Go Back
Classic Greek Village Salad (Horiatiki)

Classic Greek Village Salad (Horiatiki)

A real Greek village salad has no lettuce. It is a bowl of ripe tomatoes, cucumber, green pepper and red onion, finished with a slab of feta, a handful of olives, dried oregano and a generous pour of olive oil. There is no measured dressing, because the juices from the tomatoes mix with the oil and a splash of vinegar at the bottom of the bowl to make one. That pool of liquid is the best part, and the reason to keep a piece of crusty bread nearby.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 4 ripe tomatoes medium, or about 1 1/2 lb cherry tomatoes
  • 1 cucumber English or 3 small Persian cucumbers
  • 1 green bell pepper or a long Italian frying pepper
  • 1/2 red onion small, thinly sliced
  • 1/2 cup Kalamata olives whole or pitted
  • 7 oz feta cheese one block, preferably in brine
  • 1 tsp dried oregano Greek if you can find it
  • 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
  • 1/2 tsp flaky or kosher salt
  • 1 tbsp capers rinsed, optional

Method
 

  1. Cut the tomatoes into irregular wedges, removing the tough core. Put them in a wide, shallow bowl and sprinkle with the salt.
  2. Halve the cucumber lengthwise and cut it into thick half-moons. If the skin is waxy, peel it in stripes first.
  3. Seed the pepper and slice it into thin rings. Slice the onion as thinly as you can and separate the layers.
  4. Add the cucumber, pepper, onion, olives and capers to the tomatoes and toss gently with your hands.
  5. Drizzle with the vinegar and most of the olive oil and toss once more. Let the salad sit for 5 minutes so the tomatoes start to release their juices.
  6. Lay the block of feta on top, sprinkle with the oregano, drizzle the rest of the oil over the cheese and serve with bread.

Notes

  • Salt the tomatoes first; it draws out juice that becomes the dressing.
  • If raw onion is too sharp for you, soak the slices in cold water for 10 minutes and pat dry.