Equipment
Ingredients
Vegetables & Olives
- 400 g tomatoes, cut into bite-sized wedges
- 200 g cucumber, half-moons or thick slices
- 80 g red onion, thinly sliced
- 80 g kalamata olives, pitted
Cheese
- 150 g feta cheese, large slab or thick cubes
Oregano Vinaigrette
- 60 ml extra virgin olive oil
- 30 ml red wine vinegar
- 2 g dried oregano
- 3 g kosher salt
- 1 g black pepper, freshly ground
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 292 kcal
- Protein
- 7 g
- Carbohydrates
- 11 g
- Fat
- 26 g
- Fiber
- 3 g
- Sugar
- 6 g
- Sodium
- 874 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 7 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 13 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 2 g
- Cholesterol
- 33 mg
- Potassium
- 384 mg
- Calcium
- 228 mg
- Iron
- 1.1 mg
- Magnesium
- 29 mg
- Phosphorus
- 170 mg
- Zinc
- 1.4 mg
- Vitamin A
- 53 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 17 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.1 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 2.3 mg
- Vitamin K
- 22 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.2 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.6 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.08 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.34 mg
- Niacin
- 0.5 mg
- Folate
- 21 mcg
- Water
- 93 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Ensure your tomatoes are at room temperature, ideally around 20C/68F, for the best flavor. Wash and slice the tomatoes, cucumber, and red onion.
In a small mixing bowl, vigorously whisk together the extra virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar, dried oregano, kosher salt, and black pepper until well combined.
Place the prepared tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, and Kalamata olives into a large serving bowl.
Pour the oregano vinaigrette over the vegetables and toss gently to coat all the ingredients evenly.
Top the salad with the feta cheese. You can present it as one large block in the center or cut it into thick chunks. Sprinkle a final pinch of dried oregano and a drizzle of olive oil over the cheese. Serve immediately.
Chef's Notes
- For the most authentic presentation, serve the feta as a large single slab on top of the salad rather than crumbling it into the bowl.
- Room temperature tomatoes are crucial for maximum flavor; refrigeration dulls their complex aromatics and creates a mealy texture.
- If your red onions are particularly sharp, toss them briefly in the red wine vinegar before making the dressing to lightly pickle and mellow them.
- The quality of your olive oil dictates the success of this dish. Use a robust, cold-pressed extra virgin olive oil with a slightly peppery finish.
Storage
Refrigerator: 1 day — Store in an airtight container without the dressing if possible. Tomatoes will release water and lose their optimal texture overnight.
Troubleshooting
Watery salad with diluted dressing
Cause: Tomatoes were salted too far in advance, drawing out excess moisture.
Fix: Drain the excess liquid from the bottom of the bowl and add a fresh splash of olive oil and vinegar.
Prevention: Dress and salt the salad immediately before serving.
Onions are too sharp or pungent
Cause: Using strong raw red onions without mellowing them.
Fix: Cannot be fixed once assembled, but allowing the salad to rest for 5 minutes in the acidic dressing will slightly reduce the bite.
Prevention: Soak the sliced onions in cold water for 10 minutes before draining and adding to the salad.
Cultural Context
A traditional Greek salad, known locally as Horiatiki or village salad, relies strictly on the quality of its summer produce. Notably absent from the authentic recipe is lettuce or any leafy greens, which were historically reserved for winter salads. It is customarily served alongside rustic crusty bread to soak up the flavorful juices and olive oil left at the bottom of the bowl.
