published Mar 15, 2021, updated May 31, 2023 As warmer weather rolls into the southwest regions of Greece, it makes way for a larger variety of fresh, locally sourced produce. One of the most beloved are the olives! The plump Greek olives aren’t only delicious; they are also a source of heart-healthy oil. Olives are the base for delicious spreads like tapenade, which are often used inside of muffaletta sandwiches. Another delicious way to serve olives is in a whole wheat pita with Mediterranean hummus. Of course, table varieties like Kalamata and Messinia are fantastic to eat out of hand, but also perfect on a Greek feta salad! When they are paired with healthy veggies like Persian cucumber and tomatoes, a delicious salad is in the making, but crumbled feta cheese adds a hefty dose of protein. The protein makes a Greek feta salad equally fantastic as an easy side salad or a filling and healthy meatless meal!
Ingredients in Greek Feta Salad
Cucumbers– While you could certainly use standard garden cucumbers in your salad, they have a bitter skin and more seeds than varieties such as Persian, Armenian or English (Hot-House).Tomatoes– Any small variety will be fine. Tear drop tomatoes are delicious, as are grape and cherry tomatoes.Greek olives– You can’t make a Greek salad without Greek olives. Well, you CAN, but it just wouldn’t be the same! The flavor and richness of olives grown in Greece is exceptional, as they are harvested by hand with extreme care. (This also may explain why some varieties are so expensive!) You can add any variety(ies) or color(s) of your choice to your salad.
Fun fact for trivia night: All olives begin with a green color! Essentially, the darker the olive, the riper it was at harvest time. Also, black olives aren’t actually black at all; they are green, then pumped full of oxygen and a black chemical called ferrous gluconate.
Greek feta cheese– This creamy cheese is primarily made from sheep’s milk, although some cheesemakers add a bit of goat’s milk to their blend. Feta cheese has a nutty aroma and a super smooth mouthfeel. The flavor is tangy and sharp, and can be quite salty. Although it is sometimes sold in block form, most brands of Greek feta sold in the average grocery stores is pre-crumbled.
Commonly asked questions
