This is one of those recipes that proves simple really can be spectacular. Horiatiki Salata, or Greek Village Salad, is what you'd find on nearly every table across Greece. The word Horiatiki means "village style", and it's sometimes called a peasant salad because it uses humble, fresh ingredients that anyone in a village garden might have on hand. No lettuce. No frills. Just pure, fresh flavour.
We enjoy this salad all year round, but as soon as our homegrown tomatoes are ready, this becomes a daily staple. When the tomatoes are ripe and sweet, the cucumbers are crisp, and the olive oil is rich and peppery, this salad really sings. The simple ingredients do all the heavy lifting, so it's worth using the best you can find, especially the feta and olive oil.
Greek Village Salad Ingredients
- Vine-ripened tomatoes
- English cucumber
- Red onion
- Green bell pepper
- Kalamata olives
- Greek feta cheese (preferably sheep's and/or goat’s milk)
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Red wine vinegar
- Dried Greek oregano
- Sea salt
See recipe card for exact quantities.
Instructions
Arrange Vegetables: In a shallow bowl or plate, arrange tomato wedges, cucumber slices, red onion, green pepper, and olives.
Feta: Top with the feta block or cut into 4 pieces. Traditionally, the feta is served on top so it doesn't break apart. Each person can break off what they want and crumble it if they prefer.
Dress the Salad: Drizzle with olive oil, red wine vinegar and sprinkle generously with oregano and a pinch of sea salt. Taste and adjust the ingredients as per your liking.
For Serving: Serve with crusty bread. Wipe the plate clean and don't let any of that tomato-olive oil-vinegar goodness go to waste!
This salad is best served right after it's made, at room temperature, to let the flavours shine. TIP: Never refrigerate this salad before serving. Once tomatoes get refrigerated, they become mushy.
📖 Recipe
Greek Village Salad (Horiatiki Salata)
Ingredients
- 4 medium vine-ripened tomatoes cut into wedges
- 1 English cucumber halved lengthwise and sliced (If using cucumbers that have a thick skin or too many seeds, you can peel the skin and scrape out the seeds)
- ½ red onion thinly sliced
- ½ green bell pepper thinly sliced (optional, but traditional)
- 12-16 Kalamata olives with or without pits. Never buy olives that come in a can.
- 150 g about 5 oz block of Greek feta cheese (preferably sheep's and/or goat’s milk), left whole or sliced
- 2 tablespoons quality extra virgin olive oil
- 2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
- 1-2 teaspoons dried Greek oregano to taste
- Sea salt to taste
Instructions
- Arrange Vegetables: In a shallow bowl or plate, arrange tomato wedges, cucumber slices, red onion, green pepper, and olives.
- Feta: Top with the feta block or cut into 4 pieces. Traditionally, the feta is served on top so it doesn't break apart. Each person can break off what they want and crumble it if they prefer.
- Dressing: Drizzle with olive oil, red wine vinegar and sprinkle generously with oregano and a pinch of sea salt. Taste and adjust the ingredients as per your liking.
- For Serving: Serve with crusty bread. Wipe the plate clean and don't let any of that tomato-olive oil-vinegar goodness go to waste!
- This salad is best served right after it's made, at room temperature, to let the flavours shine. TIP: Never refrigerate this salad before serving. Once tomatoes get refrigerated, they become mushy.
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