Greek Salad Fast And Simple

A fast and simple Greek salad recipe that you can try at home tonight.

How did I learn to make this Greek salad fast and simple?

Mediterranean food has always been a staple in my home. I love the freshness and the ease of many of the dishes that come from the Mediterranean. I like to joke around at home that my soul was born in Greece. While I was looking for a way to use more tomatoes at home I realized I could put this salad together quickly, I was sold. And have I mentioned feta cheese? I love feta cheese! Seriously, if you have never had this salad, do it for the feta. Do it for the feta! However, my mom does not like feta, so when I make this salad at home I take a portion out and set it aside before adding the feta. This salad is vegetarian if you are not adding chicken or shrimp. I do not eat much meat, aligning most closely with pescatarian foods.

Changes I made while perfecting this dish.

This recipe went through many version updates over the years in my kitchen. One of the main changes is the omission of onion in my recipe. Onion is typically used in the recipe. However, due to personal preference, I do not include onions. I tried using more ingredients with the olive oil dressing, but ultimately, I found that keeping it simple made the fresh vegetables stand out more.

I have tried mixing the dressing ingredients together in a separate bowl or jar first. It makes no difference in taste to just toss everything together in one bowl. There are fewer dishes to clean when the ingredients are mixed in the same bowl. I also like to add thyme to my salad, but feel free to omit thyme based on taste and preference. Oregano and salt are used as the dry ingredients in most recipe versions. I love the flavor combination of oregano, basil, and thyme. That trio of flavors shows up in many of my recipes. I sometimes add basil, but for this recipe I left it out.

Mix it up! Add or omit any ingredients that make you love your salad.

Greek salad with protein

Need some protein to make it a complete meal? Feel free to add protein to your salad! It is easy to add protein to the salad. When I want to add protein, I like to add shrimp to my salad. Grilled chicken would also be a nice alternative when adding protein. I have made it with grilled chicken and with shrimp. Shrimp is my favorite go-to when adding protein for this salad. Chickpeas would also be a great alternative to chicken or shrimp if you are looking for a complete meal. with protein.

History of Greek Salad

It most likely started in the 1960s. In Greece, you’re likely to hear it called a community salad or a village salad. The tourist boom in 1960s Athens inspired the creation of this salad. For centuries, Greeks enjoyed variations of seasonal vegetables with olive oil. The vegetables used in the salad are seasonal for the summer months. There are also regional variations based on availability and preference.

How do you make this Greek salad recipe?

Greek Salad Fast And Simple

Recipe by JenCourse: RecipesCuisine: GreekDifficulty: Easy

Servings

4

servings

Prep time

10

minutes

Cooking time

15

minutes

Calories

270

kcal

Ingredients

• 1 Medium Cucumber

• 2 Tomatoes, Diced

• 1/2 cup Kalamata olives, halved and pitted

• 1 c feta cheese, crumbled or block slices

• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

• 1 tb dried thyme

• 1 tb dried oregano

• 1/2 tsp salt

• 1 tsp lemon juice, optional

Directions

• The Salad
• Dice up your cucumber and tomatoes and place in a medium mixing bowl.
• Cut your Kalamata olives in half, add to the mixing bowl.
• Add your feta cheese to the mixing bowl, gently folding in the cheese.
• The Olive Oil Dressing
• Pour the olive oil over the vegetables. Add thyme, salt, and oregano. Mix together gently with the vegetables and feta. Add the lemon juice if you are using it in your salad.

Recipe Video

Notes

• I like to eat it with toasted sourdough and shrimp tossed in at the end.