This recipe is perfect for those moments in life when advance notice just wasn’t the point.
This salad is crisp, cool, and refreshing, with a delicious tang from the feta and a bright, zesty zing from the lemon.
The best part? This recipe takes just 5 minutes from start to finish.
Ingredients
- 1 large English cucumber, cut into half-moons
- 2 large vine tomatoes, diced
- 1 small block feta cheese, crumbled
- ½ cup Kalamata olives, pitted and chopped
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 3 tbsp Greek olive oil
- 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 1 tbsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp salt
- Optional: ½ red onion, thinly sliced
Equipment
- Chefs Knife
- Vegetable Peeler
- Large Mixing Bowl
- Small Mixing Bowl
- Cutting Board
Tips & Tricks
Save time and buy your olives already pitted and cut! These olives from Mezzweta are one of my favorites and can be found at most grocery stores.
Step 1: Cut everything up!
Using your knife and cutting board, chop the cucumber and tomatoes. If you’re adding red onion, this is the time to slice it thinly as well.
Tip! For a pretty presentation, use a vegetable peeler to peel a few lines down the length of your cucumber before cutting it. This step is purely decorative, but it gives the cucumber a fun, restaurant-style look!
Add all of the vegetables to a large mixing bowl.
Step 2: Crumble the Feta
Using light pressure, gently crumble the feta cheese into bite-sized pieces.
For the most authentic flavor, try to find feta packed in brine. Trader Joe’s or Publix will usually carry a brand. The brine helps keep the feta fresh, creamy, and full of flavor.
If you can’t find feta in brine, dry or non-brined feta will work just fine. Just add it directly to the salad and continue with the recipe.
Step 3: Chop & Add the Olives
If you’re using pre-pitted and chopped Kalamata olives, make sure they’re well drained before adding them to the bowl.
If your olives still have pits, use a knife to make a small cut down the side of each olive and gently remove the pit. Then, chop the olives into smaller pieces and add them to the bowl.
Tip! Give your olives a quick taste before adding them. Some can be saltier than others, which can help you decide how much additional salt your salad needs.
Step 4: The Dressing
In a small bowl, add the lemon juice, Greek olive oil, red wine vinegar, dried oregano, and salt.
Whisk everything together until the dressing is well combined.
Tip! Give your dressing a quick taste before adding it to the salad. If you like a little more tang, add an extra splash of lemon juice or red wine vinegar. If you prefer a richer flavor, add a drizzle more olive oil.
Step 5: Add the Dressing, Mix & Serve
Pour the dressing over the vegetables and olives. Gently toss everything together until the vegetables are evenly coated and all of those fresh flavors come together.
You can serve the salad immediately, but for the best flavor, cover and refrigerate it for at least 1 hour. This gives the vegetables time to soak up the dressing and lets all the flavors meld together.
Give it a quick toss before serving and enjoy!
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