Best Greek Salad Recipe
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This is the Greek salad recipe we’ve been making for years, and it remains the best we’ve tried. It’s the perfect recipe for enjoying fresh summer veggies. You will LOVE this refreshing and delicious side dish!
You might think the title is an exaggeration, but if anything, it understates just how good this Greek salad is. I’ve been making this version for years, and it’s still the one I come back to every single time. It stays true to the classic, with one small twist in the dressing that makes it truly stand out.
What really sets this salad apart comes down to a few simple choices. I always reach for cherry tomatoes when I can—their sweetness makes a noticeable difference—and I never skip the fresh herbs, which bring everything to life. They add a brightness and depth that dried herbs just can’t match.
And then there’s the Greek salad dressing. I use a combination of two pantry vinegars, a splash of brine from the feta, good olive oil, and a few favorite herbs to tie it all together. It’s bold, balanced, and so good it practically begs to be spooned over everything in the bowl.
Traditional Greek salad ingredients
If you’ve ever wondered what’s in a Greek salad, you’ll be happy to know that it’s made with simple ingredients so you can whip up this salad in no time flat.
- Tomatoes. These can make or break the salad. If it’s the height of summer when tomatoes are juicy and sweet, go ahead and use full-sized tomatoes. If it’s spring, fall, or winter, use cherry tomatoes.
- Bell peppers. Most restaurant-style Greek salad will have green bell peppers, but I personally prefer a mix of colors.
- Cucumbers. Both English cucumbers and mini cucumbers work. In a pinch, you could use field cucumbers, but they are not typically as crunchy. Crisp cucumbers work best in a Greek salad.
- Red onion. Make sure it is thinly sliced so it’s not over-powering.
- Feta cheese. The star of salad! I prefer the style that is packed in brine so I can use some of it in the dressing.
- Kalamata olives. These salty black olives are delicious. I like to leave them whole as we’re big olive fans.
What to serve with Greek salad?
On a hot summer day, this Greek side salad goes well with some grilled chicken or lamb burgers. In the winter, I often opt for baked chicken Breasts or baked chicken thighs. That combination of this fresh salad with the chicken is incredible and you really don’t need anything else for dinner.
Traditional Greek Salad Recipe
Ingredients
The Dressing
- ¼ cup of the best-quality olive oil you have
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 1 tablespoon of the feta brine (see notes)
- 1 tablespoon fresh dill (chopped)
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- 1 clove garlic (very finely minced)
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice (fresh is best)
The Greek Salad
- 2 bell peppers (chopped)
- 1 English cucumber (chopped)
- 1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes (cut in half)
- ¼ small red onion (thinly sliced)
- ½ cup feta cheese (crumbled or cut into small pieces – see notes)
- ½ cup pitted kalamata olives
Instructions
- To make the dressing, whisk the olive oil, red wine vinegar, balsamic vinegar, feta brine, dill, oregano, sea salt, garlic, and lemon juice in a medium-sized bowl.¼ cup of the best-quality olive oil you have, 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar, 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar, 1 tablespoon of the feta brine, 1 tablespoon fresh dill, ½ teaspoon dried oregano, ¼ teaspoon sea salt, 1 clove garlic, 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- Cut all the veggies so that they are roughly the same size. Add the bell peppers, cucumber, cherry tomatoes, red onion, feta cheese, and olives to a large bowl.2 bell peppers, 1 English cucumber, 1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, ¼ small red onion, ½ cup feta cheese, ½ cup pitted kalamata olives
- Pour the dressing over the top and toss to coat. Serve right away.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
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I have been making this recipe for years! It is the best Greek salad recipe of all time!
That’s exactly the way I’ve been making it for 30 years!! Wouldn’t change anything.a lot closer to an authentic Greek Salad..
That’s awesome that you make it the same way. Really is the best!
This recipe has 5 tablespoons of vinegar and only 4 of olive oil. Isn’t that a bit too vinegary?
I don’t find that it is!
The brine evens it out
Hi. I’m making this for a pot luck. How far in advance can I make this salad?
Can’t wait to eat it!
You can make it several hours in advance without it losing quality at all. The other thing you could do is assemble all the ingredients but keep the dressing and salad separate and toss it just before serving. You could do this the day before your party. 🙂
Looks so beautiful, yet simple and hearty! Perfect for summertime meals! I love that it’s so quick to put together, but is quite “gourmet.”
It is! We eat this salad all summer long. 🙂
This Greek Salad looks amazing! So colorful and full of flavor!
Thank you!
Oh man, I love SO much about this! Greek salad really is the best! And I love that you kept the old photo, along with insight on how you’ve upped your photography game. That part of the blogging journey is so fun to me, and I love to read about others’ process, as well! xo
Thank you so much! I really love this recipe, too! And I totally agree, I love following other bloggers and watching them hone their craft. It’s so inspiring. 🙂
Yes! I think so, too!
Greek salad never gets old to me either. I especially crave it in the summer months. This recipe looks delicious and I can’t wait to try it.
It really is my favorite! Especially this time of year when the tomatoes are sweet and I crave extra veggies!
Absolutely Amazing Salad.! with so much flavour. And I haven’t used the dressing yet. Definitely the Best Greek Salad ever. Have made it loads and people love it. Thank you.
That makes me so happy to hear! Hooray!!
I tripled the recipe and added 2 table spoons of dill pickle juice cause I had no dill. I LOVE THIS. WOW!
That’s a great idea! I’m going to remember that next time I need dill but am out.
Made this for dinner and it was amazing!
I’m so happy to hear you liked it!!!
So happy to hear you agree!
Where to get the Feta Brine?
Also what color bell peppers?
The brine is the ‘water’ that the feta comes in. It’s nice and salty and adds good flavor to the dressing. Any color of bell peppers work. I often do a mix when I’m making a big batch of this for a group.
When I first read your message, I had never before come across feta that wasn’t in a brine. Then the other day I saw some and your question made a lot more sense! The brine is quite salty so you may want to add an extra pinch of salt to the dressing if your feta doesn’t come in a brine. 🙂
if you make a batch of the dressing, how long does it last refridgerated or un-refridgerated? thanks!
Hi Rachel,
I typically count on salad dressings lasting a week in a sealed jar in the fridge. 🙂
We love it!!!!
Fantastic. I too, could never get excited about Greek salad. An overestimate in how many cukes I needed to pickle led me to this recipe. Delicious. And as fortune would have it my daughter had brought me a sampling of olive oils from Vancouver. This is so very delicious!