Greek Style Salad with Feta, Olives & Garlic

Name: Greek Style Salad with Feta, Olives & Garlic
Prep time: 15 min
Total time: 15 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Greek
Ingredients: 4 to 5 baby cucumbers, roughly chopped; 2 ripe tomatoes, roughly chopped; 1/2 red onion, chopped; 120 to 150g feta, crumbled or broken into small chunks; 1/2 cup kalamata olives, or whatever is your favourite.; 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil; 1 tbsp red wine vinegar; 1 small garlic clove, finely grated or crushed; 1 tsp Italian herbs; Sea salt, to taste; Freshly cracked black pepper, to taste

A fresh, simple Greek style salad made with tomato, baby cucumbers, red onion, feta and kalamata olives, tossed in a light garlic dressing with Italian herbs. Crisp, salty and full of flavour, it is the kind of side that proves simple food can still be incredibly satisfying.

Fresh Greek-style salad with feta, olives, tomato, cucumber, and red onion.

Some salads are elaborate, layered and planned for, and others come together almost without thinking. This falls into the second category, yet it still absolutely deserves its place at the table.

There is something worth saying for food that is simple, familiar and full of flavour. Not every dish needs a long ingredient list or a complicated method to earn its spot. Sometimes a bowl of chopped tomato, baby cucumbers, red onion, feta and kalamata olives is exactly what a meal needs.

The freshness of the vegetables, the saltiness of the olives and feta, and the light dressing with garlic and Italian herbs do all the heavy lifting here. It is bright, crisp and satisfying, and served alongside roast chicken, grilled meat or warm bread, it feels complete.

It may not be the kind of salad people think of as needing a recipe, but that is part of why it belongs here. Recipes like this are the ones we come back to often. The reliable, flavourful, generous dishes that make a table feel full without asking much of the cook.

Prep: 15 min · Serves: 4 · Cuisine: Greek · Category: Lunch

Ingredients

Salad

4 to 5 baby cucumbers, roughly chopped
2 ripe tomatoes, roughly chopped
1/2 red onion, chopped
120 to 150g feta, crumbled or broken into small chunks
1/2 cup kalamata olives, or whatever is your favourite.

Dressing

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 small garlic clove, finely grated or crushed
1 tsp Italian herbs
Sea salt, to taste
Freshly cracked black pepper, to taste

Method

Add the baby cucumbers, tomato, red onion, feta and kalamata olives to a bowl.
In a small bowl or jar, whisk together the olive oil, red wine vinegar, garlic, Italian herbs, salt and black pepper.
Pour the dressing over the salad and toss gently to coat.
Transfer to a serving bowl or platter and finish with a little extra feta and black pepper if you like.

Notes

This salad is best made with ripe, sweet tomatoes and crisp cucumbers.

Keep the onion chunky if that is how you like it. It gives the salad bite and character.

Taste before adding too much salt, as the feta and olives already bring plenty of seasoning.

If serving this as a meal, it pairs beautifully with a whole dry brined roast chicken breast on the side.

The Grace Table Tip

This is the kind of salad that reminds you simple food can still be deeply satisfying. Use the best tomatoes, a good olive oil and proper feta, and let the ingredients do the work.