Greek Salad Recipe

Prepare lettuce

Rinse the iceberg lettuce under cold water. Shake off excess water and dry thoroughly using a salad spinner or clean kitchen towels. Core the head, then chop or tear into bite-sized pieces to yield about 6 cups. Place in a large salad bowl.

Prepare tomatoes

Wash tomatoes, remove stems, and cut into 8 wedges each (or roughly chop if preferred). Add to the bowl with lettuce.

Prepare cucumber

Peel the cucumber if the skin is thick, then slice in half lengthwise and scoop out large seeds if desired. Cut into 1/4-inch half-moons and add to the bowl.

Prepare onion

Peel the red onion, cut in half, and slice thinly into half-moons. If raw onion is too sharp, rinse the slices briefly under cold water and drain before adding to the salad.

Add olives and feta

Add the pitted Kalamata olives whole or halved, according to preference. Crumble the feta cheese with your hands or a fork and scatter over the salad bowl.

Season salad

Sprinkle the coarse sea salt and freshly ground black pepper over the assembled vegetables. If using, finely chop fresh parsley and sprinkle on top.

Peel and finely mince the garlic clove (or grate it). In a small bowl or jar, combine the red wine vinegar, fresh lemon juice, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, dried oregano, honey (if using), salt, and black pepper. Whisk briefly to combine.

While whisking constantly, slowly drizzle in the extra-virgin olive oil to emulsify the dressing. Alternatively, add all ingredients to a jar, seal, and shake vigorously until well combined. Taste and adjust seasoning: add more salt, pepper, or a touch more honey if the dressing is too acidic.

Let the dressing sit for 5 minutes at room temperature to allow flavors to meld. If you prefer a colder salad, chill the dressing briefly, but bring it back to room temperature before tossing for best flavor.

Just before serving, pour 3 to 4 tablespoons of the oregano dressing over the salad (start with less and add more to taste). Gently toss the salad with tongs to coat the vegetables evenly without breaking up the feta too much.

Taste and adjust: add additional dressing, salt, or pepper as needed. Serve immediately so the lettuce remains crisp. Leftover dressing can be refrigerated for up to 5 days; toss again before using.