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This Greek salad recipe is my go-to when I need one big bowl that feeds the whole family, loaded with crisp salad greens, cucumbers, tomatoes, black olives, artichoke hearts, mushrooms, red onion, salty feta, and crumbled bacon. It isn't a traditional no-lettuce Greek salad, but it's the hearty, crowd-pleasing version that disappears first at every cookout, potluck, and holiday meal. The real star is the easy homemade Greek dressing, a bright lemon and red wine vinegar vinaigrette that you make ahead so the flavors have time to come together. Toss everything right before serving, and you have a fresh Mediterranean salad that works as a side dish or a light dinner.

Greek chopped salad with cucumbers and tomatoes

What is a traditional Greek salad?

A traditional Greek salad (or horiatiki in Greece) contains most of the ingredients below, but without lettuce. It's also sometimes called a village salad, and it includes tomatoes, cucumbers, red onions, green bell peppers, Kalamata olives, and a block of sheep's milk feta cheese, tossed in extra virgin olive oil and dried oregano. My salad is a little different, including lettuce as well as replacing the kalamata olives with canned black olives and dropping the green bell peppers.

Why this is the best Greek Salad recipe with lettuce

It's quick and easy to make. This Greek salad comes together in minutes with fresh vegetables, crisp lettuce, feta cheese, and a simple homemade dressing. There's no cooking required, so it's an easy side dish for busy weeknights, family dinners, or last-minute gatherings.

The homemade Greek dressing is full of flavor. A combination of olive oil, red wine vinegar, garlic, and Mediterranean seasonings gives this salad a tangy, savory flavor that tastes much better than bottled dressing. It's easy to make and brings all the fresh ingredients together.

The best Greek salad is loaded with fresh, crunchy vegetables. Crisp lettuce, juicy tomatoes, cucumbers, and red onions give this Greek salad plenty of color, flavor, and texture. The creamy feta cheese and salty olives add a delicious contrast to the fresh vegetables, making every bite interesting.

This Greek salad is easy to customize. You can swap vegetables, leave out ingredients your family doesn't like, or add grilled chicken to turn this simple side salad into a complete meal. It's also a great way to use up fresh vegetables you already have in your refrigerator.

It's great for just about any occasion. This Greek salad works as a light lunch, a refreshing side dish for grilled meats, or a colorful addition to a potluck or summer cookout. You can even prepare the ingredients ahead of time and toss everything together when you're ready to eat.

What you'll need to make the best Greek Salad Recipe

Equipment

Garlic press - I love my garlic press. It's the best way to distribute that tangy fresh garlic flavor throughout your meat mixture. If you don't have a garlic press, you can smash the cloves with the wide edge of your chef knife, then remove the papery skin and cut the garlic as fine as you can possibly get it with the sharp side of the knife.
Citrus juicer - You can juice your lemon however you want. I prefer this press because it's easy and gets out all the juice. There is a fork method on YouTube too.
Blender - This is to thoroughly mix the dressing.

See the printable recipe card at the bottom of the page for all measurements and nutritional information.

Ingredients

Everything in this salad is optional. I love it just the way the recipe is written, but if you don't like something, leave it out or substitute with something else.

Salad greens
Artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
Bacon, cooked and crumbled
Feta cheese, crumbled
Black olives, drained and chopped - My kids prefer the plain old black olives from a can, but kalamata olives would be a more authentically Greek option.
Mushrooms, sliced
Red onion, chopped or diced
Cucumbers, sliced in half rounds
Tomato, chopped
Parmesan cheese - I buy this in a little tub that says "freshly grated" on the label. You can use grated cheese (with the consistency of dust) or slivered or shredded cheese. All taste good. I do recommend that you use the Parmesan from the refrigerated cheese section of the store rather than the shelf-stable can, if you're able.

Easy Homemade Greek Salad Dressing

Unlike the salad, these ingredients don't leave a lot of room for flexibility. You pretty much need to use everything in the right quantities or your dressing will be weird. Feel free to double the recipe if you don't think there's enough dressing.

Lemon juice, freshly squeezed if possible
Red wine vinegar - If you can't get red wine vinegar, substitute white vinegar or white wine vinegar.
Dried oregano
Black pepper, freshly ground if possible
Garlic, freshly pressed or minced - I prefer freshly pressed garlic but jar garlic will also work and give you a good flavor.
Extra virgin olive oil - I prefer the first cold press for salad dressings.
Chicken broth, low sodium, fat free - This thins the dressing. If you want yours to be more potent, you can reduce the amount.

How to make easy Greek Salad Recipe

Make the easy homemade Greek salad dressing the day before so that it has time for the flavors to blend. It is at its best the second day.

Blend all dressing ingredients and let sit for 4 hours to overnight. Taste and add salt if needed.
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To assemble the best Greek salad

Wash and spin the greens and add them to a large bowl.
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Layer all the other ingredients onto the greens.
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Toss with dressing and serve.
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Cook's Tips for the best Greek salad dressing

This easy Greek salad dressing is best prepared in a blender or food processor, but if you don't have access to one, you can pour all the ingredients into a pint-sized mason jar with a lid and then shake it vigorously.

Keep the dressing in a sealed jar in the fridge for up to a week. The olive oil may firm up when cold, so let it sit at room temperature for about 10 minutes and shake well before using.

Mediterranean Greek salad with feta cheese

Substitutions & variations

You can use crisp romaine lettuce, iceberg lettuce, or a combination of your favorite salad greens. Romaine adds a nice extra crunch, while iceberg gives the salad a lighter, crisp texture. You can also use spring mix, baby lettuce, or baby spinach if that's what you have on hand.

If you want a more authentically Greek salad, replace the canned black olives with kalamata olives. Kalamata olives have a stronger, saltier flavor, while regular black olives are milder and may be more appealing to picky eaters. You can also add chopped green pepper which is found in a traditional Greek salad.

For a milder onion flavor, replace the red onion with green onion.

Feta cheese gives Greek salad its signature tangy, salty flavor, but you can adjust the amount to suit your taste. Crumbled goat cheese is another option if you want something a little creamier. For a dairy-free salad, simply leave out the cheese or use a dairy-free feta alternative.

Fresh Greek salad with crisp romaine lettuce

You can use cherry tomatoes, grape tomatoes, or chopped Roma tomatoes in this recipe. English cucumbers are especially nice because they have thin skins and fewer seeds, but regular cucumbers work just as well. If you use a regular cucumber, you may want to peel it and remove some of the seeds.

For a heartier meal, add grilled chicken, shrimp, chickpeas, or cooked quinoa. You can also toss in some cooked pasta to make a Greek pasta salad that's great for lunches, picnics, or potlucks.

If you prefer a milder dressing, start with a little less vinegar and adjust to taste. You can also add a little Dijon mustard to help the dressing stay blended.

Chopped Greek salad with homemade dressing

Storing leftover Greek salad with lettuce

Store the dressing separately. Keep the homemade Greek dressing in a sealed jar in the fridge for up to a week. The olive oil may firm up when cold, so let it sit at room temperature for about 10 minutes and shake well before using.

To store leftovers, keep the salad undressed. Store the undressed salad in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days, and add dressing just before serving.

Keep the bacon crisp. Store crumbled bacon in its own container and sprinkle it on right before serving. (If you've mixed it all together, it will still taste great, but the bacon won't be as crispy after it sits in the fridge.)

Dressed leftovers. Once tossed with the dressing, the greens get slimy quickly, so enjoy leftovers within a day.

Do not freeze. Lettuce, cucumbers, and tomatoes do not hold up in the freezer.

Homemade Greek salad with fresh vegetables

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Every one of these delicious salads includes a homemade dressing recipe (and they're almost all different from one another).

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Comments

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