Classic Greek Salad – Horiatiki with Feta, Olives and Oregano

About This Recipe

Greek salad (horiatiki, meaning 'village salad') is one of the world's great salads — and one of the most misunderstood outside Greece. The authentic version contains no lettuce: it is a robust, chunky assembly of ripe tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, green peppers, and Kalamata olives, crowned with a thick slab (not crumbled) of barrel-aged feta, drizzled with excellent olive oil, and scattered with dried Greek oregano. No dressing, no vinegar — just olive oil, the vegetables' own juices, and the brine from the olives and feta. The key to horiatiki is the quality of the tomatoes — they must be fully ripe, flavourful, and sweet. The feta should be Greek PDO feta, made from sheep and goat milk, with a crumbly, slightly grainy texture and a creamy, tangy flavour that is entirely unlike mass-produced white cheese called 'feta.' The olive oil must be Greek extra-virgin, fruity and peppery. Greek salad is served as a starter or side dish throughout Greece, eaten with crusty bread to soak up the pooled juices and olive oil at the bottom of the bowl. It is the definitive expression of Greek summer produce.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 4ripe tomatoes(cut into wedges)
• 1cucumber(halved lengthways, thickly sliced)
• 1small red onion(thinly sliced)
• 1green pepper(thinly sliced)
• 100 gKalamata olives
• 200 gGreek PDO feta(as a whole slab)
• 4 tbspGreek extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tspdried Greek oregano
• flaky salt and black pepper

Instructions

1. 1

   Assemble the vegetables

   Arrange tomatoes, cucumber, onion, and green pepper in a wide shallow bowl or platter.

2. 2

   Add olives

   Scatter Kalamata olives over the vegetables.

3. 3

   Add feta

   Place the whole slab of feta on top — do not crumble it. In Greece, the feta slab is a point of pride.

   A whole slab of feta is the traditional presentation. Crumbled feta is acceptable at home but lacks the visual drama.

4. 4

   Dress

   Drizzle generously with olive oil. Scatter oregano over everything, especially on the feta. Add flaky salt and black pepper. No other dressing is needed.

Variations

• •

  Add capers for a tangier, more complex version.

• •

  Include sliced avocado for a modern, creamier interpretation.

Storage

Dress and eat immediately. Undressed vegetables and feta keep separately for 2 days.

Frequently Asked Questions