Greek Salad Recipe

Prepare lettuce

Wash the romaine or mixed greens thoroughly under cold water. Dry well using a salad spinner or by patting with clean towels. Tear or chop into bite-sized pieces and place in a large serving bowl.

Prepare tomatoes

Core and dice the tomatoes into roughly 1-inch pieces (or cut into wedges). Add to the bowl with the lettuce.

Slice cucumber

Peel the English cucumber if desired, then slice into 1/4-inch rounds or half-moons. Add to the bowl.

Slice pepper and onion

Seed and thinly slice the green bell pepper into strips. Thinly slice the red onion into half-moons; if you want a milder onion flavor, soak the slices in cold water for 5 minutes then drain. Add both to the bowl.

Add olives and feta

Scatter the pitted Kalamata olives over the vegetables. Crumble or cut the feta into chunks and distribute on top. Sprinkle the dried oregano over the assembled salad and finish with a few twists of freshly ground black pepper and a light sprinkle of salt (remember feta is salty; taste before adding much salt).

In a small bowl or jar, combine the extra-virgin olive oil, fresh lemon juice, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano, and 1/4 teaspoon honey or sugar. Whisk vigorously (or put the lid on the jar and shake) until emulsified and slightly thickened. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Taste the dressing and adjust acidity or sweetness by adding a little more lemon juice or honey if needed.

Just before serving, drizzle the dressing evenly over the salad (start with about 3/4 of the dressing and reserve the rest). Gently toss the salad with tongs to coat the vegetables and distribute the feta and olives. Taste and add additional dressing, salt, or pepper as desired.

Serve immediately on individual plates or family-style from the bowl. Leftover dressing can be refrigerated for up to 5 days; store salad components separately for best texture.