Basic Greek Salad | Julie Blanner
This Greek salad is a basic that you just’ll end up making time and again. It takes simply minutes to make, and the mixture of crisp greens, briny olives, salty feta, and the sunshine French dressing is unattainable to withstand!
Spring is right here, and summer time will probably be right here earlier than you already know it. I don’t find out about you, however when the climate begins warming up, I discover myself craving gentle meals filled with vibrant colours and daring flavors.
All these creamy casseroles and comfy soups do a terrific job holding us heat through the lengthy, chilly winter months, however now it’s time to fill our plates with colourful recent vegetables and fruit.
Enter this Greek salad.
Greek Salad
This can be a dish the place colours, flavors, and textures take middle stage. Juicy tomatoes and crisp cucumbers and peppers; briny kalamata olives and salty feta.
And all of it comes along with the only Greek salad dressing, seasoned with oregano for a few of that signature Mediterranean aptitude. Pair it with Greek hen for the proper heat climate dinner.
Dietary Observe
In the event you’re on a dairy-free food regimen – otherwise you’re not a fan of feta – you’ll be able to skip it or swap it out with additional olives. A briny inexperienced olive could be a pleasant shade distinction to kalamatas.
Components and Substitutions
- Cherry tomatoes – I like the cherry tomatoes that come on the vine, however you need to use one other selection if you happen to’d like. Grape tomatoes, colourful heirloom varieties—they’re all a terrific addition to a Greek salad.
- English cucumber – English cucumber has smaller seeds than backyard cucumbers; if you happen to use a daily cucumber, you’ll be able to reduce it lengthwise after which scoop out the seeds with a spoon earlier than slicing it. This may hold the salad from getting soggy.
- Inexperienced bell pepper – Inexperienced bell pepper has a extra pungent taste than purple, orange, or yellow.
- Pink onion – In the event you’re not a fan of onions, strive slicing them so skinny they’re nearly shaved. As soon as they’re tossed within the dressing and left to soak it up a bit, their taste will probably be a lot milder.
- Olives – We used pitted kalamatas.
- Feta cheese – Diced or thick-sliced—whichever you favor.
Greek Dressing:
- Further-virgin olive oil – Greek salad is an efficient excuse to interrupt out that bottle of tremendous fancy olive oil out of your pantry.
- Pink wine vinegar – To me, that is actually key to that basic Greek salad taste, though some individuals desire lemon juice.
- Dry oregano
- Sea salt
- Floor pepper
Variations
- Attempt swapping the inexperienced bell pepper for purple bell pepper, or use a mixture of each. Not a fan of the feel of recent bell peppers? Attempt roasted purple peppers as a substitute.
- Make additional dressing and use it as a marinade for grilled hen or shrimp. Add the hen or shrimp to the Greek salad for an entire dinner.
- Serve the Greek salad with cooked quinoa or toss it with orzo for a deli-style salad that’s good for work and faculty lunches.
Instructions
- Make the dressing – Mix all the dressing components in a jar and shake it vigorously till the dressing is emulsified.
- Assemble – Pour the dressing over the salad components, gently toss to coat, and sprinkle the salad with further oregano earlier than serving.
Tip
You may assemble this as a tossed salad, or organize your Greek salad components on a platter for extra visible affect after which pour the dressing excessive.
Shortcut
For a salad with virtually no prep time, go to the salad bar at your grocery retailer and purchase all of the veggies, olives, and feta there. No slicing, dicing, and chopping wanted!
Find out how to Retailer
Retailer Greek salad in an hermetic container within the fridge. In the event you’ve already added the dressing, it would final about 2 days; undressed salad can final 3 to 4 days. Give the dressing a superb shake earlier than utilizing it.
Continuously Requested Questions
No, Greek salad doesn’t usually comprise lettuce, though you’ll be able to positively add it if you happen to’d like! Historically, although, Greek salad is a mixture of vine-ripened tomatoes, cucumbers, bell peppers, olives, feta cheese, and purple onions all tossed collectively in a light-weight French dressing.
Greek salad is a superb selection for anybody who needs so as to add extra greens to their food regimen. The purple wine French dressing is olive oil-based, so it’s a lot decrease in energy and saturated fats than most creamy dressings, and all the recent greens are loaded with nutritional vitamins, minerals, and fiber.
I exploit halved cherry tomatoes, however if you happen to’re utilizing bigger tomatoes, reduce them into wedges. This may give your salad extra visible enchantment than diced tomatoes!
Greek salad pairs effectively with grilled meats, hen, and seafood. It additionally tastes wonderful as a topping for gyros or pita sandwiches. For a vegetarian meal, you’ll be able to serve Greek salad with roasted chickpeas or baked falafel—crumbled falafel is so good on a salad!
Ideas
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For additional taste, add some recent herbs—mint, parsley, basil, and oregano all work effectively with the Mediterranean flavors of Greek salad. You may add capers to the dressing too, if you happen to’d like.
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Dry the greens effectively; if there’s any water clinging to them once you toss them collectively and add the dressing, your salad will find yourself soggy and the flavors will probably be watered down.
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Serve it with crusty bread or pita to absorb the dressing and bits of feta which are left in your plate.
Dietary Concerns
- Gluten Free
- Dairy Free (make sure you’re select a feta cheese constructed from sheep’s milk or goat’s milk)
- Nut Free
- Vegan
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Greek Salad
This Greek salad is a basic! It takes minutes to make and the mixture of crisp veggies, briny olives, and feta is unattainable to withstand.
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Directions
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Place the dressing components in a jar and shake vigorously. (Alternatively, you’ll be able to place them in a bowl and whisk them.)
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Pour the dressing over the salad components, toss to coat, and sprinkle with further oregano earlier than serving.
Vitamin Data
Energy: 335kcal (17%), Carbohydrates: 6g (2%), Protein: 4g (8%), Fats: 34g (52%), Saturated Fats: 7g (35%), Polyunsaturated Fats: 3g, Monounsaturated Fats: 22g, Ldl cholesterol: 17mg (6%), Sodium: 632mg (26%), Potassium: 225mg (6%), Fiber: 1g (4%), Sugar: 3g (3%), Vitamin A: 522IU (10%), Vitamin C: 27mg (33%), Calcium: 116mg (12%), Iron: 1mg (6%)
Estimated diet data is supplied as a courtesy and isn’t assured.
