Greek Salad With Lettuce and Lemon Garlic Dressing

Classic Greek salad recipe

The Spruce / Ahlam Raffii

Prep: 20 mins
Cook: 0 mins
Total: 20 mins
Servings: 3 to 4 servings

It's no wonder the Greek salad is such a popular dish. The salty, tangy flavor of the feta cheese balances nicely with the lemon and olive oil dressing. This version of the Greek salad is served on a bed of chopped romaine lettuce, but you can use red or green leaf lettuce if you prefer.

A Greek salad is often served as part of a larger meal. Add a crusty loaf of bread to mop up the tangy juices. The salad is fantastic with a Greek-style roasted lamb meal or this classic eggplant moussaka.

Ingredients

  • 1 medium cucumber
  • 1 large tomato
  • 3 radishes
  • 1 small onion (yellow or red)
  • 1/2 bell pepper
  • 3/4 cup feta cheese (cubed)
  • 1/2 cup whole black olives (pitted; kalamata olives are traditional)
  • 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 3 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 1 clove garlic (pressed or finely minced)
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano (or about 1 1/2 teaspoons fresh oregano leaves)
  • 1 head romaine lettuce (washed, dried, chopped)
  • Kosher salt (to taste)
  • Black pepper (freshly ground, to taste)

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Ingredients for Classic Greek salad
    The Spruce / Ahlam Raffii
  2. Peel the cucumber if the peel is thick. Slice it into thin rounds.

    Peel the cucumber
    The Spruce / Ahlam Raffii
  3. Cut out the stem and core of the tomato and chop.

    Cut out stem
    The Spruce / Ahlam Raffii
  4. Thinly slice the radishes and onion.

    Thinly slice radishes
    The Spruce / Ahlam Raffii
  5. Slice the bell pepper into strips.

    Slice bell peppers into strips
    The Spruce / Ahlam Raffii
  6. Combine the cucumber and tomato with the sliced radishes and onion in a large bowl.

    Combine cucumber and tomato
    The Spruce / Ahlam Raffii 
  7. Add the feta cheese and olives. 

    Add the feta cheese and olives
    The Spruce / Ahlam Raffii
  8. In a small bowl combine the olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, and oregano. Whisk to blend. 

    Combine oil and lemon juice
    The Spruce / Ahlam Raffii
  9. Toss the vegetables with the lemon and olive oil mixture.

    Toss vegetables with lemon and olive oil
    The Spruce / Ahlam Raffii
  10. Line individual salad bowls or plates with chopped lettuce and top with the salad mixture. Sprinkle lightly with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.

    Line salad bowls with lettuce
    The Spruce / Ahlam Raffii
  11. Enjoy!

Tips

  • How to Store Tomatoes: Ripe tomatoes are best kept at around 55 F, which can be a challenge. Refrigerated tomatoes are stored below 40 F and room temperature in most homes is around 70 F. Harold McGee, author of "On Food and Cooking," writes that some of the enzyme activity can come back if taken out of the refrigerator a day or two before eating or using in a salad.
  • How to Store Cucumbers: Wash the cucumbers and dry them. Place the cukes in a plastic bag but do not seal it. Store in the crisper.

Recipe Variations

  • Replace the large chopped tomato with about 1 cup of sliced grape tomatoes or cherry tomatoes.
  • Replace the lemon juice with red wine vinegar.
  • Greek Panzanella Salad: Omit the lettuce and add an extra tomato and cucumber. Toss the vegetables with 3 cups of toasted French bread croutons. To make the croutons, drizzle them with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and bake them in a baking pan in a single layer in a 400 F oven for about 10 minutes.

What Is a Greek Salad?

A Greek salad is usually a combination of tomatoes, cucumbers, and red onion. Common additions include ripe olives, bell peppers, and feta cheese. This Greek salad is served on a bed of lettuce, which is not standard in the classic Greek salad. For a more traditional Greek salad, omit the lettuce and radishes and add a few more tomatoes and cucumbers.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
348 Calories
22g Fat
32g Carbs
10g Protein
×
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 3 to 4
Amount per serving
Calories 348
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 22g 29%
Saturated Fat 6g 32%
Cholesterol 25mg 8%
Sodium 513mg 22%
Total Carbohydrate 32g 12%
Dietary Fiber 8g 30%
Protein 10g
Calcium 322mg 25%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Recipe Tags: