Small Greek Salad Recipe

Prepare vegetables

Wash and dry the romaine lettuce thoroughly. Chop or tear into bite-sized pieces to yield about 2 cups. Halve the cherry tomatoes. Dice the cucumber into roughly 1/2-inch pieces. Thinly slice the red onion and green bell pepper. Place lettuce, tomatoes, cucumber, onion and pepper into a medium mixing bowl.

Add olives and feta

Pit and halve the Kalamata olives if not already pitted, then add them to the bowl. Crumble the feta cheese over the top. If using fresh oregano, strip the leaves and scatter them over the salad.

Toss gently to combine just before serving after dressing is added (see Dressing section). Keep chilled if not serving immediately.

Make the dressing

In a small bowl or jar, combine the minced garlic, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, dried oregano, salt, pepper and honey (if using). Whisk or shake until combined. Gradually stream in the extra-virgin olive oil while whisking (or add and shake vigorously in the jar) until the dressing emulsifies and thickens slightly.

Taste and adjust

Taste the dressing and adjust seasoning as needed: add a pinch more salt for brightness, a little more honey if too tart, or a splash more olive oil to mellow. If using fresh oregano instead of dried, stir it in at the end.

Dress the salad

Pour about 2 tablespoons of dressing over the salad (reserve remaining dressing for guests to add more). Using salad tongs or two large spoons, gently toss the salad until the vegetables are lightly coated and the feta is distributed. Sprinkle a final small pinch of black pepper and, if desired, a touch more crumbled feta on top.