Chopped Greek Salad with tomatoes, cucumbers, red onions, garbanzo beans, Kalamata olives and Feta cheese tossed in a simple Greek red wine herb vinaigrette. A simple and healthy main dish or side dish.
Crisp Chopped Greek Salad with Kalamata olives and Feta cheese on a white bowl.
We love to serve salads as a main dish and this fresh and crisp Chopped Greek Salad is one we make all the time. This simple salad recipe is full of fresh veggies, tangy cheese, nutritious chickpeas and salty olives. Tossed in a tasty and easy to make Greek inspired vinaigrette, this Mediterranean Greek salad is a delicious and healthy lunch or dinner option.
Traditional Greek salad of course is not made with chickpeas (garbanzo beans) and hardly ever contains any leafy greens like lettuce. I took the liberty to make this recipe for Greek salad a bit heartier and filling with the additions of both ingredients. I also decided to chop the romaine lettuce and veggies a bit smaller to resemble a traditional chopped salad
Romaine Lettuce: Authentic Greek salad doesn’t have any lettuce. The chopped lettuce however, add a lot of crunch and bulks up the salad.
Tomatoes: I use cherry or grape tomatoes but regular tomatoes cut up into smaller pieces works as well.
Cucumbers: I prefer to use a seedless cucumber such as English cucumber which doesn’t really need to be peel as its skin is very thin.
Onion: I think red onions make the best Greek salad! They add color and a nice crunch and bite.
Bell Peppers: My Greek dad, always added green bell peppers to his homemade Greek salad. You can use red, yellow or orange bell peppers if preferred.
Garbanzo Beans/Chickpeas: Not a traditional Greek salad ingredient but a filling and nutritious addition!
Kalamata Olives: I always buy pitted Kalamata olives in water, not oil. Use what you have available.
Feta Cheese: My dad would never allow crumbled Feta anywhere near him! He always bought a big block of Feta cheese and chopped it himself. Sometimes I take the easy route and buy the cheese already crumbled.
Fresh Parsley: Chopped parsley is an optional ingredient but adds a little extra something!
Greek Salad Dressing: Fresh garlic, oregano, red wine vinegar, olive oil, Dijon mustard, salt, pepper and a pinch of sugar.
The best Chopped Greek salad served in a bowl.
Chopped Greek Salad Recipe Tips
This is a great salad for meal prep. You can make this Greek chopped salad ahead of time and store it covered (or in a sealed container) in the refrigerator for 2 – 3 days.
The Greek salad dressing can be made a week in advanced. Keep it in an airtight container in the fridge until ready to use.
If you want to pack individual portions (perfect for work lunches), place the vinaigrette at the bottom of the salad container or pack it separately.
For a main dish salad, top it with your favorite protein. Baked Chicken Breasts, Baked Salmon, or Crispy Baked Tofu are great and delicious options.
Chopped Greek Salad Recipe
Chopped Greek Salad with tomatoes, cucumbers, red onions, garbanzo beans, Kalamata olives and Feta cheese tossed in a simple Greek red wine herb vinaigrette. A simple and healthy main dish or side dish.
Ingredients
For the Salad
▢3 cups of romaine lettuce, chopped
▢2 cups cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
▢1 English cucumber, chopped
▢2 green bell pepper (you can use red, yellow or orange bell peppers)
▢1 small red onion, chopped
▢1 15 ounces can garbanzo beans (chickpeas) drained and rinsed
▢½ cup pitted Kalamata olives, halved lengthwise
▢4-6 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
▢Chopped parsley to taste
For the Vinaigrette
▢1 garlic clove, minced
▢1 teaspoon dried oregano
▢½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
▢¼ cup red wine vinegar
▢½ cup olive oil
▢1 teaspoon salt
▢¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
▢Pinch of sugar
Instructions
To make the Vinaigrette:
In a small bowl whisk together the garlic, dried oregano, Dijon mustard, red wine vinegar, salt, pepper, and a pinch of sugar. Still whisking, add the oil slowly to create an emulsion.
For the Salad
In a large bowl toss the lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, green bell peppers, onions, garbanzo beans and Kalamata olives with desired amount of vinaigrette. Add the Feta cheese and chopped parsley and toss gently. Adjust seasoning to taste.
