Greek salad with feta and oregano
Chunky ripe tomatoes, crisp cucumber, green pepper and Kalamata olives, gently dressed with olive oil and red wine vinegar and topped with a thick slab of oregano-sprinkled feta.
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Servings
Originally developed for 4 servings.
Ingredient checklist
Method
- 05:00
Use a clean board and utensils, away from raw meat preparation. Wash and dry the tomatoes, cucumber and pepper. Drain the olives and feta, keeping the feta intact. Thinly slice the onion; if it tastes harsh, cover the slices with cold water and soak for 5 minutes while you prepare the other vegetables.
- No timer needed
Core the tomatoes and cut into irregular 2–3 cm chunks. Trim the cucumber and cut into 1 cm half-moons, peeling only if the skin is tough. If its seed core is unusually watery, scoop it out before weighing out 300 g prepared cucumber. Deseed the pepper and cut 150 g trimmed flesh into short strips about 5 mm wide.
- No timer needed
Drain and thoroughly pat dry the onion if soaked. Put the tomatoes, cucumber, pepper, onion and olives in the serving bowl. Add 30 ml olive oil, 10 ml vinegar, ½ tsp oregano, a small pinch of salt (about 0.25 g) and the black pepper. Toss gently with two large spoons until the vegetables glisten, without crushing the tomatoes. A little tomato juice in the bottom is welcome.
- No timer needed
Taste a piece of tomato with an olive. Add some or all of the reserved 5 ml vinegar only if it needs more acidity, and use the remaining salt only if needed, remembering that the feta will add further saltiness. Gently toss again if adjusted.
- No timer needed
Set the feta slab or large pieces on top. Drizzle with the remaining 15 ml olive oil and sprinkle with the remaining ½ tsp oregano. Serve immediately, dividing the feta into four portions at the table.
Chef tips
- Dry the vegetables and drain the olives well. Dress just before serving to avoid diluting the dressing with excess water.
- Keep the cuts chunky and use a gentle lifting motion when tossing; ripe tomatoes bruise easily.
- If the salad tastes flat, check its acidity before adding more salt. Extra vinegar cannot replace the flavour of ripe tomatoes.
- The optional onion soak happens during chopping; skipping it does not require any other method changes.
Equipment check
- Clean chopping board and sharp knife
- Colander
- Small bowl for optional onion soaking
- Clean tea towel or kitchen paper
- Measuring spoons
- Wide, shallow serving bowl, approximately 2 litres
- Two large serving spoons
Nutrition per serving
- Calories305
- Protein9 g
- Carbs12 g
- Fat25 g
Tags
Behind the dish.
Overview
This substantial side salad balances juicy tomatoes and crisp vegetables with briny olives and creamy feta. Gentle tossing releases just enough tomato juice to mingle with the olive oil; dressing immediately before serving keeps the cucumber crisp. Leave the feta largely intact rather than crumbling it through the vegetables.
Ingredient notes
Choose ripe but firm tomatoes and flavourful extra virgin olive oil. Green pepper provides a slightly bitter crunch; red or yellow pepper can replace it but will taste sweeter. Use feta labelled suitable for vegetarians, since some cheeses use animal rennet. For gluten-free requirements, check packaged ingredients and relevant cross-contact information; use red wine vinegar, not malt vinegar.
Feta contains milk. Red wine vinegar and packaged olives may contain sulphites: check their labels. Start cautiously with salt because the feta and olives already contribute plenty.
Serving & storage
Serve immediately as four substantial side portions, dividing the feta at the table. For short advance preparation, refrigerate the chopped vegetables, olives, feta and dressing separately, then assemble just before serving.
Chill leftovers promptly in shallow portions and refrigerate within 2 hours at 5°C or colder. Eat within 48 hours, or sooner if the feta packaging specifies a shorter limit. The vegetables soften after dressing, so leftovers are best the next day. Freezing is not recommended for texture.
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