Greek salad ingredients classic. Greek Salad - Recipes, History and Traditions of Mediterranean Cooking

21.06.2020

Before we start cooking, we will prepare a board on which we will cut, a sharp large knife, a salad bowl with high sides and a narrow bottom. If everything is clear with a board and a knife, then the choice of dishes is not obvious. The fact is that the narrow bottom and high walls of the container will allow excess juice from vegetables and dressing to drain freely, and coarsely chopped cucumbers and tomatoes will not cake and sour at the bottom.

Salting is better already on the plate, but in Greece this behavior can be regarded as disrespect and bad taste.

Wash and dry vegetables. All vegetables must be rinsed well, as bacteria from the ground and fertilizers accumulate on the skin, which can accelerate the souring process of the salad and cause slight discomfort. For the same reason, vegetables should be dried on disposable paper towels, and not on cloth kitchen towels, with which the whole family wipes their hands together.
Peel the cucumbers and peppers. IN Greek salad it is customary to add cucumbers without a peel. Firstly, it is tough, and secondly, it is in the peel that nitrates and other substances harmful to humans accumulate. Peppers must be peeled from seeds and thin films on which they grew, as they can be very bitter.
Chop the cucumbers. Cut the peeled cucumbers into rounds 7-9 mm thick and pour into a salad bowl. They go first, as they are denser than tomatoes and produce less juice.
Chop the pepper. Cut sweet peppers into half rings 7-9 mm thick and pour into a salad bowl.
Chop the tomatoes. Cut the tomatoes in half first. Carefully cut out the growth point of the twig in the form of a small triangle with a knife. Then we cut each half into 3-4 more slices, depending on the size of the fruit and put it in a salad bowl.
Peel and chop the onion. Red sweet onions must be peeled well. Withered, dry or spoiled onion layers should not get into the dish. If the onion is very spicy, then it can be cut in half and put in salt water for a short time. Then we cut it into the thinnest possible half rings.
Pour in olives. Usually pitted olives are added to the dish. This is inconvenient and will force guests to be careful not to damage their teeth and jaw, since it is almost impossible to crunch a bone. Undoubtedly, you can use pitted olives, but according to Greek chefs, the taste will not be the same.
Cut and lay out the feta. The cheese in a real Greek salad is never cut into small squares. Culinary customs require the feta to be cut into large chunks 10-15 mm thick. Then they are randomly placed on top of the vegetables.
Pour the dressing over the salad. Shake the prepared and infused Greek salad sauce well and pour over all the products, so that it gets on the cheese, olives and vegetables.

It is in this form that the dish is served on the table in a large salad bowl. It is not stirred or salted before serving. If you add even a pinch of salt, then the vegetables will give juice, which will accumulate at the bottom, and the salad itself will become tasteless. It is better to salt directly on the plate, if there is an urgent need for it, but in Greece this behavior can be regarded as disrespect and bad form.

The real Greek salad is ready. Bon Appetit!

Composition of Greek salad

tomatoes (medium) - 3 pieces;
sweet green pepper (medium) - 1 piece;
olives (black olives) - 10 pieces;
cucumbers - 3 pieces;
feta cheese - 300 grams;
red onion - 1 head;
dressing for Greek salad - 2 tablespoons.

How to choose foods for Greek salad

Vegetables

Greece is the country of the sea and the sun. Here vegetables can be grown all year round and most of the time outdoors, which is why Greek salad is especially tasty in its homeland. Traditionally, it was prepared from freshly picked vegetables ripened in the beds.

The human need for food has forced science to dramatically transform agricultural production. The massive task of feeding an ever-growing population of people has led to the fact that the quality of food has receded into the background compared to quantity.

Residents of large modern cities often do not even know the taste of cucumbers and tomatoes grown on the ground under the sun. And even more so, few people know that they have a bright aroma. Ground tomatoes and cucumbers are much tastier than greenhouse ones, and even more so than vegetables grown in hydroponics (a method of growing plants in a nutrient liquid medium without soil and natural light).

Real tomatoes should be red, dense, juicy, with a tomato flavor, and better with a green twig

A real Greek salad is best made with real vegetables. Tomatoes should be red or nearly red, firm, juicy, but not watery. Tomatoes should have a distinct tomato flavor. Sourness or complete absence means that the fruit is already spoiled or plucked unripe.

It is better to choose those fruits that are sold with a twig. It can always be used to determine the quality of the tomatoes. A ripe red vegetable and a dense green twig will confirm that it is ripe and recently picked.

The quality of the cucumber determines the condition of its skin. It should be firm without dents or yellow spots. It is these signs that often indicate an excess of nitrates. In Greek salad, it is better to use medium-sized cucumbers with pimples. They are tastier and less watery.

Red onion is one of the most useful products, it is significantly healthier than regular white onions. Because it contains twice as many antioxidants to help fight inflammation. Recently, red onions have been replaced with white ones, for example, in the Mimosa salad recipe. According to recent research, red onions contain substances that can help you lose weight.

The popularity of Greek salad all over the world has led to the demand for feta cheese. Almost all dairy companies began to try to produce it. Therefore, a few years ago, after a large trial, feta cheese received the status of "controlled designation of origin". This means that only cheese produced in Greece can be called feta cheese.

Real feta can only be made in Greece

In Russia, manufacturers often use the name feta for products that have nothing to do with cheese, and sometimes even dairy products. The most common trick is to give the product a name similar in sound to the name of the cheese: fetax, fetaki, etc.

Therefore, when buying, carefully read the composition: real feta should be made from sheep's milk, sometimes with the addition of goat's milk, and always in Greece. Everything else, whatever it is called, is not Greek cheese.

One of the facts about cheese is that the Greeks prepare not only salads with feta, but meat, sauces, mayonnaise and even bake muffins. Feta in a Greek salad recipe can be replaced with feta cheese. She, too, is prepared with the addition of sheep and goat milk but based on cow. Cheese is usually denser and saltier.

Sometimes, in order to bring its taste closer to the taste of feta, feta cheese is soaked in an ordinary cow's milk... For vegetarian or lean Greek salad, you can use soy tofu instead of feta. However, it is somehow difficult to name the dish resulting from such substitutions as Greek salad.

Due to its sour-salty taste and dense texture, feta makes ordinary cut vegetables a delicious salad. Feta is one of the few cheeses that can be stored for up to six months if it is in brine. However, without it, the shelf life is calculated in hours. This is something to keep in mind if you are planning to send ready-made Greek salad in the refrigerator for a day or two.

Olives (olives)

Olives are the fruits of the olive tree, which has been cultivated since ancient times for the production of olive oil. This name is used exclusively in Russian and other Slavic languages. The common name for these fruits is olives.

In many world religions, the olive is a symbol of peace, goodness and prosperity. The ancient peoples of the Mediterranean considered it an irreplaceable and extremely valuable plant. Olive oil, olives and bread have been the mainstay of the diet of the region's inhabitants for several millennia.

In Russia, it is customary to distinguish olives and olives by color: some are green, others are black. In this connection, there is a misconception that green olives are unripe olives. In fact, olives and olives are ripe fruits harvested from different varieties olive trees.

Olives are usually larger, darker, and oily. They are used to obtain oil and are considered the most valuable. However, it is very difficult to find real black olives in the store. Most of the canned olives on the shelves are not sun-ripened or soaked in salted sea water for long periods of time to get rid of their natural bitterness.

At large industrial enterprises producing "massproduct", olives are harvested slightly ripe, using chemical treatment to bring them to the desired degree of maturity, immersed in a solution containing food additive- ferrous gluconate (E 579) and packed in airtight cans... Ferrous gluconate has a mild coloring effect, but is excellent for giving an even, glossy black color to olives.

Naturally black olives have an irregular dark brown color and a matte skin

Naturally black olives usually have an irregular dark brown color with a dull skin. They are preserved in glass containers, since there is no need to hide the color of the brine and the light will not affect the quality of the product in any way.

Olives tinted with iron gluconate are not in themselves dangerous if the proportion of the substance in the brine is observed. But their taste is far from real and they are not suitable for Greek salad.

Greek salad dressing

The whole world is sure that it is enough to season a Greek salad with olive oil and some dry spices, that its preparation is no more difficult than a simple omelet. However, the Greek salad recipe suggests a more careful and flavorful selection of herbs and oils. The right flavors can make ordinary vegetables and cheese a culinary art.

How the Greek salad recipe conquered the world

Summer salad of vegetables, vegetable oil and herbs has been known since the appearance of tomatoes and cucumbers in Europe. In most European countries, you can find a snack in which tomatoes are mixed, Bell pepper, cucumbers, onions and herbs.

Olives and olive oil are indispensable ingredients in all dishes in the Mediterranean countries, with the possible exception of tea and ice cream. The Greek salad recipe owes its name not to the composition of vegetables, but to one single ingredient - feta cheese.

Feta is made from goat and sheep milk. All over the world this cheese is called Greek. Although the recipe for its preparation was known to the ancient Egyptians, Romans, Phoenicians, etc. In the Byzantine era, sheep's milk cheese was officially named "Prosphatos", which translates as "recent". In the 17th century, the name "Feta" was assigned to it, meaning "piece" or "hunk" in Italian.

For quite a long time, vegetables were cut into large pieces in a Greek salad so that it was convenient to eat them with your hands, dipping them into olive oil mixed with herbs in separate container... Subsequently, the culture of eating changed and the use of cutlery became the norm, which led to a decrease in the size of the pieces and the addition of olive dressing directly to the dish.

The recipe for Greek salad has not changed over the centuries. When ordering it in the best restaurants, regardless of city, country or even continent, the Greek salad will be Greek. The only significant difference may be the way the dish is presented.

In the classic recipe, feta is cut into large thick chunks

IN classic version feta is cut into large, thick slices, while the Central European standard is to cut cheese into small cubes. There is also a more original way: a piece of cheese is strung on a wooden skewer, followed by an olive, pieces of vegetables and placed in one large dish, pouring on top olive oil mixed with finely chopped herbs.

Several popular American health and wellness publications estimate that 20% of metropolitan residents choose to start their meals with Greek salad. In recent years, it has become the main international lunch dish.

Most nutritionists recommend eating a salad during the day, as it contains a lot of substances that must be absorbed by the body before 6 pm. Despite all the difficulties associated with finding quality products, it has long been one of the most popular salads for the new year.

Chefs of leading restaurants claim that dressing plays an important role in the recipe for Greek salad. Properly blended herbs and olive oil give the dish an unforgettable aroma and flavor.

My dear lovers of delicious, simple and unusual, today I will tell you which salad is the easiest and fastest to prepare, besides, you will need a minimum of cheap products. It will be about the already popular among Russians at the holiday and at New Year platter - Greek salad according to the classic usual recipe.

Greek salad - classic recipe

Such a healthy and light (low-calorie) dish is prepared quickly. And many already know the real classic recipe for Greek salad - it is simple and, on the other hand, piquant because of the Feta cheese (Fetaxa, Brynza) that was present in its composition.

And now you will see a completely different, unusual "Greek" and its 5 step-by-step recipes.

Greek salad - a classic step-by-step recipe (with photo) from a real Greek chef. Cooking secrets

When traveling, many people love not only to study exotic flora and fauna, to get acquainted with the history of the country, but also to learn its culinary secrets.

And now you can travel not only physically, getting on a train, car or plane, but also virtually. And thanks to the appearance in many cities of many restaurants of world cuisine, you can enjoy overseas dishes without even leaving your home, but simply by placing an order by phone.

All this is great, but sometimes you want to master the preparation of your favorite dishes in order to enjoy them at any time. Along with the traditional Russian "", "" and "", with the French "" and with Italian pizza, Japanese sushi, French sauces, our people are very fond of some dishes of Greek cuisine, the most popular representative of which is Greek salad.

Surely this dish is familiar to many: it is prepared not only in restaurants and cafes, but also served at the table in many homes. Another thing is that it does not always have the same appearance and taste.

As for the "appearance", then here it is really possible different variants serving and decorating, but the taste of this salad is a matter of principle. In order for it to match the one enjoyed by real Greeks, it is necessary to be aware of all the secrets of its preparation and use only those ingredients that are in original recipe, without any initiative in the form of boiled potatoes or eggs.

Yes, with them the dish will turn out to be more satisfying, but it will no longer be a Greek salad.

Traditional Greek Salad Recipe

Making Greek salad is easy. If you are already familiar with it, then you probably noticed that all its ingredients are cut quite large, which further simplifies the task.

As a rule, these are large cubes, but if you want the salad to be not only tasty, but also beautiful, then you can experiment with the shapes.

Ingredients

You will need for 8 servings:

leaf salad,
cucumbers - 3,
tomatoes - 6,
onion - 1,
sweet pepper - 1,
greens (preferably basil),
olives (200 gram jars are enough),
lemon juice
and, most importantly, good olive oil,
and Feta cheese (200-250 grams).

"Feta" - This is sheep's or goat's cheese, somewhat reminiscent of the cheese we all know. In addition, it is a good idea to use dried herb "oregano" to make Greek salad, which will give it a spicy taste. It is allowed to put a little chopped garlic in the dressing.

Preparation

First, the gas station is prepared.

It consists of a mixture of olive oil with lemon juice(or balsamic vinegar), which can be lightly salted, pepper, garlic and oregano added.

Chopped vegetables are stacked in a salad bowl on top of whole leaves lettuce, garnished with olives and coarsely chopped herbs and poured with dressing.

Then on top of all this colorful splendor, Feta cheese, cut into large cubes, is placed.

That's it, you don't need to put anything else in the Greek salad. Believe me, any other products will be simply superfluous here.

For those who like to see everything with their own eyes (I mean cooking), here's a video recipe.

Bon Appetit!

And do not dwell on traditions yet - experiment and look further - how you can supplement the usual classics with various additives. And it turns out even very nothing!

Greek salad recipe with Chinese cabbage

A variation of our today's Chinese cabbage dish. What are we doing? Instead of lettuce leaves, we will take cabbage, and it is Peking cabbage, as it is juicy and strong, with its "sophisticated crunch".

That's all for girls and boys, everything else in terms of the availability of products and the cooking process is given above. I think it makes no sense to repeat (just go up to the classic recipe).

And if you're really unbearable - here's a little bit:

Prepare the dressing: oil, lemon juice, chopped garlic, herbs, salt and pepper, mix in a separate bowl.

The cabbage should be cut into strips, but not very finely.

Cut cheese "Feta" (if there is no such thing and was not found, it will do - "feta cheese" or "Fetaksa") cut into large cubes. You can add it to the dressing, so that it becomes as if "speckled" (more interesting, after all), or then put on top of all the ingredients.

Take the washed vegetables, cucumbers and tomatoes. We shred them in the same way as cheese.

After the onion and sweet pepper cut into half rings.

We combine all this "richness of taste" in a common deep plate (do not forget about olives) and mix (just stir slightly).

Friends, our Greek salad with Chinese cabbage is ready! Go ahead for the "biggest spoon"!

And for viewing:

Greek salad with croutons and chicken (classic recipe)

Croutons and chicken - nothing reminds you of anything? "Caesar"? Yes, something looks like it. This time, we will add just a couple of things to our culinary creation: crackers and chicken meat. Such a salad is no longer quite dietary and light - it is already gaining weight.

With this cooking method, as with any other, you can not mix all the products, but give the guests the opportunity to do it. By the way, look at the composition and its quantity above (scroll up the page or press :).

You either buy croutons in the store, or cook yourself. Take regular white bread - a couple of cuts from a loaf. Remove the crusts and cut into cubes. Fry in a skillet with oil until lightly browned.

Boil the chicken (chicken fillet), cool and into cubes.

The turn of our vegetables has come - we do with them, as in previous recipes - we prepare squares, strips and halves.

Put the leaves on the dish, top with tomatoes and cucumbers, onions, peppers, olives and cheese, and the last thing - sprinkle fried croutons. Salt, spices and herbs to taste.

Greek salad with feta cheese or fetaxa instead of Feta cheese, as in a restaurant

It's okay if “Feta” is replaced by “Brynza” - both have their own specific salty taste, which gives the dish a pronounced piquancy. Such an easy meal is just a treasure for those who preserve their figure and take care of their health!

As you may have noticed, if you read the article from the beginning, the classic Greek salad recipe and its basis remain unchanged. Only some of the ingredients are changed and added. At first, instead of lettuce leaves, we used Chinese cabbage, then updated with chicken and croutons. And now the time has come to diversify the main product of the dish - cheese.

For the rest: the composition and preparation method will be the same. Nearly…

fresh tomatoes (cherry tomatoes are also suitable) - 4-5 pieces,
cucumbers (it is better only that from the garden, if not, then cut off the bitter skin) - 2-3 pcs.,
olives (pitted, olives are also suitable) - 1 can,
green lettuce leaves (or Chinese cabbage),
bell peppers (you can have two different colors: orange and red),
cheese (fetax) - 100-150 grams,
onions (preferably red, if the usual onion, then pour boiling water over it before putting it out) - one onion is enough.

For dressing (sauce):

lemon (its juice),
olive oil (again, the most excellent),
a clove of garlic
a mixture of herbs (there is already a ready-made set, and it is called "Greek" or oregano),
salt, pepper and a little sugar.

Let's start cooking:

As always, first of all, we start with the sauce - we combine all the spices and spices with oil in a separate small container. We give it to infuse - put it aside.

Wash the vegetables and cut into medium pieces. Onions and bell peppers - in strips. If using cabbage, also in strips.

Be careful with feta cheese (fetax), it may be too soft and tender, we divide into identical squares.

Now we put everything together (special attention: do not mix!). We make separate portions, pour over with the present sauce. If desired, decorate with herbs (with a special aroma of mint). We invite guests!

Best dressing (sauce) for Greek salad

Have you ever seen any salad without sauce? Refueling must be! Dry dish is not the best option!

The classic recipe for Greek salad dressing is to use common products for the Greeks (required):

flawless olive oil - 100 ml.,
lemon juice - a tablespoon,
dry shredded fragrant herbs oregano,
ground pepper and salt to taste.

Preparation:

Take a medium-sized bowl (a wide glass will do). Pour in oil and lemon juice. Add herbs and spices. Mix thoroughly until the salt is completely dissolved. We leave the "walk" for 10-20 minutes. In general, while you are preparing the base.

Best Sauce Secrets:

For a sweetish taste, instead of lemon, you should use Apple vinegar sparingly with sugar (cane can be used).
If you add finely chopped garlic, the dish will acquire a tangy taste and spicy aroma.
By adding melted honey and soy sauce, the Greek salad becomes sweet-salty and unique.
For lovers of thick dressing, add yogurt or mayonnaise to the recipe.
And don't forget about the freshness of the food.

“There are no comrades for taste and color,” so you can always improvise and prepare your own special sauce.

Dressing preparation video:

Video: Greek salad a simple classic recipe and its delicious dressing

As you can see, my dear gourmets, lovers of tasty, new and unusual, there is nothing difficult and impossible in cooking. This science requires one thing - vivid imagination and the correctness of the alternation.

And today's masterpiece: Classic Greek salad plus 5 excellent step-by-step recipes, proved our exact and correct direction - “Cooking is tasty and even tastier”! Until next time.

No foreign trip is complete without acquaintance with the national cuisine. If we talk about sunny Hellas, then Greek salad is beyond competition. Food is prepared in every corner of the planet, and both traditional recipe classic Greek salad, as well as with new variations.

The article is devoted to the culinary masterpiece, which is so loved by all countries of the world. In the material, we will highlight the history of the appearance of the dish, talk about what products are included in the Greek salad and tell the secrets of local chefs. And also give a dozen delicious recipes vegetable dish, so there will be no questions about how to properly prepare a Greek salad on your own at home.

Greek salad - the history and secret of the dish's popularity

Vegetable salads are not uncommon these days, so it's hard to believe that many of them were invented not so long ago. Thus, it is generally accepted that the homeland of the current Greek salad is Ancient Hellas. Allegedly, almost the Olympic Gods were the first to know the taste of a dish made from fresh juicy vegetables. Legends for tourists are written everywhere, but history cannot be fooled or rewritten: facts claim that the origin of the now famous Greek salad is chronologically dated no earlier than the middle of the 19th century.

During this period, the use of tomato begins in Greece: tomatoes were imported into the country only in 1818. Until that time, the Greeks did not even know about such a vegetable, and after the importation, tomatoes were grown as ornamental plants - the fruits of tomatoes were considered poisonous. But already 8 years later, by 1825, the use of tomatoes in food spread everywhere. Consequently, it was only from this time point that a delicious vegetable Greek salad could begin its existence, in which the tomato is one of the main ingredients.

The ingenuity of an emigrant

The first legend says that the ingredients and the method for preparing Greek salad were invented quite by accident.

Allegedly, in 1909, a Greek emigrant was returning home from America. The reason was more than weighty: the sister called the man to her son's wedding. Without thinking twice, the "American" got ready and went to congratulate his beloved nephew on such a significant event. On the way, the man's tooth ached terribly: the pills dulled the pain, but did not completely eliminate the ailment.

So the guest arrived at the wedding with sincere congratulations and a persistent toothache. As usual, in honor of the arrival, a lush table with country dishes was laid. Over the years of his life in America, the man terribly missed Greek products, but the aching tooth made it difficult to fully enjoy the desired treat.

Note that in those days nothing was cut in the Greek villages. Tomatoes, cucumbers and sweet onions were simply bitten off: just like apples or peaches are eaten today. Cheese, too, was eaten with a bite with a thin flat cake. But it was unpleasant and painful for the emigrant to bite food because of a tooth, so the man decided to break the food for large pieces... He took an earthenware bowl and shredded all the vegetables into it, placing a wide layer of cheese on top and pouring olive oil over it to soften it.

Having tried a spoonful of the resulting mixture, the man was so delighted that he almost forgot about the toothache. He invited his sister to try the miracle of cooking: she was also impressed by the extraordinary taste of the food. I liked the dish so much that it was cooked on wedding table... The guests of the celebration were delighted and begged the hostess for a recipe for a hitherto unseen culinary masterpiece. So flattering reviews about Greek salad, which, by the way, is still cut in large chunks, spread around the world. And in Greece itself, this dish was named χωριάτικη σαλάτα (pronounced HoriAtiki salad), which means “ rustic salad».

Tourist boom

However, there is an opinion that a very tasty Greek salad could only be invented by a person closely associated with cooking, because the products match perfectly. The legend about the savvy emigrant is just a fiction that entertains tourists.

Indeed, the benefits and taste of Greek salad began to be cultivated in the 60-70s of the XX century. It was then that the first wave of the tourist boom came to post-war Athens. Thousands of travelers went to see the cradle of ancient civilization, but the country's infrastructure was not yet ready for such an increased demand.

The hotels, taverns and cafes were overcrowded with tourists. The cooks literally didn’t leave the stove for days on end, fulfilling the continuously incoming orders. But all the same, there were dissatisfied, who hated the long wait for the dishes. Then one of the chefs figured out how to keep the tourists busy while waiting for something hot - he quickly shredded the vegetables, for delicate taste added cheese and olive oil, garnished his recipe with lettuce leaves and ordered it to be served as "chef's dish of the day."

The success of the new recipe was overwhelming! Every tourist wanted to try a dish made from traditional Greek products, and the simplicity of preparation allowed the cooks to feed the customers and save time for other dishes. Since then, "Khoryatiki Salata" has been on the menu of any Greek establishment.

And even later, when a healthy lifestyle became fashionable everywhere, a significant role was played in the popularization of the dish. beneficial features found in Greek salad. Fresh vegetables seasoned with olive oil and sour milk cheese are just a storehouse of vitamins and nutrients. And this is not all that Choriatiki (Greek salad) is useful for: due to the properties of the products, the dish prevents vascular diseases, gastrointestinal tract diseases, the development of diabetes and obesity, and also contributes to the rapid recovery of body damage.

Thus, several factors played a role in the spread of the Greek recipe throughout the world:

available ingredients;
ease of preparation;
delicate and unusual taste of the dish;
the benefits of Greek salad for the body.

It is also important that thousands of tourists visit Greece every year, who, upon returning home, talk about their impressions, popularize Greek culture and culinary traditions.

To prepare a Greek salad at home does not require a long search for rare delicacies. The composition of the dish is extremely simple: all the ingredients for a Greek salad can be collected in the nearest supermarket in 5 minutes. But if possible, it is better to buy ingredients for Greek salad from farmers: natural vegetables, carefully grown in the garden, are more delicious than agricultural products from large suppliers.

So, what is included in the Greek salad, which is called "Village" in the homeland? Yes, everything that the inhabitants of any village in Greece usually put on the dinner table. Namely:

tomatoes;
cucumbers;
bell pepper;
sweet onion;
pitted olives;
Chees Feta.

In addition, spices are added to the Greek salad with cheese and olives: salt, pepper, and oregano. There are a couple more subtleties in how to prepare a Greek salad. So, for beauty, the products included in the Greek salad are stacked on lettuce leaves, and for a rich taste, the mixture is poured with a special filling. IN the usual recipe Greek salad is seasoned with olive oil or lemon juice, but there are also exquisite options.

Read also: Greek salad dressing - the best recipes

Greek salad dressing

So, an integral part of every Greek salad is a spice filling.

The classic recipe is based on olive oil mixed with lemon juice or vinegar. But over the years greek dish got a lot of fill variations. For example, a salad dressing can be made from soy sauce, white wine or orange peel. Apple cider vinegar and red pomegranate juice will give the vegetables a tart taste, and Greek honey diluted with olive oil and mustard will add sweetness to the salad.

For a savory taste, add spices and herbal spices to the salad dressing. In the classics, they prefer to use oregano and basil, but there are no restrictions for home recipes. Housewives add pepper, thyme, parsley, garlic, salt and other spices to the dressing. It all depends on the choice of the chef and the taste preferences of the guests.

And we also note that, although the serving of the prepared Greek salad occurs immediately before use, it is advisable to insist the pouring for it for several hours. During this time, the spices will infuse and add to the sauce unrepeatable aroma and rich taste.

Cooking Greek Salad

When you want to make a new dish, questions about the recipe, time and stages of cooking immediately appear. Therefore, we propose to disassemble the preparation of Greek salad step by step. We will tell you in detail how much and what you need to take, how to cut a Greek salad and how to season it. But since the composition of the products that are put in a Greek salad depends on the recipe for cooking, we suggest that you sort out different options for the dish.

Classic recipe

Classic is the fastest and easiest Greek salad recipe. You will need a standard set of ingredients and 15 minutes of time.

Also, don't forget to prepare salt, pepper, and dried herbs for your Greek salad. Let's make a reservation right away that with individual intolerance, you can cook a Greek salad without onions or without pepper, but you yourself understand that then the dish will lose its classic taste.

So, the composition of the products is selected - let's start cooking. To begin with, the vegetables must be washed, dried with paper towels and cut into large slices, as the Greek salad has been made from time immemorial. Cut the tomatoes in half and then divide each wedge in half again. Cut the cucumbers into thick semicircles, the onion into rings, and the bell peppers into strips. Put all the vegetables in a salad bowl and add whole olives to them. The classic Greek salad recipe uses pitted olives, but pitted olives can also be used.

The salad is almost ready, it remains to prepare the dressing and add the cheese. For pouring, mix olive oil, squeezed lemon juice and spices: ground pepper, salt and Greek oregano. Season vegetables and put cheese in the salad. This can be done in two ways: cut the feta into cubes, or simply put a layer of cheese on top.

The dish is ready! You can invite “Greeks” to the table and surprise them with homemade Greek salad.

Changing the classics

Not a single recipe is reproduced exactly by the chefs: each one brings a bit of his vision to the preparation, creating, in fact, a slightly different dish. Choriatiki also received a variety of options: some prepare Greek salad by adding green salad straight to vegetables, others make a Greek salad without olives (olives), and still others even manage to cook a Greek salad without cucumbers!

How many people - so many opinions and tastes, and each of them has a right to exist. Therefore, do not limit your imagination and do not strive to do everything strictly according to the classics. Let the traditional Greek salad be prepared with bell pepper and olive oil, but if these ingredients are not to your taste, make the Greek salad in your own way: without pepper and with vegetable oil. And if you don't like large cuts, cut the vegetables into cubes, and the Greek salad will taste much better for you.

Replacing feta cheese

Of course, in order to prepare a Greek salad the way it is prepared in Greece, you need to have the same ingredients on hand. It is clear that we have no less tomatoes, cucumbers and peppers, and it is not a problem to find sweet onions. But the cheese, which is added to Greek salad, is difficult to acquire, if only because it is produced only in Greece. The country has officially patented the Feta brand and does not allow any global company to use the original recipe and name.

But it is the cheese that gives the Greek salad a delicate creamy taste. Of course, real Feta can be found in specialized stores, but it is still available to a small part of the population. Therefore, there is no choice but to replace Greek cheese with a similar Russian product. Several options are available to our hostesses:

Fetax;
Sirtaki;
Mozzarella;
Tofu;
Adyghe cheese;
Cheese;
Suluguni.

Each of the cheeses is characterized by its own flavor, which is described in the next article. So even without Feta, you can do if not 100% Horyatiki, then certainly delicious salad with vegetables and cheese based on Greek motives.

Add meat or fish

A little higher, we have already listed what went into the classic Greek salad, and mentioned that you can safely change the composition of the dish.

So, lovers of hearty and high-calorie dishes can add Greek meat ingredients to the salad. Usually it is chicken, which goes well with vegetables, beef or ham. And you should not be skeptical about such recipes: if they are already preparing a Greek salad without cucumbers and peppers, then why not add meat for a variety. Moreover, in taverns in Greece, ordering a traditional Greek salad is rarely complete without a delicious meat side dish.

In general, Horiatiki goes well with side dishes, so you can experiment with the dish as much as you like. So, sometimes seafood is put into Greek salad: cod, crab meat, shrimp, salmon or trout. In this case, the calorie content of the food also increases.

But the opposite is also true: if we have a diet, or just a preference for vegetarian food, then we prepare a lean Greek salad with a minimum of fat. It is enough to replace high-calorie Feta with dietary Tofu and not overdo it with the addition of olive oil.

Greek salad - top 10 recipes

All of the above suggests that housewives do not always have to prepare a Greek salad according to the classics. Who, if not the chefs, know that the same taste of a dish quickly becomes boring, and the recipe for a traditional Greek salad is no exception. Therefore, we propose original options and homemade Greek salad ideas.

Puffed Greek Shrimp Salad

This recipe is perfect for those who are thinking how to make a Greek salad at home for a holiday or family celebration. To prepare the dish, you will need the following ingredients:

Artichokes - 400 gr.;
Sweet onions - 0.5 pcs.;
Tomatoes - 2 pcs;
Fresh cucumber - 2 pcs. ;
Lettuce leaves- 300 gr.;
Olives- 1 can (pitted);
Feta - 200 gr.;
Shrimp - 300 gr;
Sliced "Cherry" and "Peperoncini" peppers - 1 tbsp each;
Natural yogurt - 200 gr.;
Mayonnaise - 100 gr.;
Lemon juice - 1 tablespoon;
Dill - 1 tablespoon;
Vegetable oil - 1 tablespoon;
Spices and seasonings to taste.

First, let's prepare the fill. Mix yogurt, mayonnaise, lemon juice and add dill. Leave the sauce to infuse in the refrigerator.

Read also: Greek cuisine: art in simplicity

Cut vegetables and lay out our Greek salad in layers. Put lettuce leaves on the bottom, then there are layers of artichokes, tomatoes and peppers. The top of the salad is garnished with diced cheese, olives and onion rings. You can add salt if you like, but the flavor that pickles give the Greek salad is usually enough. Cover the dish with a lid and refrigerate for several hours.

And just before a festive lunch or dinner, we begin to fry the shrimp (previously sprinkled with spices). Enough for 1 minute on each side. We take out our salad, decorate with shrimps, add the filling and serve. Bon Appetit!

Greek salad with feta cheese

And this dish resembles a Shopska salad, with the only difference that the Greek version is a salad with olives. Here is the composition of the products and the cooking technology.

Ingredients
Tomatoes	Cucumbers	Onion	Cheese	Sweet pepper	Olives
2-3 pcs. (or "Cherry" 300 gr)	2-3 pcs.	1 PC.	150 g	Large, 1 pc.	150 g
*Fill:* vegetable oil (2 tablespoons), lemon juice (2 tablespoons), oregano (10-15 gr.), salt, pepper, spices (to taste).
Cooking steps
1. Wash and chop the vegetables: cut tomatoes into large slices, cucumbers into thick round slices, onions and peppers into half rings. The cheese is cut into cubes, the olives are allowed to be put whole or cut lengthwise. 2. Put everything in a salad bowl, pepper and salt to taste.

Choriatic with chicken and avocado

In taverns, hot meat or fish side dishes are often served with Greek salad. In this recipe, we suggest combining meat with vegetables in one dish. And also move away from the classics and prepare a Greek salad with avocado, without peppers and cucumbers.

Ingredients:

Chicken - 1.5 kg;
Tomatoes - 4 pcs.;
Green salad - 2 heads of cabbage;
Avocado - 2 pcs.;
Feta - 200 gr.;
Green onions - 100 gr.;
Olives - 100 gr.;
Lemon juice - 3 tablespoons;
Olive oil - 5 tablespoons;
Oregano, mint, parsley - 1 tsp each.

Rinse, chop and fry the chicken. Chop lettuce and tomatoes into large portions. Cut the onion feathers together with the white part. Fold all ingredients into one salad bowl. Wash the avocado, remove the pit, cut the fruit into cubes and pour over the lemon juice.

Break the cheese into a separate plate with your hands, and sprinkle it with dried spices. Prepare the fill. Whisk together the olive oil and lemon juice, add pepper and salt to taste. Pour the infused cheese over the vegetables and chicken, mix the salad and pour over everything with the prepared dressing. Decorate the top with herbs and a slice of lemon.

Greek salad with tofu cheese

A classic recipe that is free from extra calories. We take the usual list of ingredients and replace sweet onions with onions and Feta cheese with Tofu cheese. The cooking sequence is the usual: we cut the vegetables, prepare the dressing, mix everything and put the cheese on top. The result is a light, classic Greek salad.

Greek salad with pasta (pasta)

Grocery list
Pasta	Tomatoes	Olives	Red bell pepper	Feta	Green onions	Olive oil	Wine
300 gr.	500 gr.	1 can	1 PC.	150 g	50 gr.	120 ml	120 ml
*Spice:* 2 cloves garlic, dry oregano (1.5 tsp), dry basil (1.5 tsp), ground pepper (0.5 tsp), salt (0.5 tsp) , sugar (0.5 tsp)
Cooking steps
1. Cook pasta, drain water, let cool. 2. In a separate large saucepan, set on low heat, combine olive oil, vinegar and spices. Stir, bring to the desired condition and turn off the heat. 3. Put the pasta in the prepared filling, add the chopped vegetables there, mix everything. 4. Cover with a lid and send to the fridge to infuse. The salad is ready to eat in 2 hours, but if you leave it overnight, the taste of the dish will become even richer.

And this recipe involves not only new ingredients for Greek salad, but also unusual way cooking.

Greek salad in pita bread

An unusual treat to the table is a Greek salad wrapped in a simple pita bread. The salad is prepared according to the classic recipe, only it is not laid out in a common salad bowl, but is wrapped in portions in pita bread.

"Greek motives" salad with crab meat

And this step by step recipe Greek salad made with crab meat... We need olives, crab meat or sticks, sour cream, lemon and fresh vegetables: bell pepper (1 pc.), Cucumbers (2 pcs.), Tomatoes (2 pcs.) And green onions(100 gr.).

Chop all the ingredients, mix in a salad bowl, season with sour cream, salt and pepper to taste. For piquancy, drip lemon juice on top and decorate with green onion sprinkles. A bright and delicious Greek salad is ready!

Greek salad on croutons

Another way to prepare Greek salad at home and serve it in an unusual way.

We start cooking with croutons. While the oven is warming up, chop the garlic and mix it with the olive oil. Lubricate the slices of bread with the prepared filling and put on a baking sheet. We bake the bread for 2-3 minutes (until crisp), remove it, grease it again and leave it to rise in the oven.

At this time, we are preparing a Greek salad according to the classics: we cut the vegetables, fill with oil, decorate with olives and Feta cubes. The final touch remains - we spread the croutons on a large dish and spoon the chopped Greek salad onto them. Sprinkle the finished appetizer with sesame seeds, pine nuts and serve.

Greek salad with shrimps and yoghurt dressing

There are recipes for the most delicious Greek salad not only based on olive oil. For example, a delicious dish with green lettuce leaves, boiled shrimp and yogurt dressing.

Ingredients:

Romaine lettuce - 1 head;
Feta - 200 gr.;
Shrimp - 500 gr.;
Cucumber - 1 pc.;
Tomatoes - 2 pcs.;
Olives - 150 gr.;
Yogurt - 200 gr.;
Lemon juice - 2 tablespoons;
Salt, pepper, garlic to taste.

Load the cheese into a blender, fill it with yogurt and lemon juice, add garlic, salt and pepper and chop. Chop the cucumber, add the shrimp and season with the rest of the yogurt. Put the mixture from the blender on portioned plates, add shrimp with cucumber on top, decorate with olives and tomatoes. The dish is ready!

Greek squid salad

According to reviews, the recipe for Greek salad with squid and potatoes is also good.

Shred tomatoes, bell peppers, carrots and boiled potatoes. The squid is boiled and finely chopped into a cooked Greek salad. Pour vegetable oil, lemon juice and sour cream into a salad bowl. Stir, add seasonings and sprinkle with herbs. Done!

How beautiful to serve Greek salad

Above in the recipes, we have already mentioned ways to serve Greek salad beautifully and unusually. But there are other options as well.

The cooks do not burn out as soon as possible: the salad is served in a boat from bell pepper, lettuce, or in an avocado peel. They also build turrets from vegetables, separating each layer with a Feta cube. Salad is often served with bread or pita bread.

In any case, Greek salad is consumed immediately after preparation, because fresh vegetables not stored for a long time. The only exception is the "hot" version of the salad.

Bon appetit and see you soon!

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Generous Greece willingly shares its unique recipes with the world. It is no longer possible to surprise anyone with the variety of cheeses traditional for this country, sea cocktails and many meat dishes... In addition, various salads are very organically combined in the national cuisine. The most famous is considered to be choriatiki - a village salad that has become famous all over the world under the name "Greek". The simplicity and availability of ingredients, excellent taste and nutritional value at a relatively low calorie content, coupled with an unusually appetizing appearance - all this guaranteed success.

Our article will tell you how to cook a Greek salad according to a traditional recipe and how you can replace some of the ingredients.

As often happens, this ingenious dish"Came from the people", therefore, the authorship is not known for certain. At certain stages, new ingredients were added to the dish, thanks to which its taste was modified and saturated. This, for example, happened after the appearance of tomatoes, which were brought into the country no earlier than the 19th century.

Now the classic Greek salad is not complete without this vegetable. In addition to tomatoes, other ingredients should be required in the salad, some of them are typically "Greek" products.

Today it is safe to say that best traditions Greek cuisine, coupled with the gifts of the fertile land, are collected in this surprisingly simple and tasty dish.

Composition of Greek salad:

Vegetables: tomatoes, cucumbers, bell peppers, onions (preferably red);
Olives, capers;
Lots of greens: parsley, oregano, lettuce;
Chees Feta;
Olive oil for dressing.

The presence of cheese in the salad is somewhat an unusual combination, but it is this ingredient that gives the exceptional taste and aroma to the finished dish.

An important nuance: the greens and vegetables for the salad should be cut into fairly large pieces.

It is this negligence that creates the special charm of a typical "rustic" recipe. An attractive look is also achieved thanks to the variety of shades and shapes. In Greek restaurants and cafes, this dish is served with slices of toasted white bread, which will be twice as delicious if dipped in a salad bowl.

Classic Greek Salad Recipe

It doesn't take much time to cook, it's not for nothing that this dish was popular among the peasants, whose daily work did not dispose to a long time in the kitchen. To make a salad according to a classic recipe, you need to select and grind all the ingredients, and do not spare greens and olive oil for dressing.

Medium-sized tomatoes - 4 pieces;
One small cucumber;
One medium onion, preferably red, “sweet” variety;
Bulgarian pepper, depending on the size 1 -5 pieces;
Olives - about 20 pieces;
Pickled capers - 2 teaspoons
Feta cheese - 200 grams;
Dried oregano - 1 tsp;
Olive oil - 3 tbsp l .;
Salt to taste.

Wash the vegetables for the salad well, cut the tomatoes into slices, the cucumber into slices, the onion and pepper into half rings. Add olives, capers and seasoning, season with salt and season with olive oil. Traditionally, cheese is laid out on top in wide slices.

In European cuisine, cheese is diced and mixed with vegetables.

Greek salad ideas and recipes

As always happens, recipes are not always used in their original form, most often they are supplemented and modified, adapting to their tastes and in search of new combinations. European chefs have created many recipes based on Greek salad. The main ingredients, cheese and dressing, have undergone many metamorphoses, now almost every restaurant serves its own version of this dish.

A few ideas for a variety of traditional recipes:

The use of cherry tomatoes will add aesthetics to the dish. Very small pieces can be put in their entirety, used for decoration and simply laid out in an “artistic mess” on a platter.
Lettuce leaves will also very organically fit into the overall taste of the salad. Small recommendation: It is better not to cut this ingredient with a knife, but to tear it coarsely with your hands, so more useful substances will be preserved, and slight negligence will be quite in the spirit of this recipe.
Prepare the salad dressing separately and mix with the main ingredients just before serving. This way, the vegetables will not drain or lose their attractive appearance.
Curly cutting of vegetables will make the dish more colorful and original. You can use a vegetable cutter, special attachments and just show your imagination and do something unusual.

Such tricks will help surprise guests and family members by creating a mysterious and very unusual dish. The advantage of this salad will be its absolute versatility.... It is traditionally prepared in summer, during the fresh vegetable season. On the other hand, now you can buy all the components all year round, so even at New Year's table such a miracle would be very appropriate.

Feta cheese recipe

Goat feta cheese has a slightly loose structure and a salty taste. Now in supermarkets you can freely purchase this product, it is usually sold in metal or plastic containers and stored in brine. Grinding such cheese is a rather difficult task, it practically crumbles in your hands, you can get neat cuts only with a special knife.

Feta cheese can be used in other recipes, it harmoniously complements many products, making their taste brighter. Despite the rather high calorie content of cheese, the dish itself turns out to be dietary.

The Greek Feta Salad recipe is also very healthy due to its high vegetable content.

In Greece itself, cheese is not mixed with the rest of the ingredients, but simply laid out on top as a decoration and as a main snack. Modified recipes suggest chopping feta and combining it with vegetables and olives. In this case, the juice itself is very important, which turned out from such a combination. In no case should it be poured out, it is better to soak it with a slice of bread and taste this excellent combination.

Cheese recipe

Most often you can find this interpretation classic recipe... Feta cheese, a bit unusual for us, can be replaced with feta cheese, which is closest to its taste. To do this, the cheese is squeezed out a little and cut into cubes or strips, whichever you prefer.

The recipe for Greek cheese salad contains less salt, as the cheese itself is quite spicy. Its amount is taken in accordance with the classic proportions, you can slightly adapt the recipe by adding prunes, pre-steamed and cut into pieces. The use of bell peppers in different colors will make the salad even brighter and more appetizing.

The second closest Greek cheese in composition is fetaxa, despite close relationship with the above-described instance, it is more common in our country. Under this brand, soft cheese is allowed to be produced outside Greece, while feta is an exclusively national product. There are differences both in composition and in consistency: instead of goat's milk, cow's milk is used, and the density of fetaki is greater.

Despite these differences, both types of cheese are in perfect harmony with vegetables and are very suitable for Greek salad.

If you are lucky enough to purchase the original Greek feta, you can try to cook both options and resolve once and for all the dispute about the best use of cheese in this salad.

Greek salad dressing

If ordinary olive oil seems too much for you simple sauce to such an exquisite dish, you can try creating different variations. Dressing for Greek salad at home should be exclusively based on olive oil (this is Greek cuisine, without it in any way), as well as traditional spices for this country.

The traditional composition of the filling is laconic and does not require significant costs. For the inhabitants of Greece, olive oil is something so familiar that any dish is unthinkable without it. Olive oil came to us not so long ago, but it has already firmly won its place on the kitchen shelves.

Olive oil - 4-5 tbsp. l .;
Lemon juice - 2 tbsp l .;
Ground black pepper - 1 gram;
Salt to taste.

As an acid, you can use ordinary vinegar, but it is advisable to take a more "interesting" option: apple cider, tartaric or balsamic. This will create the necessary acidic environment, making it an excellent seasoning for salted cheese and vegetables.

For a unique sweet and sour aftertaste, you can add a little brown sugar. It is usually best to stick to the following proportions: 1 tbsp. l. vinegar take 1 tsp. Sahara. It must be dissolved beforehand so that the grains do not come across in the salad.

Adapted version

Olive oil 2 parts;
Vinegar - 1 part;
Pepper, salt to taste.

A slightly unusual taste will turn out if you add a little real to the dressing pomegranate juice(it is better to use freshly squeezed). In addition to the taste, the color will change slightly, but most gourmets prefer this particular type of dressing.

Original pomegranate flavor

Olive oil - 4-5 tbsp. l .;
Pomegranate juice - 1 tbsp l .;
Pepper, salt to taste.

You can add a little exoticism with soy sauce. Despite some cultural inconsistencies, adherents of this sauce insist on the amazing harmony of taste. It's hard to argue about this, if this option also has fans, then so be it.

Olive oil - 3 tbsp l .;
Soy sauce - 1 tbsp l .;
Pepper, salt to taste.

For those who cannot imagine their life without traditional mayonnaise, you can try this dressing too.

The only caveat: the calorie content of mayonnaise is quite high, so the dish can no longer be consumed during the diet, like its traditional recipe.

For lovers of mayonnaise

Olive oil - 2 tablespoons l .;
Lemon juice - 2 tbsp l .;
Mayonnaise - 2 tbsp. l .;
Liquid honey - 1 tbsp. l .;
Pepper, salt to taste.

Often finely chopped herbs and even garlic are added to the sauce for Greek salad, although the Greeks themselves have not yet clearly determined whether it is worth shading the taste of the salad with overly aromatic spices.

Parsley, oregano, dill and basil are traditionally taken from greens. For decoration, you can use lettuce leaves, as well as sprigs of dill and parsley. The flavor of the salad will be brighter if you do not use mustard, mayonnaise or vinegar, but some recipes have them. This, as they say, is a matter of taste, so it is always possible to modify and adjust the recipe "for yourself".

Calorie content of Greek salad

Despite the rather high fat content of the cheese, the salad can be safely attributed to the category dietary meals. According to the traditional recipe, its calorie content is approximately 87 kcal per 100 g. portions... At the same time, the content of vitamins and proteins necessary for the body is simply a record for a vegetable dish.

Olive oil is also permitted for dieters, unlike most similar foods. Its absolute digestibility and high content of nutrients makes it an invaluable source of health.

You can use almost any cheese for Greek salad, the main thing is to choose a salty taste and soft texture. If "feta" does not suit you for some reason, its analogue is feta cheese or Adyghe. You can often find variants with the usual hard cheese, but this is, most likely, a too average version.

A simple Greek salad recipe has already won a wide audience and is not in the last place among similar dishes. In our country, his recipe has undergone a few changes, but mostly people have already fallen in love, gradually replacing Olivier and mimosa on the festive table.

Due to its high vegetable content and low calorie content, it is very light and perfect for dietetic cuisine.

You can diversify the taste of the dish with different types of cheese: feta and fetaxa are traditionally used, “our” version may include feta cheese or “Adyghe”. A big advantage: experimenting with the type of cutting vegetables and serving, you can simultaneously decorate the celebration with a bright and memorable dish.

In Greece, this salad is prepared from fresh vegetables, coarsely chopped, with the addition of feta cheese and olive oil. This is an incredibly tasty, aromatic and light salad. The key to success is fresh vegetables and large olives with pits, oregano and real olive oil.

Greek salad is loved all over the world, it is usually served in classic form, and rarely improvise with ingredients. The changes only affect the components of the dressing, for example, some add cloves of garlic to the dressing. Cooking salad may differ in the way you cut vegetables, one thing remains unnamed - the cutting should be large. Depending on the place of preparation, chicken breast, mushrooms, shrimps or other seafood can be added to the salad.

By the way, in Greece itself, this salad is called rustic.

Greek salad classic

Ingredients:

Fresh ripe tomatoes - 3 pcs.,
Cucumbers (small) - 3 pcs.,
Salad onion (red) - 1 pc.,
Olives (large with pits) - 1 jar (or 300 g),
Feta cheese - 180 g,
Oregano (dry) - 0.5 tsp,
Olive oil - 50-70 ml,
Ground black pepper,
Salt.

Preparation:

Cut the prepared tomatoes and cucumbers into large pieces. Put in a salad bowl. Peel the onion and cut into thin rings. Add to cucumbers and tomatoes. Place olives and diced feta cheese on the onion. Sprinkle with dry oregano, salt and pepper. Pour olive oil over the salad. Can be served without stirring.