A hearty Greek chopped salad of cucumber, tomato, and feta tossed with a tangy citrus-yogurt dressing instead of plain oil.
This recipe takes the classic horiatiki, Greek village salad, and turns it into a heartier, dressed chopped salad by whisking the olive oil into a lemon-yogurt dressing rather than serving it plain. Traditional horiatiki skips lettuce entirely and relies on ripe tomato, cucumber, green pepper, red onion, olives, and a slab of feta -- this version keeps those same components chopped smaller and finished with a creamy, tangy dressing that clings to every bite, making it substantial enough to eat as a light meal. The technique that matters is salting the cucumber and tomato briefly and draining off the excess liquid before dressing, so the salad doesn't turn watery and dilute the dressing. Whisking the yogurt into the olive oil and lemon juice slowly, rather than all at once, keeps the dressing smooth rather than separated. Served with warm pita alongside, this is Greek summer eating at its simplest -- ripe vegetables, good olive oil, and salty feta doing all the work, updated here with a creamy, citrusy dressing that makes it feel like a complete dish rather than a side.
Serves 4
Toss tomato and cucumber with 0.5 tsp salt in a colander. Let drain 10 minutes, then discard the liquid.
Whisk yogurt, olive oil, and lemon juice together slowly until smooth. Stir in garlic and oregano.
In a large bowl, combine drained tomato and cucumber with bell pepper, red onion, and olives.
Pour the dressing over the vegetables and toss gently to coat everything evenly.
Top with feta, taste and adjust salt, and serve immediately with warm pita.
Salt and drain the tomato and cucumber first -- skipping this step leaves the salad watery and washes out the dressing's flavor.
Whisk the yogurt into the oil and lemon gradually rather than dumping it in, which keeps the dressing smooth instead of curdled-looking.
Use a good, briny kalamata olive rather than canned black olives -- they carry a lot of the salad's flavor.
Skip the yogurt dressing and serve plain horiatiki-style with just olive oil, vinegar, and oregano.
Add cooked chickpeas for a more filling, protein-rich version.
Swap in dill or mint instead of oregano for a brighter, herbier dressing.
Best eaten fresh the day it's made. If needed, store undressed vegetables and dressing separately up to 2 days and combine just before serving.
Horiatiki, the Greek village salad this recipe is based on, is a staple of everyday Greek cooking built on whatever ripe vegetables are in season, traditionally dressed simply with olive oil and vinegar; the yogurt-based dressing here is a modern home-cooking twist that makes the salad heartier.
Traditional horiatiki skips lettuce entirely, relying on tomato and cucumber for bulk, but you can add romaine or arugula if you prefer more greens.
Regular plain yogurt works, though it's thinner -- strain it through a cheesecloth or coffee filter for 20 minutes first to thicken it closer to Greek yogurt's consistency.
The vegetables likely weren't drained well enough after salting -- make sure to let the salted tomato and cucumber sit in a colander and discard the liquid before assembling.
Per serving (320g / 11.3 oz) · 4 servings total
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