This recipe is actually from Debbie Mantenopoulos’s cookbook: It’s All Greek to Me: Transform Your Health the Mediterranean Way with My Family’s Century-Old Recipes. A simple and traditionally Greek tomato cucumber and red onion salad.

If you’ve never been to Greece it may surprise you that a “Greek salad” is not what you think it is. In Greece, lettuce is not used in salads. What?! I know, right?

Here in America, the Greek salad we know and love is actually an Americanized version. And while we're at it, I might as well tell you that saganaki isn’t served table side flaming either - that was created here, at a Greek restaurant in Chicago many moons ago.

Now that I’ve blowin' your mind, let us see what really makes a Greek salad.

In Greece, it’s known as a Village salad or Horiatiki Salad (?????t??? sa??ta) and contains what this recipe does plus some bell peppers and feta. There are many versions of it served, and this is one of them.

I love this variation because it still holds true to the salads of Greece while adding some added flavors beyond the typical lemon and olive oil dressing.

Truth be told, I’m just here for the garlic - because I love garlic.

This salad does have a nice crunch from the onions and cucumber, and a balance of acidity with the tomatoes.

It’s a great way to try a traditional salad of Greece without feta and the bell pepper yet with a delicious dressing.  

It’s summer now, so this will be the perfect side for any dish you're making.

See Also

Saganaki | The Flaming Greek Cheese

Greek Appetizer Recipes

Kefalotyri And Green Grape Salad

Ingredients

• 1 seedless English cucumber, unpeeled, sliced into 1-inch chunks
• 4 to 5 large ripe tomatoes, sliced into wedges
• 1 large red onion, thinly sliced into half-moons
• 1 to 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh Italian flat-leaf parsley or fresh dill
• Sea salt, to taste
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• -Dressing (Latholemono) -
• 4 to 6 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 14 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• ½ cup Greek olive oil

• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 10 minutes

• Total Time: 20 minutes
• Yield: 4

Preparation

1. Combine all ingredients under dressing in a bowl, and mix well. Everything is to taste here, so adjust accordingly.
   
2. Add the cucumber, tomatoes, onion, and parsley or dill together in a large salad bowl.
   
3. Add in the Latholemono dressing, toss everything.
   
4. Season with salt and pepper to taste and set aside to marinate at room temperature for up to 1 hour.
   

NOTES

VARIATION: For a more soothing and cooling salad, leave out the red onion.

For a crunchier salad, leave out the tomato. If you’d like a more acidic salad to pair with a rich main course, omit the cucumber. In other words, make it your own!