Greek Salad with a Slab of Feta
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Cut the tomatoes and cucumber in big, uneven chunks, salt them, and give them fifteen minutes to make their own dressing. The feta goes on in one slab, and there should be bread for dragging through the juices.
The short version
Cut tomatoes, cucumber, pepper and onion into big chunks, salt them, and let them sit 15 minutes. Add olives, olive oil and vinegar, then lay a slab of feta on top with oregano. No cooking, 15 minutes, and plenty of bread for the juices.
What makes ours better
what we fixed so you don’t have to
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Salt first and let it rest. Salt pulls juice from the tomatoes, and that juice mixes with the oil and vinegar to make a dressing that tastes like tomato. It's why this salad needs so little else.
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Serve the feta in one slab. A block stays creamy and sliceable, where crumbles dry out and disappear. Guests cut off what they want and drag it through the juices.
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Soak the red onion in vinegar. A few minutes in red wine vinegar softens the bite and turns the slices pink, so you can use plenty without anyone tasting it all night.
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Cut everything in big, uneven pieces. Chunks stay juicy and hold their shape; small dice turns to watery salsa.
What you need
the usual suspects
- Red onion½ medium
- Red wine vinegar1 tablespoon
- Ripe tomatoes1½ pounds
- Cucumber1 large
- Green bell pepper1 small
- Extra-virgin olive oil3 tablespoons
- Dried oregano1 teaspoon
yes, all of the butter
Steps
nobody opens the oven door. looking at you, Dad.
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Soak the onion
Put the onion slices in a small bowl and pour the vinegar over them. Toss and set aside while you cut everything else.
About 10 min. Cook mode has a timer for this step.
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Cut the vegetables
Cut the tomatoes into chunky wedges, halving any small ones. Add them to a wide salad bowl along with the cucumber and green pepper.
Use tomatoes that smell like tomatoes. If they have no smell, they will have no flavor, and nothing in this recipe can fix that.
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Salt and rest
Scatter the salt over the vegetables and add the olives. Toss gently and let the bowl stand for 15 minutes at room temperature. You will see a pool of pink juice collect at the bottom.
About 15 min. Cook mode has a timer for this step.
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Add the oil and onion
Add the onion with its vinegar, then drizzle with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Toss once or twice, taste a tomato, and add a pinch more salt if it needs it.
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Top with the feta
Set the block of feta on top of the salad, or cut it into two thick slabs. Drizzle with the remaining tablespoon of oil and crumble the oregano over it between your fingers.
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Serve with bread
Bring the bowl to the table and let people cut into the feta themselves. Set out warm pita or crusty bread for mopping up the juices; that's the best part.
Good to know
read this before somebody asks for seconds
- If you want lettuce, add a head of chopped romaine just before serving and use 4 tablespoons olive oil. It isn't traditional, but it makes the salad stretch further.
- Use sheep's-milk feta in brine if you can find it. It's creamier and less salty than dry crumbled feta, so taste before adding extra salt.
- Skip the pepper if you don't like it. Add capers or a few pepperoncini instead.
- Storage. Best eaten right away. Leftovers keep 1 day in the fridge but the cucumber goes soft; keep the feta separate.
Questions, answered
the questions my cousins text me
What is the difference between a Greek salad and a horiatiki?
In Greece, horiatiki means village salad. It's tomatoes, cucumber, onion, olives and feta with oil and oregano, and it has no lettuce. The American version often adds romaine and a vinaigrette.
Do I put feta crumbled or in a block?
A block is the traditional presentation and it stays creamier. Crumble it with a fork at the table if you prefer.
What kind of vinegar goes in a Greek salad?
Red wine vinegar, and not much. A tablespoon is enough because the tomato juices carry the acidity.
Can I make Greek salad ahead?
Cut the vegetables up to 4 hours ahead and keep them chilled, but salt, dress and add the feta right before serving. The salt draws water out of the cucumber fast.
Why is my Greek salad watery?
It's supposed to have juice, but a puddle can mean the tomatoes were too wet or cut too small. Seed watery tomatoes, cut in large pieces, and serve with bread.
From the table
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Published October 29, 2026.