[Rustic Greek Salad] A Great Vegetarian Summer Salad

A big bowl of salad is one of my favorite lunch item. I often fill an oversize GLAD(or Ziploc) with vegetables, proteins and fat, and bring it for my lunch, along with a small salad dressing container. It's actually bigger than a meal size salad, but I don't feel too guilty to eat lots of salad, even if there are more cheese cubes or/and fish or meat, in the salad, than lettuce. In these days, Greek salad is a hot item in my kitchen, mainly because it's the time of the year to savour feta cheese, tomato and cucumber. :) As you may have figured, there is a reason why Greek salad is called summer salad. 

Yes, it's because all the ingredients are very simple summer vegetables, apart from feta cheese and olives. A great thing about Greek salad is that you don't need to look for difficult ingredients. :) And you can make it really quickly. Also, this simple country-style salad does cool the heat off while filling your stomach with healthy scrumptious food. :) I like to keep my Greek salad as simple as possible, i.e. without any North American addition of bell pepper, either green or yellow.  Of course, it's your choice to add bell pepper to the Greek salad. Oh well, but my Greek salad is not so authentic though, since there isn't any lettuce in a real Greek salad. 

However, I am proud of introducing the most simple, but delicious Greek salad recipe. :)

Ingredients

4 large vine tomatoes, cut into wedges
10 romaine lettuce leaves

1 English cucumber, roughly cut

½ a red onion, thinly sliced

1 cup black olives, preferably Kalamata olives

150 g (5 oz) Feta cheese (or more, if you are a big feta cheese fan, just like me :))

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

Juice of 1 extra large lemon

2 teaspoons dried oregano

1 teaspoon fresh minced garlic (optional)

1 teaspoon dried basil

3-4 tablespoons red wine vinegar

1/2 teaspoon salt

Black pepper (or to taste)

Directions

1. In a bowl or a large measuring cup, whisk  olive oil, lemon juice, red wine vinegar, oregano, salt, and pepper , to combine. 

Make it ahead and chill it in the fridge at least for an hour.

2. Cut feta cheese into 1/2-inch cubes. Cut tomatoes into wedges and tear washed lettuce into bite-sizes.

3. Place all of the salad ingredients in a large bowl, and add feta on top, just before serving.

4. Drizzle dressing over the salad and toss to combine.

(It's surprisingly good)

Then, a mouth-watering juicy Mediterranean salad is ready! :) 

Enjoy!

Juicy Greek Salad