greek salad? A few simple tweaks to the classic recipe make this version second to none!
The classic Greek salad, known as “Horiatiki” or “Greek Village Salad,” is a colorful combination of tomatoes, cucumbers, bell peppers, red onions, feta cheese, and Kalamata olives, all tossed in a simple vinaigrette. Unlike the American Greek salads that usually include romaine, an authentic Greek salad doesn’t have any lettuce. It’s not only incredibly simple to make but also pairs well with a wide variety of main dishes, from souvlaki to grilled chicken to kofta.
While the ingredients here are similar to Greek salad recipes you’ll find elsewhere, I’ve got a few tricks that make this version truly exceptional. For starters, I quick-pickle the red onions in a blend of red wine vinegar and water, a little trick that tames their sharpness, lends a gorgeous pink hue, and introduces a delicious pickled crunch. Additionally, I toss in some fresh dill, which adds a lovely herby flavor. This is the Greek salad that will keep you coming back for more!
Table of Contents
“This is the best salad that I’ve made in a very long time – full of flavor, fresh, visually beautiful, easy to make, and about as tasty as it gets!”
What You’ll Need To Make Greek Salad
- Red Onion: Adds a sharp, tangy flavor and vibrant color to the salad.
- Red Wine Vinegar: Breaks down the raw onion’s sharpness and infuses it with tangy, pickled flavor. Additionally, it provides a base for the dressing, adding acidity and depth of flavor.
- Honey: Balances the acidity of the vinegar in the dressing with a touch of sweetness.
- Garlic: Adds a subtle aromatic flavor to the dressing, complementing the other ingredients.
- Dried Oregano: Adds earthy and herbaceous notes to the dressing.
- Extra-Virgin Olive Oil: Provides richness and smoothness to the dressing, while also binding the ingredients together.
- English Cucumber: Adds crispness and freshness to the salad. English cucumbers are also known as hothouse cucumbers; they do not need to be peeled.
- Bell Peppers: Contribute sweetness and crunch, along with a pop of color. You can use red, yellow, or orange peppers (or one of each of 2 of the colors).
- Cherry or Grape Tomatoes: Offer bursts of juicy sweetness and vibrant color.
- Kalamata Olives: Provide a briny and savory flavor, characteristic of Greek salads.
- Fresh Chopped Dill: Infuses the salad with a fresh and slightly citrusy aroma and flavor.
- Feta Cheese: Adds creaminess and a tangy, salty flavor that complements the other ingredients in the salad.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Make the Pickled Onions
Place the onions in a small bowl. Cover with the vinegar and water; let sit for 15 minutes while you prepare the rest of the salad.
Step 2: Make the Dressing
In a bowl large enough to hold the salad, combine the vinegar, salt, pepper, honey, garlic, and oregano.
Whisking vigorously, slowly pour in the olive oil to form an emulsion.
Whisk until completely combined.
Step 3: Assemble the Salad
To the dressing, add the cucumber, peppers, tomatoes, olives, and dill.
Drain the red onions and add them to the salad.
Add the feta.
Toss to combine, then taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary. Serve or refrigerate for up to 3 hours. Let the salad sit out at room temperature for about 30 minutes before serving.
You May Also Like
Greek Salad
Want to make the best-ever Greek salad? A few simple tweaks to the classic recipe make this version second to none!
Ingredients
For the Pickled Red Onion
- ½ medium red onion, halved and thinly sliced
- ¼ cup red wine vinegar
- ¼ cup cold water
For the Dressing
- ¼ cup + 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- ¾ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
For the Salad
- 1 English or hothouse cucumber, seeded, cut into ¾-inch chunks
- 2 bell peppers (red, yellow, or orange), cut into ¾-inch chunks
- 1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
- ¾ cup Kalamata olives
- 3 tablespoons fresh chopped dill
- 8 oz feta cheese, diced
Instructions
- Make the pickled onions: Place the red onions in a small bowl. Cover with the vinegar and water; let sit for 15 minutes while you prepare the rest of the salad.
- Make the dressing: In a bowl large enough to hold the salad, whisk together the vinegar, salt, pepper, honey, garlic, and oregano. Whisking vigorously, slowly pour in the olive oil to form an emulsion.
- Assemble the salad: To the dressing, add the cucumber, peppers, tomatoes, olives, and dill.
- Drain the red onions and add them to the salad along with the feta. Toss to combine, then taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary. Serve or refrigerate for up to 3 hours. Let the salad sit out at room temperature for about 30 minutes before serving.
Nutrition Information
Powered by 
- Per serving (6 servings)
- Calories: 320
- Fat: 28 g
- Saturated fat: 8 g
- Carbohydrates: 11 g
- Sugar: 7 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 7 g
- Sodium: 609 mg
- Cholesterol: 34 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Gluten-Free Adaptable Note
To the best of my knowledge, all of the ingredients used in this recipe are gluten-free or widely available in gluten-free versions. There is hidden gluten in many foods; if you're following a gluten-free diet or cooking for someone with gluten allergies, always read the labels of your ingredients to verify that they are gluten-free.
See more recipes:
Comments
Add a Comment
This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
Fantastic! Another new favorite from Jen. As beautiful as it is tasty. Our guests loved it!
Can I substitute the Kalamata olive for a different type of olive? The others are hard to find by me. Thanks!
Sure!
This is definitely a version of an American Greek salad. Traditional use green capsicum, Persian cucumbers and whole Roma tomatoes . Your version does have some good flavor
This is the best Greek salad I’ve ever made or eaten. I was surprised at how easy it was. For a recipe that seemed so simple I couldn’t believe how flavorful it was. My hubby doesn’t even like Greek salad and he thought this was delicious. Even my kids were fans – so this will be a regular in our household.
This is the best salad that I’ve made in a very long time – full of flavor, fresh, visually beautiful, easy to make, and about as tasty as it gets! Just about all of Jenn’s recipes are winners, but this one went to the top of the list! So, so good!
This salad was fantastic! It was Greek night for dinner with the In-laws. My father in law couldn’t stop eating it, lol. I will be taking this to a family bbq next weekend. Thanks Jenn, for another fantastic recipe.
Fast, easy and delicious!
This salad is absolutely delicious. I made it for a barbecue this past week and everyone loved it.
The pickled red onion gives it a sweet tangy flavor and the dressing is perfect. I will surely be making it again!
This is absolutely delicious. I’m actually making this again right now at the request of my daughter! We all love a fresh, crisp salad with a perfect dressing. The dressing is tart but sweet, in perfect proportion. Love the addition of oregano in the dressing!
I am a huge fan of Jenn’s recipes, but this one is a bit outside of my typical box, so I sat on making it for a while – that was my only regret about this salad. It was fantastic and so flavorful!! My entire family raved about it, from my ten-year-old daughter to my husband, none of whom love veggies. I served alongside steak and some crusty bread. I will most definitely be making this again, for my family and for company. Thanks for another amazing recipe!
This was so good and fresh! I made with the Souvlaki and they paired perfectly together. I can’t wait to make again for a yummy summer meal!
I made this and it is so good and fresh. I’m going to bring it to a BBQ. My question is, can I cut up the vegetables the day before or will they become too watery?
Hi Rae, Glad you liked it! Cutting the veggies in advance wouldn’t be my first choice but you can get away with it.
We had this for dinner tonight – just the salad with a baguette as that is plenty for us for a meal. It is probably the best Greek Salad I’ve ever had! The size of all the bits was perfect; the pickled onions are great; and the dressing was just right – some tang but not so tangy it overpowers the taste of the other ingredients. I made half for the two of us and have enough left over for a nice lunch tomorrow. Your recipes are always winners!
Excellent Greek salad. I like the idea of soaking the red onions in water and red wine vinegar. The dressing is delicious. I made it with your chicken souvlaki which was also excellent!
This is my all time favorite salad. Thank you so much, I can eat this every day.
This is about as close as you can get to a true Greek salad. Greeks rarely, if ever, use lettuce in their salads. I do like your addition of honey to the dressing. A+ on this one.
~Dorothea
Does this mean one half of a red onion. In total. Then both halves sliced. Or does this mean a half of a half of a red onion in total. So like a quarter of a red onion. Sliced ? I love everything I have made of yours. Always get compliments 😄thanks so much for your recipes.
Hi Cindy, you should be using half of an onion. You’ll cut that onion in half (so you’ll have 2 onion quarters) and thinly slice them. Hope that clarifies (and so glad you like the recipes)!
Loved this salad! Keeps well for the next day too.
Just giving a rave review of your Greek salad! It is a wonderful recipe. Thank you!
Delicious and authentic Greek salad. One to keep on rotation. Thank you!
Served the salad with your souvlaki and it was delish – rave reviews all around!
Just made this for dinner, it was great!
Would not change a thing, the dressing had just enough tang and the fresh vegetables melded so well with the olives and feta cheese.
Jenn,
I’m interested in making this salad, although dill is not a favorite of mine. Is there another fresh herb that you could suggest as a tasty substitute?
Hi Astrid, Fresh mint would be delicious – or you can just omit it. Enjoy!
I made this recipe today since I have an abudnance or dill. Thank you for such a wonderful recipe. Excellent for these warmer days.
Great summer salad!
Delish! I added some Broccoli and greek seasoning! Very Good!