Small Greek Salad Recipe

Prepare tomatoes

Wash tomatoes and cut into bite-sized wedges or 1/2-inch dice. Place in a medium mixing bowl.

Prepare cucumber

Peel the cucumber if desired (peel partially for stripes or fully), halve lengthwise, scoop out seeds if very watery, and slice into 1/4-inch half-moons. Add to the bowl with tomatoes.

Slice onion

Peel the red onion and slice very thinly (about 1/8-inch). Separate the rings and add to the bowl. If you want milder onion flavor, soak slices in cold water for 5 minutes and drain before adding.

Add olives and feta

Add the pitted Kalamata olives to the bowl. Crumble or cube the feta and add to the salad. If using a block of feta and you prefer larger pieces, cut into 1/2-inch cubes; for a more mixed texture, crumble with fingers.

Add parsley

Finely chop the fresh parsley (if using) and sprinkle over the salad ingredients.

Combine dressing ingredients

In a small bowl or jar, whisk together the extra-virgin olive oil, fresh lemon juice, red wine vinegar, dried oregano, minced garlic, salt, and freshly ground black pepper until emulsified. Taste and adjust seasoning: add more lemon for brightness, more oil if too sharp, or a pinch more salt if needed.

Toss salad with dressing

Pour the dressing over the prepared salad ingredients. Gently toss everything together using two spoons or salad tongs to coat the vegetables and distribute the feta and olives. Be careful not to break up the feta too much unless you prefer crumbled texture.

Let flavors meld

Let the salad sit at room temperature for 5 to 10 minutes before serving so the dressing softens the vegetables and flavors meld. If not serving immediately, cover and refrigerate for up to 1 hour; bring back to room temperature before serving for best flavor.