Authentic Greek Salad — No Lettuce, No Dressing
A real Greek salad (horiatiki) has no lettuce and no bottled dressing — tomatoes, cucumber, onion, olives and pepper, with a whole slab of feta on top, olive oil and oregano. Anything beyond that isn't Greek.
- Prep
- 12 min
- Cook
- —
- Total
- 12 min
- Calories
- 240
The most famous salad in the world, and the one most often made wrong. The version served in many restaurants has lettuce, a creamy dressing and crumbled feta — none of which belong. The Greek version is far simpler, and that's exactly the point.
Method
-
1
Cut it coarsely
Cut the tomatoes into large wedges and the cucumber into thick half-moons. This salad isn't finely chopped — the big pieces are part of its character.
-
2
The onion
Slice the red onion thinly. If it's very sharp, soak it in cold water for five minutes and drain.
-
3
Combine
Put the tomatoes, cucumber, onion, pepper and olives in a wide bowl, season with the salt, and toss once.
-
4
The feta
Lay the feta on top in one piece, not crumbled. Scatter the oregano over it.
-
5
The oil
Pour the olive oil over the feta and the salad. The oil is the only dressing — there is no other.
-
6
Serve
Serve immediately with bread to mop up the oil and tomato juices at the bottom — in Greece that act has its own name, papara.
Cooked it? Rate it
Your rating tells the next cook whether this recipe is worth their time.
✓ Thanks — your rating is in.
Tips that actually matter
- No lettuce. It releases water, waters down the salad, and isn't in the original anyway.
- One slab of feta on top holds together and everyone takes a piece, instead of dissolving into the oil.
- Olive oil is a main ingredient here, not a garnish — use the best you have.
- Salt the tomatoes a little before the oil goes on. They release juice that mixes with the oil into a natural dressing.
People also ask
Why no lettuce?
Horiatiki means village salad — the summer vegetables grown in the field. Lettuce isn't among them, and it releases water that dilutes the oil and juices, which are the best part of the dish.
Is it keto-friendly?
Yes — around 10 g of carbs per serving, with plenty of healthy fat from the oil and feta. Ease off the tomato if you're counting closely.
Which feta should I use?
Greek feta from sheep's milk, or a sheep-goat blend — salty and crumbly. Cow's-milk feta is milder and softer; it works, but with less bite.
Cook mode
Authentic Greek Salad — No Lettuce, No Dressing
-
1
Cut it coarsely
Cut the tomatoes into large wedges and the cucumber into thick half-moons. This salad isn't finely chopped — the big pieces are part of its character.
-
2
The onion
Slice the red onion thinly. If it's very sharp, soak it in cold water for five minutes and drain.
-
3
Combine
Put the tomatoes, cucumber, onion, pepper and olives in a wide bowl, season with the salt, and toss once.
-
4
The feta
Lay the feta on top in one piece, not crumbled. Scatter the oregano over it.
-
5
The oil
Pour the olive oil over the feta and the salad. The oil is the only dressing — there is no other.
-
6
Serve
Serve immediately with bread to mop up the oil and tomato juices at the bottom — in Greece that act has its own name, papara.
Comments
Cooked it? Tell us how it went, or ask a question — we read every comment.