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Overview

Greek Salad

Horiatiki (Greek village salad)

This Greek salad recipe is the real horiatiki: chunky ripe tomatoes, peeled cucumber, red onion and green pepper, with Kalamata olives and a whole slab of feta on top, dressed with extra-virgin olive oil and dried Greek oregano. There is no lettuce and no heavy dressing — just summer vegetables at their best, ready in twenty minutes. One serving is about 411 g.

Horiatiki means 'village salad' in Greek, and it is the summer salad of rural Greece, made from what the garden gives in high summer — tomatoes, cucumber, onion and olives, with a slab of feta on top. It travelled the world with Greek tavernas and is now one of the best-known salads anywhere. Feta itself has held protected designation of origin status in the European Union since 2002, so only brined white cheese made in Greece in the traditional way may be sold as feta.

Pairs well with: Crusty bread & grilled fish

Provenance

Greece flag Greece

Aegean Table Classic

Mediterranean & Italy

Time Dedication

20m

20m prep • 0m cook

Batch Yield

4 Servings

343 kcal per serving

1 serving ≈ 411 g

Technical Skill

Easy

Easy (No Cooking)

Meal Timing & Digestive Fit

Breakfast

Not Advised

Lunch

Prime Metabolic Fit

Dinner

Ideal Hearty Main

Snack & Tea

Inappropriate

Quick Prep (<30m) Occasions: Summer lunch, mezze table, barbecue side, light dinner starter Cost: Low — about $3 per serving at home
Tags: Vegetables Cheese Savory Herby Vegetarian Gluten-free Salad
Greek salad (horiatiki) with a slab of feta sprinkled with oregano, Kalamata olives, tomato wedges, cucumber and red onion on a white plate

Aegean Table Classic

Photo: Jpatokal, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

The Heritage Formulary

Measured Ingredients

Estimated cost: Low — about $3 per serving at home (USD)

The vegetables are cut chunky, the feta sits on top in one slab, and the salad is dressed just before serving.

Execution Methodology & Culinary Technique

Step-by-Step Cooking Guide

Active 20m
P

Prep Stage: Vegetables Cut Chunky, Feta Kept Whole

20 Mins • Knife Work

Cut the tomatoes into chunky wedges, the cucumber into thick half-moons, the pepper into strips and the onion into thin rings, and put them all in a wide, shallow bowl. Keep the feta in the fridge in its brine until the last moment so the slab holds its shape on top of the salad.

Maestro Tip: Cut everything chunky, not diced — a horiatiki is a rustic salad, and big pieces stay crisp and juicy.

  1. 1

    Cut the Vegetables

    10 Mins • Knife Work Cold, about 4°C (39°F)

    Cut the 600 g tomatoes into chunky wedges, peel the 400 g cucumber and slice it into thick half-moons, cut the 150 g green pepper into strips and slice the 120 g red onion into thin rings. Put everything in a wide, shallow bowl — a wide bowl matters, because the feta slab needs room to sit on top.

    Use your sharpest knife — a blunt knife crushes tomatoes instead of cutting them.

    Done when: Vegetables are in generous rustic pieces and the bowl smells fresh and sweet.

  2. 2

    Salt and Rest

    5 Mins • Resting Room temperature, about 21°C (70°F)

    Sprinkle the 3 g salt over the vegetables and toss gently. Leave for 5 minutes so the salt draws out a little tomato juice and the flavours start to marry.

    Do not skip the rest — it is what turns a pile of cut vegetables into a salad.

    Done when: Vegetables have softened slightly and a little juice has gathered at the bottom.

  3. 3

    Dress with Olive Oil

    2 Mins • Mixing Room temperature, about 21°C (70°F)

    Drizzle the 60 ml extra-virgin olive oil over the vegetables and add the 15 ml red wine vinegar if you are using it. Toss once or twice, gently, lifting from the bottom so you do not bruise the tomatoes. The dressing should coat, not pool.

    Pour the oil in a slow spiral over the top so every piece gets a little.

    Done when: Vegetables are lightly glossed with oil, with no pool of oil at the bottom.

  4. 4

    Top with Feta and Olives, Then Serve

    3 Mins • Plating Serve cold, about 4°C (39°F)

    Scatter the 100 g Kalamata olives over the vegetables, lay the 200 g feta on top in one slab, and crumble the 2 g dried oregano over the feta with your fingers. Serve at once, cold, with crusty bread on the side for the juices. This is a no-cook salad — nothing here is heated, so keep it chilled at about 4°C (39°F) until it reaches the table.

    Lay the feta on top at the table if you can — the white slab against the red tomatoes is the dish's signature.

    Done when: The salad is cold, the feta sits in a white slab on top, and the vegetables show at the edges.

Finishing Touches & Plating

Serve it cold, straight away, with the feta still in its slab — everyone breaks off what they want. The juices at the bottom of the bowl are the best part, so put crusty bread on the table.

Nutritional Physiology & Benefits

Nutrition

Energy

343

kcal / serving

Protein

10g

Complete AA

Carbs

16g

Complex

Fats

28g

Healthy

Per serving (4 servings · 1 serving ≈ 411 g)
Energy343 kcal
Protein10 g
Carbohydrates16 g
Fat28 g
Fibre4.7 g
Sugar9.4 g
Sodium1049 mg
Per 100g
Energy83 kcal
Protein2.4 g
Carbohydrates3.9 g
Fat6.7 g
Fibre1.1 g
Sugar2.3 g
Sodium255 mg

Nutrition values are estimated — calculated from USDA FoodData Central values for the listed ingredients.

Vitamins & minerals: Vitamin C (tomatoes, green pepper), vitamin K (cucumber), calcium and phosphorus (feta). All nutrition values are estimated.

A Full Portion of Vegetables

A serving is mostly fresh vegetables, bringing fibre, vitamin C and hydration with very few calories.

Calcium From Feta

The slab of feta brings calcium, phosphorus and protein, turning a simple salad into a satisfying light meal.

Light, Fresh and Quick

No cooking, twenty minutes, and a plate that leaves you refreshed rather than heavy — the ideal summer lunch.

Food Pairings

What to Eat With

To optimize nutrient absorption and elevate the sensory depth, pair with these authentic accompaniments:

Sides

Grilled Fish

Greek salad is the classic companion to grilled fish: its cool crunch, salt and acidity balance hot, smoky fish.

Crusty Bread

Bread is for the juices at the bottom of the bowl, which are the best part of the salad.

Lemon-Herb Grilled Chicken

Grilled chicken turns the salad into a full meal, and its lemon and herbs echo the oregano and olive oil.

Drinks

Chilled White Wine or Sparkling Water

A cold, dry white wine or a glass of sparkling water with lemon suits the salt and freshness of the salad.

Complete menu

Serve Greek salad as a light lunch on its own with crusty bread, or as a starter next to grilled fish or lemon-herb chicken.

Digestive Guardrails

What NOT to Combine

To prevent digestive distress, sluggishness, or palate clash, avoid pairing the dish with these elements:

Dressing Hours Ahead

Dressed too early, the vegetables go limp and the salad weeps into a puddle. Dress just before serving. This is general information, not medical advice.

Leaving It Out for Hours

Feta is a fresh dairy food, so do not leave the finished salad sitting at room temperature (above about 4°C / 39°F) for more than two hours. Keep it chilled until serving. This is general information, not medical advice.

General information only, not medical advice — consult a doctor for personal dietary decisions.

Who Should Eat It

Who Should Eat

  • General adultsA light, fresh lunch — one of the healthiest plates in the collection.
  • ChildrenChildren usually enjoy the crunchy vegetables and salty feta; cut the pieces smaller and use fewer olives.
  • ElderlySoft vegetables and feta are easy to eat; chop finely and go light on the onion.
  • Pregnant womenFresh vegetables and feta are nourishing; make sure everything is washed well and served cold. Ask your clinician about portion size.
  • Breastfeeding womenLight but satisfying, with protein from the feta — a good lunch with bread.
  • AthletesA fresh, hydrating side after training; add grilled chicken or fish for protein.
  • Weight gainLight and low in calories — add bread and grilled chicken for a fuller meal.
  • Weight lossLow in calories and full of vegetables; watch the salty feta and keep the oil to the measured amount.

Health Conditions — Adjust or Avoid

Conditions

  • DiabetesAbout 16 g of carbohydrate per serving — one of the lowest in the collection. Ask your clinician about portion size.
  • High blood pressureFeta and Kalamata olives are salty — about 1049 mg of sodium per serving — so use a little less feta and skip the added salt. Ask your clinician about portion size.
  • Kidney diseaseFresh vegetables and moderate protein; the salt and the phosphorus in feta are the main concerns. Ask your clinician about portion size.
  • GoutVegetables and feta are low in purines; a good choice in a modest portion. Ask your clinician about portion size.
  • Stomach issuesRaw onion and green pepper can trouble a sensitive stomach — use less onion and peel the pepper. Ask your clinician about portion size.
  • Cardiovascular diseaseFresh vegetables, extra-virgin olive oil and feta in moderation — a heart-friendly plate. Ask your clinician about portion size.
  • Fatty liverLight, fresh and low in calories — a good choice in a normal portion. Ask your clinician about portion size.
  • Food allergiesContains milk (feta). Olives are a fruit, not a tree nut, but check every label. Ask your clinician about portion size.
  • Special therapeutic dietsSuitable for many therapeutic diets with a lighter hand on the feta and salt. Ask your clinician about portion size.

If you have a medical condition, consult your doctor before changing your diet.

Storage & Use

Storage & Use

How to store
Store the undressed vegetables and the feta separately, covered, in the fridge. Keep the olives in their brine.
In the fridge
Undressed vegetables: 1 day. Dressed salad: eat at once — it goes soft within hours.
In the freezer
Not suitable — fresh vegetables and feta do not freeze well.
How to reheat
No reheating — this is a no-cook salad, served cold at about 4°C (39°F).
Freezing recommended
No.
Signs it has spoiled
Slimy vegetables, sour smell, or feta that has gone soft and slimy.

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