Horiatiki (Greek Salad)

Horiatiki (Greek Village Salad)

The classic 'village salad' of Greece: no lettuce, just ripe summer vegetables, a generous slab of feta, and a generous pour of green olive oil finished with dried oregano.

Prep

15 min

Total

15 min

Serves

4

Difficulty

Easy

Recipe ingredients

• •500 g (1 lb 2 oz) ripe tomatoes, firm, flavorful summer tomatoes; heirloom or vine-ripened
• •1 medium cucumber, unpeeled, traditional Greek or English type
• •1 small red onion, thinly sliced; briefly rinsed in cold water if you want a milder bite
• •1 small green bell pepper, sliced into thin rings, seeds removed
• •100 g (3½ oz) Kalamata olives, pitted or unpitted; traditionally unpitted
• •1 tsp dried Greek oregano, preferably wild Cretan rigani
• •60 ml (¼ cup) extra-virgin olive oil, good-quality Greek extra virgin if possible
• •200 g (7 oz) feta cheese, a 1.5–2 cm thick slab, in brine, from sheep's milk or sheep-and-goat
• •1 pinch flaky sea salt, or to taste

Steps

1. 1 Wash and dry the tomatoes thoroughly. Cut into wedges or thick chunks (about 2–3 cm) and place in a wide, shallow bowl or platter.
2. 2 Trim the ends of the cucumber. Cut in half lengthwise, then into thick half-moons or chunks. Add to the bowl.
3. 3 Add the thinly sliced red onion and the green pepper rings to the tomatoes and cucumber.
4. 4 Scatter the Kalamata olives over the vegetables.
5. 5 Sprinkle the dried oregano over everything and season lightly with flaky sea salt.
6. 6 Pour the olive oil evenly over the salad; do not toss — Horiatiki is dressed, not mixed.
7. 7 Place the whole slab of feta on top of the vegetables, drizzle a little of the olive oil over the feta, and finish with a final pinch of oregano.
8. 8 Let the salad rest at room temperature for 10–15 minutes so the vegetables release their juices and mingle with the oil. Serve with crusty bread to mop up the juices.