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This traditional Greek salad recipe, which is traditionally called horiatiki salad, is a favorite of mine! This was my go-to when I worked in an authentic Greek restaurant in college. The Greek-native owner showed me how to make Greek salad the real way (spoiler: there’s no lettuce!), and now I’ll show you, too. The Greek salad ingredients are simple and this recipe takes just 10 minutes to make.
Serve this salad as a side dish, or add some chicken or fish to turn it into a meal. The Greek salad dressing (from my Easy Keto Cookbook!) even doubles as an easy marinade for poultry.
And, you don’t have to be following any special lifestyle to enjoy this – it’s just a classic, traditional Greek salad.
What Is Horiatiki Salad?
Horiatiki salad is a traditional Greek salad with tomatoes, cucumbers, red onions, olives, and feta.
No lettuce needed, which is always a surprise to many Americans, compared to our salads here in the states. (As for me? I grew up here in the U.S. too, but in my Russian family, we regularly had lettuce-free staples like cucumber radish salad. Highly recommend it if you enjoy salads without greens!)
In Greek, horiatiki translates to “village” or “peasant”, which is why this traditional Greek salad is also sometimes called a village salad.
Traditional Greek Salad Ingredients
The perfect Greek salad recipe is incredibly simple! You need just 5 ingredients, plus a dressing:
- Cucumbers
- Tomatoes
- Red onions
- Kalamata olives
- Feta cheese
- Greek salad dressing
How To Make Greek Salad
One of the reasons this is the best Greek salad is that we’re using high-quality and traditional Greek salad ingredients. The flavors speak for themselves!
- Make Greek salad dressing. It takes only a few minutes, and you probably have the ingredients on hand. Learn how to make Greek dressing here.
- Chop veggies. In a large bowl, combine tomatoes, cucumbers, olives, and red onions.
- Add feta and dressing. Drizzle dressing over the horiatiki salad, add feta, and toss to coat.
TIP: When to add feta is up to you. I actually added feta sooner in the picture above, but it stays together better if you add it after tossing the veggies with the dressing first.
Greek Salad Recipe FAQs
Is traditional Greek salad keto? Gluten-free? Good for you?
Yes, this horiatiki salad is keto friendly, low carb, gluten-free, and good for you! Each 1 cup serving has just 4g net carbs, and is packed with veggies.
If you prefer to cut down on carbs a bit more, omit or reduce the onions.
TIP: Want even LESS carbs? I have a similar recipe in my Easy Keto Cookbook, with zucchini added to add bulk and lower carb count.
Can you make this traditional Greek salad recipe dairy-free?
For a dairy-free version of this village style Greek salad, simply omit the cheese. It’s got so much flavor, you won’t miss it.
Which vinegar to use for Greek salad?
My Greek salad dressing recipe uses red wine vinegar. You could swap it out for white wine vinegar as well.
Can you make Greek salad with lettuce?
Sure! A traditional horiatiki salad has to lettuce, but there’s nothing wrong with adding it if you want to. You’ll want to add more dressing to compensate for the added greens.
Greek Horiatiki Storage Instructions
Can Greek salad be made ahead?
You can easily prep the Greek salad ingredients ahead, but because cucumbers let off a lot of moisture, it’s best to stir in the dressing right before serving. In general, it’s best to leave salads un-tossed if you are chopping ingredients ahead of time. Definitely avoid adding the dressing until you are ready to eat.
How long can Greek salad last in the fridge?
Store the Greek salad ingredients in separate containers, or at least undressed in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. It might last a day or so if you have leftovers of a fully dressed salad.
What To Serve With Greek Salad
If you like this authentic horiatiki salad recipe, here are some great pairings to go with it:
- Crispy Chicken Legs – This easy recipe is totally hands-off, so you can chop your Greek salad while the chicken is roasting.
- Baked Salmon – The secret ingredient on top locks in moisture.
- Crock Pot Tuscan Chicken – An easy low carb dinner option that the whole family will love.
- Sirloin Steak – Made with a flavorful balsamic steak marinade! Add some Greek lemon potatoes for a whole meal.
Tools To Make Traditional Greek Salad
Tap the links below to see the items used to make this recipe.
- Salad Shaker – Make and store this dressing in this handy container!
- Mandoline Slicer – This tool will help you slice cucumbers evenly and quickly.
The Best Greek Salad Recipe
The Best Greek Salad Recipe (Horiatiki)
Horiatiki salad is a traditional Greek salad recipe everyone will love! See how to make Greek salad in 10 minutes, with 5 simple ingredients and easy dressing.
Recipe Video
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Ingredients
Tap underlined ingredients to see where to get them. Please turn Safari reader mode OFF to view ingredients.
Instructions
Tap on the times in the instructions below to start a kitchen timer while you cook.
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In a large bowl, combine the tomatoes, cucumbers, olives and red onions.
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Pour the dressing over the salad and toss to coat.
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Add the feta and toss again.
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Recipe Notes
Serving size: 1 cup
Nutrition facts are provided as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see our nutrition policy.
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9 Comments
Lori Henderson
0The best salad I ever had!!
Diane M Henri
0This is easy to make once you gather all the ingredients. I made the dressing ahead so it made it even quicker to throw together and gave the dressing flavors time to mingle and bloom. I added some cooked, chopped chicken that I just added on top for a complete meal on a 100 degree day. No cooking involved. Absolutely delicious. Will definitely be making it again.
Christine Diaz
0Try tomatoes, red or green onions, (or both )with cucumbers & avocado.
Dress with and olive oil, splash of cold water, plenty of oregano, garlic
powder, salt & pepper. My family’s favorite, we fight over the leftovers
the next day!
Lisa | Garlic & Zest
0I think I practically live on salad during the summer months and this greek salad is right up my alley. Zippy, fresh and tangy!
Beth
0I’ve been looking for healthy recipes! This salad looks so delicious and tasty! I can’t wait to make this!
Kathryn Donangelo
0This Greek Salad is so refreshing and delicious!! It was a total hit at my house!
Pam Greer
0We love salads without lettuce and this is one of our favorites! We also love your cucumber and radish salad! so good!
Abigail Raines
0This is everything I want in a Greek salad – easy to make and full of delicious flavors! Perfect for any summer get together and even beyond!
Taryn
0We really enjoyed this salad.