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There’s a huge difference between a good salad and a great one, and this Chopped Greek Salad, I’m convinced, sits firmly in the great category.
It’s not just a side dish; it’s a vibrant, crunchy, and utterly satisfying meal that brings a little bit of Mediterranean sunshine right to your table.
Why a Chopped Salad is a Game Changer
Let’s talk about the chop. It’s the simple, transformative secret here.
By cutting everything into small, bite-sized pieces, you ensure every single forkful is a perfect medley of flavors and textures.
No more chasing a single olive around the plate or getting a mouthful of just lettuce.
Every scoop delivers the salty punch of feta, the briny pop of an olive, the crisp sweetness of a pepper, and the fresh, herby note of parsley, all at once.
Ingredients Needed for the Recipe
Gathering these ingredients is half the fun—it’s like assembling a cast of colorful characters for a play.
Each one brings its own personality to the final, delicious scene.
- Romaine Lettuce: This forms the crisp, sturdy, and refreshing base of our salad, providing that essential crunch.
- Cherry Tomatoes: They offer bursts of juicy sweetness that are reliable year-round, unlike some larger tomatoes.
- Cucumber: Chopped and seeded, it adds a wonderfully cool and hydrating element that’s quintessentially Greek.
- Yellow or Orange Bell Pepper: This brings a bright, sweet crunch and a beautiful splash of sunny color to the mix.
- Red Onion: It contributes a sharp, pungent bite that gets wonderfully mellowed by the tangy dressing.
- Fresh Parsley: More than a garnish, this herb gives a crucial, clean, grassy freshness that lifts all the other flavors.
- Kalamata Olives: Their rich, briny, and almost wine-like flavor is the unmistakable soul of a Greek salad.
- Feta Cheese: Salty, creamy, and tangy, it’s the indulgent, crumbly treasure you hunt for in every bite.
- Extra-Virgin Olive Oil: The rich, fruity foundation of our vinaigrette, it coats every ingredient in luxurious flavor.
- Red Wine Vinegar: This provides the sharp, tangy acidity that makes the dressing so lively and palate-cleansing.
- Garlic & Dried Oregano: Together, they create the aromatic, earthy backbone of the vinaigrette. It’s classic Greek flavor in a bottle.
- Honey or Maple Syrup: Just a touch tames the vinegar’s sharp edge and helps all the flavors harmonize beautifully.
- Salt, Pepper, Red Pepper Flakes: These finish the dressing, balancing and enhancing everything with seasoned, and optionally spicy, depth.
My Big Salad Strategy
This recipe is my favorite weapon in what I call the “giant salad challenge.”
The goal is simple: make one magnificent, huge salad at the start of the week, keep the dressing separate, and enjoy crisp, perfect salads for days.
It’s a strategy that actually works. When a delicious, ready-to-eat salad is staring back at you from the fridge, it becomes the easy choice.
You’ll find yourself reaching for a bowl of this instead of a bag of chips, honestly. It’s a small habit change with a big, fresh payoff.
How to make Chopped Greek Salad?
The process is wonderfully straightforward, almost therapeutic. Just you, a cutting board, and a pile of gorgeous produce.
There’s no cooking, just assembling, which means you can focus on the rhythm of the chop and the emerging rainbow in your bowl.
Step 1 – Prep and Combine the Vegetables
Grab your largest, most beautiful serving bowl. This salad deserves a grand stage.
Add your chopped romaine, quartered cherry tomatoes, chopped cucumber, diced bell pepper, red onion, parsley, halved olives, and cubed feta.
Step 2 – Whisk Together the Vinaigrette
In a liquid measuring cup or a small jar, combine the olive oil, red wine vinegar, minced garlic, oregano, honey, salt, pepper, and a pinch of red pepper flakes if you like.
Now, whisk it vigorously or shake the jar until it’s fully emulsified. Taste it right off the spoon.
Step 3 – Dress and Serve
This is the most important step, and you have a choice. If you’re serving a crowd right away, drizzle about three-quarters of the dressing over the salad and toss to coat evenly.
You can always add more. For my weekly salad strategy, I store the undressed salad and the dressing separately in the fridge.
Just give the dressing a good whisk before you use it, as the olive oil may solidify slightly when cold.
Serving This Salad with Style
This salad is incredibly versatile. It’s the perfect, refreshing counterpart to so many meals.
Pair it with a simple veggie pizza or stuff it into a pita with some falafel for a hearty lunch.
It’s also fantastic alongside a warm bowl of lentil soup. To turn it into a main course, just add a can of rinsed chickpeas or some cooked lentils right into the mix.
The salad packs up beautifully for lunch, too—just remember to keep the dressing in a separate little container until you’re ready to eat.
Tips
- For Ultimate Crispness: After washing your romaine, spin it in a salad spinner or pat it very dry with towels. Water is the enemy of crisp lettuce.
- Onion Mellowing Trick: If the bite of raw red onion is too strong for you, soak the chopped pieces in a small bowl of cold water for 10 minutes before adding them to the salad. It works wonders.
- Feta Matters: Try to find a block of feta in brine, rather than pre-crumbled feta. It’s creamier, tangier, and holds its shape better when cubed.
- Make it Your Own: This salad is a fantastic template. Feel free to add some sliced pepperoncini for extra tang, or swap the parsley for fresh dill for a different herbal note.
- Dressing in Advance: The vinaigrette actually gets better as it sits. Make it a day ahead to let the garlic and oregano flavors truly meld.
Navigating Variations and Substitutions
Dietary needs or just an empty pantry shouldn’t stop you from enjoying this.
To make it dairy-free or vegan, simply omit the feta. You might want to add a few extra olives or some capers to make up for the lost saltiness.
For a vegan dressing, use maple syrup instead of honey. No red wine vinegar? White wine vinegar or even a good lemon juice will do in a pinch.
The goal is that bright acidity. If you only have green bell pepper, use it. The flavor will be slightly more vegetal, but it will still be delicious.
A Note on Authenticity & Joy
Yes, a traditional Greek salad, or Horiatiki, often doesn’t include lettuce. It’s a glorious celebration of tomatoes, cucumber, onion, olives, and feta.
This version, with its chopped romaine, is my personal favorite take—it’s a heartier, meal-worthy salad that still sings with all those classic Greek flavors.
It’s a recipe born from love, not strict dogma. I genuinely hope you love making it and eating it as much as I do.
It’s more than just food; it’s a little ritual of chopping, tossing, and creating something truly vibrant and alive.
Chopped Greek Salad Recipe
Description
This Greek salad recipe is crisp, fresh, and overflowing with bold Greek flavors. It features chopped romaine lettuce, colorful garden vegetables like cherry tomatoes and bell peppers, plus irresistible Kalamata olives, feta cheese, and a simple homemade Greek vinaigrette. Perfect as a side or a light meal, this salad keeps well for up to 4 days when stored without dressing—ideal for weekly meal prep!
ingredients
Greek Salad
Greek Vinaigrette
Instructions
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In a large serving bowl, combine the chopped romaine lettuce, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, bell pepper, red onion, parsley, olives, and feta cheese. Toss gently and set aside.
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To prepare the vinaigrette, combine olive oil, red wine vinegar, garlic, oregano, honey (or maple syrup), salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes (if using) in a liquid measuring cup or small bowl. Whisk until well blended.
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If serving immediately, drizzle enough dressing to lightly coat the salad and toss to combine. For meal prep, store the salad and dressing separately. The undressed salad keeps for up to 4 days in the fridge.If the olive oil in the dressing solidifies in the fridge, let it sit at room temperature for 5 minutes or warm briefly in the microwave (10–20 seconds) before using.
Nutrition Facts
Servings 8
Serving Size 1 side salad
- Amount Per Serving
- Calories 280kcal
- % Daily Value *
- Total Fat 23g36%
- Saturated Fat 6g30%
- Cholesterol 25mg9%
- Sodium 520mg22%
- Potassium 320mg10%
- Total Carbohydrate 14g5%
- Dietary Fiber 3g12%
- Sugars 6g
- Protein 7g15%
- Calcium 15 mg
- Iron 8 mg
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
Note
- Romaine shortcut: Use two 5-ounce bags of pre-chopped romaine for faster prep—just chop into smaller pieces for better bites.
- Dairy-free? Skip the feta and add extra olives or pepperoncini for saltiness.
- Vegan version: Omit feta and use maple syrup instead of honey in the dressing.
- Make it a meal: Add 1½ cups cooked chickpeas or crispy baked falafel for extra protein.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make this salad ahead of time?
Yes! Prepare and store the salad (undressed) in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Keep the dressing separate and toss just before serving to maintain crispness.
Is this salad authentic Greek?
Traditional Greek salads (horiatiki) typically don’t include lettuce—but this version adds romaine for crunch and freshness while keeping classic elements like olives, feta, cucumber, and oregano dressing. It’s a modern, practical twist perfect for weekly eating!