Everyone loves Greek Cucumber Salad (known as Horiatiki in Greece), it brings a taste of the Mediterranean to your dinner table! A healthy and tasty summer salad, packed with vegetables, tossed with Greek Feta and an easy homemade dressing.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Fresh and Crispy - the crunch of the cucumbers and red peppers, balanced with the tang of the olives leave a refreshing flavor
- Versatile - personalize it and make it your own with amazing recipe variations
- Healthy - a salad that's packed with vegetables, not just lettuce, so it's packed with nutrients and vitamins
Greek Salad Ingredients
- Tomatoes
- Long English Cucumber
- Red Pepper
- Green Pepper
- Kalamata Olives
- Red Onion
- Greek Feta
Greek Dressing Ingredients
Don't buy your Greek Salad Dressing, it's so easy to make, ready to pour over your salad. This vinaigrette is only 4 ingredients! Make the dressing ahead of time to allow the flavors meld together.
- Red Wine Vinegar
- Oregano - Greek Oregano (Rigani) is best
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- Salt
Pro Tip: When making salad dressings, use an old glass jar to shake the dressing flavors to emulsify, no blender or whisk needed!
Greek Cucumber Salad Instructions
Greek Salads are one of my favorite summer salads, and they are jam packed with vegetables. Super easy to make, and these are all the ingredients you need!
- Chop the Vegetables - dice the cucumber, peppers and tomatoes into bite size pieces. Thinly slice red onion, and pit and slice Kalamata olives.
- Prepare Feta - cut Feta cheese into small cubes.
- Mix - in a large bowl, combine cucumbers, peppers, tomatoes, red onion, and olives.
- Prepare Dressing - whisk the olive oil, red wine vinegar, salt and oregano.
- Dress the Salad - pour dressing over the salad and gently toss until coated. Top with feta cheese.
- Refrigerate - place in fridge for 30 minutes to chill and allow flavors to meld together.
Greek Cucumber Salad Variations
- Avocado Cucumber Salad - add cubed avocado for a creamy texture, which contrasts with the crunchy vegetables
- Chickpea Cucumber Salad - add a can of chickpeas to your salad. Provides extra protein and complements the Mediterranean flavors
- Greek Cucumber Pasta Salad - boil and cool some pasta, like macaroni, bowtie pasta or penne. Mix through for a more substantial, meal like salad.
- Watermelon Greek Salad - add cubed watermelon for a unique flavor. Sweet watermelon combined with salty feta, a winning combination.
- Fresh Herb Cucumber Salad - add fresh mint or fresh dill for a herbaceous flavor hit in your salad
- Cucumber Salad with Protein- add cooked shrimp, smoked chicken or ham in your salad
Recipe Tips and FAQs
- Chill and Marinate - don't rush this step. Greek Cucumber Salad tastes best when it's cold and crisp, and when the flavors have had time to meld.
- Fresh Ingredients - use the freshest vegetables and fresh herbs you can find, it really makes a difference in the taste.
- Use Greek Sheep's Feta - for an authentic taste, use Greek Feta made from sheep's milk, not goat's milk. It has a tangy, richer flavor compared to cow's feta.
- Remove Seeds - so the salad doesn't get watery, remove the seeds from the tomatoes to keep it crisp
- Go Traditional - don't cube the feta, but slice it in a thin rectangle and place over the cucumber salad on each individual plate. Also cut red onions into thin rings. That's how it's traditionally served in Greece.
- Lemon Fresh - squeeze ½ a fresh lemon over your salad when you are ready to serve for a citrus zing
Which Olives Are Best For Greek Salad?
Olives are very important when making a Greek Salad recipe. Whatever you use, do NOT use the canned black olives. The tastiest olives for this salad are Kalamata Olives, either sold fresh in the deli or in glass jars.
Can I Use Different Cheese?
Yes, while Greek Feta is traditional, you can substitute with Goat's Cheese, Buffalo Mozzarella, or Halloumi.
Can I Make in Advance?
Yes, but only recommend a few hours. If you make it the day before, the vegetables will become soggy. Best enjoyed fresh.
Storage
Place in an airtight container and keep refrigerated. Enjoy within 2-3 days with a crusty loaf to absorb any flavorful juices.
What to Serve with Greek Cucumber Salad
This is the perfect summer side dish or summer salad. The perfect salad to accompany a potluck or bbq. You can enjoy as part of a Greek Meze Feast as you can see in the video!
- Instant Pot Greek Lamb
- Mediterranean Pork Kabobs
- Lamb Kofta Skewers
- Slow Roast Leg of Lamb
- Grilled Octopus
- Kleftiko - Roasted Goat
- Tomahawk Steak
- Greek Chicken Souvlaki
- Grilled Snapper
Greek Cucumber Salad is jam packed with vegetables, fresh and vibrant. This easy Mediterranean salad will join you salad rotation and soon become a family favorite. Bon Appetit! Приятного аппетита!
Ingredients
Greek Cucumber Salad
- 4 medium Tomatoes
- 1 Long English Cucumber
- 1 small Red Pepper
- 1 small Green Pepper
- ½ cup Kalamata Olives
- ½ Red Onion
- 7 oz (200g) Greek Feta cubed
Easy Greek Salad Dressing
- ½ cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- ¼ cup Red Wine Vinegar
- 1½ teaspoons Dried Oregano
- 1 teaspoon Salt
Instructions
- Chop the Vegetables - dice the cucumber, peppers and tomatoes into bite size pieces. Thinly slice red onion, and pit and slice Kalamata olives.
- Prepare Feta - cut Feta cheese into small cubes.
- Mix - in a large bowl, combine cucumbers, peppers, tomatoes, red onion, and olives.
- Prepare Dressing - whisk the olive oil, red wine vinegar, salt and oregano.
- Dress the Salad - pour dressing over the salad and gently toss until coated. Top with feta cheese.
- Refrigerate - place in fridge for 30 minutes to chill and allow flavors to meld together.
Notes
©PetersFoodAdventures.com *originally published February 2017, updated January 2024
