Horiatiki (Village Salad)

About This Recipe

Horiatiki, meaning village salad, is the original Greek salad — and it looks nothing like the shredded lettuce versions found abroad. Large chunks of ripe tomatoes, crunchy cucumber, green pepper, red onion, and Kalamata olives are topped with a generous slab of feta cheese and dressed simply with olive oil and oregano. No lettuce. No vinegar. Just the pure, sun-ripened flavors of the Greek countryside.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 4 largeripe tomatoes(cut into chunks)
• 1 largecucumber(cut into thick half-moons)
• 1 mediumgreen bell pepper(sliced into rings)
• 1 smallred onion(thinly sliced)
• 100 gKalamata olives
• 200 gfeta cheese(one thick slab)
• 4 tbspextra virgin olive oil
• 1 tspdried oregano

Instructions

1. 1

   Prepare vegetables

   Cut tomatoes into large chunks. Slice cucumber into thick half-moons. Slice pepper into rings and onion into thin rings.

2. 2

   Arrange the salad

   Combine tomatoes, cucumber, pepper, and onion in a shallow bowl or plate. Scatter olives on top.

3. 3

   Add feta and dress

   Place the slab of feta on top. Drizzle generously with olive oil. Sprinkle with oregano and salt.

Variations

• •

  Add capers or pickled pepperoncini for extra tang.

• •

  Vegetarian: swap the protein for roasted king oyster mushrooms, smoked tofu or cooked chickpeas — adjust seasoning slightly upward to compensate.

• •

  Spicier: add a finely chopped fresh chile or a teaspoon of crushed Aleppo/Urfa pepper to the aromatics for warm, layered heat instead of a single sharp hit.

• •

  Lighter: reduce the fat by a third and finish with a squeeze of citrus or a splash of vinegar to keep brightness without losing body.

Storage

Best eaten immediately. Leftovers keep a few hours but will release water.

Frequently Asked Questions