How to Make Authentic Greek Salad (Horiatiki Salata)
This is the authentic Greek salad (Horiatiki) — a simple, vibrant mix of ripe tomatoes, crisp cucumber, red onion, olives, extra virgin olive oil, and creamy feta cheese. The true taste of Greece in every bite!
Servings 2
Calories 325kcal
Ingredients
- 2-3 tomatoes halved and cut in wedges, about half an inch thick.
- ½ english cucumber cut in coins.
- 1 green bell pepper cored and sliced
- ⅓ red onion sliced
- ½ cup olives your favorite kind
- ½ cup feta cheese
- 1 tablespoon dry oregano
- 2-3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar to taste, you can add more if you prefer
- fresh basil leaves
- sea salt to taste
Instructions
- Combine the fresh ingredients.In a large bowl, mix the tomatoes, cucumber, green bell pepper, red onion, and olives.
- Season and dress.Sprinkle with sea salt to taste, drizzle with 2–3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, and add about 1 tablespoon of red (or grape) vinegar.
- Add the finishing touch.Sprinkle dried oregano generously over the top and toss gently to coat everything.
- Let it rest.For the best flavor, let the salad sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before serving. This allows the tomatoes to release their juices and blend beautifully with the feta, olive oil, and herbs.
Serving suggestions
- Serve your Greek tomato salad with plenty of fresh, crusty bread — perfect for dipping into those irresistible salad juices. (In Greece, we call this papara — and it’s almost mandatory!)You can also use Greek rusks instead of bread. If they’re large, simply break them into crouton-sized pieces before adding them to the salad so they can soak up all the delicious olive oil and tomato flavors.Tip: Check the recipe notes for more details on how to use rusks in your salad.
Notes
Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. The tomatoes hold up beautifully and the flavors deepen overnight. The cucumber may soften slightly but the salad is still delicious. And don't skip the leftover dressing at the bottom — it's incredible with crusty bread or broken paximadia soaked right in.
Best tomatoes to use: Use the ripest, most flavorful tomatoes you can find. In summer, go for heirloom or vine-ripened tomatoes. In winter, Roma tomatoes hold up better than watery beefsteaks. The tomato is the heart of this salad — it's worth seeking out a good one.
Don't skip the resting time: Let the dressed salad sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before serving. This is not optional in Greece! The tomatoes release their juices and everything comes together into the most flavorful natural dressing.
About the feta: Place the feta block whole on top of the salad — don't crumble it in. That's how it's served in Greece. Let each person break into it as they eat. It looks beautiful and keeps the feta creamy rather than dry.
Salt carefully: Feta and olives are both salty. Taste before you add salt — you may need very little or none at all.
About the rusks (dakos): Rusks are optional, which is why they’re not included in the main recipe. While they’re easy to find in Greece, they can be trickier to locate in the U.S.
If you’d like to try them, look for the Manna brand on Amazon or at Titan Foods in Astoria, NY. Some rusks are small enough to add whole, but if they’re large, break them into crouton-sized pieces and let them soak up the salad juices, they’ll become incredibly flavorful. A Cretan favorite snack: To enjoy a rusk on its own, run it quickly under water for 1–2 seconds, drizzle with extra virgin olive oil, and eat as is. It’s simple, satisfying, and one of my favorite snacks from home. Nutritional Info – Please remember that the nutritional information provided is only estimated and can vary based on the products used.
If you’d like to try them, look for the Manna brand on Amazon or at Titan Foods in Astoria, NY. Some rusks are small enough to add whole, but if they’re large, break them into crouton-sized pieces and let them soak up the salad juices, they’ll become incredibly flavorful. A Cretan favorite snack: To enjoy a rusk on its own, run it quickly under water for 1–2 seconds, drizzle with extra virgin olive oil, and eat as is. It’s simple, satisfying, and one of my favorite snacks from home. Nutritional Info – Please remember that the nutritional information provided is only estimated and can vary based on the products used.
Nutrition
Calories: 325kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 28g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 33mg | Sodium: 954mg | Potassium: 556mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 1614IU | Vitamin C: 68mg | Calcium: 233mg | Iron: 1mg