Let's start with the incredible: in Greece there is everything except... Greek salad! No, of course, in numerous restaurants aimed at welcoming and entertaining foreign tourists, the staff has learned well that when asked whether they have the above-mentioned salad on the menu, they should answer in the affirmative and at the same time vigorously nod their heads to hide their own attitude to such a widespread myth. However, the truth is that what we call Greek salad, in Greece itself (as well as many other Mediterranean countries) is called dozens of different names, among which there is not only the one to which we are accustomed.

The most common local "name" that a hero bears today’s article is “village salad” (in the original language – χωριάτικη σαλάτα, “horyatiki salad”), which very eloquently, accurately and completely reflects the essence of the treat served to guests: natural products, affordable, amazing in quality. The second common name is banal and obvious: vegetable salad. However, they say that over the past few decades, another name for Greek salad has come into use among Greeks - Russian salad: apparently, our compatriots order it en masse in restaurants, tightly linking the Greek dish with their own customs.

To avoid any further confusion, let's just agree that Let’s allow ourselves to make allowances for our own traditions and call a dish of fresh vegetables and cheese, which is widely prepared in Mediterranean countries, a Greek salad, however, at the same time, we will certainly keep a small notch in our minds as a reminder of how correctly it should be called.

So, let's go over the basic components of a Greek salad, shall we? Special The value of this dish is due to the fact that it contains almost everything that a person needs: proteins, fats, carbohydrates. A portion of a delicious salad, rich in taste and charming in its color saturation - and we can consider that a full meal has taken place. The salad recipe is optimal: such a lunch not only gives you a feeling of fullness for a long time, but also normalizes metabolism, delicately cleanses the intestines, and saturates the body with useful substances and microelements.

Ingredients for Greek Salad

Tomatoes

If you think that Greek salad can be made from semi-plastic, tasteless and odorless greenhouse tomatoes that lie in neat, beautiful rows on supermarket shelves, you are committing a crime against the entire Greek healthy eating culture.

A prerequisite for a real Greek salad is aromatic tomatoes grown in the open ground, preferably farm or village tomatoes. Ideally, tomatoes grown with your own hands in your personal garden.

There are no restrictions regarding the variety of tomatoes. Depending on your personal preferences, you can choose fleshy red tomatoes, juicy pink ones, rich black ones, or discreet yellow ones.

cucumbers

The rule regarding the method of growing tomatoes is equally true for cucumbers: the fruits should be fresh, firm, juicy and very aromatic. Limp green sticks, which are offered in abundance in modern stores, are absolutely not suitable for Greek salad.

If a crazy thought runs through your head to peel the skins from the fruit, take a good old broom and shoo it away. No self-respecting Greek would deprive cucumbers of their important component!

bell pepper

We remember again that Greek salad is a rustic and simple dish, and we pass by the ideal bell peppers that can be purchased at the supermarket. If you don’t have access to a private garden, your destination is a farmer’s market, where grannies with string bags, sturdy grandpas on bicycles, and lively, rosy-cheeked young ladies in colorful scarves come.

Choose elastic fruits with a fresh stalk: if it has wilted, this indicates that the pepper was picked several days, or even weeks ago. They can be used for stuffing or making sauces, but they are completely unsuitable as a component of Greek salad.

Feta

Do you want to make a Greek salad or a salad similar to Greek? This point is very important when it comes to cheese. The fact is that, according to a decision approved in 2007 in the EU, feta can only be called cheese of Greek origin, made from cow's or sheep's milk. Anything you buy in stores with that name that is not made in Greece is not feta.

Thus, it turns out that an authentic Greek salad can only be prepared using cheese brought from a distant and sunny country on the Mediterranean coast. You can buy real feta in supermarkets, but few people dare to spend a lot of money on something that has domestic analogues that are no less worthy and of high quality. Which cheese to buy to make a real Greek salad is, of course, up to you to decide.

Olives

To make a Greek salad, you will need quality pitted olives. When choosing a product, try to avoid anything canned in metal cans with attractive labels; look for small shops that specialize in selling goods from Italy or Greece - it is in these shops that you can buy pickled olives and black olives of the highest quality. You are looking for juicy, firm fruits that are a beautiful chocolate color with a distinct eggplant tint. Options with filling inside are good and tasty, but are completely unsuitable for making a real Greek salad.

Olive oil

Many famous chefs believe that high-quality olive oil is a third of the key to success: it is what unites disparate components into a single whole, enveloping them in the extraordinary spirit of the Mediterranean. Naturally, we are talking about extra virgin olive oil, which is obtained by mechanical extraction.

This oil does not contain any additives, has a rich taste and aroma and is extremely beneficial for human health. Please note that the color of Extra Virgin Olive Oil should not be close to yellow and amber tones, but rather green - thick, rich and grassy. The taste of this oil is very characteristic - it is barely perceptibly bitter, stunning with a mixture of salty, sour and sweet, striking in its richness, surprising in its subtlety.

Onion

Those in the know say that the perfect taste of a Greek salad largely depends on how you prepare the onions. Yes, yes, just cook it - there are a lot of recipes for Greek salad on the Internet, but only a few sources lift the veil and say that before adding onions to the salad, you should remove bitterness, harshness and anger from it. The taste of this dish should make you love the world and enjoy people, so you need to peel the onion, cut it into rings and put it in the marinade prepared in advance for a couple of minutes: a little hot water, salt, a spoonful of sugar. When removing the onion from the marinade, under no circumstances should we squeeze it or deform it; it should remain intact and beautiful.

Oregano

Oregano is the main Greek culinary herb, it is added wherever possible - the taste of many Greek dishes has an "oregano" accent. You can, of course, season the salad with Italian basil, French rosemary or Georgian cilantro, but it won't be quite a Greek salad, or even a Greek salad at all. Oregano (although it is nothing more than oregano) is a magical herb, do not neglect it if you decide to experience the true taste of an authentic classic dish.

Classic Greek salad recipe

Of course, there is no need to talk about any clear recipe with the exact amount of each ingredient, however, a certain formula-proportion can be derived. A basic Greek salad recipe is needed for orientation - once you feel the overall balance of ingredients, you can experiment and play with additives to suit your own taste.

Ingredients:

  • 1 cucumber;
  • 1 tomato;
  • 1/3 bell pepper;
  • 1/2 blue onion;
  • 5-7 olives;
  • 80 g feta;
  • salt, a pinch of dry oregano;
  • 50 ml olive oil.

Preparation

  1. Wash the vegetables, cut them into large pieces. Place in a salad bowl.
  2. Peel the onion, cut into half rings, and marinate a little if desired. Place in a salad bowl.
  3. Add olives without brine.
  4. Salt. Mix carefully.
  5. Place a few slices of cheese on top of the vegetables. Even more correctly - solid - one! - hunk. This is an old village tradition. Different from the modern fast food style of cutting feta into cubes.
  6. Sprinkle with oregano.
  7. Drizzle the salad generously with olive oil and serve. Can be with a slice of lemon.

Dressings and dressings for Greek salad

The classic Greek salad is dressed with premium olive oil, however, variations are also allowed that will diversify the taste of the salad and make it interesting and unusual.

Try making a dressing using olive oil and lemon juice. You can add a little white wine and balsamic vinegar. A drop of honey, soy sauce, narsharab, a little grain mustard, and orange zest will make the dressing even more original.

The main rule for preparing salad dressing is that the sauce should be very rich in taste, but pleasant. If you have prepared the dressing, but you don’t like it (yes, you must try it first!), the salad will not fix it; rather, it will ruin the salad itself.

Ways to diversify a classic recipe

There are many options that allow you to diversify the usual village salad. In some recipes, it certainly includes lettuce. Lightly salted salmon and canned tuna, boiled cold pasta and baked bell peppers, cooked lentils and raw cauliflower, capers and anchovies, avocado and mushrooms - everyone chooses additives according to their taste and budget.

By the way, another option is endive leaves. They are good not only for their extra flavor - they are great for serving salad in portions. It turns out unusual and stylish.

Serving options

Greek salad is so popular all over the world that numerous experiments in serving it became a natural progression of the development of this dish.

Many chefs of famous restaurants build “towers” ​​of vegetables, alternating them with cheese. It can be served in “boats” of bell pepper or lettuce, in pita bread and on toasted slices of bread, in small glasses in the style of verrines and huge bowls, the contents of which can feed half of China.

Vegetables are laid out on a plate in bright multi-colored rows, alternated in appetizing layers in a salad bowl, roughly cut into a couple of pieces, carefully cut into small cubes - there are a lot of options for serving Greek salad, and it seems that every day chefs from all over the world come up with new and interesting ways to treat their guests with a delicious dish of fresh vegetables and delicate soft cheese.

5 rules for a real Greek salad

To summarize, I would like to write separately about the basic and very important rules, without which you will prepare anything but a Greek salad.

1. The ingredients for the Greek village salad are chopped coarsely. No, not just large, but as large as possible - they must hide maximum taste, plus it is unacceptable to spend more than 5 minutes on preparing the most ordinary everyday dish.

2. Do you prepare salad for yourself and your family? Then put your doubts aside– and mix the contents of the bowl with your hands. Ru-ka-mi! This will not only add soulfulness to the salad, but will also allow you to keep the vegetables intact without crushing or even crushing them.

3. When adding olive oil, you should not only pay attention to its quality (only the best, only proven!), but also to the quantity. The canonical Greek salad should be oily, very oily - no real Greek woman will spare olive oil, because she knows that after the salad bowl is empty, there will be a delicious “juice” from the vegetables, cheese and dressing at the bottom. Greeks dip pieces of freshly baked bread into this liquid and enjoy the extraordinary taste of homemade food.

By the way, for this process the inventive people of the sunny country even invented a separate word - “ladobukies” (“butter pieces”), which means a completely indecent, but incredibly tasty dipping of bread in salad sauce.

4. Don't cut the cheese. Limit yourself to one large slice, which is laid out on top of the vegetables. It’s more beautiful, tastier and more “Greek” this way.

5. Greek salad is prepared immediately before serving, and when served, it is eaten immediately. It does not need to be infused; the products should be as fresh as possible and just chopped.

The history of Greek salad

They say that the birth of salad occurs in the 20-30s of the 19th century. The fact is that tomatoes, one of the main components of Greek salad, appeared on the territory of this country only in 1818 - and it was after they almost instantly gained popularity and popular love that they began to be used in salads.

However, history claims that it was only a prototype of the modern Greek salad - let's say, its distant genetic ancestor, nothing more. At the time when the first tomatoes and onions appeared in Greece, these vegetables were not cut into pieces, but were eaten exclusively whole. Only almost a century later, with another wave of emigrants, one of the Greeks came to the United States, who figured out how to prepare their favorite dish in a slightly modified format - after cutting vegetables into small pieces.

In Greece, among other things, there is a proverb: if you know the village salad, you get to know Greece (or another wording: the village salad is all of Greece in one plate). Enjoy the taste of fresh vegetables and soft cheese and get to know Greece!

My dear lovers of delicious, simple and unusual things, today I will tell you which salad is the easiest and fastest to prepare, and besides, you will need a minimum of cheap ingredients. We will talk about a dish that is already popular among Russians at holidays and on New Year’s - “Greek” salad according to the classic usual recipe.

Greek salad - classic recipe

This healthy and light (low-calorie) dish is prepared quickly. And many already know the real classic recipe for Greek salad - it is simple and, on the other hand, piquant because of the Feta cheese (Fetaxa, Brynza) present in its composition.

And now you will see a completely different, unusual “Greek” and its 5 step-by-step recipes.

Greek salad - a classic step-by-step recipe (with photos) from a real chef in Greece. Cooking secrets

Many people, when traveling, love not only to study exotic flora and fauna, get acquainted with the history of the country, but also to learn its culinary secrets.

And now you can travel not only physically, by getting on a train, car or plane, but also virtually. And thanks to the emergence of many world-cuisine restaurants in many cities, you can enjoy overseas dishes without even leaving your home, simply by placing an order by phone.

All this is great, but sometimes you want to master the preparation of your favorite dishes so that you can enjoy them at any time. Along with the traditional Russian "", "" and "", with the French "" and Italian pizza, Japanese sushi, French sauces, our people also fell in love with some dishes of Greek cuisine, the most popular representative of which in our country was Greek salad.

This dish is probably familiar to many: it is prepared not only in restaurants and cafes, but is also served in many homes. Another thing is that it does not always have the same appearance and taste.

As for the “appearance”, there really are different options for serving and decoration, but the taste of this salad is a matter of principle. In order for it to correspond to what real Greeks enjoy, you need to be aware of all the secrets of its preparation and use only those ingredients that are in the original recipe, without any amateur efforts in the form of boiled potatoes or eggs.

Yes, with them the dish will turn out to be more satisfying, but it will no longer be a Greek salad.

Traditional Greek Salad Recipe

Making Greek salad is very simple. If you are already familiar with it, then you probably noticed that all its ingredients are cut quite coarsely, which simplifies the task even more.

As a rule, these are large cubes, but if you want the salad to be not only tasty, but also beautiful, you can experiment with shapes.

Ingredients

You will need for 8 servings:

  • leaf salad,
  • cucumbers – 3,
  • tomatoes – 6,
  • onion – 1,
  • sweet pepper – 1,
  • greens (preferably basil),
  • olives (a 200 gram jar is enough),
  • lemon juice
  • and, most importantly, good olive oil,
  • and Feta cheese (200-250 grams).

“Feta” - This is sheep or goat cheese, somewhat reminiscent of the familiar feta cheese. In addition, when preparing Greek salad, it is a good idea to use dried oregano, which will give it a piquant taste. You can add a little chopped garlic to the dressing.

Preparation

First, the dressing is prepared.

It consists of a mixture of olive oil with lemon juice (or balsamic vinegar), which can be lightly salted, pepper, garlic and oregano.

Chopped vegetables are placed in a salad bowl on top of whole lettuce leaves, decorated with olives and coarsely chopped herbs and poured over with dressing.

Then, on top of all this colorful splendor, Feta cheese cut into large cubes is placed.

That’s it, you don’t need to put anything else in the Greek salad. Believe me, any other products will simply be superfluous here.

For those who like to see everything with their own eyes (I mean cooking), here is a video recipe.

Bon appetit!

And don’t stop at traditions - experiment and look further - how you can supplement the usual classics with various additives. And it turns out to be nothing at all!

Greek salad recipe with Chinese cabbage

A variation of our dish today with Chinese cabbage. What are we doing? Instead of lettuce, we will take cabbage, and specifically Chinese cabbage, since it is juicy and strong, with its own “refined crunch.”

That's all girls and boys, everything else regarding the availability of products and the cooking process is given above. I think there is no point in repeating it (just go up to the classic recipe).

And if you really can’t bear it, here’s a short summary:

Prepare the dressing: mix oil, lemon juice, chopped garlic, herbs, salt and pepper in a separate bowl.

The cabbage needs to be cut into strips, but not very finely.

Cut “Feta” cheese (if you don’t have it and can’t find it, “brynza” or “Fetaxa” will do) cut into large cubes. You can add it to the dressing so that it becomes “speckled” (more interesting after all) or put it on top of all the ingredients later.

Take washed vegetables, cucumbers and tomatoes. We shred them the same way as cheese.

Then cut the onion and sweet pepper into half rings.

We combine all this “richness of taste” into a common deep plate (don’t forget about the olives) and mix (just stir slightly).

Friends, our “Greek” salad with Chinese cabbage is ready! Go for the “biggest spoon”!

And for viewing:

Greek salad with croutons and chicken (classic recipe)

Crackers and chicken – doesn’t remind you of anything? "Caesar"? Yes, something similar. This time we will add just a couple of things to our culinary creation: crackers and chicken meat. This salad is no longer quite dietary and light - it is already gaining weight.

With this cooking method, as with any other, you can not mix all the products, but give the guests the opportunity to do this. By the way, see the composition and its quantity above (scroll up the page or click:).

You either buy crackers in the store or make them yourself. Take regular white bread - a couple of slices from a loaf. Remove the crusts and cut into cubes. Fry in a frying pan with butter until lightly browned.

Boil the chicken (chicken fillet), cool and cut into cubes.

The turn of our vegetables has come - we do with them, as in previous recipes - we prepare squares, strips and halves.

Place the leaves on the dish, top with tomatoes and cucumbers, onions, peppers, olives and cheese, and lastly, scatter the fried croutons. Salt, spices and herbs to taste.

Greek salad with feta cheese or feta cheese instead of feta cheese, as in a restaurant

It’s okay if “Feta” is replaced with “Brynza” - both have their own specific salty taste, which gives the dish a pronounced piquancy. Such a light dish is simply a treasure for those who take care of their figure and care about their health!

As you have already noticed, if you read the article from the very beginning, the classic recipe for Greek salad and its base remains unchanged. Only some ingredients are changed and added. At first we used Chinese cabbage instead of lettuce, then we updated it by adding chicken and croutons. And now it’s time to diversify the main product of the dish - cheese.

Otherwise, the composition and method of preparation will be the same. Almost…

  • fresh tomatoes (cherry tomatoes are also suitable) - 4-5 pieces,
  • cucumbers (it’s better if they come from the garden, if not, then cut off the bitter skin) – 2-3 pcs.,
  • olives (pitted, olives are also suitable) - 1 jar,
  • green salad leaves (or Chinese cabbage),
  • bell pepper (you can have two different colors: orange and red),
  • feta cheese (fetax) – 100-150 grams,
  • onion (preferably red, if regular onion, then pour boiling water over it before adding) - one onion is enough.

For dressing (sauce):

  • lemon (its juice),
  • olive oil (I repeat, the best),
  • garlic clove,
  • a mixture of herbs (there is a ready-made set called “Greek” or oregano),
  • salt, pepper and a little sugar.

Let's start cooking:

As always, the first thing we start with is the sauce - we combine all the herbs and spices with oil in a separate small container. Let it brew and set it aside.

Wash the vegetables and cut into medium pieces. Onions and bell peppers - strips. If you use cabbage, also in strips.

Be careful with cheese (fetaxa), it may be too soft and tender, divide into equal squares.

Now we put everything together (special attention: do not mix!). Make separate portions and pour over the infused sauce. If desired, decorate with herbs (mint has a special flavor). We invite guests!

The best dressing (sauce) for Greek salad

Have you ever seen any salad without sauce? There must be a gas station! A dry dish is not the best option!

The classic recipe for dressing for a Greek salad consists of using products common to the Greeks (required):

  • pure olive oil – 100 ml.,
  • lemon juice - tablespoon,
  • dry crushed fragrant herbs oregano,
  • ground pepper and salt to taste.

Preparation:

Take a medium-sized bowl (a wide glass will do). Add oil and lemon juice. Add herbs and spices. Mix thoroughly until the salt is completely dissolved. Let it sit for 10-20 minutes. In general, while you are preparing the base.

Secrets of the best sauce:

  1. To create a sweetish taste, instead of lemon, you should use apple cider vinegar sparingly with sugar (cane cane).
  2. If you add finely chopped garlic, the dish will acquire an islandy taste and a spicy aroma.
  3. By adding melted honey and soy sauce, the Greek salad becomes sweet-salty and unique.
  4. For those who like a thick dressing, add yogurt or mayonnaise to the recipe.
  5. And don't forget about the freshness of the products.

“There are no comrades in taste and color,” so you can always improvise and prepare your own special sauce.

Video of preparing the dressing:

Video: Greek salad, a simple classic recipe and its delicious dressing

As you can see, my dear gourmets, lovers of tasty, new and unusual things, there is nothing complicated or impossible in cooking. This science requires one thing - vivid imagination and correct alternation.

And today’s masterpiece: Classic “Greek” salad plus 5 excellent step-by-step recipes, proved our precise and correct direction - “Cooking tasty and even tastier”! Until next time.

“Greek” salad is a real treasure for lovers of a healthy and varied diet. A cocktail of fresh vegetables, tender cheese and olive seed oil... looks very bright and appetizing on the table, saturates with vitamins and a fresh, pronounced taste. All these indisputable advantages are complemented by another and very significant one - a minimum of calories! But how can you make this salad tasty, maybe remove the olives or add chicken?..

All this can be done; the salad is so versatile that it easily tolerates harmless modifications and gives beautiful results to even the most inexperienced cook. You can find many ways to prepare this salad on the Internet, but the most interesting is still the different serving options. For example, sometimes vegetables are cut large, and a piece of cheese, instead of cutting it into cubes, is placed in a solid large rectangle on top. The dish takes on a much more impressive, restaurant look, and all this is so simple and quick. The salad just requires chopping all the ingredients and... that's it! Can you imagine?

Classic step-by-step recipe for Greek salad with photos

The classic salad recipe includes only cheese, fresh vegetables and the right “dressing”. Many people prefer to pour it with ordinary olive oil, but this method is one of the simpler ones. If you want to present this simple and surprisingly popular dish as effectively as possible, you will need to play a little with the flavors of the dressing.


Ingredients:


large tomatoes – 2 pieces;




lemon juice;

salt, black pepper;

How to cook?

Step 1. Wash all vegetables thoroughly, cut off excess parts, and remove seeds from peppers.
It is worth noting that tomatoes for salad should be ripe and red. This greatly influences the taste and since vegetables are the main ingredient, they must be of the highest quality. Therefore, the salad should still be left in the summer collection, because in winter it will not warm you up, and the taste of the brought vegetables will probably not be too promising.


Step 2. Immediately take a beautiful deep salad bowl. We strongly recommend that you opt for transparent dishes, as they will be able to most beautifully and vividly convey the appearance and taste of the salad and decorate the festive table.

Step 3: Now it's time to chop the ingredients. As a standard, the salad includes vegetables cut into large cubes. Of course, depending on your taste preferences, you can cut all the ingredients into strips, thin slices or small cubes. But we still recommend sticking to the standard - the cubes should be the same size as a whole olive.
So, cut the cucumbers, tomatoes, peppers and cheese.
But it is better to tear the lettuce leaves into small pieces with your hands.

Step 4. There is no need to cut the olives, so just open the jar and drain the liquid - we definitely won’t need it anymore. There is no need to lay out the salad in layers, since all the beauty is in the colorful surface. Therefore, calmly place all the ingredients in the vase in any order, only the cheese will need to be added at the end, because it has a very soft texture and when stirred, it can get all over the vegetables.

Step 5. It's time for miracles, let's prepare the most delicious thing - dressing. Take a small saucepan or bowl and first mix the dry ingredients in it - salt, black pepper, herbs. And then pour them with a tablespoon of lemon juice. It will be much easier to squeeze the juice out of a lemon if you heat it in the microwave for 20-30 seconds, depending on the power of your microwave.
You will have a paste, stir it well to make sure no lumps form.

Now start adding olive oil there. Add gradually, stirring constantly so that the mixture does not separate. In total, for this amount of vegetables you need about 3-5 tablespoons of oil, depending on how much you like its oily taste.
Be sure to use the highest quality oil, because the taste of the salad depends on it. It should be unrefined and cold pressed.


Step 6. Pour the resulting dressing over the vegetables in the vase and mix the salad thoroughly. Then place the cheese cubes on top and mix again, but very carefully and just a little. The salad is ready, serve quickly and enjoy the healthy and tasty table decoration.

Bon appetit!

Classic recipe for Greek salad with croutons

No matter how good the original recipe is, you always want to improve it at least a little, right? For example, many housewives find Greek salad not crunchy enough and lacking good carbohydrates. Therefore, we decided to give you a salad recipe in which homemade garlic croutons are added to the usual composition, which add richness and spice to the dish, thanks to which it does not lose at all in appearance, but acquires additional advantages.


Ingredients:

Red bell pepper – 1 large;
large tomatoes – 2 pieces;
fresh cucumber – 2 large or 4 small;
green salad leaves - 1 bunch or 1\2 heads of Chinese cabbage;
olives and olives (or one thing) preferably with pits removed - 1 medium jar;
unrefined olive oil;
lemon juice;
“Feta” cream cheese – one small package;
salt, black pepper;
fragrant herbs (to your taste).
2 cloves of garlic;
3 thick slices of fresh loaf or roll;

How to cook:

Step 1. Let's first prepare the crackers, because they need time while they dry in the oven, we will have time to prepare all the other ingredients.
So, peel the garlic cloves, crush them with the side of a large, wide knife, and then chop them into small pieces.

Melt the butter, mix it with garlic and add 1/2 teaspoon of salt to the mixture. Then, cut the pieces of bread into large cubes (the size of an olive) and generously brush them with the butter mixture. Distribute the bread evenly on a baking tray and place in an oven preheated to 70 degrees. You will need to bake the crackers for about 20-30 minutes, but we recommend that you check them every 5-10 minutes and stir lightly - they should not burn under any circumstances.

Step 2. Wash all vegetables thoroughly and remove wrinkles, dirt and places from which they were picked. All seeds must be removed from the peppers. Don't forget about the high quality of the ingredients, it is very important.

Step 3: Prepare your dishes. Cut all the vegetables into large cubes, tear the leaves of Chinese cabbage.
In this recipe, we use Chinese cabbage to give the salad a similar feel to Caesar salad because we use similar croutons. Of course, you can also use green salad, depending on your own taste preferences.

Cut the cheese into cubes. Open the jars of olives and drain the liquid. Step 4. Prepare the dressing. In a gravy boat, combine pepper, herbs and salt and grind into a paste along with a tablespoon of lemon juice. Stirring constantly, add three to five tablespoons of olive oil.

Step 5. Place vegetables and olives in a salad bowl, pour in dressing and mix thoroughly. Add the cheese and lightly stir it into the vase again. Top with croutons. Do this as carefully as possible so that they do not get wet and the salad turns out fresh and tasty.

Serve and don't forget to wish everyone a bon appetit!

Greek classic salad with chicken

No matter how much we love Greek salad, something is always missing from it... It seems like there is cheese, vegetables, and butter... But where is the meat? If you've ever asked yourself this question, then this recipe is definitely written for you.


Despite the traditional recipe, preserved for years, tender chicken fillet fits perfectly into the “picture” of the dish and complements it, making it more satisfying and delighting meat-eaters with its aroma. Since this salad is considered a restaurant one, we will prepare the chicken in the best traditions - juicy fry the fillet until crispy and golden brown, cut it and only then let it go into our chic salad. Shall we get started?

Ingredients:

Chicken fillet – 150 – 200 grams;
garlic clove for marinade;
red bell pepper – 1 large;
large tomatoes – 2 pieces;
fresh cucumber – 2 large or 4 small;
green salad leaves - 1 bunch or 1\2 heads of Chinese cabbage;
olives and olives (or one thing) preferably with pits removed - 1 medium jar;
unrefined olive oil;
lemon juice;
“Feta” cream cheese – one small package;
salt, black pepper;
fragrant herbs (to your taste).

How to cook?

Step 1. So let's get started. To make the chicken as rich and tender as possible, we marinate it. To do this, you first need to peel the garlic and wash the chicken fillet. There is no need to cut the fillet; we will do this with already prepared meat. But the garlic needs to be crushed with the flat side of a large knife and finely chopped. Mix half a teaspoon of salt, garlic, and a little black pepper in a small bowl. You can add chicken seasoning. Pour the mixture with a tablespoon of lemon juice and brush the fillet with this paste. Leave to marinate at room temperature for half an hour to an hour.

Step 2. Now rinse and clean the vegetables. Remove the seeds from the peppers and cut off the “roots” of the tomatoes and cucumbers. Cut the vegetables into strips; in this recipe this will be the best solution. Tear the cabbage with your hands as well. We use Chinese cabbage because of its excellent compatibility with chicken. It can be replaced with a regular salad.
Drain the liquid from the jars of olives, cut each olive into 3-4 rings.
But we also cut Feta cheese into large cubes.

Step 3. Prepare the dressing by mixing lemon juice with salt and herbs, pour in the olive oil, stirring.

Step 4. You need to fry the chicken. To do this, heat a frying pan with a thick bottom over high heat and grease its surface with oil. When the pan is hot, add the chicken and fry on each side for at least 5 minutes, each side should be golden and crispy. To check readiness, you can pierce the fillet with a fork. If the juice comes out cloudy or pinkish, you need to fry it further. If there is no juice or it is clear, everything is fine, you can remove the chicken.
Let it cool for 10-15 minutes.

Step 5. Still cut the chicken, which has cooled at least a little, into strips. Place all the vegetables, olives and meat in a bowl, pour in the dressing and mix everything thoroughly. Add the cheese on top and stir lightly again, but don't get too carried away.

Serve as soon as possible. Bon appetit!

Greek salad without olives

It would seem, what kind of Greek salad could there be WITHOUT olives? After all, this is its basis, one might say its calling card! It turns out there is nothing wrong with this, you just need to change the dressing recipe a little and add a different, richer type of cheese. But this is not bad or scary at all, so don’t rush to fix the holiday menu or rewrite all your plans.


Ingredients:

Green salad – 1 package;
red bell pepper – 1 piece, large;
fresh, ripe tomatoes – 2 large;
large pickled cucumbers, spicy salted – 2 pieces;
feta cheese;
vegetable oil – 3 tablespoons;
salt, herbs, pepper;

How to cook?

Step 1. As you can see, to replace the pickled olives, we replace them with pickled cucumber. This is an excellent solution to restore the acidity and flavor balance of the salad. You can also replace tomatoes if you don’t have pickles on hand.
So, wash and peel the vegetables from seeds and “roots”, cut into large cubes.
It is also better to lightly rinse pickled cucumbers under running cold water to wash off excess salt from the surface and cut them in the same way as other vegetables.

Step 2. Cut the cheese into small cubes. If you don’t like cheese, you can return your favorite “Feta” to its rightful place. The fact is that feta cheese has a brighter and saltier taste, which, when eliminating olives and olive oil, plays into our hands. In general, in almost any cooking method you can use feta cheese or, for example, sulguni cheese. Only then you need to change the cutting method and cut it into small cubes so that the salad does not scare away guests with its excessive saltiness.

Step 3. Prepare a vase and place all the vegetables in it, tear the salad. Prepare the dressing. To do this, mix salt, herbs and pepper with vegetable oil, pour dressing over the finished salad. In this version of preparing the salad, you can add cheese to the bowl along with the vegetables and safely mix everything, since you will have to try really hard to spread the cheese, right? Thoroughly mix the salad with the dressing and... That's it! Your salad is ready, serve.

Bon appetit!

Greek Salad Dressings

Do you think that dressing can only be prepared in one specific way? But no! No matter how authentic a salad dressed with olive oil may be, it turns out much more interesting if you use complex dressing recipes consisting of various spices, juices, oils and other things. Just something as simple and insignificant as it seems to many, a dressing can radically change the entire dish, and we want to tell you how, offer different options and ideas, be sure to try it!



Let's first identify a number of ingredients that are perfect for this salad. It's no secret that there is a certain principle of food compatibility and not every ingredient for such a salad will be a good choice.

1. Olive oil.
Of course, you can’t run away from him. This is the main ingredient in the dressing and always works great.

2. Lemon juice.
And this is not a surprise to you. Combining mild acid and a pleasant, delicate taste, lemon juice fits perfectly into a vegetable cocktail.

3. Mustard.
Almost any restaurant salad improves in taste if you add mustard to it. Of course, you shouldn’t get carried away, but in small quantities it will be the cherry on top of the cake.

4. Honey
For many, the amazing properties of honey and its ability to reveal the subtlest notes of the taste of products seem like a legend, but this is actually true. For almost any restaurant sauce, a few drops of honey is the best solution, which experienced chefs always use.

5. Balsamic vinegar.
Balsamic vinegar is a product that is difficult to obtain in Russia, but if you have it in your kitchen, any salad will become a masterpiece in a matter of minutes. What should be done? Just add a few drops to the surface of the salad and mix! Its unusual taste will not disappoint anyone.

6. Garlic.
There is no need to even talk about the taste qualities of garlic; everyone knows them. Grind one small clove into the sauce and you can achieve the best praise from your guests. But don’t overdo it, this is the biggest mistake of many housewives. Excessive spiciness will simply cover up the taste of all other ingredients and ruin the mood for both you and the children, who will refuse to eat it altogether.

7. Basil.
Oh, how much praise we hear about fresh, fragrant basil leaves. Despite the fact that they are mainly used in Italian cuisine, in small quantities they are excellent as an additive for various dressings. The fact is that it is its rich, bitter taste that perfectly reveals fresh vegetables.

8. Dried Italian herbs.
And this is a small, kind of life hack. Just keep dried herbs among your spices and add small quantities to any salads and main courses - the spirit of the Mediterranean will not keep you waiting.

Experiment with mixing these ingredients in different proportions and you will always end up with a new, unusual and surprisingly tasty salad. I wish you success!

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Greetings, dear readers! Today I'll show you how to make a classic Greek salad with an easy step-by-step recipe. It will not only decorate the holiday table, but will also turn out to be very nutritious and tasty! The fragrant and bright dish is considered a storehouse of vitamins and reminds of the onset of summer. In order for it not to disappoint you, you need to thoroughly study the cooking method. Know what kind of cheese goes into the salad, what the finished dish is seasoned with, what vegetables are included in the classic recipe and what ingredients can be used to diversify the composition.

We will prepare for 4 servings.

Video recipe

The benefits of salad

  1. Iceberg and Romano (Romaine) lettuce leaves contain folic acid, which is involved in the synthesis of happiness hormones - endorphins.
  2. Olive oil contains natural antioxidants and vitamin E; it is useful to use it to prevent obesity, diabetes, diseases of the cardiovascular system and pathologies of the gastrointestinal tract.
  3. Olives cleanse the liver and improve its functions.
  4. Basil is considered a natural antiseptic and also has a positive effect on the nervous system.
  5. Feta cheese contains a number of beneficial microorganisms that fight pathogens and improve the digestion process.
  1. Choose only fresh vegetables.
  2. Do not add spices in large quantities.
  3. You can season not only with olive oil, but also with other vegetable oil, lemon juice or vinegar.
  4. For added spice, add garlic, pepper, salt and onion, whipped in a mixer, before serving.
  5. To add flavor, I recommend adding finely chopped fresh herbs to the dish. It could be mint, parsley, basil, celery or dill. You can also use dried herbs - oregano, rosemary or thyme.
  6. Be sure to mix the ingredients well.
  7. If you use cooked vegetables, be careful not to overcook them.
  8. To prevent vegetables from losing color, do not add salt while cooking them.
  9. Traditional ingredients go well with anchovies and capers.
  10. I recommend pre-marinating the onions.
  11. Replace feta cheese with salted cheese or Dutch cheese.
  12. If you don't have lemon in the house, use pink grape vinegar.

5 variations

  • From squid

A light and tasty dish that can replace a dense and high-calorie dinner. Squid meat contains a minimum of fat and no cholesterol, so it is well absorbed by the body and can be included in the children's diet. To prepare it at home you will need peeled squid, sweet peppers, tomatoes, cucumbers and lettuce. For dressing you need to take olive oil, oregano, garlic, a mixture of peppers and salt. To make the dish look fresh, do not chop the lettuce leaves with a knife, but simply tear them with your hands. You can sprinkle finely chopped herbs and thin strips of lemon zest on top.

  • With chicken and avocado

An incredibly tasty and nutritious dish that includes everything you need for a hearty dinner. To prepare, take chicken fillet, avocado, green onions, tomatoes, olives, lemon juice, feta cheese, dried oregano, dried mint and Romaine lettuce. Poultry meat can be baked or fried in olive oil. Use whole parsley sprigs for garnish.

  • With yogurt dressing

This option is useful to include in the diet for those who care about their figure. To prepare, take Romano lettuce, feta cheese, prepared shrimp, cucumbers, tomatoes, lemon juice, garlic and yogurt. You can serve immediately, but it is better to let the dish sit for 30-40 minutes in the refrigerator.

  • With tofu

Helps lower blood cholesterol and contains few calories, so it will appeal to vegetarians and raw foodists. For cooking we use fresh cucumbers, tomatoes, bell peppers, onions, tofu cheese, and olives. We prepare the sauce according to the classic recipe.

  • With Chinese cabbage

A simple, tasty and healthy dish. It has all the classic ingredients, but the kale adds brightness, volume and crunch. I recommend chopping it, but not too finely, and chopping the onion coarsely, but thinly. To remove bitterness, be sure to scald it.

Conclusion

Today we learned how to properly prepare a very tasty Greek salad and what to season it with. In Greek restaurants, it is customary to serve it in a deep plate, without sliced ​​cheese. Place the feta piece directly on the vegetable slices. The sauce is served separately for each serving. If you season a dish immediately after cooking, it cannot be stored for a long time. The dressing can be made not only from classic ingredients, but also experimented with mustard, honey, balsamic vinegar, and garlic. Instead of olive oil, I like to use corn oil and sesame oil.

Greece is home to picturesque islands, intriguing antiquity and a love for large families. What is a large family? This is constant cooking - no frills, but with fire. When several generations gather at one table - this is love squared, and even cubed! Feed tasty, satisfying, healthy food to everyone at once. Greek salad can do this. No wonder it has become a brand of a country full of vivid emotions.

Low calorie content is a special charm of the Greek hit

There are no more than 130 kcal per 100 grams of salad. If desired, this figure can be further reduced. It helps to serve the vegetables, cheese, and dressing separately.

Quick navigation through the article:

Cooking classics of the genre

First, we will describe the Greek salad according to the classic recipe with photos step by step, and for the appetizer we will leave secrets, tricks and variations. There will be a lot of them! Each stage contains an opportunity to do things differently. And the new result will remain just as appetizing.

We need the following vegetables -

Let's estimate piece by piece to get the proportion for quick cooking at home:

  • Cucumber - 2 pcs. (not small)
  • Tomato - 2 pcs. (larger, dense-fleshed variety)
  • Bell pepper - 1 pc.
  • Crimean onion (blue) - 1 pc. (the average size)
  • Olives - 20 pcs., large, pitted
  • Feta cheese - 80-100 g
  • Oregano (oregano) - ½ teaspoon of dry herb
  • Extra virgin olive oil - 2-3 tbsp. spoons
  • Lemon juice - 1-1.5 tablespoons
  • Salt, pepper - to taste

How to cook.

  • Cut tomatoes and cucumbers into large pieces (2-2.5 cm). Cucumbers can be peeled if the skin is too hard.
  • Cut the blue onion into rings or half rings. For a family where raw onions are treated with caution, the cuts are thinner, into quarter rings.
  • We clean the pepper from seeds and internal white membranes. Cut into large squares - about 2-2.5 cm.

  • The olives can be left whole. Very large ones - cut in half.
  • Place the vegetables in a large bowl and mix gently. 2 large spatulas will help. Salt and pepper - to taste. At the same time, do not forget about the saltiness of the cheese we use.
  • Whisk olive oil with lemon juice. This is the sauce. Dress the salad and sprinkle with oregano. No need to rush: just a pinch, slightly rubbing the herb in your fingers. Oh, what a scent!
  • Cut feta cheese into large pieces. Compare it with slicing cucumbers, you can’t go wrong. Place in a picturesque disorder on top of the vegetables. The last pinch of oregano and the beauty is ready. Amazing simplicity!


Classic ingredients: what else can you do with vegetables

Onion. It makes sense to pre-marinate. The simplest way is to sprinkle chopped onions with a mixture of vinegar (3 parts) and sugar (2 parts), add a little salt and let stand for 25-30 minutes. Then drain the juice and add the chopped vegetables to the other vegetables. Or cut the onion smaller - into quarters and eighths of rings.

It is also interesting to take two varieties - white and blue. Choose the proportion yourself: 1:2, or even 1:1. If the white onion is very pungent, it is definitely worth softening it with pickling. You can also replace a quarter of the onion with garlic cloves. A nuance is important here: chop the garlic into small cubes with a knife.

For the base you need:

  • Medium-sized cucumbers and tomatoes - 3 pcs.
  • Onions – 1 pc. (preferably sweet variety)
  • Salted cheese - up to 100 g

Bright additives:

  • Chicken fillet - 500 g
  • Olives - 12 pcs.

Scrambled sauce:

  • Lemon juice - 2 tbsp. spoons
  • Olive oil - 4 tbsp. spoons
  • Garlic - 2 cloves
  • Fresh herbs - to taste and for decoration
  • Ground black pepper, salt - to taste

The best summer accent for the meat version is fresh mint.

We do it lightly, because we already know the principles of cutting and assembling.

New to the mix is ​​chicken. Ideally, we marinate the fillet in advance - 2-5 hours before preparing the salad. Any standard marinade will do. For example, oil with lemon juice and spices, led by curry or paprika. Or simply coat the meat with mayonnaise. After the marinade, the fillet should be cut into small pieces - up to 3 cm. Throw into a heated frying pan and fry under the lid until cooked. The main guest of the recipe is ready! Let the meat cool and add it to the vegetables.

You can do it even simpler - boil any part of the chicken and let it cool in the broth. Then the chicken will be the softest. We cut it across the grain into small pieces.

Cut cucumbers, tomatoes and onions into your favorite bite size. Leave the olives whole or cut them in half. Combine with meat and mix gently. Shake the ingredients for the sauce with a fork. Add salt, pepper and pour over the vegetables.

Place the cheese component on top of the mixture. And if the selected cheese holds its shape well when sliced, you can gently mix all the ingredients.


Note - 2 best ideas!

It is the meat version that goes great with different sauces. Mustard with honey and salty dressing with soy counterpart. Scroll a little lower - you won’t regret it! :) We have described the proportions.

Don’t ignore the simple variation with crackers. Literally 2 bucks for a Greek salad with chicken... And you won’t recognize the recipe! Everything will sparkle in a new way - crispy, fresh and very beautiful.


How to replace feta cheese and is it possible without it: 3 more recipes

A budget alternative is salted cheese, including goat cheese. A rich selection awaits you at any bazaar.

Or large pieces processed cheese with a strong flavor. Let the accent be greens, smoked meats, and tomatoes. In this case, all the treats need a little more salt.

Not bad and option with Dutch cheese. Just make the pieces smaller. Yes, this will not be a pure classic. But who knows, maybe your family won’t like it much more? Husbands are often conservatives. They understand Dutch cheese and goat cheese much more than overseas feta.

If you decide to omit the cheese component, rely on our second option with meat. But choose something smoked and well salted. Please note: this salad will not be stored for long. There is too much dissonance between fresh vegetables and smoked meats.

In addition to meat in the recipe you can add mushrooms. Not only champignons, but even the simplest pickled chanterelles. The main thing is to thoroughly rinse them from mucus and dry them. The perfection of a simple base and your imagination are the best team for creativity!

Tricks for serving a classic salad

Pros of serving in large pieces: those who don’t like olives can easily remove them. The same goes for thick onion rings.

Sometimes the plate even looks like a rough cut of vegetables with cheese. Large slices are placed on a dish without stirring.

Portion serving in Greek restaurants is often extremely laconic. You get a deep plate with no sliced ​​cheese. The whole feta lies in a piece - right on top of the vegetable slices. How to deal with it is up to you.

You can serve the sauce in the same way - in a separate container for each serving. There is a practical business sense in this. As long as the salad is not covered in sauce, it will keep better.

Helpful advice!

It is beneficial to season the dish only after serving portions. This way you can keep the cuts longer in the refrigerator. If suddenly the family does not cope with vitamin happiness in one go.

Olive oil, lemon juice and oregano. With this sauce a classic Greek recipe was born. So he fell in love with millions and is vividly remembered by neophytes.

However, there is no need to be afraid of other seasonings and herbs! The dish will easily accept coarsely torn lettuce leaves and delicate Chinese cabbage. You can add basil, thyme and parsley if you prefer.

And now let’s smile intriguingly... And fill up the next portion honey mustard sauce. Making the sauce is easy!

  • Mild mustard (can be with grains), honey and olive oil in a ratio of 1:1:2, whisk. If the sauce is thick, add more oil.

Greece's culinary signature is so inviting for variation that you'll inevitably end up trying a less salty cheese.

We really liked the version with lightly salted cheese. A third recipe for dressing will always come in handy - with soy sauce. It is traditionally salty and rich and gives the recipe a new twist.

Cooking, as before, is simple - whisk the ingredients. We need:

  • Olive oil 2 tbsp. spoons
  • Soy sauce - 1 tbsp. spoon
  • Apple cider vinegar - 1 tbsp. spoon
  • Mustard (medium or weak) - 1 teaspoon.

What else is added to Greek salad toppings and dressings?

  • Other oils - mustard, corn, sesame - for the sake of aroma.
  • Fried salty crackers. Or large bread crumbs. They are easy to make by crushing the crackers with a rolling pin.
  • Garlic pressed through a garlic press. By the way, one of the most despised methods from a cooking guru. They consider chopping garlic at every opportunity to be the first sign of a master. Well, that's what a guru is for. Who else suits a peacock tail like that?!... You say the same! (c) And do it your own way.

Real Greek salad - video recipe for cheerful sirtaki

A great mood for a culinary masterpiece from the very first frame! And a very concise video. Pay attention to the proportion. They suggest taking a little more tomatoes than other vegetables.

“Greek” salad for the New Year - with baked eggplants and magic sauce

Creative thought is a restless phenomenon. Don't limit yourself to the classics. Get ready for this unique option too. Juicy - to the point of trembling in the knees, tender - to the point of insanity. He will easily place Olivier and fur coat on the festive table and will break all records even on the New Year's menu. And it’s easy and simple to do.

Take medium-sized vegetables:

  • Fresh cucumber - 1-2 pcs.
  • Tomatoes - 2 pcs.
  • Sweet pepper - 1 pc.
  • Red onion - ½ pc.
  • Eggplant - 1 pc.
  • Olives
  • Lettuce leaf - 3-4 pcs.
  • Spinach - a small handful
  • Arugula - to taste (ours is on par with spinach)
  • Feta cheese - as much as you like
  • Dried oregano and salt

For the original sesame sauce:

  • Olive oil - 3 tbsp. spoons
  • Water - 2 tbsp. spoons
  • Sesame seed - 2 teaspoons
  • Walnut - 3 halves
  • Feta - 25 g
  • Lemon juice - 1 teaspoon
  • Mustard (spiciness to taste) - 1 teaspoon

Preparation.

We prick the eggplant with a knife, put it in a mold and put it in a preheated oven. Bake at 200℃ for 20-25 minutes. Let cool, peel and cut into pieces, not too small.

We make an amazingly flavorful dressing. Lightly brown the sesame seeds in a frying pan. Let cool and place in a blender bowl. Add all other ingredients and beat well. We put the deliciousness in the refrigerator until it’s time to season the dish.

Cut cucumbers, tomatoes, peppers into your favorite size. About the same as eggplant. We plan the onion with feathers or quarter rings.

Tear the lettuce leaves into pieces. Cut the spinach in medium steps. Add arugula to taste. We're not big fans of mustard weed, but it's delicious added here. It gives a light nutty aftertaste and a pleasant bitterness.

Combine vegetables and herbs. Add some salt and pour olive oil: just a little - 1 tablespoon.


It is better to serve the salad in portions. For a formal meal, an interesting option is bread plates. This is a pita flatbread made from yeast dough with a slotted window. Place 1-2 spoons of salad, randomly drip the prepared sesame cheese dressing on top. Vegetables again - dressing. On top of the slide are pieces of feta cheese and olives. The miracle Greek “Finger lickin’ good” is ready!

Life hack from the chef!

Before adding to the salad, cut the cheese into pieces and sprinkle each with dried oregano. Beauty!


Our carefully collected ideas for the culinary brand of Greece are waiting for additions in the comments. Which option do you like? Shrimp, pieces of fluffy omelette, grainy cottage cheese, Chinese cabbage. These products also work well with Greek salad, the classic recipe for which with step-by-step photos is always at your service at the beginning of the article.