Greek Village Salad

How It Differs From the Usual Greek Salad

This is a salad to make when tomatoes are at their best and eat right away. If you need something that holds for days of packed lunches, chickpea cucumber feta salad is built for that.

What You'll Need

• Tomatoes. The star. Use the ripest ones you can find. Out of season, halved cherry or Campari tomatoes beat pale, hard slicers.
• Cucumber. English or Persian, for thin skin and few seeds. Peeling in stripes looks traditional.
• Green bell pepper. Its slightly bitter crunch is part of the classic flavor. Slice it into thin rings.
• Red onion. Very thinly sliced. Soak it in cold water for 10 minutes if it's sharp.
• Kalamata olives. Meaty and fruity. Olives with pits have more flavor; just warn your guests.
• Greek feta in brine. A block, not crumbles. It's creamier and tangier.
• Extra-virgin olive oil and dried oregano. Use your best oil, since it's the dressing. Greek oregano is especially fragrant.

How to Make It

Cut the tomatoes into wedges, the cucumber into thick slices, the pepper into rings, and the onion into thin slices. Keep everything big and rustic. Put them in a wide, shallow bowl, sprinkle with salt and half the oregano, add a splash of red wine vinegar, and toss gently.

Scatter the olives and capers on top. Lay the whole slab of feta in the center, sprinkle it with the rest of the oregano, and drizzle the olive oil over everything, feta included. Let it sit for 5 minutes while the tomatoes release their juice, then bring it to the table with bread.

Troubleshooting

• Bland. Cold, underripe tomatoes have little flavor. Keep them on the counter, not in the fridge, and salt them.
• Too oily. Start with 3 tablespoons of oil and add the last one only if the salad looks dry.
• Watery. Big-seeded cucumbers add liquid. Use English or Persian cucumbers.
• Soggy. It sat too long after dressing. Dress it within 30 minutes of serving.
• Dry, salty feta. Pre-crumbled feta dries out. A block packed in brine stays creamy.

Variations

• Make it a meal. Add grilled chicken, shrimp, or chickpeas. Chicken marinated in this Greek chicken marinade is a natural match.
• Cretan style. Add broken barley rusks or croutons to soak up the juices.
• Summer extras. A handful of purslane or sliced radishes.
• Dairy-free. Skip the feta and add extra olives and capers.
• With greens. Add chopped romaine just before serving, with a bit more oil and salt. It won't be a traditional horiatiki, but it's still good.

What to Serve With It

Grilled chicken souvlaki, lamb chops, or fish are classic. It's great next to garlic butter roasted potatoes or a bowl of Instant Pot lentil soup. For a spread of make-ahead sides, add cowboy caviar with avocado and feta. Warm pita, hummus, and tzatziki round it out.

Storing and Making Ahead

It's best within a few hours. Slice the cucumber, pepper, and onion up to 4 hours ahead and refrigerate them in a covered container. Cut the tomatoes and dress the salad just before serving.

Like any cut vegetables and cheese, don't leave it out for more than 2 hours, or 1 hour on a hot day above 90°F. Leftovers keep about a day in the fridge, though the tomatoes and cucumbers soften. Take them out 20 minutes before eating so the oil loosens and the flavors come back.

Cook's Tips

• Never refrigerate whole tomatoes. Cold makes them mealy and mutes their flavor. Once cut, refrigerate leftovers.
• Salt the tomatoes first. It pulls out juice that becomes the dressing.
• Rub the oregano. Crush it between your palms over the salad to wake up the aroma.
• Serve with bread. Wiping up the juice at the bottom is half the point.