Horiatiki: Classic Greek Salad Recipe

Known in Greece as “xoriatiki” (or “horiatiki”), which translates as “rural”, this salad is best kept simple and as intended. Super fresh in-season ingredients, tangy creamy feta cheese, and a simple dressing, it’s got texture and flavour by the bucket-load.

Ingredients

Cherry tomatoes (good handful, or 3-4 large tomatoes
Cucumber
Red onion (medium sized)
Kalamata olives
Feta cheese (200g-ish block)
Oregano (fresh or dried)
Extra virgin olive oil
Red wine vinegar
(you can add a green pepper too if you like)

Method

Halve the cherry tomatoes or cut regular sized tomaotoes into wedges, in the salad bowl so that the juices collect at the bottom. Cut the cucmber into thick quarters, and slice the red onion into thin rings. Add to the bowl with the olives, then add a good glug or two of olive oil and about a tablespoon of red wine vinegar. Gently stir and toss it all together to coat.
The feta can be placed on top whole or in large slabs depending on how many people you’re feeding (quite traditional) or cut into large cubes. Just because feta crumbles doesn’t mean you crumble it into this salad – cut cubes are better! Incidentally, if you have a colleague or team mate, who crumbles under pressure but retains a decent sense of humour, feta makes for a great nickname 😉
Garnish with a sprinkling of dried oregano and one last drizzle of olive oil, and get stuck in.

Fancy mixing things up a bit? Try adding chunks of watermelon to this salad! You won’t regret it.

If you’re having this as a light lunch then a piece of crusty bread to mop up the dressing is borderline essential. It also goes great as a side with lamb koftas (recipe here).

plate of horiatiki greek salad on a marble table
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