Greek Salad (Horiatiki)

Ingredients

• 300g ripe mixed tomatoes (beef, cherry, heirloom — whatever is best quality), cut into large wedges
• ½ large English cucumber (approx 200g), sliced into thick half-moons
• ½ red onion (approx 80g), very thinly sliced
• 80g kalamata olives (bone-in for better flavour)
• 100g full-fat Greek barrel-aged feta, in a single large block
• ½ green capsicum (bell pepper), sliced into rings
• 3 tbsp (45ml) excellent-quality extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tsp dried Greek oregano (rubbed between palms to release aroma)
• ¼ tsp flaky sea salt
• Freshly cracked black pepper
• 2 tsp red wine vinegar (optional)

Smart Substitutions

• ↔Use dairy-free feta (cashew-based or store-bought vegan) to make this fully vegan
• ↔Add a 200g can of drained white beans to increase protein by 8g and turn this into a more substantial main

How to Cook

1. 1

   If using red onion, place the thin slices in a small bowl of ice water for 10 minutes. This removes harsh sulphur compounds, leaving the onion crisp and mild. Drain and pat dry before using.

   10 min

   Soaking raw onion in ice water is a chef's technique that makes it 80% more palatable raw — it goes from eye-watering pungent to pleasantly sharp and crisp.

2. 2

   Arrange the tomato wedges, cucumber, and capsicum rings on a large serving platter. Scatter the red onion and olives over the top. Drizzle generously with olive oil and red wine vinegar if using. Season with flaky salt and pepper.

   3 min

   In authentic horiatiki, the vegetables are arranged rather than tossed — each element retains its identity and the dressing pools naturally at the base.

3. 3

   Place the entire block of feta on top of the salad. Drizzle the feta directly with a little extra olive oil and finish with a generous pinch of dried oregano rubbed between your palms directly over the salad. Serve immediately with crusty bread.

   1 min

   A single block of feta on top (rather than crumbled) is traditional, and it means each person gets to break off their own chunk — the texture contrast is far superior to pre-crumbled feta.