This Greek salad was always on the table at my grandma’s (yia yia in Greek) house and any all Greek homes on a daily basis. It brings back so many warm memories of my childhood and one of the first recipes I ever learned. The crispness of the veggies that are perfectly marinated countered with tangy feta, makes this salad irresistible. Not to mention, it is quick to prepare and so easy. When I first made this salad for my onion-crazy Venezuelan partner, he was in love. He now requests it on a weekly basis, sometimes twice a week. I love keeping this tradition alive in my household and hope it becomes a staple in your kitchen as well.
What ingredients are in this recipe?
red onion- if red onion is too sharp for you, feel free to use a white onion. We swap depending on what we have in the pantry.
green bell pepper- Green bell pepper is traditional and definitely tastes the best in this salad. In a pinch you can use a yellow. Red would change the flavor to much in my opinion.
tomatoes-I typically use roma tomatoes and quarter them and let them drain on a paper towel before I put them into the bowl. This help your salad to not be watery. However, ou can use any tomato that you like. I often use cherry tomatoes as well.
cucumber-I normally use an English cucumber as it is more crisp. I peel the skin off the cucumber and use a small spoon to scoop out the seeds. This helps the salad not become to watery.
feta- Fresh feta from a specialty cheese store is always best. However, if you do not live in an area where this is readily available feel free to use store bought packaged feta. I feel strongly about using a block of feta instead of already crumbled. I have yet to find a packaged crumbled feta that tastes even remotely like feta.
olives- Kalamata greek olives are the best for the salad. Feel free to use whatever variety that you prefer or skip them completely. We eat this salad often without olives if we do not have them on hand.
the dressing-it is made with pantry staples extra virgen olive oil, red wine vinegar, honey, and dried oregano, salt and pepper. You can add other herbs but without oregano it will not taste Greek.
How to make Yia Yia’s Greek Salad
This salad is incredibly easy to make. I often make it in the morning and it perfect by dinner time. Start by preparing the dressing and whisk together all of the ingredients.
Chop all the vegetables, draining as much water off of them as possible with a paper towel. You do not want the salad to become watery. Pour the dressing on top of the cut vegetables and combine all the ingredients except for the feta in a pretty serving dish. Refrigerate for at least one hour to marinate.
Before serving, give it a quick stir and top it off with a big block of feta. Garnish with more oregano or red pepper flakes for color.
How to store the leftovers
You can store leftover in air tight container and enjoy for 1 additional day. After that the vegetables become too watery. Just give it a quick stir before you plate.
How to serve Yia Yia’s Greek Salad
I typically serve this salad with a rice pilaf and lemon season chicken. It goes well with all the other meats though as well (lamb, fish, steak). I have enjoyed it as a a side to a barbecue countless times.
I also love this salad on its own or served over a bed of hummus with a side of gluten free toast.
More La Disco Nap Recipes
Greek Whipped Red Pepper Feta- Htipiti
Grandma’s Greek Yogurt Tzatziki
Did you make this recipe?
If you make it, please leave a comment below with your thoughts. Don’t forget to share your version with a picture on Instagram and tag @ladisconap #ladisconap It means the world to me.
Grandma’s Greek Salad
Ingredients
- 1 purple onion finely sliced into half moons
- 1 green bell pepper cored and sliced
- 3 roma tomatoes quartered
- 1 cucumber peeled, cored, and cut into moons
- 1 block feta high quality
- Kalamata olives optional
- 2 Tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 3 Tablespoons olive oil extra virgen
- 1 Tablespoons honey
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Make the dressing by adding red wine vinegar, extra virgen olive oil, honey, oregano. Stir until well combined. Add salt and pepper to taste.
- After chopping all your vegetables (onion, bell pepper, tomatoes, and cucumber) add to the dressing and mix to combine. Add optional olives and combine. Marinate in the refrigerate for minimum 1 hour.
- Top with block of feta. Garnish with oregano or chili flake and dig in.
- y ya esta! Enjoy!
