My family loves homemade ranch dressing and yours probably does too . . . but not every night, right? If you’ve ever picked at your go-to salad because you’ve had it one too many times lately, this fresh Greek salad recipe is for you. Bursting with crisp cucumbers, plump tomatoes, creamy avocado, crunchy bell pepper and the all important flavors of feta and kalamata olives, it’s tossed in a super yummy vinaigrette that will wake up your tastebuds for sure.
Traditional Greek salad is usually made with just a handful of ingredients – tomatoes, cucumber, kalamata olives, red onion, feta, and a simple vinaigrette. However, in the restaurant where I first learned to make it in college, we added lettuce for crunch. It may not be quite as authentic, but it’s SO GOOD that way. I’ve also found that avocado adds creaminess that balances the vinaigrette, so I add that in too.
Feel free to adapt the recipe below to fit your family’s preferences. Don’t love bell peppers? No problem. Want to add pepperoncini’s? I’ve done that – delicious! Thinking of adding grilled chicken to make it more of a meal than a side dish? It makes a delicious light lunch or dinner.
Oh, and because you know how I love to simplify things in the kitchen, here’s a tip that will save you time throughout the week:
If you have an immersion blender, double the dressing ingredients and place them in a large mason jar. Next, mix the dressing right in the jar using the stick blender. Now you have a batch for the meal you’re preparing, and another batch ready to go later in the week – just pop a lid on the jar and store it in the fridge until you need it.
Tips for Making The Best Greek Salad
Use English cucumbers – They’re firmer than the typical variety you find in the grocery store. I prefer to use them in this recipe because they add crispness. If you want to use regular cucumbers, I suggest de-seeding them to prevent the salad from becoming mushy.
Seek out juicy, sweet tomatoes – Bland tomatoes will make this salad fizzle instead of pop. Full-sized tomatoes will work as long as they are ripe and fresh from the garden or farmer’s market, but if those are available I recommend juicy, sweet cherry or grape tomatoes. They’re more reliable in terms of flavor.
Slice the red onion really thin – Otherwise it can overpower the other flavors
Make sure the avocado is firm – That way it will hold its shape when the salad is tossed in the dressing
Greek Salad Recipe
Equipment
- large bowl
- salad tongs
Ingredients
Greek Salad Ingredients
- 1 head romaine lettuce (chopped; 8-9 cups)
- 1 red onion (thinly sliced)
- ½ bell pepper (any color – chopped)
- 1 ½ cups cherry tomatoes (cut in half)
- ½ English cucumber (cut in half and sliced)
- 1 avocado (peeled, pitted, and sliced)
- ½ cup kalamata olives (sliced in half)
- 4 oz feta cheese
Greek Salad Dressing Ingredients
- ½ cup olive oil
- 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 tsp dijon mustard (or whole grain mustard)
- 1 clove garlic (roughly chopped)
- ½ tsp dried oregano
- ½ tsp sea salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper (freshly ground)
Instructions
To Make Dressing
- Blend all ingredients together using a blender or immersion blender.
To Make Salad
- Slice or chop ingredients as noted above.
- Place lettuce in a large bowl and top with red onion, bell pepper, tomatoes, cucumber, avocado, olives and feta.
- Pour salad dressing over the bowl and toss until everything is well combined.
Notes
Nutrition
More Dressing Recipes To Try
Creamy Caesar Dressing – This recipe is delicious over crisp romaine lettuce with gluten-free croutons, but it also makes a fantastic marinade for chicken or steak, dip for crispy baked chicken wings, or topping for baked fish. If you’re dairy-free, here’s a version for you.
Thousand Island Dressing – We drizzle this recipe on salads, slather it on reuben sandwiches, and use it as a dipping sauce for fries and sliced veggies.
Honey Mustard – Drizzled over crumbled bacon salad or as a dunking sauce for homemade chicken tenders, this recipe is quick and easy.
Strawberry Vinaigrette – The light, refreshing flavor of this vinaigrette is delicious over spinach and strawberry salad. Basil is our favorite herb to blend with, but you can use mint or just plain strawberries, too.
Creamy Ranch Dressing – This is a staple at my house. It takes less than five minute to make, and it’s delicious over salads or as a dip for buffalo wings, chicken nuggets or sliced veggies.
Fire Cider Vinaigrette – Mix 1/2 cup avocado or olive oil with 3 tablespoons homemade fire cider. Whisk in 1 teaspoon raw honey and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Taste and add more fire cider or honey if desired.
