Mediterranean Salad with Feta (Printable version)

Vibrant salad featuring tomatoes, cucumbers, olives, feta, and a zesty olive oil dressing.

# Ingredient list:

→ Vegetables

01 - 4 medium ripe tomatoes, diced
02 - 1 large cucumber, diced
03 - 1 small red onion, thinly sliced

→ Cheese

04 - 5 oz feta cheese, crumbled or cubed

→ Olives

05 - 3.5 oz Kalamata olives, pitted and halved

→ Dressing

06 - 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
07 - 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
08 - 1/2 tsp dried oregano
09 - Salt, to taste
10 - Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

→ Optional Garnish

11 - Fresh parsley or mint, chopped

# Step-by-step guide:

01 - In a large salad bowl, combine diced tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, and halved Kalamata olives.
02 - Gently add crumbled or cubed feta cheese, taking care to keep the pieces intact.
03 - Whisk together extra virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar, dried oregano, salt, and freshly ground black pepper in a small mixing bowl.
04 - Pour the dressing over the salad and toss gently to ensure even coating without breaking the ingredients.
05 - Sprinkle chopped fresh parsley or mint over the salad if desired. Serve immediately.

# Expert tips:

01 -
  • It comes together in 15 minutes, no cooking required, so you can actually enjoy your time instead of sweating in the kitchen.
  • The flavors are bold enough to stand alone as lunch, but humble enough to pair with nearly anything for dinner.
02 -
  • The dressing-to-vegetable ratio matters—too much and the salad becomes soggy within minutes, too little and it tastes plain, so start conservative and add more if needed.
  • Salt the vegetables before the dressing; it draws out moisture and creates its own subtle liquid that becomes part of the dressing, not extra water.
03 -
  • Let the tomatoes come to room temperature before cutting if they've been in the fridge—cold tomatoes lose half their flavor and become grainy instead of juicy.
  • Taste the dressing before it hits the salad and remember that the vegetables will release liquid as they sit, so go slightly bolder than you think you need.
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