Horiatiki Salata - Village Salad

Horiatiki salata is the iconic Greek village salad everyone knows and loves. Perfect for lunch, dinner, or a snack in between, this salad fills you up without weighing you down – it’s a full meal!

Serves 3-4

Ingredients

  • 2 medium tomatoes, cut into wedges

  • 1 medium red onion, sliced or cut into pieces

  • 1 green bell pepper, cut into rounds (approx. ¼-inch)

  • ¾ cucumber, peeled and sliced into rounds (approx. ¼-inch)

  • ¼ cup pitted kalamata olives

  • 4-6oz of Feta cheese (omit for vegan)

  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper

  • Dry wild Greek oregano leaves

  • Red wine vinegar, for dressing

  • Olive oil, for dressing

  • Dakos (barley rusks), optional

Directions

  1. To make the dressing, combine 1/3 cup of red wine vinegar with 1 cup of olive oil in a resealable container, and season with salt, pepper, and Greek oregano to taste.  Shake vigorously until emulsified.

  2. In a large bowl, combine the tomatoes, red onion, bell pepper, cucumber, and olives.

  3. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

  4. OPTIONAL: Drizzle the dakos with the salad dressing, then add to the salad bowl.

  5. Toss with a small amount of the dressing until coated, or if preferred, serve dressing on the side.

  6. Top with feta, sprinkle with oregano, and serve immediately.

     

Chef’s Notes:

  • Dakos are Greek barley rusks that are sold dried and are often used in Greek cooking as a textural component; they are a great source of fiber, and an essential part of the Cretan Diet, the basis for The Greek Diet and Mediterranean Diet.

  • While you may substitute well-toasted pieces of dense, whole-grain or multigrain bread in a pinch, the barley rusks are better. If you cannot locate them in a local shop, barley rusks may be ordered online.

Previous
Previous

Yiaourtopsomo - Greek Yogurt Bread

Next
Next

Couscoussaki Me Tyri – Greek Mac and Cheese with Broccoli