Greek Salad

My delicious Greek salad is filled with bright, tangy flavors, making it a cool and refreshing addition to a Mediterranean-inspired spread. It's prepared with a combo of crisp romaine and peppery arugula, Kalamata olives, tomatoes, cucumbers, red onions and feta. With its creamy lemon dressing, this Greek salad recipe is sure to become a favorite!

A salad loaded with Mediterranean flavors

It's no secret that I'm a salad lover through and through.

I love crisp, cool greens lightly chopped and tossed together with a wild medley of other colorful produce and savory morsels. Drizzle it all with a zingy and zippy homemade dressing and I'm in heaven!

I'm such a big fan of Mediterranean cuisine with its liberal use of lemons, fresh herbs, olives, salty cheeses, and olive oil. So a delectable Greek salad is probably my ultimate favorite salad, hands down.

Put it this way: if Greek salad is available on a menu, chances are I won't be passing it up!

I love to whip up this tasty salad quite often at home, especially when I'm preparing my recipe for chicken kebab wraps with easy tzatziki sauce, my tasty falafel wraps, or even my loaded hummus recipe. The flavors pair so well with those types of dishes, and I feel like the meal would be a little incomplete without it.

This Greek salad recipe is my version of the ultimate Greek salad. It boasts a combination of cool greens and lots of savory bells and whistles. And, it's complete with my very own creamy lemon dressing to drizzle over top.

One bite, and I think it'll become your go-to Greek salad when those vibrant Mediterranean flavors beckon you too!

My recipe for Greek salad

Greek salad ingredients are wonderfully simple and fresh. We're talking good quality greens like romaine, tomatoes, cucumbers and red onions. (I even add a little arugula for some peppery "bite"!) It's really the delicious little "extras" that provide that signature pop of flavor.

The briny Kalamata olives, the salty and creamy feta cheese, and the fresh herbs, such as dill and oregano, really give this salad its unmistakable flavor profile, and I just adore those.

Then, of course, there's the tangy, lemony dressing, which is a huge part of the pleasure as well! Typically, a Greek salad dressing is little more than lemon juice, garlic, oregano, and olive oil, and is darned delicious as it is. But my dressing is a little more "dressed up", if you will...

I like to prepare a slightly more creamy lemon dressing with lemon juice, garlic, olive oil, and a hint of plain Greek yogurt. The addition of a little feta cheese makes this tasty dressing slightly creamier, more robust and savory. And because the dressing is prepared in the food processor, it's very quick and easy to whirl into creamy deliciousness in no time!

Here's a glance at my Greek salad recipe: (or just jump to the full recipe...)

1. To get started, I whirl up my creamy lemon dressing to have ready. If prepping ahead, I keep it in a mason jar, in the fridge, until ready to use.
2. I then add all of my cool salad ingredients to a large bowl.
3. Next, I drizzle in as much of that yummy dressing as desired, then toss together to coat.
4. To serve, I spoon the Greek salad into a serving bowl or platter, then top with the feta and the oregano. I also serve with extra dressing on the side.

Recipe

Greek Salad

by Ingrid Beer

Print Recipe

This delicious Greek salad complete with a creamy and herby lemon dressing is filled with fresh, Mediterranean-inspired ingredients!

Category: Salad
Cuisine: Mediterranean

Yield: Serves 4

Nutrition Info: 302 calories (per serving, with about 3 tablespoons of dressing)

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 0 minutes
Total time: 20 minutes

Greek Salad Ingredients:

• 2 large heads romaine, chopped
• 2 cups arugula
• ½ small red onion, quartered and sliced thinly
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
• 2 large Persian cucumbers, sliced
• 1 cup pitted Kalamata olives, whole or halved
• ½ cup feta cheese, crumbled
• 1 tablespoon fresh oregano leaves
• Lemon wedges, on the side

Creamy Lemon Dressing Ingredients:

• 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
• ½ cup crumbled feta cheese
• ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
• 1 (heaping) teaspoon lemon zest
• 4 cloves garlic
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• ¼ cup olive oil
• 1 tablespoon fresh chopped dill
• ½ teaspoon fresh chopped oregano

Preparation:

1. Begin by gathering and prepping all of your creamy lemon dressing ingredients according to the ingredient list above to have ready and organized for use.
2. To prepare your dressing, place all of the dressing ingredients up to and including the black pepper into the bowl of a food processor, and process until smooth and creamy.
3. With the processor running, slowly drizzle in the olive oil until emulsified, then spoon the dressing into a bowl and fold in the chopped dill and oregano. Set aside if using immediately, or store in a covered container in the fridge until ready to use.
4. Next, gather and prep all of your salad ingredients according to the ingredient list above to have ready and organized for use.
5. Prepare your salad by adding all of the salad ingredients up to and including the Kalamata olives into a large bowl, then drizzle in some of the dressing to taste, and toss together.
6. Transfer the salad to a serving platter or large salad bowl, and top with the crumbled feta and the oregano leaves, and serve with remaining dressing and extra lemon on the side, if desired.

Tips and tidbits for my Greek salad recipe:

• Choose your greens: More traditional Greek salads stick to romaine or even iceberg lettuce. But I like the slightly peppery, spicy kick of arugula, so I add a bit for this recipe. You can also add in some mixed greens, or even spinach for a twist, if you'd like.
• Fresh herbs are most flavorful: You could definitely use dried herbs in a pinch, but the fresh dill and oregano make a big difference when it comes to flavor. So if you can, use fresh herbs for the best flavor and color.
• Good quality olives: The flavor of Kalamata olives in a brine is rich and salty, and a great pick for this salad over plain black olives. Just make sure to use "pitted" olives for easy eating!
• Make the creamy lemon dressing ahead: This delicious dressing can be made a day or two ahead. Simply keep it in a covered container (a mason jar works great), and give it a shake or a mix before dressing.
• Add grilled chicken for extra protein: You can easily add some protein to this salad by adding strips of grilled chicken to make it more of an entree salad, or a main meal—very easy and very tasty!

Craving more scrumptious salad recipes loaded with flavor? Check out my recipe for French Potato Salad, Steak Salad with Avocado-Cilantro Dressing, Thai Chicken Satay Salad, Italian Chickpea Salad, Cucumber Salad, Honey Mustard Chicken Salad, or even my recipe for Honeycrisp Apple Salad!

Cook's Note: This recipe was originally published in 2018, and has been updated with even more love!