One of my favorite salads this summer has been Greek salad. This light, crisp and cool salad will make you forget how hot it is outside. I cannot get enough of it!
I found myself in a salad rut at the beginning of summer. I just wasn’t enjoying the same chef salad I enjoyed so much, especially after I quit smoking. I finally realized I needed to change things up by trying new dressings and finding new ways of making salads altogether.
For this salad, I make my own Greek Dressing (the same one I use on my Spinach Feta Pizza) and drizzle it over juicy ripe tomatoes, crisp cucumber, sliced red onion, tangy feta cheese and plump Kalamata olives on a bed of fresh salad greens. This Greek salad can be served as a side dish or as a light meal with some toasted pita bread. Perfect when you are trying to beat the summer heat.
Here’s how I make it:
Greek Salad | Servings: 4 | Time: 20 Minutes
Ingredients:
- 1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, quartered or halved
- 1 medium cucumber, sliced
- 2 tablespoons red onion, sliced
- 1 tablespoon fresh dill, finely chopped
- 6 ounces black olives, sliced
- 4 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
- 10 ounces fresh salad greens such as baby spinach or romaine lettuce
- pita bread for serving (optional)
Greek Dressing:
- 1 ¼ teaspoons dried oregano
- 1 ¼ teaspoon dried basil
- 1 ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
- ½ cup red wine vinegar
Directions:
Combine vegetables, olives, and fresh dill in a large bowl with fresh greens. Crumble the feta on the top of salad.
Prepare Greek Dressing:
Crush dried oregano and basil with a mortar and pestle (or use your fingers) and add to a small jar or plastic container with a lid.
Add in the remaining dry ingredients and Dijon mustard.
Add in the oil and vinegar. Place the lid on the jar and shake vigorously to combine oil and vinegar with the spice mixture. Continue to shake until everything inside the jar is combined then pour the desired amount of dressing over salad and cheese.
Serve salad with pita bread blistered and warmed on a hot griddle or grill pan or directly over a gas burner on the stove.
Note: Refrigerate unused dressing as long as the expiration date of the Dijon mustard. To reuse, take out of the refrigerator about 5 to 10 minutes before needed (the olive oil tends to congeal a bit).
I think I am addicted to this salad. I have had it for the last few weeks for Meatless Monday lunch and a few other times during the week. The ingredients inspired me to make a new recipe that I will share with you next Monday, so stay tuned. Until then you can enjoy this crisp wonderful salad with those summer veggies before they are gone.
Greek Salad
Ingredients
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes quartered or halved
- 1 medium cucumber sliced
- 2 tablespoons red onion sliced
- 1 tablespoon fresh dill finely chopped
- 6 ounces black olives sliced
- 4 ounces feta cheese crumbled
- 10 ounces fresh salad greens such as baby spinach or romaine lettuce
- pita bread for serving (optional)
Greek Dressing
- 1 ¼ teaspoons dried oregano
- 1 ¼ teaspoons dried basil
- 1 ¼ teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
- ½ cup red wine vinegar
Instructions
- Combine vegetables, olives, and fresh dill in a large bowl with fresh greens. Crumble the feta on the top of salad.
Prepare Greek Dressing:
- Crush dried oregano and basil with a mortar and pestle or using your fingers and add to a small jar or plastic container with a lid. Add in the remaining dry ingredients and Dijon mustard. Add in the oil and vinegar. Place the lid on the jar and shake vigorously to combine oil and vinegar with the spice mixture.
- Give the dressing a good shake, then pour the desired amount of dressing over salad and cheese.
- Serve salad with pita bread blistered and warmed on a hot griddle or grill pan.
Jenny says
This salad looks fresh and delicious! I love Greek salad, and that recipe for the dressing is one I must try. I think I have all the ingredients for it already!
The Mountain Kitchen says
Thanks, Jenny. Such simple ingredients, but it packs a punch! Hope you enjoy it!
Cheryl "Cheffie Cooks" Wiser says
Ok Yum-O!
The Mountain Kitchen says
Only natural for you to like this one, Cheryl 😉
Dor says
I love Greek Salad too and really appreciate your recipe for the dressing and how to put it all together. I usually get it at our local Greek restaurant but now I can have the real thing at home. Thank you! 🙂
The Mountain Kitchen says
There is a little restaurant called ” The Crazy Greek”, in Richmond, VA that has a very similar dressing and inspired me to find one that will get me through until.my next visit. So good!!
Anna Buckley says
Do you ever tire of that view? What a magnificent setting.
The Mountain Kitchen says
I will never tire of the view and I still get all giddy when I drive up the mountain from a long day of work. My heaven on earth. ?