Greek Salad with Lemon and Oregano
Greek Lemon Oregano Salad
A crisp no-cook Greek salad with cucumber, tomatoes, green pepper, red onion, Kalamata olives, feta, lemon, olive oil, and fresh oregano.
This Greek salad is built around the vegetables that taste best when they are left alone: crunchy cucumber, sweet tomatoes, green bell pepper, and a little red onion. There is no lettuce to dilute the texture and no heavy dressing to cover the vegetables.
Lemon juice and good olive oil do most of the work here. The lemon sharpens the tomatoes and onion, while the oil carries the oregano and softens the salty feta into every serving. If raw onion tastes too strong, a short soak in lemon juice takes the edge off without changing the salad.
Serve the feta in thick slices over the top rather than crumbling it in from the start. Each plate gets a piece that can be broken up at the table, so the salad stays bright, crisp, and fresh until the moment it is eaten.
This is best in tomato season, but it is useful year-round whenever you need a fast side dish for grilled fish, chicken, beans, or warm pita. Bring it to the table right after dressing so the vegetables keep their snap.
Nutrition (per serving)
Directions
-
1
Chop the cucumber and green bell pepper into bite-size pieces and add them to a shallow serving bowl.
-
2
Halve the cherry tomatoes and add them to the bowl with the Kalamata olives.
-
3
Thinly slice the red onion; for a milder flavor, squeeze a little lemon juice over the onion and let it stand for 5 minutes before adding it.
-
4
Toss the cucumber, pepper, tomatoes, olives, and onion gently so the vegetables are evenly mixed without bruising the tomatoes.
-
5
Squeeze half of the lemon over the salad, then drizzle with the olive oil.
-
6
Season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, starting lightly because the feta and olives are salty.
-
7
Arrange the thick feta slices over the vegetables and sprinkle the minced oregano over the top.
-
8
Serve immediately with the remaining lemon half on the side for anyone who wants a sharper salad.
Ingredients
- English Cucumber, chopped:1/2 large
- Green Bell Pepper, chopped:1/2 medium
- Cherry Tomatoes, halved:1 cup
- Kalamata Olives, pitted:1/4 cup
- Red Onion, thinly sliced:1/4 small
- Lemon, halved:1
- Feta Cheese, sliced thick:3 oz
- Extra-Virgin Olive Oil:2 tbsp
- Fresh Oregano Leaves, minced:1 tbsp
- Kosher Salt:to taste
- Black Pepper, freshly ground:to taste
Tips & Notes
- Use the ripest tomatoes you can find; the salad depends on their sweetness.
- Serve olives on the side if some guests prefer the salad without them.
- If using dried oregano instead of fresh, start with 1 teaspoon and crush it between your fingers before sprinkling.
- Add warm pita or grilled protein to turn the salad into a light meal.
